After I finished eating, it was time to head to work. I'd spent a little too long in the kitchen so I took off in a light jog for the stables.
'Gonna ask Kyle today when the horses even get used. Honestly I didn't even know we had a stable till Brimiri had me start heading there.' I chuckled to myself. 'Last day and then school...' My thoughts trailed off as I turned the corner and noticed Brimiri and Kyle having a chat. As I got closer they both stopped talking and waved at me, waiting patiently for me to make it to them.
"Brimiri, Kyle, good morning to you both. I wasn't expecting to see you both this morning," I greeted.
Kyle was the first one to reply.
"Well you're early today unlike yesterday" this statement drew me short, I'd left at the time that should have made me on time today. Having seemed to see the turmoil on my face, "You were on time yesterday, it was just something I said to rile you up, but you went straight into the work without a complaint, I was honestly impressed. Which leads to why Brimiri is here this morning, but I'll let her tell ya." I said, and took a step back allowing Brimiri forward.
"When I sent you here Syil, it was because I was angry and thought this a good punishment before you left for the academy. What I didn't expect was you to rise to it and not complain. That takes a lot of maturity, young man." She spoke with a look of pride gracing her face that literally brought a glow to our surroundings. "So I've decided you've been punished enough, and Kyle here agreed. So today you'll be with me Syil, then you'll be ready for your trip tomorrow," she finished with a clap and turned to Kyle, gave him a nod and started to walk away. Quickly I did the same, wishing Kyle a good day and thanks.
Brimiri was walking like a woman on a mission, and I had to almost jog to keep pace. Eventually we stopped at a clearing between the Wastes Boundary and St.Perri. Along the way I got another update on my Quest.
--System Requirements Met--
-Quest: Take the day with Humility!
-Requirements: 4/5 Met.
- Learn a valuable lesson and grow from it. Met
- Keep to your word! 3/3 Met
- Prove your dedication in a craft you find undesirable. Met
- Earn Kyle's respect and Brimiri's trust back. Met
- Pass Brimiri's test!
--- Rewards: Variable --- Deadline: 1 day ---
The System seemed to have taken Brimiri's punishment as a quest for me to complete. 'I wonder if this is a normal thing or if the System quests are rare. And pass Brimiri's test? What test?'
We stood there for a while just watching the sunrise, the sky filled with oranges and pinks. "Beautiful..." I said breathlessly.
A chuckle to my right brought me out of my wonder.
"Well Syil, for such a late riser you're watching that sunrise with quite the smile." The grin left her face for a time, and eventually Brimiri spoke up. "I've decided I'm going to help you catch back up with the others who have already left,” her tone shifting into one of a strict teacher.
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She moved closer to me, stopping within a few steps.
“But I'll only be teaching you defense, and judging by how beat up you were, you don't have a Defense Card, so I have a gift for you Syil. I've had this Card for a long time, it was a gift for when it was thought I'd awaken as a Card Cultivator like the rest of my family. I want you to have it,” she held out her hand, a single Card present.
Force Wall (UC), T1R1.
Type: Active/Sustain. Affinity: Null, Guard, Null.
-Effects: Well who needs a shield? Summon a wall, and maybe it'll be a bit pushy
– Summon a wall of un aspected mana as a defensive ward that can only take Moderate Damage before failing. Anything that makes contact will have force placed against them.
—Null Effect: Influenced by aspects of the user, disappears after being influenced.
I didn't know what to say, it was exactly something I’d need going forward, I seemingly was an ADS (Additional Damage Support) in this world so far, and I couldn't even protect myself, yet much less cast a spell.
“Brimiri I don't know what to say,” but she cut me off.
“I don't want to hear any humble retorts from you right now, accept this Card.” She left no room for error in this, her mind was made up, and I decided to respect Brimiri’s request.
“Thank You,” was all I said as I took the Card into my Binder with a smile, then it felt like for a moment that my guts had shifted, then it was all over.
“That was a bit disorienting” I wobbled.
Brimiri just giggled at my antics before going back to her Teacher mode.
“I'm told that's quite common for a Null Card. Now Look at how the Card has changed to you, then we put you to practice till you leave.” With a sigh, I opened up my newest Card.
Asteroid Wall (R), T1R1.
Type: Active/Sustain. Affinity: Ice, Guardian, Space
-Effect: You grew up learning about the solar system, and fell in love with the universe. Have your own Asteroid belt you cutie!
– Summon a defensive field of Spacial ice to act as a maneuverable bulwark (6 shards of Ice)
— Each Shard of ice can take two blows of equal tier or one from a tier above.
—- This Card has reached its Max potential having evolved from a Null Card. This Card can not be a part of a set. Tier and Rank still raise and unlock the potential hidden in this Card.
-Cost: 15mp, 2mp per 10 minutes active without damage. Reload cost: 3mp per Shard regenerated, 1 second to form. Can only be used while at least one Shard remains after initial cast.
While I was amazed at what the Card had become, even hopping up a Rarity rank.
“Now I'm sure the System is poking fun at me.”
It was a dark corner of my life when I thought it would be easy to make my living studying the stars, but I hadn't done that in this life. Brimiri tilted her head at me.
“Just the flavor text just seemed a bit pointed my last few Cards is all,” having heard this she started to nod sagely, and kinda failed at it in the process.
“This is something well documented among the Faith of Sacred Cards. Reward Cards, Null Cards, and Evolved Cards often do, as they came about through your actions and means. What many consider a saving grace is that only the owner of said Card can see such text unless the Card is out of the Heart Binder.”
Without warning Brimiri shot an orb of light at me, just barely grazing past my ear. A light rustle of air was the only indication anything had passed.
“Start casting!” She shouted as orbs started flying my way a few at a time.
Barely dodging, I finally get a cast off. 6 shards of ice start to form, then abruptly stop at the size of pebbles, when the orb makes contact it stops and disappears. Then the ice pebble shattered, and so did the other five. She didn't let up on me till I ran out of mana to cast the spell, which was five times since miscast still uses mana.
Panting and worn out I collapsed to the ground.
“That was only 20 minutes,” I pant. “How would we do this all day? Meet up every hour and a half?" I ask and a mischievous look crosses her face for all of a moment.
“Oh just with this,” and as she finishes, a basket with a decadent smell appeared out of what I assume was her inventory. “When I said all day, I meant all day.”
Item: Trainers Meal. Type: Consumable Buff
-Effects: Increase any Mana Regen below 10mp per min to 10mp per min for one hour.
Inside the basket was twelve sandwiches, twelve hours of certain torture if the look in Brimiri’s eyes is anything to go off of.
“I'm going to love these I'm sure, but I'm also sure I’m going to hate what comes after.” I grumble, and Brimiri just smiles and nods.
“Guess I had this one coming, I'm ready.”
And like that, the rest of the day faded into exhausting my mana over and over, dodging different assortments of light orb attacks, and I even managed to fully cast the spell halfway through the day. That was when the real training started, Brimiri doubled down on me after that, and before I knew it, my face hit the pillow of my bed and all thoughts ground to a halt.