Soul Knight - Chapter 11 - Eirwen (Patreon)

Arriving at the other side of the portal, Eirwen found herself standing in a forest. The trees were mostly sparse, with wide clearings and light underbrush.

[3rd Floor - Test of Strength. Defeat Hobgoblin Chief in camp to East.]

Nick shouldered his bag of coins. “Fucking finally, we get something normal! Now this I can get behind. Can we just farm the hell out of this floor or something?”

Eirwen asked. “Farm it?”

“Ah yeah, my bad. Do it over and over again for certain benefits is what farming means, in this context. Like if those bandits really enjoyed throwing knives…”

“Hehe, then they’d farm the first floor over and over again. If this was a managed Ordeal, then yes, we could enter this floor repeatedly. Here, you can only enter every fifth floor. Typically there’s a boss then.”

Kaya’s ears were twisting each way. “Is there a Safe Zone we can work towards, Winny?”

Nick latched onto that right away with a grin. “What’s this, that your nickname? That’s cute as hell, just like you, Eirwen.”

Eirwen blushed as she heard the truth of his words. “Y-Yeah. And no, it looks like the Safe Zone might be near the end of the stage again, or at least it’s quite the ways off toward the East.”

She pointed off in the distance, and Nick shrugged. “Alright. So hobgoblins, huh? Those guys are basically green humans, maybe a little smaller, and use weapons?”

Kaya frowned. “I thought you had no monsterfolk where you were from? How do you know about hobgoblins?”

Nick replied, “That’s what monsterfolk are? Huh, I wonder. Hobgoblins were fiction where I was from. Then again, I’m speaking your language, maybe it just translates it for me?”

Eirwen added, “That is weird, but if you or your soul somehow crossed over to our world, maybe other things do too.”

They began their march, Nick in the front. His steps were silent, but his coinage clinked with every movement. He had an easy smile, as if it not only didn’t bother him, but like it brought him some kind of pleasure.

Kaya seemed to notice this too, then she smirked. “Copper for your thoughts?”

He chuckled. “I gotta hand it to ya, that was good. But I’m just picturing how I’m going to bludgeon these bastards to death with these coins. Maybe I ought to melt the coins down and make a mace out of it? All for efficiency’s sake.”

Kaya groaned. “Why do you have to be the way that you are?”

Nick shook his head. “Right back at ya’, girl. Why you gotta look down on my fun? I’m just making lemonade out of lemons, and trying to enjoy myself. And maybe trying to make Winny smile a bit. Is that so horrible?”

Kaya sighed. “No, I guess not. I’m… sorry for being such a stick in the mud.”

“You don’t need to keep apologizing, I hope you can enjoy the adventure too, like Winny here.”

Eirwen added, “Yeah, Kaya! You have worked hard for a long time. We are almost free of Davon, so you should be excited. Once you hit level five in here, you’ll almost be completely safe from him.”

Kaya smiled. “You’re right, but I won’t feel completely relaxed until you’re safe, too. What good is [Sneak] and running away if it leaves you behind?”

“Don’t you worry about protecting Eirwen from that Davon. I got her covered.”

Kaya snorted. “You gotta make it out of the Trial first, don’t you? Then, his goons are a challenge on their own.”

Nick shrugged. “By the way, how does maiming work here if you guys can respawn?”

Eirwen answered, “When we leave, for a portion or all of our earnings–essence or loot, it can fix any maiming like loss of limb. You can refuse and have a healer do it, though that’d be a terrible idea in Havendale–nobody there can accomplish that.”

“Weird, so you could lose your level? That’s crazy.”

As they crested a hill, they saw some goblins milling about the forest, a sort of patrol. The goblins spotted them right away, and Nick dashed off as quickly as he saw them. Jerry the wollywompus followed him.

Kaya shouted, “Don’t let any escape, it may make the challenge more difficult!”

Jerome barked next to her, almost as if to let Eirwen know he would be protecting her. She was thankful for it, but felt like she was being a burden to the party.

