Chapter 37: 37. That Damn Harold

When Kalle thought about it the design of [Wailing Bolt] was brilliant really. First, it was shaped as a skull, so it looked like some form of death magic, meaning your first instict, when it exploded towards you, was fear. Second, it screamed like it was alive, and with a sound that reached into your brain, bypassing the ears. That put all but the most experienced fighter into a degree of shock, which opened them right up to whatever emotional attack the Spell was charged with. Unless you had the correct affinity or resistances, which it seemed few did, you would be vulnerable as long as Kalle didn't mess up on which button to push.

Then again, if you did have said resistances, you could likely tank multiple [Wailing Bolts] without flinching in your aggression.

Kalle had started learning quite the bit about magic since gaining his Class, even if it was self-taught. His discussions with Livia had shown him how he was on the right track. Of course, Harold handled magic differently, but that was always going to be the case. Not just because of their personalities, but because [Warlocks] and [Druids] dealt with completely different strains of magic, from different sources. That kind of thing mattered, at least to both of their Classes. Livia had reiterated more than once already how there were too many [Systems] among the different races to take anything for granted, each time she did she trailed off, muttering about how she would have preferred ending up on a simpler world.

It was nice being home, but it also reminded Kalle why he had felt so strongly that he had to leave. "Do you have your breakfast down? Do you feel ready to start improving the stores of firewood, sweetheart? Winter isn't far off now you know," Said Ella. This was the system every winter season, despite the fact they had three years worth of firewood stacked to dry already. It was backbreaking work too, unless you wanted to be at it all day. Which was fine, but doing it for someone else, for their business or home and not your own, there was an added heaviness or maybe just a distinct void where motivation should be. Yes, he lived here too. But if he had his own place he would have stopped at storing two years worth and leaving it at that, not being able to make that choice was the difference.

Nevertheless, Kalle got to it, with Ella and Liam smiling on gratefully, from the comfort of their veranda where they were sipping tea.

Just a while longer. That was the mantra.

It wasn't like the old couple would have to deal on their own when Kalle left, they had money to last them through a war. They would just need to go into town and hire one of the local kids, probably somebody who could switch between Aspirations and do all kinds of tasks with whatever Skill they were offered. It was just a hassle, if said kid got sick one morning or if he just got sick of their crap and went storming off, which had happened more than once when one of the old couple's teasing moods lasted a full week.

Of course it was different for Kalle, since he had basically been saved by them when his original step-father kicked him out of the house. Kalle admitted he might have deserved it, on some levels, but it wasn't like he had come even close to doing something a real father would consider abandoning you for, he felt sure. He had just argued a lot with his step-siblings, and as it turned out, when his mother was no longer there to take his side from time to time, his already demented step-father had enough.

However, that did not mean Kalle wanted this to be his life forever, no matter how grateful he felt. He was an adult now, and knew he could do more for both them and himself if he found a true calling. Livia made him feel as if he had, even if they were still taking baby steps.

Chores done Kalle considered his plans for the day. Harold was going to be draining his rapidly improving batteries, physical and magical, by challenging every obstacle he could find in the nearby forests, and bonding with the animals he met there, until he came back and used his Spells to recover, before working on his new fighting style at Brunner's. Oscar usually tagged along for the latter part, but today it seemed he had some business with Kalle because before the [Esperlock] could head out for a training session of his own, the younger brother approached.

Kalle and Harold had both talked a lot about their Classes with Oscar. Just as any other kid approaching their 16th birthday, his mind was constantly on Classes and the possibilities in his future.

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"What are you up to today, working on [Telekinetic Push]?" The work the two had done together had really paid off. Kalle had been reluctant to work on the Spell before, since he hadn't realized its full potential. As it turns out you didn't have to push with yourself as the focal point, instead you could push from anywhere really. You could move your hand forward and shove your opponent in the back, and that changed everything. It was still different from if he could actually pull, the further you pushed your magic from the standard form it came in, the costlier. But at least he now had more options on the table, once he actually managed to to increase the power. Oscar had been a tremendous help, working on changing angles mid-push and even defying gravity in different ways while jumping and scaling things.

Kalle had a different plan in mind today however. "No, I was planning on building on a new version of my [Wailing Bolt], I might be gone for a couple of days actually." This sounded interesting to Oscar. As the fellowship had figured it, the Spell was made signficantly more impactful and the induced delusion all the more real if the caster had true experience with the trauma they were inflicting. Like with Kalle getting his arm burned to a crisp.

"Don't you already have your standard one focused on depression, hesitance and failure, and your other one on burning?" That sounds like plenty for now, to me.

"Yes but I'm going to add one for attrition and helplessness."

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Kalle's theory was that there was a difference between convincing someone that their strength was not enough, or that they no longer had it. Even the strongest warrior could break down and lose their confidence if you told them that not only was their strength inadequate and their chances low, but that they no longer even possessed it, that they had lost the tools to even make it a fight.

So, when did anybody feel the weakest?

When they were cold, injured, far from home, and starving.

That was why you could find Kalle three days out from Salcret, naked in a waterfall, at the tail end of autumn. Without provisions.

I may have taken things a touch too far this time. It's all because of that damn Harold.

It might not be true, but the thought was comforting in the moment.

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