Forged Legacy

Chapter 59 - The Vanguard and The Rider

“Tell us everything!” Julian smiled.

“It’s easier just to show you.” Hannah chuckled as her status screen appeared in the air in front of them.

Name: Beast GuardianRARE

Level: 25

Description: For you, the beasts of the world aren’t tools to be tamed, they’re souls to be protected. Each creature has their part to play in your path to power, either as a friend or foe, and it is for you to decide who lives or dies. You have taken a vow to protect those who deserve protection, and destroy those who deserve destruction. This vow is not one of servitude, but judgement, and through it you will form a bond that shares more than just your minds. As your legacy deepens, so too will that of the four-legged friends sworn to walk beside you.

Stats per Level: +8 Vitality, +8 Endurance, +4 Wisdom, +10 Willpower, +6 Free Points

Guardian’s Connection | F Grade | Rare:

It is against a beast’s nature to bond with an Ascendant. How can one truly be wild and free while bound to another’s path? Yet your compassion at the brink of death has proven that sometimes, it is better to be cared for than alone. Your unwavering devotion to Buttercup has strengthened the bond you share, allowing you to share more than just thoughts. He trusts you to protect him, and will allow you to use his essence to power your abilities. More functions may become available as your shared legacy deepens.

Bondmender | G Grade | Uncommon:

A bond between man and beast is made up of many things. A melding of the minds, a meeting of the soul, and a love for the heart. None of which can persist if either is allowed to die. Through the power of your connection, you may use essence to heal Buttercup with the touch of your hand. The strength and speed of the healing scales with your Wisdom and Willpower

Lockstep | G Grade | Uncommon:

When you can’t share a mind, the next best option is to share a body. When you can’t share a body, you have to learn to move as one. Imbue your saddle with essence that binds beast and rider together, anchoring your lower body to its frame while endowing it with a portion of your Dexterity. The percentage of Dexterity shared scales with your Willpower.

Guardian’s Crown | F Grade | Rare:

A crown on your head comes with a target on your back. Unless you find a way to defend yourself, someone else will be wearing your crown soon enough. Allows Buttercup to summon blasts of force to intercept attacks, and temporary essence antlers that can be severed to produce a powerful bubble shield around him. Bolts can be cheaply formed using essence stored in his antlers, or drawn in larger amounts directly from Hannah Heyward. Essence antlers are constructs that regenerate slowly, and only 4 may exist at a time. The size and strength of each bolt as well as the durability of each shield scales with Hannah’s Wisdom and Endurance.

Surging Stampede | F Grade | Rare:

The instincts of a white-tailed deer are to flee in the face of danger, but with you at his side, Buttercup has learned to charge headfirst into his enemies. Sacrifice a portion of your Vitality and Endurance to strengthen Buttercup’s body, allowing him to rampage ahead with skin of stone and antlers of steel. The strength of the stampede and the percentage of Vitality and Endurance shared both scale with your Willpower.

“A rare profession! Congrats.” Elena cheered.

“Thanks! I was starting to worry that it was leaning more towards farmer and less towards fighter. Now, it’s all about my relationship with Buttercup and how we fight together.” Hannah explained.

“Do you know why only three of the skills are F Grade?” Harvey asked.

“Yeah. The notification says the Capstone skill you create at the max level of each grade will always evolve with you, but how many of the other ones you can evolve depends on the rarity of your profession.” Hannah answered.

“Got it. I like how you’re able to share stats. I got a skill that does something similar with equipment I make.” Harvey commented.

“No way!” Hannah remarked, “Of course, Mommy wants to help her handsome boy! Who’s a good deer? You are!” She sang, patting Buttercup’s neck and scratching under his chin. The deer was still in shock, but its stressed huffs melted into gentle breathing as she played with him. The status screen hadn’t disappeared, so they took a look at her class.

Name: Wildheart RiderRARE

Level: 25

Description: Some would say you’re a little unstable. Others call you unhinged. You prefer wild. It’s why you feel more at home with beasts than your brethren, because like them you are full of pent-up energy just waiting to be unleashed. Your legacy is one of action, and every shot you take and stride you make is building toward that grand explosion of power. As a Wildheart Rider, you leap into the fray with your bonded beast beneath you and let momentum shatter every cage that tries to hold you back. Charge toward eternity with your head held high.