An Ordeal Supporter was meant to protect themselves for the most part, but she wasn’t quite at that level.

She would later get a passive skill that would make enemies that much less likely to approach her, before she joined combat.

On the other hand, the difficulty appeared to be higher, in part thanks to Nick drawing in more danger. He and Kaya were also over leveled, scaling up the difficulty.

That should mostly stop for this floor, finally experiencing what the floor should be like to a party that was within the same level.

Readying her crossbow, she once again marveled at how fast Nick was. Kaya could only barely keep up despite her heritage, running along by his side as his long strides took him quickly to the target. As he neared, he spun and threw the bag of coins.

It smashed into one of the goblins and sent it flying into the tree with a crack. He then punched the next one in the face sending it flying, and Eirwen lined up her shot with the crossbow, against another goblin which had a bow drawn.

Pulling the trigger, her shot took it in the shoulder, but only after it fired its little arrow at Nick.

But he saw it coming, and deflected it with his bracer. The tiny arrows were crude, and once again she was surprised at the speed of his reaction, as he…

Kaya groaned. “Do you have to use those coins?” as she cut into another goblin with her blade, her [Dash] increasing the speed of her movements. Despite stabbing the enemy repeatedly, it still hadn’t gone down yet.

Nick had picked up his bag of coins, and threw it at another oncoming goblin, knocking it to the ground. A knife was then stabbed into the downed goblin’s throat. If it wasn’t already dead, then it would be shortly.

“Who, me? The Ordeal provided for me. Isn’t that like your religion, or something? I like have to use the coins now that it gave them to me, don’t I?”

Kaya growled, as she cut into another goblin. There were only around a dozen, and the primary danger was that they could escape, and warn the Hobgoblin Chieftain to send more scouts.

Eirwen was reloading, but she knew she would only barely get one more shot before the goblins were killed.

“The coins don’t count! And why are you punching them?”

“Huh? Just getting used to them. These guys are terrible. Half their swings wouldn’t even connect if I didn’t dodge.”

Eirwen almost giggled at his silliness. While he sounded carefree and aloof, his piercing eyes took in the battlefield with rapt attention. She was amazed by how each of Nicks movements were so fast and fluid.

The goblins looked like stumbling children in comparison to him.

Several goblins surrounded him with their knives and short blades, but he used their positions against each other and tactically took their groups apart safely.

His punch or swing of his sack of coins would snap their heads back and send them falling to the ground or into another goblin’s way.

Nick’s kick would send them flying through the air, and he’d pick up his thrown sack and bludgeon the next goblin to death. Jerry bit into another goblin next to Kaya, allowing her to finish off another with a stab to the throat.

She had cut down four of them on her own over the course of the fight.

Finishing off the final goblin, Nick smiled as he inspected his weapon proudly: the wolf skin bag of coins.

“You were totally right, girls. This wolf pelt did some serious work, didn’t even break with all the beatings. Maybe I can add the wolf teeth to it somehow?”

Kaya shook her head with a small smile. “You’re crazy, Nick.”

Nick just stared at her with an easy smile. “Crazy? No way! Did you see it, Winny? These coins one-shotted that first goblin. This is the best weapon!”

Eirwen giggled. “Even better than the soul blade? That one you punched over there didn’t get back up, either.”

Carefully approaching that one with a dagger in hand, she activated [Loot] with the other. Turning into essence and some copper coins, the goblin disappeared.

“Nah, you’re right, but it’s pretty good though. Lemme get those coins.”

Nick started smacking his coins against his open palm loudly, as if to measure the new weight, repeatedly as he spoke. “Man, you know what would be good? Some rope. I could spin and fling this at the enemies, then tug it back. It’d be even better.” He gave a dramatic sigh. “Too bad, though. If only someone had brought some.”

Kaya groaned. “Whatever. Can’t you just drop it about the rope?”

Nick chuckled. “I’m just playing with you. But here’s something I won’t drop: why are you holding back your blows?”

