Chapter 16: Level Six
When Simon slowly opened his eyes, he felt different, and he didn’t need the mirror to see it, though he did consult it anyway. “Show me my character sheet,” he ordered, as soon as he sat up.
Name: Simon Jackoby
Level: 5
Deaths: 25
Experience Points: -7960
Skills: Archery [Poor], Armor (light) [Average], Athletics [Poor], Cook [Very Poor], Craft [Very Poor], Deception [Very Poor], Escape [Very Poor], Investigate [Poor], Maces [Below Average], Ride [Very Poor], Search [Poor], Sneak [Poor], Spears [Very Poor], Spell Casting [Very Poor], Steal [Very Poor], Swimming [Very Poor], and Swords [Average].
There it was, on his sheet. His spell casting used to be none. Every time he looked at it previously it had taunted him with its absence, but now it was very poor, and that made all the difference in the world. Every other ‘very poor’ on the list taunted him, but not that one. That one he cherished. The way the words still echoed in his mind, it was a wonder they weren’t on his sheet under a new section like ‘acquired spells.’ Gervuul and Meiren. As soon as he’d finally cast his first spell it was immediately clear to him that they were two words, and not just one that had run together. He didn’t know what either of them meant, but he knew that he would never forget them. Even now they both felt like they were branded on his soul, and he was hesitant to get too close to either of them.
Speaking them had felt… wrong. That was the only way to describe it, and he wasn’t looking forward to doing it again. This was just one more thing that wasn’t at all like his expectations for it had been. Manipulating mana, and casting spells - those were supposed to be amazing experiences. He’d spent evenings wondering if channeling the universe like that would be more orgasmic feeling, like sex, or if it would be something closer to getting electrocuted while you were high. It turned out it was neither. It was like turning your brain inside out while the universe rebuked you for violating its laws. Saying them had hurt less than a goblin bite, but more than a sucker punch, and he wasn’t looking forward to doing it again.
He was going to have to though, because now that he had his fire spell, he had a way to beat that awful slime. That thought brought him back to the present, and he stood up. “I’ve got a new weapon in my arsenal now, bitches,” he said to himself as he started to get out his armor, “Arcane Napalm!” He pondered the name for a moment before he laughed and shook his head. Nah - that definitely wasn’t going to work, but he’d think of something better in time. Time was the one thing he had plenty of.