Chương 18: The Power of Alcohol.

"We need to talk, Child." she felt talons on her arm. The early morning sun was shining in through the blinds.

"What is it…. Talvik, it's too early for this." She mumbled, turning over.

"I cannot and will not save you unless Damien himself attempts to kill you. You must prove your own strength, Child of Fire and Steel." Talvik said.

"Mm yeah ok, shut up now." She murmured, dozing off again. She awoke an hour later"Fuck you Talvik, grumbling on about random shit at 5 in the morning, you've never helped me much before, don't see why it should be any different." He just stared back at her. She spent most of the day lounging in the map room with Shelly, drinking tea. This stuff is actually kinda good. This was her 11th cup.

"Hey Nythera, spending all day in the map room is boring, let's hit the tavern, it's time I show you where the locals go to deal with stress." Shelly grinned. Shortly after she pulled Nythera out the door and made way for the main plaza. Shelly blasted through the tavern doors, arms held in front "Two of your strongest beers for two hard-working women" She shouted across the tavern. Everyone turned to stare.

"Hey Shelly, it's been awhile, finally came out of the den for some booze?" A voice called out.

"Yo Shelly, want to gamble? Got any sparks?" Another person called out, waving a handful of cards.

"I've got no more sparks to give you! You thief" She yelled back. She dragged Nythera up to the bar counter and pushed a bar stool under her.

"It's good to see you Shelly, come here to drink my regulars into the floor again?" The bartender chuckled. He was a skinny guy with stained clothing, slick blonde hair, and green eyes.

"Nah, I'm here to show miss princess where to avoid if she wants good drinks." She replied. He turned and slammed two huge glasses of ale in metal tankards in front of them.

"Oi, you begin shittalking my booze and I'm gonna have to get you plastered, Marco's booze can't lose its reputation as the best in town."

"Best booze in town? Who says that? I need them to try Edwin's chemicals and tell me if it's the best water" She replied with a straight face. They both chuckled.

"Bottom's up" Someone said and Shelly raised her glass and started chugging. This girl is a monster. She watched as a liter of beer was devoured in an instant.

"You too Nyth, if you can walk home you aren't drunk enough." Shelly said, raising Nythera's tankard for her. She drank and drank, sputtering out beer, she forced the tankard down after half was consumed.

"I can't drink anymore, slow down." she pleaded.

"You're classed now, don't worry, constitution keeps it easy." Shelly said encouragingly. 2 hours later Nythera and Shelly were sitting with four farmers, sharing stories about fluxspawn. Nythera was going on about her tale of being chased by inquisitors.

"Anyhow, after I blew us all to Kronan's pit I ended up here on this lousy island full of lunatics." She said, slurring her words.

"Here Here!" They shouted, everyone taking another swig of ale.

"And then I got a bunch of lousy skills and this stupid domain core, what a pain in the ass." She grumbled. One of them leaned forward "I hear you got a mighty fine skill miss, don't mind my prying a bit 'ere, but Lance was going on 'bout some "Boosts all yields" skill, I reckon if you can help our farming that ain't lousy at all." He said in a slightly hushed voice.

"Aye, I do got that, but it's only 2%, hardly much of a boost…." She pouted. WAITs here, I could make this 2%, more percent. BRILLIANT. Nythera reached into her cloak with bravado.

"Annnnnnnnnnd now for the magic act you've ALL been waiting for!" She pretended and pulled the box out of her cloak.

"MY wondrous box of tricks! Watch as I pull out three items that will knock your socks off your pants!" She slurred, waving her hands in front of her and wiggling her fingers. She reached her hands in and clicked the [Upgrade Token x 3], 3 tokens popped out into her hand behind the box lid.

"Wallah!" She exclaimed, revealing her hand to the table. Thunderous applause greeted her.

"Great show missy, watcha gonna use those on?" one man called out.

"Kronan fuck it I, ain't never seen that many tokens together before." Another exclaimed. She spread her arms wide, brandishing the tokens.

"And now! I will improve everyone's crop yields!"

"Here Here!" the whole table exclaimed, clinking their glasses. She mentally dragged an upgrade token Grand Administrator, one of the tokens disappeared from her hand. Grand Administrator (lvl 2) (1 tokens) Controlled domain crop and ore yields increase by 1. 2% for every level of this skill. Increase all yields by 1. 2%.

"Now yall get 2. 4% boosted crops! Wooooo!" She declared. Another round of glasses clinked and booze was drunk in rapid succession.