Kaya froze. “What do you mean?”

“I was watching you. You’re really fighting against yourself when you fight. I thought it was because we were fighting animals or shadows, but even against these monsterfolk you hold back your blows. What is it, you transform when you go all out, or something?”

Eirwen could feel what he said was true, but she was shocked he had the presence of mind to spot Kaya’s capability while fighting on his own.

Kaya was shocked. “You can see that? How?”

“You’re supposed to be strong for your level, [Advanced Body], wasn’t it? But only when you went for their vitals did you take them down. These guys are easy, but it took you a few blows. Those blades aren’t that dull. You’re holdin’ back.”

She sighed. “Fine. You’re right. I limit the strength of my attacks, because my body might transform if I went all out.”

“You should try out those bracers, and practice it. What time better than now? These guys are a joke. We can practice more in the safe area if you like, but I got your back. You can count on me.”

Eirwen hugged Kaya from the side, trying to placate her before she got angrier at Nick. “Just try it, Kaya? It’ll make us all safer if you get it under control. The Ordeal gave you the bracers, after all. It’s a sign.”

Kaya was worried, but she gave a small smile. “Fine. I’ll wear the bracers, and I’ll give it a try. I’ll do it for you, Winny.”

Eirwen took out the bracers from her bag and handed them to her, hugging her from the side. “Thank you, Kaya. It’s important to me that you master this, I know it’d make momma proud. Then you can probably be a beast warrior, too.”

“I… You’re right. She–” She sniffed, and her expression changed to a confused one. Eirwen backed away to continue looting, as her sister continued smelling the air and looked at Nick.

Eirwen had already used some mint after their kiss while they were packing, and Kaya still smelled something was off!

Nick was about to say something, but Kaya’s confused look halted him as she put on her new bracers. She finished her original thought, “She would. I know she always encouraged me to practice.”

Eirwen worked to absorb the essence as she looted the enemies, splitting the essence with the party as she collected Ordeal coin and some odds and ends.

She knew her sister pictured the whirlpools, but for some reason, imagining her Body, Mind, and Soul Dantians as stars, and the essence as cosmic dust being drawn in worked better for her. She would find herself entering a trance much quicker and easier.

Before, her soul in particular would burn and feel like it was going to be torn as she tried, even while focusing only on body or mind. Now, she felt nothing but a pleasant, warm sensation as she grew herself.

The pure, perfect essence from the Ordeal felt wonderful as it entered her, and she felt gratitude for what Nick had done for her. It was easy for him, sure.

However, out of the several hundred that called Havendale home, none could help her.

Kaya gasped. “Oh! I hit level four. I got [Critical Rate Up]. Just one more…”

Nick frowned. “That sounds pretty good, makes like no sense to me, though. How can it make a hit become critical? You either hit a critical point with your blade or not.”

Eirwen continued looting as she replied, “It has to do with Essence. Because of the passive ability, when it triggers the Essence will simply enhance the cut or blow, making your attack or cut reach deeper than it would otherwise. You’ll reach an artery when you wouldn’t have, or the path of your swing might shift through the Essence.”

Nick looked at his fist and frowned. “That mean some guy gonna use some Essence bullshit on me, and my perfect block or parry might shift impossibly to let some guy’s attack through? That’s terrible!”

Kaya frowned. “If you’re in tune with the Essence, you may be able to feel it when it happens. But yes, you should be careful, as your opponent's attack could be shifted or enhanced by Essence after you already lined up your perfect parry, as you say.”

Eirwen added, “In the first Stratum it’s rare for Essence to influence the enemy target before their attack landed, most skills influence yourself or your attack. So it shouldn’t shift them through your guard impossibly, it might be more like a perfect correction. If you have a truly perfect counter or parry, they won’t be able to magically bypass it. You can counter them with skill. That will change in the second Stratum though.”

Nick ran is hand through his hair. “Huh, well alright. I’ll be careful. I guess I’ll work on trying to feel the Essence better. Oh yeah, those goblins didn’t use any skills.”

