"Radwin’s the name. Pleasures mine,” he said with a shaky smile. I noticed his hand was also twitching a bit.

  ‘Guess he's actually the nervous type.’

  I politely shook his hand back, the tension in his shoulders seemed to fade away at this.

  “Name’s Syilten,” I returned back, he began to chuckle a little.

  “Seelie, then.” He seemed to have forgotten himself for a moment, chuckling. “I jest I jest. But your name is ten seels?” He asked with honest curiosity, or at least I thought at first.

  I palmed my face at the question, letting out a bereaved sigh. If I didn't hear him chuckling, I'd have given him a genuine reply.

  “Ha ha very funny, and here I thought you were the shy type.” I jab back playfully just for Radwin to visibly wince.

  ‘Okay, maybe just a quick bout of courage then.’

  “I'm told my name has to do with the falling of snow actually,” I replied beaming, setting Radwins nerves to rest.

  After that, we sat in amenable silence until it was time to leave. Only 3 other passengers arrived, but they seemed to be all a part of their own group. I looked them over for a while before the coach took off, they seemed to be the kind of adventurers that I imagined in local stories. They all had pretty basic gear but well fitted and seemingly specific to their builds. As I look on, I assume their fighting styles. The girl in the group was casually just flipping her knives, while the two men with her just seemed to be having a light hearted but heated discussion like they were love rivals, which they very well could be.

  Radwin had also seemed to close up further into himself again when they arrived, moving to sit between me and the wall. It felt like a nice show of trust. He also didn't stop taking glances at their potions when he could, every now and then his eyes going distant.

  ‘Is that what it looks like when I check my notifications, too?’ I ponder ‘I'll ask him when we get moving. Maybe.’

  _________________________________________

  The ride was shaping out to be alright, we'd only been on the road for about 3 hours. Over that time I got to know Radwin more, and see the strange new scenery around us. Radwin told me how his father was one of the pricier Blacksmiths in town, and that his mother just graduated as a journeyman tanner. On his awakening day, he forgot what day it was and worked through his starter System Notifications trying to make new tanning solutions for her. The System took that as a hint when awakening his Soul Card, though he said seeing what the Card did would have to be a surprise, since we're technically restricted to only being allowed to use our Cards and abilities under the guidance of an instructor for our first year.

  I told Radwin about growing up a bit at St.Perri and about Brimiri, about how hectic my awakening had been while leaving out more than a few of the stupid parts, also not mentioning my Rares. I even told him about the mysterious Kyle, at which I swear I heard the coach stifle a laugh.

  ‘Suspicious,’ is all I thought at the time.

  “Sounds like you're gonna have your work cut out for you, Syil,” Radwin said, having moved to my nickname over the course of our chat. “You're gonna hate hot places, that's for sure though. At least until we get a bit stronger.”

  Radwin seemed to ponder something for a while.

  “When we come to a rest, can I study your Cards or the ones you're willing to show me? I know it's a huge thing to show your abilities and that creates a vulner…” I held my hand up to forestall the rest of his words.

  “Radwin, I promise I'll at least give it some thought, but you're right. That is very personal, and it's not like I can show you privately, since I'd have to pull them from my binder to show you.” At this, Radwin seemed to deflate but also take on a confused look.

  “Haven't you ever been in a party yet? my Dad put me in one the second I finished my Awakening, you can share the details and appearance with party members. Only they can see them.” Radwin informed me, but it still felt smart to think on this.

  “It's still going to have to be a maybe, Radwin. I'm sorry, but ask me again after we hit the rest stop, should only be a few hours out. For now though, I think I should get caught up on all the notifications I was avoiding during my Goodbyes, and our chat,” I said and Radwin seemed to deflate before my eyes.

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  “Ok…” was all he said.

  ‘Okay, I’ve been putting these off for long enough I think, what do you got for me now, System?’

  Name: Syilten Flykra.

  Race: Human

  Cultivation Path: Card Cultivator, (Error!)

  Level:0. Error:?

  Exp/Error: 0%/Error

  Tier:0

  Affinities: Ice, Space/Error!(Temporarily seal by the system)

  MP: 90/100(90). %$^&#%×:$/:×2.

  Regen: 1mp per minute.

  Soul Card: Currently unstable and unformed.