"So lady, you got 2 more left, watcha gonna do with them?" The farmer asked.

"I've got a lot more than 2 skills, what should I do?" she said. Tis such a a a puzzle, so many skills, so few tokens what do?

"I've got it" She suddenly exclaimed and dragged a token into another skill. Synchronized Thunder (lvl 3) (1 tokens) Control a single vessel and all mounted artillery pieces on it, including aiming, firing, and reloading. Available ammunition will be automatically loaded. The artillery on the vessel gains +1. 5% reloading rate and +1. 5% aiming speed per level. The vessel gains +1. 5% speed and +1. 5% physical resistance per level. You can alternatively control all artillery within a radius around you of 2.

5 meters + 2. 5 meters per level. Each artillery controlled costs 2 flux every 5 seconds. Controlling the vessel costs 15 flux every 5 seconds.

"I like thunder, now thunder is bigger!" She held up her glass.

"Here here!" the table exclaimed, clinking glasses. This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

"What to do with the last token hmmmmm" She said.

"Use it on something fun!" one of the men exclaimed.

"Yeah, which skill is fun to use? Use it there." Another suggested. That one flux skill lets me see wonky things, I kinda like it, wonky shit lets go. She connected the token to [Flux Sight (lvl 3) (0 tokens)] Flux Sight (lvl 3) (1 tokens) Flux can be seen, type distinction and distance scale significantly with level. The world around her lit up, immediately appearing more vibrant. The bar was full of the strangest flux, wood and several types she could not identify.

"I can see funny colors now." Nythera said, clapping her hands together in an attempt to capture some and staring around the room.

"Alright Nyth I think it's time we go home." Shelly said tugging on her arm.

"What? Do we have to? I am having so much fun!!" Nythera whined.

"I think you had too much to drink missy, I'm taking you home." Shelly said, picking Nythera up from the shoulders and hoisting her over her shoulder.

"Cya later boys." Shelly waved. Nythera waved from over her shoulder. They walked home under a full moon, the light casting a clear path before them.

"Did you really use all of your upgrade tokens?" Shelly asked.

"Yeah, I wanted to see pretty colors and give those nice farmers more grain" Nythera slurred words together.

"I am never taking you drinking again." Shelly said.

"Huh what did you say? I couldn't hear you." Nythera asked. Shelly never responded, Nythera drifted off on her shoulder. …. Ow my head feels like thunder. Nythera groaned and rolled over in bed. Then rolled back over when she felt nauseous.

"What the fuck happened last night?" She grumbled.

"Stupid Child, look at your status, this is the last time I allow you out with Shellia. What a disaster." Talvik scolded her. Nythera flicked open her status screen.

"Oh fucking Hel, what the fuck did I do? Who let me do this last night????" She yelled. Synchronized Thunder (lvl 3) (1 tokens) Flux Sight (lvl 3) (1 tokens) Grand Administrator (lvl 2) (1 tokens)"All 3 upgrade tokens are gone…. Why the Hel did I put one in flux–sight? That skill is practically useless. At least synchronized thunder is useful and Grand Administrator… well it's not bad…. But I was planning to sell them!" She hit her own forehead and slunk down into bed, headache thundering on.

But Grand Administrator this early? I wasn't ready to spend any tokens yet. Fuck. KNOCK KNOCK"I'm coming in." Shelly said through the door.

"You poor girl, you need to learn your limits, I suppose everyone learns the hard way" Shelly said, handing her water and a hot towel.

"Shelly I never want to drink a drop of beer again." Nythera said. She crawled further into the sheets and covered her eyes. The sunlight creeping in was making her nauseous.

"Haha, that's what everyone says, don't worry, your health will be fixing you up fast, you'll be good by noon. Marco said you downed nearly a barrel of the stuff so that explains it." Shelly patted her head. Nythera watched her health slowly drain until she felt better and the pounding headache faded. Health: 235/310 Wow, alcohol is surprisingly dangerous. She decided to go for a stroll through the town. I don't really know Grandport yet, it's time I learn these streets myself.

"I'll be back by dinner, See you Shelly" She said.

"See you later Nyth, and remember, no booze!" Talvik swooped down from the window and landed on her shoulder.

"I thought you would have learned caution by now, Child, if any more Karavethian agents are present your life could be at risk." Talvik cautioned.

"I am not going to live in fear, if anyone tries anything, I'll show them the front of my Culverin" She snorted. As she wandered through the twisting roads of Grandport, away from the sea, the buildings became larger and larger. She found one building with a huge dome, there was a symbol at the door of a half sphere with an arrow piercing it.