Eirwen said, “Beasts often have an active ability early, but humanoids usually don’t get theirs until close to five. Level 3 is possible, but it will be somewhat rare. A common goblin gets more passive enhancements. One makes them slightly stronger the more of them there are.”

Nick smiled at her, and she could tell he was impressed with her knowledge. She looted the last corpse, finding…

“Oh snap, some rope! Just what I needed. Thank you, Ordeal! In a way, isn’t that thanks to you too, Winny? You’re awesome. Lemme at some of that.”

It was a bundle of rope, probably close to a hundred feet. Nick cut off about ten of it with a smile, tying up his bundle of coins, enough slack for him to swing. With all the new coins inside, he started to swing it around in a circle, the heavy weight whipping the air as it was spun.

“That’s gonna fuck up these goblins real good. That’s a good weapon. See, Kaya? The Ordeal agreed with me. That rope is important.”

Kaya growled. “Whatever! It’s not like I knew we were going to be entering an Ordeal, to stock up on rope in advance!”

Nick chuckled. “Just trying to see if I can be rewarded with one of those growls. I’m just giving you a hard time, sorry, Kaya. Tell you what, when this Ordeal is done, you can have all my copper. You can thank me later.”

Kaya smirked. “I’ll show you where you can stick that copper!”

Eirwen laughed. Nick was really something else, and she thought that Kaya was starting to get used to him.

They finished their looting and retrieval of their throwing weapons, and continued toward the safe zone. The Ordeal strategy was to secure the Safe Zone early, to have a point of retreat in case something bad happened.

The portal could usually be used the same way, but Nick was unable to.

Nick, Jerry, and Kaya formed a net as they went toward the safe zone, Kaya being guarded by Jerome. Eirwen just enjoyed breathing the fresh air and feeling the sun on her skin, as she started feeling stronger than ever.

She had times when she hadn’t felt very sick thanks to the medicine, but she almost felt like she was getting stronger by the minute. As Nick finally fixed her soul with her mending, she had finally reached 2 Soul.

Thanks to her level-up, she was even above that now, her body already starting to become much stronger.

As a sheep beastfolk, her 2 Body wasn’t precisely the same as the 2 Body of Kaya with her Advanced Body, or whatever made an Archaen special, but soon she wouldn’t be considered weak.

Her Ordeal Supporter class provided only .33 Body, Mind, and Soul per level, but before skills, attributes scaled in a sort of logarithmic way. 2 Body was 2 times stronger than 1, and it required 10 Body before you were 3 times stronger–before spells and passives were considered.

From there the scale changed somewhat, most skills or abilities that reached the second stratum having larger multipliers.

They ran into another patrol of goblins, and this fight went even easier than the first one. Nick was a furious whirlwind, spinning his coins with his precious rope. Goblins were flung in every direction, as he spun and twirled the improvised weapon.

He had one hand on the slack of the rope at all times, sometimes adding a second to change the trajectory of where the bag of coins spun.

Kaya was just as astonished as Eirwen, barely throwing her knives at the goblins trying to flank Nick. Eirwen also shot her crossbow at one holding a bow. But there was no point, Nick just slaying them all with ease.

Nick laughed nearly the whole time, his boyish smile having a special charm. That his unbridled enthusiasm was matched by talent beyond anything Eirwen had ever heard of was more than a little attractive.

How could he be so great with such a strange weapon?

As the last goblin in the patrol was finished off, Nick turned to them with a big smile. “That was fun! Easy though.” He started to tie his coins to his belt when Kaya suddenly shouted in alarm.

“Look out!”

A goblin leaped at him from a tree directly above him, and Nick just looked at Kaya confusedly as his hand landed on his blade’s hilt on his shoulder. In one fluid movement, his blade was drawn at a strange angle, and she hardly saw a flash of light as he holstered the blade again.

The goblin’s split corpse hit the ground, its body split nearly vertically. “What? I saw ‘em. Hey Winny, why do you think I can’t use [Judgment] on these guys? Ain’t they evil? Don’t tell me I won’t be able to use this spell the rest of the time we in here?”