  Binder: 1/7

  *Ice Slash (C),T1R1. *Cold Resistance (C), T1R1. *Spacial Shot (C), T1R1. *Displaced Spear (UC), T1R1. Snowy Hare Pair (UC+) - Growth, T1R1. Asteroid Wall (R), T1R1. Unknown (HR), Error!.

  Deck 1: Unnamed Deck 6/20

  Ice Slash (C), Cold Resistance (C), Spacial Shot (C), Displaced Spear (UC), Snowy Hare Pair (UC+) Growth, Asteroid Wall (R).

  General Skills: Pain Resistance, Homorage Resistance, Basic Blunt damage Nullification(U), Stable Care, Defensive Movement.

  Inventory: 1/10. One Meal made with Love.

  I stared at the sole item in my inventory for a moment.

  ‘It's gonna be a nice break when we get to our first stop. Now what are these General skills?' I pulled up regular skills first, choosing to save the unique skill for last.

  General Skill Descriptions:

  Pain Resistance:

  -Effect: You've endured past your breaking points.

  –It's far easier for you to remain composed when injured or exhausted.

  -–Unlock Condition: Survive a battle longer than 5 minutes in a Moderately injured condition, or Survive being brought back from Critical condition.

  Hemorrhage Resistance:

  -Effect: Blood is necessary for your life, hold it better.

  –Bleeding effects have a harder time taking root, less severe wounds won't result in death. Extended period of time to get to healing from Severer -> Critical injuries.

  —Unlock Condition: Successfully survive after losing more than two liters of blood.

  Stable care:

  -Effects: You've become a novice stable hand.

  –Tasks related to stable care are less exhausting, work is more efficient in Stables.

  —Unlock Condition: Work in a stable for 12+ under a trained stable hand, or work 3 days in a stable.

  I nodded my head at what I saw.

  ‘Not nearly as descriptive as Cards, but still very valuable. And it looks like the first two are the only blessings I'll get for my dumb stunt.’

  Defensive movement:

  -Effect: You've begun your journey on learning the defensive arts, and it all starts in footwork.

  –All defensive skills are naturally enhanced based on practiced proficiency.

  —Unlock Condition: Practice under a trained instructor for 12 hours, or successfully deflect 10 blows while on the move in one combat.

  ‘This one should be from training with Brimiri, and it's a very useful skill. Hopefully I don't have to make use of it anytime soon.’

  Before I could check my last General skill there was a sudden neigh from the horses, before the carriage toppled over. Scrambling to see what was going on, I noticed the coachman passed out on the ground with an arrow in his shoulders.

  ‘Shit, just my damn luck. Is this funny to you, System?’ The only thing I was thankful for, was that I didn't seem to get injured like everyone else, for some reason

  .

  ‘Problem for later,’ I thought, quickly turning to the adventurers. “Please tell me you can fight,” desperation filled my face.

  The female adventure that seemed to be the leader of their group spoke up in a hushed whisper.

  “We can fight, but we don't have our tank. We're all dps and support, and I doubt a kid like you got lucky enough to get a Defensive Card to start out.”

  “Actually I do, even have the Defensive Movement General skill, too.” I quickly said, regretting it instantly. ‘I pretty much just volunteered to get myself killed.’ Before she even replied, a shout rang out.

  “Everyone file out of the carriage or you'll end up like this poor sap,” said a muscular man dressed in pelts and leather strips, a two handed axe in his hands. He kicked the body of the Coachman. “And don't get any ideas.”

  ‘What do we do?’ I panicked, when I caught a near-silent statement. “As soon as the kids come out, slit their throats. Those Cards will sell nicely.” My heart sped up.

  “They plan to kill us for our Cards, why our Cards? Don't they disappear with our binders?” I blurt out, but the lady adventurer is already getting her team in order, finally making eye contact with me.

  “I'm gonna need that defensiveness from you, but you're gonna have to play along with what they want first. Can you do that?” she asked me, the emotions on her face in constant conflict. She didn't want to ask this of me.

  “I'll do my best ma'am.” My hands wouldn't stop shaking, but I had a mission, and I would get out of here alive. Resolved, I stepped out with my hands held up.

  “Please don't kill me!” I pleaded, quickly getting thrown onto the ground in front of who I assumed was their leader.