Kronan killing the moon, then this would be one of his "Assembly Halls" She walked up to investigate the building, it was cut from far better stone than the rest of the town and the architecture was decidedly not like the other buildings.

"Kronan greets you, I have the honor of meeting Miss Nythera, blessings be upon you." A man in dull orange robes with the typical grey sash of a first circle priest said with a bow.

"Greetings priest, what first circle god is this temple dedicated to?" Nythera asked.

"This temple is dedicated to Veymur of The Mists, first circle god of Kronan's Assembly. Have you come to pray or seek guidance?" the priest asked.

"No, thank you, it seems fitting that a land in the mist would have a temple dedicated to it. Does Veymur have any answers to our questions? Where we are? What land this is?" Nythera inquired.

"Veymur has answers, but whether he chooses to bestow them on us, well only the gods can know. Is your training for the upcoming conflict going well?" The priest deflected.

"Yes, but I am still at a low level. I count on the support of you and your followers." Nythera said with a small bow.

"We back you fully, the tyranny of Damien shall not be permitted on Myrraval, he drags down whatever society he touches. Bless you young one." The priest made the handsign of Veymur. Nythera nodded and departed from the temple.

"Well at least some people remember common decency, see Talvik, not everyone is trying to kill me. No need to be so paranoid." She grumbled. Clouds were building in the sky as the day went on.

"We know for a fact that a large part of the Cult of One wants you "tested" and by tested I really mean dead, the utmost caution would be wise." Talvik retorted.

"You're always so glum, besides I am not weak and helpless anymore, I'd like to see one of those cultists take a culverin to the face" She said. Before long she found herself in front of Borris' shop. Didn't expect to be back here so fast.

"Hey Borris, how's my new weapon going?" She sauntered in.

"Nythera? You're back already? It ain't done yet, come back in a few days." His voice called out as he clambered into the front counter.

"Can you examine something for me? I forgot to ask last time." Nythera asked.

"Children these days, think they can just do whatever they want. Bring it here." He said, slapping the counter. Nythera threw her new cloak over the counter and waited expectantly, rocking back and forth on her heels. Borris tapped the cloak with some devices and examined the cloth closely.

"Looks like you got your hands on a pretty nice cloak. For a spark tier cloak it's among the best I've ever seen." Borris admitted.

"Well whats it do? Come on." Nythera nagged.

"Yeah yeah, you kids are always in a rush. It's called Wildfire Cloak, gives 10 dexterity and 15% speed, basically, it makes you really fast. You looking to sell it? I've got a few things I could trade for this." Nythera took the cloak off the counter and put it back on.

"Thanks Borris, I'll be back in a few days for my Cinder tier item." She said and strode out of the shop.

"Damn kids! Think you can just come and go as you please, I'm charging you triple next time!" he shouted. Nythera strode through the streets of Grandport, weaving into alleys and passing by stores and more than a few interesting vendors. She waved to Lance in the plaza and greeted Leo in the market. Dark clouds loomed over Grandport.

"Perhaps it's past time we made our way back to Edwin's house?" Talvik suggested.

"Hm, perhaps you're right, my feet are sore and my legs, tired. Let's go back." Right, back, back to Edwin's house. Returning the way we went. Yup"Uh, hey Talvik, which way is back?" Nythera asked, looking up and down the street and realizing she had no idea where she was. Drops began to fall.

"We are presently on the opposite end of town, make your way down that road and it should eventually lead us back to the plaza." Talvik pointed with his wing. Nythera began her journey back, but the rain was picking up fast. Great, I'm going to be drenched long before I make it back. As the rain started pummeling Grandport and the streets cleared of all people, except those running for cover, she saw a man straight ahead, just standing in the middle of the road.

She slowed down before the man, a shortsword appeared in his hand. Rain thundered, deafening her. He had a cloak pulled down over his face. Two more men came out of the alleys to either side, wearing the same cloak. Nythera slowly backed up. She bumped into someone and pivoted to face them. It was the priest from the Church of Kronan. He put a hand on her shoulder.

"Run" Two more people came up from behind in temple robes, one had a massive warhammer, the other a long sword. Nythera spared one last look back and bolted down the street. I have no idea where I am going! She heard the clash of steel on steel behind her. Shouts erupted. A man darted out of an alley way ahead and turned to face her. She stopped and immediately summoned Aether Culverin. The skill sputtered out. Shit.