The aged ratkin steals a few seconds as he and Rhonda work to simply observe his apprentice. While he couldnt be more proud of her for gaining her class, they still have a business to run. These healing potions won't brew themselves, after all. She came in last night, looking equal parts exhausted and elated, and barely managed to say she got her class before stumbling off to her bed.
He hasnt been able to get much else out of her about it yet, but working together can be a great opportunity to chat, at least once the mixture is set to simmer. So your class, Rhonda?
The young goblins eyes brighten as shes reminded she hasnt had much chance to explain just what happened. Yes! Freddie and I both got our classes! We asked Thedeim to help, and he set three challenges for us!
Staiven nods and starts preparing ingredients for the lightning resist potions, and Rhonda cleans the various dirty glassware as she continues to talk. First, we had to capture Vernew, one of the ruling Triumverate of the spiderkin enclave! Even more, she had Queens help!
Oh, the Alchemist Scion? Id wager it was a difficult challenge to beat, then.
Rhonda giggles. It was, but we also got pretty lucky. Vernew didnt take us as seriously as she should have. We only barely won, though, by catching her in a web trap and catching ourselves, too. Tiny helped us out of the web and Teemo told us we won, and Queen wanted to show off a weird alchemical thing she created to help Vernew, but she never got a chance before we won. So they demonstrated it!
Staiven waits a few seconds for her to say what it was, but a glance shows shes trying to get him to ask, instead of just telling it herself. He smirks and decides to give her the satisfaction. Its part of her story about gaining her class, so she deserves to tell it how she wants.
Well, what was it? he asks, honestly curious what Queen came up with. From what hes sen of her work, shes got a lot of interesting ideas, like that water breathing potion she came up with.
It was a two-part reaction! First, it would spread a slick of ice and build up energy above the center of it. Then itd release all that energy in a loud and bright explosion! But its not like a fireball, but more like a thunderclap; more disorienting than damaging! Ive been calling it a frostbang.
Hmm says the ratkin as he considers what a flask like that would require. Thats an odd combination of affinities. How large was the flask to be able to contain all that mana?
Thats the best part! It was normal size!
Staiven looks at her like he doesnt believe her, and she just smiles wider. Right?! I kinda know part of how it was done, too! Thats how I got my class, but Im getting ahead of myself.
He considers just telling her to explain, but holds himself back. Shell get there eventually. So what was the second challenge?
It was a lot less strenuous than the first, at least physically. I had to help Thing with an enchanting array that would turn lightning into thunder mana for a weird instrument Thedeim is working on. I think its some kind of lute or something? It uses plucked strings, at least. But no matter what we tried, it didnt make different notes! I was pretty sure it was beyond me, and I said so, but something about what I said seemed to make Thing realize something incredible!
I dont remember something about how he was working with advanced stuff, kinda like Queens frostbang. All I knew is one second, hes working on the array, and the next hes clearing the workbench as fast as he could! And then, he created a lifedrinking array!
Staiven pauses in his work to stare at her. What?!
Yeah! I didnt know what it was until he motioned me forward to examine it, and I realized what it was! And then he countered it! He didnt collapse it, he just negated it!
The ratkin puts down his tools to stare, and Rhonda tries to explain, now that she has her mentors full, undivided attention. I dont know how, but he did something I dunno? I could feel it was somehow related to thunder or lightning, but it made no sense, like using earth mana in a windblade rune. Whatever he did, though, the lifedrinking just winked out of existence.
Staivens gaze grows distant as he tries to work through what Rhonda could have seen, but his imagination fails him. Using an array meant for one mana type but channeling a different one? It should just be a waste of effort! But he doesnt doubt Rhondas tale. She has a natural eye for a lot of this, even if she doesnt know the technical details just yet. He shakes his head and focuses on her once more.
I take it that counted for clearing that challenge? She nods and he continues. So what was the third challenge?
To get past Rocky and tag Aranya! she exclaims with excitement.
You two whittled down the zombie scion before chasing her, then?
Nope! I faced Rocky while Freddie went to go tag Aranya!
He looks incredulous, and Rhonda just giggles again. I mean, I had Lucas and Fiona to help, too. We tricked Rocky with a team-up attack that let Freddie get past him, and then I got to see some of his magic close up a bit closer than Id have really wanted, she admits, and Staiven is just glad she doesnt seem to be hurt.
How did you beat him? he asks, unable to fathom how his little apprentice could best that beast of a zombie scion.
I figured out how he does his magic, and broke his control over it! He was kinda in the middle of an attack with it, and face-planted pretty hard when his control broke. Thats how I got my class!
Staiven cant help but give his apprentice a small smirk. So youre a boxer now?
She giggles and shakes her head. No, Im an Ice Sage!
He looks confused. An Ice what?
A sage! I was confused at first, too, but Teemo said its one of Thedeims words for someone with a lot of knowledge and magic, kinda like a teacher, student, and mage all rolled into one! She practically vibrates with excitement at being able to talk about her new class, but Staiven is practically reeling from what shes said.
How did I get my class? Because of how I realized what Rocky is doing! Here, look! She holds her hands out, and forms a small ball of ice, and a small ball of fire, but Staiven can feel shes hardly expended any of her mana to do it! Rocky isnt just making both ice and fire! Theyre temperatures! He takes the heat out of one spot to make ice, and puts it into a different spot to make fire! Hes just moving the fire around!
Staiven sits down heavily on his stool, and Rhondas excitement turns to concern. She lets the two opposing elemental balls equalize as she rushes over. Master? Are you alright?
Im he takes a few moments to try to collect himself. Physically, hes as fine as ever, but Rhondas story seems impossible in so many ways! And yet he saw her manipulate ice and fire like theyre the same affinity! But it makes no sense. At least theres an easy way to tell if shes telling the truth, or if shes somehow wrong about all this.
May I scry your class? he asks, and she nods without hesitation. Its hardly any effort for him to create a scrying enchantment on a handy lens, and he almost drops it at what he sees. Shes an Ice Sage, and shes picked up the Fire affinity now. She doesnt have the Arcane affinity he would have expected, but if shes right about what shes learned, it might be a bit of a moot point. While Arcane can mimic a lot of other affinities, its not especially powerful. If she tried to do that fire and ice trick using Arcane mana, it would have cost a lot more.
But how did she get a class hes never heard of before? Its apparently because of Thedeim, which probably shouldnt be surprising, but it is concerning. A young dungeon like that has concepts powerful enough to create new classes? He tries to keep his hand from shaking as he sets the lens down.
Did Freddie get a new class, too?
Rhonda still looks concerned, but answers him. Yeah. Hes a Legionnaire Paladin of the Crystal Shield.
Another strange word, another new concept, another new class. Hes going to need to talk to Torlon later, and possibly Inspector Tarl and certainly Thedeim. Rhonda didnt say it was her own word, but one of Thedeims. There is a lot more going on in that dungeon than its been letting on.
Before his thoughts can spiral too much further, wondering what Fourdock has gotten into, the distinctive scent of a potion on the verge of being ruined reaches his nose. Existential crises later, potions now!
Kill the fire and pull the heat out of the batch, Rhonda! Put your class to use saving our work!