Gestation, John Gold [good books for high schoolers .TXT] 📗

is Gunther Moro, Belief and Its Meaning in Our World. I’m positive that it’s there.”

I figured that Bernard was a turncoat mage when he first agreed to teach me magic. He obviously wants more than the Academy of Magic can give him.

“If you bring me the book, I’ll teach the girl the same spells I taught you.”

New quest: Find the forbidden book

Bernard is looking for a way to get a book hidden in the basement under the main Temple of Teurus.

Reward: Bernard will teach Rachel nine first element spells.

∞ ∞ ∞

I stop to think. I’m no master of stealth, I don’t know how to pick locks, and I can’t see traps in the dark. On the other hand, anyone who’s lived in an orphanage knows how to steal. You have to have someone to stand watch. Also, you need someone to attract attention if you’re discovered, someone to cover your escape. That’s just the usual. But if they catch us…

“Anji, sweetie, please help. I’ve never asked you for anything! Nobody’s willing to teach me spells, so this is such a good chance. I’ll get the guys to join us, too. He won’t even talk to me.” Bernard just grunts and turns toward the window. “See? He doesn’t even want to look at me!”

How do you turn down a girl who’s looking at you so trustingly and piercingly with her light-blue eyes? She’s so close I can smell her perfume, see every thread in her dress. She’s so beautiful! I blush and look down.

“Okay, I’ll help you.”

Bernard turns back, taking that as my answer.

“I don’t care how you get the book.”

You accepted a quest: Find the forbidden book

Rachel’s eyes flash, she jumps for joy, and runs out of the reading room with a shriek. That’s perfect. I need to ask Bernard something.

“Last time, when we were talking about mages and their specialties, you mentioned a 50% damage bonus. Today, I read that you can get 100%.”

“There wasn’t anything about how you can get a 200% bonus? Weird. Ah, yes, there just aren’t many of those nutcases! There really aren’t any mages who go beyond the tenth step. Do you even know what a master swordsman is? They’re mage-killers! They even have mastery levels, and they have class amulets that suppress magic damage. But someone who’s a mage and a master swordsman at once? They’re death machines! Regular mages can’t do anything against them. Your only shot is going in with an epic set of equipment with divine enchantments. That way, you’d have a chance. But even winning your apprenticeship is practically impossible. There are tens of thousands of mages, but only hundreds with a rank. Even fewer give tests, since a third serve the crown. Another third are in security, the rest are in the army.”

“But what about that 200%? Were you joking?”

Bernard starts laughing quietly, then bursts out, practically in tears.

“Almost. You have to beat the academy’s archmage, a Level 750 universal mage. Nobody even knows what his true skills are. If you beat him, you become an archmage, and there have only been two over the past two thousand years. One is our venerable Tiberius Sen, the Academy of Magic’s archmage. The second was Kent, a wanderer like you. He beat Tiberius. There’s even a book about it.”

“What do you mean, a wanderer? We just started showing up two weeks ago. Although…wait, at the fair, you said that you’ve already met some wanderers. How? When?”

“Read the books. All I’ll tell you is that the last time they were here was 1500 years ago. Sometimes, they’re alone, and nobody pays you any attention. Why do you ask?”

I quickly gather my thoughts.

“Three questions. Magic seals: why isn’t there anything about them in the books? What do mages study starting in their fifth year? How will I find the book if it’s in a hiding place?”

“Seals are only used for stationary protection or summoning. In either case, that’s class knowledge. Second, you get a practice assignment. I mean, you do whatever you want or just improve your skills by completing quests. Mage ranks demonstrate mastery, experience, and strength. There aren’t many of them, but they’re a big honor. Third, learn this.”

You have a new skill offer: Perception

Perception lets you find things that are hidden: hiding places, treasure, traps, levers. It also helps you discover those who are using the stealth skill or camouflage. If the level of your skill is higher than the level of theirs, you will spot a trap, or something hidden.

∞ ∞ ∞

“Thanks.”

Ability learned: Perception

Perception: +1

In one of the taverns in the lower city, I find teachers for bandits, thieves, and assassins. They all teach stealth, so I head over into the far corner and crouch down, having entered in stealth mode. Newcomers activate their newly received skill on the spot, meaning that I see them and boost my perception. It’s both perception and stealth for me, and the next evening I finally get a message telling me that my skill is maxed.

Stealth keeps you invisible, and anyone can learn it. Bandit invisibility is the strongest mental class skill, and you can only get it at Level 50.

Camouflage isn’t a skill; it’s more an indicator of your ability to blend in with your surroundings.

Mages also have invisibility spells, though I don’t have access to them yet. You have to keep casting them, too.

It’s fun to sit there for two days, watch grown men drink beer and boast about how many rabbits they’ve shot. A few high-level thieves throw apples at me, calling it my punishment for being spotted. That turns out nice though. I don’t take any damage, and I’m going to enjoy the fruit on the way home, but not today.

∞ ∞ ∞

Rachel was on edge. Everyone involved in the plan was in place, and the last member of the team, the one responsible for doing the job, was about to show up. She was betting quite a bit, with Grunt and Ownie, with no idea about the