Kaya and Eirwen just gaped at him for a moment, before Eirwen answered his question. “Many monsterfolk are neutral by default, and goblins are one of them. The Ordeal probably won’t set them as evil unless it’s important for the Test. Within the Trial, there will likely be people of all kinds inside.”

Nick frowned as he looked at the goblin corpses. “Huh, I guess these are the less ugly kind, too. This goblin girl here is kinda cute. Are hobgoblins more even more human-like in appearance, or less?”

Kaya answered, “That kind of just depends on them. They can become more monstrous if they lean into those attributes. Many do.”

Nick whistled. “Man, this place is complicated. I don’t have a chance of busting my numbers up and becoming some ghoul guy or something, do I?”

Kaya smirked. “I don’t know, your Monstrosity attribute didn’t go over 10 yet, did it? You might grow sharp teeth, claws, and warts if it does.”

Nick’s eyes became big. “Oh shit, how do I find that out? My Body is almost eight already!”

Kaya had to stifle her smile and giggle at his worry, her tease successful, but it morphed to a look of shock. “W-What? No way. You’re only level three!”

Nick let out a breath. “That was close. It’s only four. Had me scared there, Kaya.”

Now Eirwen gasped. “You’re a monsterfolk? You didn’t tell me this, Nick!”

Nick raised his brow. “Whachu mean, I’m a monster because I got Monstrosity attribute?” He narrowed his eyes on Kaya, before he chuckled. “Didn’t know you had it in you, Kaya! You were messing with me. I’m gonna have to be more careful.”

Kaya still looked at Nick with doubt, but she nodded. “Only monsterfolk and monsters have Monstrosity. Beasts and beastfolk have Ferality, for example. You really have almost 8 Body?”

She looked at Eirwen for confirmation, which she gave a small smile. Nick wasn’t lying, anyway.

“That’s right, I get one Body per level, and this body nearly had four when I woke up in that Tomb. I must be really close to level four, besides. Plus there’s the trait I got, that added some. Is that good?”

Eirwen was amazed at this. Most children were lucky to hit 2 in their three attributes at best by the time they started absorbing Essence and gaining levels in their class. Just how could Nick have such high attributes?

Normally, the Race wouldn’t change this number by overly much. Of course, some races would end up with more of each of the Base attributes, but the differences were usually higher within the sub-attributes within.

It was more training and other investments from parents as in a heritage. If someone was level one hundred when they had their child, they would end up more perfect, Eirwen had read. Nick was really the child of someone powerful!

Kaya frowned. “How much Soul?”

“That’s nearly eight, too. Epic class has +1 Body and +1 Soul per level.”

Eirwen smiled. “Nick here is going to be really strong! No wonder those goblins were so easy for him. But Nick, what Kaya said is actually true. If you have an imbalance in your attributes, you may become more monstrous. You can really only do that if you consciously focus on it, though. Few do any of that until about level five or so, not wanting to become too weak in one way. By just absorbing the essence, it is distributed mostly evenly, maybe closer to the default of your Race.”

Nick smiled at Eirwen, setting her heart aflutter with how he looked at her. His eyes were filled with desire, and she thought he looked impressed.

“Thank you for that, Winny. You’re just as smart as you are cute. Let’s get moving? I’d like to get this hob chief slain sooner rather than later.”

Eirwen blushed, remembering just why he might be interested in getting this Test finished. She worked on looting the goblins once more with a smile, splitting and absorbing the Essence.

She was having fun exploring this Test, just excited to be out of the house. Learning his attributes made her even more confident about him becoming her mate, and she knew even Kaya was looking at him a little differently.

Beastfolk were attracted to strength, each for different reasons. Kaya had made a bad choice in a man before, but Eirwen wondered if maybe she’d learned her lesson?

Nothing mattered to Eirwen more than Kaya being happy, and she thought Nick could be the one to do it.