Stats per Level: +10 Endurance, +10 Dexterity, +10 Willpower, +6 Free Points

Steady Draw | F Grade | Common:

It’s not about the shots you take, but the shots you make. Every arrow is an opportunity to move the world toward your destination, so make them count. Each successful shot allows you to infuse more essence into your next arrow, now stacking up to 20 consecutive hits at F Grade. Channeling essence allows them to fly faster, hit harder, and penetrate deeper. Essence infusion efficiency and strength scale with Dexterity and Endurance, with missed shots resetting the infusion limit to zero.

Essence Hawk | G Grade | Rare:

Stolen content alert: this content belongs on NovelBin. Report any occurrences.

Before there was satellite imagery, there were birds. Trackers on the ground yearned for the birds-eye view of the world, able to quickly search the world below for their prey. Conjures a Hawk capable of sensing residual Essence use. The bird’s maximum range and sensitivity scale with Endurance and Willpower.

Critical Mass | F Grade | Rare:

High risk, high reward. If you want to be a big game hunter, you’re going to need a big game killer. The strength of this skill depends on the number of consecutive shots made with Steady Draw, allowing you to form one of four devastating arrows that detonate at the end of their flight. Each arrow may consume 5, 10, 15, or 20 Steady Draw stacks, and its penetrative power and explosive force scale with Dexterity and Endurance.

Living Turret | G Grade | Uncommon:

When civilization wished to defend their lands, they raised towers to watch the horizon and rain death upon those who threatened them. Stationary or not, height and stability turned archers into terrors from above. You have found your own tower in the bonded beast beneath you, turning Buttercup’s back into a moving battlement. While riding him, your posture steadies, your aim sharpens, and your lethality improves. Gain increased Dexterity and Endurance when firing from Buttercup’s back, scaling with your Willpower.

Wild Roar | F Grade | Rare:

Sometimes you just need a little space to think. Screaming at the top of your lungs worked as a kid, so why not try it now? Build momentum as you and Buttercup charge across the battlefield and unleash it as an essence-infused roar, blasting back nearby enemies with a wave of sonic force. The strength of the roar scales with your speed, the distance you’ve traveled, and your Willpower.

“It never really occurred to me, but I guess you are a little feral,” Julian smirked.

“Wild! Not feral.” She grinned. “Feral makes it sound like I’ve got leaves in my hair.”

“To be honest, I was a little worried when I first saw your steady draw skill. Going from cheerleader to an archer whose power relies on never missing a shot seemed impossible, but it feels like your entire class revolves around that skill.”

“Oh, I still miss all the time, but it’s easier with Buttercup. Instead of gambling with long shots, I just let him keep me barely out of reach while I load things up with arrows.” Hannah explained.

“Which explains Wild Roar. Let’s you reset the fight if something gets too close.” Harvey muttered.

“Look at that! Here I was assuming you were an idiot, but you’ve managed to interpret my genius!” Hannah giggled before screaming at the top of her lungs. Without a run-up, the skill wasn’t enough to knock over their pew, but Harvey was shocked when it plastered him to his seat.

“I always knew you were a banshee.” Harvey groaned, unable to hide the grin on his face. She’d taken a massive step forward, and he almost couldn’t believe how much stronger she’d become. He’d been impressed by the 12 stat points he got with every profession level, and now she was getting 36 per level from both. Every level from here on out would turn the gap between them into a chasm.

I’m gonna be sick if I don’t evolve soon. Harvey thought.

“Alright, you two, no fighting at church.” Julian laughed. “Besides, you don’t want to miss the opportunity to see a master at work.”

Harvey watched as Julian placed his hands on the crystal ball and prepared himself to watch the spools of thread ravage his friend. Just looking at them brought back memories of threads worming their way underneath his skin back when he got his profession, and that was nowhere near as much thread as Hannah’s evolution.

The rainbow haze returned, and Harvey watched as visions of Julian fighting both in Veils End and back on Earth appeared in front of him. He’d started to think that the System didn’t value experiences before the integration as much, but almost half of Julian’s class upgrade came from before the integration. The Loom wouldn’t let him ruin his class by accident, and Julian wasn’t stupid. Maybe he knew something Harvey didn’t.

He’d already made his capstone skill, so Julian was able to jump straight into his evolution. Harvey held his breath as he watched Julian strike down stronger and stronger foes, interspersed with daring rescues into burning buildings. It was like watching a movie where someone had spoiled the ending. He knew Julian was going to survive, but that didn’t keep him off the edge of his seat as the replays flew by.

One by one, they flew into the Loom, and the Red, Orange, Black, Grey, and Silver spools all fluttered to life. Needle-thin threads shot toward him, lifting him high as his body went limp. Again, they watched his weave widen in a blaze of glory before washing away entirely. Sigil after sigil flared before disappearing, and the thread didn’t stop even after his skin was as clear as the day he was born.

