Chapter 10: Levels to This

Levels to This

 

Logan awoke to loud chiming. He jolted up and frantically looked around for a few seconds before eventually placing the noise as the same one he had initially heard at Jeremiah’s campfire, his first night on this world. He wasn’t sure what had triggered it this time, but it seemed like it only affected an individual’s hearing, and wouldn’t draw any predators this way. Logan felt wrung out, and he had a squelching headache.

 

Trying not to move his head too much, Logan attempted to figure out how long he had been out. Strangely, he found it instinctive to gauge the sun’s positioning and the shadows to tell it had only been a few minutes. Logan didn’t remember being so aware of solar positioning, but he did think sundials were pretty rad, so he would take it.

 

Then, when he finally got to his feet, Logan looked out into the Forest and suddenly had an overload of new information fire across his neurons. The forest suddenly spoke to him in a way that Logan didn’t fully grasp, but sang of danger. Logan’s earlier assessment that the predators hadn’t taken notice was incorrect, their presence clearly written in the signs the Forest gave.

 

Uh oh, time to skedaddle.

 

Unfortunately, Logan was also uncomfortably aware of a new connection in his mind, compelling him to stay. Whatever changes Logan might have experienced from the advanced bonding process, the little guy clearly had taken the brunt of, as his previously tannish fur had become a very dark collection of blues and purples, and had faint white spots on it, like a bed of stars.

 

His face, which had already been kinda cute, suddenly became absolutely adorable, shortening and compacting slightly, with his face flattening just a bit to round out the effects. As sensationally cute as Logan’s little friend had become, this was no time to dwell on it. Logan just scooped him up into the cradle of his arms, and ran back to Jeremiah’s cottage, his occasional glances at the forest just quickening his pace.

As Jeremiah explained upon Logan’s arrival back at his cottage, Logan had experienced a Full Bond. That was the reason behind both Logan’s sudden knowledge of forestry, and the creature, known as a Rizzel apparently and still sleeping away the aftereffects of the Bond, suddenly had the color scheme of a penguin.

 

“Yes, this be the same bond I used with Bennett. Although yer method is mighty peculiar.” Jeremiah said with a side eye towards Logan.

 

Logan had learned from experience in his stay that if he ignored a subject, Jeremiah would drop it. Although the old man was definitely trustworthy, Logan didn’t see a reason to tell him. At the end of the day, it would only make their relationship more stressful, and Logan currently lived in the man’s house.

 

“Aye, this be the second level of Bonding technique.”

 

Huh. Something Jeremiah had just said triggered an idea in Logan’s cranium. 

 

“Hey Jeremiah, just as I completed the bond I ‘kindled my spark’ again. What does that mean? Do I have a second level soul?” Logan asked.

 

The old man replied with a chuckle, before saying, “I suppose ye could say that. In that case I have a twelfth level soul, and Bennett a tenth level soul. Kindling doesn’t necessarily equate to greater power, as folk’s innate power defines how much a person might grow. But kindling is the concentration of that power, availing them new Blessings, and greater control…”

 

Is that why I don’t have any Blessings, I’m not a high enough level? For some reason that seems unlikely. I can mimic Jeremiah’s basic Blessings, but from what he has told me most people have to study intensely to do so, and for most of the more complex and powerful Blessings that isn’t even an option. I guess even if I end up always having to copy other people, more control might be nice.

 

Still, it dashed Logan’s plans of cheesing his way to the top. Although it would still provide nice benefits to Logan, it didn’t seem like gaming the level system on this new world would yield him draconic rewards, and his focus on meditation had been correct.

 

The old man then continued, “... it essentially is compacting the essence of your soul, making your true being closer to being one of the fundamental laws of reality. Ye’re body becomes strong as steel, and resistant to outside influences. It is called Divinity, because to walk the road to its end, is supposedly to join the Gods’ in their quest.”

 

Logan revised his view of Kindling immediately, because contrary to what Jeremiah had just said, it seemed it did relate directly to power. “What’s their quest?”

 

“No one knows, all those the Gods’ inform join them on their journey.”

 

And bonus, Logan at least had a lead on how to get home now.

Logan Brewer	Rank: 2 You are reading story Through the Void (and Back Again) at novel35.com
Mind	4
Body	5
Soul	15

Abilities

Bond

Root

 

Hidden Abilities

Soul Sight

Blessing Mimic

 

This was the character sheet Logan had come up with after consulting with Jeremiah, who turned out to be something of a local expert in the matter.

 

Apparently before the current Mayor took over some 20 years ago, Jeremiah had been the most powerful person around, and had been asked to gauge other’s strength for quite some time. He had never thought to enumerate the results, but had quite a few interesting methods of testing Logan's potential. He had said it would be best to set the average statistic of 10 to that of a fifth kindle man, as that was the average around these parts.

 

For Logan’s Mind stat, the old man would quickly say items and Logan would have to rattle off their colors before moving on. Apparently the man judged Logan to be about where he would expect someone on their second kindle to be.

 

Then for the Body, it was even more simple. Logan just went out and found the heaviest rock he thought he could lift, and then had to lift it over to Jeremiah’s cottage. Suddenly Logan knew why the terrain around the old man’s place was dotted with boulders. Logan himself managed to bring over a pretty hefty rock, netting himself an above average score for strength.

 

Finally, for the soul stat, Jeremiah just stared at Logan for a brief few seconds, hyper focused on his task. Then his eyes suddenly widened, and he tilted his head while looking at Logan. 

 

“15, lad.”

 

“Really?” Logan had asked.

 

The old man had simply grumbled a bit before writing something down on the sheet of paper they had been using. Then Jeremiah handed it over before storming off. On the sheet was assumedly the old man’s statsheet.

Old Jeremiah	Rank: 13
Mind	18
Body	28
Soul	26

 

Does this mean he’s more than 5 times as strong as me? Logan absently asked himself, as he thought over how to optimize his build.

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