Harvey counted under his breath, each second dragging on as he watched the thread boiling just underneath the skin. He wasn’t sure whether to panic or celebrate that it was taking longer than Hannah’s, since it could either spell disaster or an even better result than hers.

Finally, the Loom severed its connection, and Julian fell to the floor. Like before, the rainbow haze stayed in place as Julian began evolving his skills. Harvey recognized the sigils for Guardian’s Breath and Heroic Leap, but there was a third showing a shirtless Julian with his muscles swelling that Harvey hadn’t seen before. Each entered the Loom along with visions of Julian using them before an F-Grade sigil was spit out.

When the process was finally complete, Julian staggered back to the pew with raspy breaths.

“I…” He choked, a wracking cough overtaking his entire body. His aura was shaky, only bursts of the proud, confident leader Harvey’d come to know leaking through.

“You what?” Harvey asked. “Do you need anything?”

“Win.” Julian smiled, a hearty chuckle turning into more coughs as a screen appeared in front of them. Hannah’s eyes went wide, and Harvey felt the tirade boiling up inside her.

“Holy crap…” Hannah whispered, “You didn’t win! You cheated! It’s gotta be easier to get an Epic class when you give up on your profession!”

Elena turned to Harvey with a confused look as the other woman berated Julian. “I don’t know if I’ll ever understand you guys.”

Harvey just laughed and leaned in next to her.

Name: Emberheart VanguardEPIC

Level: 25

Description: There is a fire raging in your soul. Not one of anger or revenge, but of passion. Passion for life. Passion for love. Passion for people. It is the people in your life that bring you the most joy, and it is because of them that you constantly risk your life for their survival. Most who walk this path find only death at its end, but a precious few find the strength to carry their flame further. As an Emberheart Vanguard, you stand in the front whenever death comes looking for the ones you love. You wield the fire inside to incinerate your enemies and rejuvenate your allies, imposing your will on the battlefield until only your legacy remains.

Stats per Level: +20 Vitality, +12 Endurance, +20 Strength, +20 Willpower, +12 Free Points

Emberheart’s Breath | F Grade | Rare:

As long as you’re still breathing, those who stand behind you know hope isn’t lost. While in combat, allies within your aura receive steady healing and are bolstered by a portion of your Willpower. Your belief becomes their strength, and your fire becomes their light. The strength of the healing and the percentage of Willpower shared scale with your Vitality and Willpower.

Vanguard’s Entrance | F Grade | Rare:

Not every threat will come to you, and a Vanguard must be able to reach danger before it reaches the people he protects. Channel essence to launch yourself in a mighty leap, crashing down in an eruption of flame that heals your allies and scorches your foes. The force of the impact and the power of the flames both scale with your Strength and Vitality.

Burning Resolve | F Grade | Epic:

There are moments when your body simply cannot contain the fire in your soul. In those moments, the Emberheart Vanguard lets that fire reshape him, burning essence to force his body into a form capable of carrying his will. Spend a large amount of essence to surge in size and gain a powerful temporary increase to Strength. The essence cost decreases as your Strength and Vitality grow.

Shield Slam | G Grade | Common:

When a blade isn’t enough to stop your enemy, a shield makes an excellent persuasion tool. Infuse essence into the impact to unleash a shockwave of force that bypasses armor and strikes the body directly. The strength of the shockwave scales with your Strength.

Firebreak Mantle | F Grade | Epic:

Where most flee from the flames, some are reforged by them. Even before the System, you stood firm in the face of danger, and now the fire you once fought has become the fire you command. Ignite your essence into a fiery mantle that wraps your body in heat and light, searing only those who would harm you. This mantle empowers your strikes and lashes out against any who dare to stand in your way. The intensity of the flames scales with your Vitality and Willpower.

“Damn, that shield slam skill really stands out next to all the Emberheart stuff,” Harvey muttered.

“Yeah. I’ll admit I wasn’t feeling very creative that day, but it still has its uses.” Julian smiled, finally able to talk after greedily drinking from a water jug.

“Your class is amazing!” Elena marveled. “You’re our knight in burning armor! And 84 stats from just your class is insane."

Harvey winced, that familiar pit forming in his stomach. His friends were soaring past him, while he was still crawling, injured, on the ground.

“Thanks, Elena! I guess leaving my profession behind gave me double the stats for my class? I can’t wait to test it out.” Julian beamed.