Chapter 97

I focused on the Skill Seed in my hand. The Myriad Paths responded instantly.

Free Skill Slots available. Would you like to use your Skill Seed (Infiltration) (Greater) to gain a Skill?

The combat Skill Seed remained inside my stash — unused — as I mentally agreed. The small, slick marble vanished, the sensation of aether flowing into my core immediately following like warm water splashing against my skin. Options appeared before my eyes.

Skill Seed (Infiltration) (Greater) used. Three available Skills.

As I looked over my options, I considered the ramifications of the choice I had just made. This Skill would take up my remaining four available slots — which meant that when my Cloak of Shadows reached the next tier, I wouldn’t have room to evolve it. While that could be a problem, I had a more immediate issue to resolve.

For almost a year, I had considered how to avoid having Nazim follow me if I decided to do something he wouldn’t approve of. I considered the wolfkin a friend and mentor, but there was no doubt in my mind that if I tried to do something he thought was too risky that he would try to stop me — and probably also tell my family. That wasn’t even mentioning that Nazim wasn’t the only beastkin I had encountered.

Gramps had seemed confident the foxkin wouldn’t seek a reprisal — after all, an organisation of assassins that feuded with everyone who killed one of their own while out on mission was an organisation doomed to be expunged with extreme prejudice. That was especially true for the foxkin who were only a remnant of their former numbers after the islands they had called home were sunk beneath the waves — another piece of information I had learned about them.

Even if Gramps was right — and the lack of another attack seemed to support his thoughts on the matter — there would be other beastkin in the future coupled with spells or Skills that could mimic their innate enhanced sense of smell. My ability to go undetected would literally rely on being able to prevent that.

Despite knowing all this, the other two Skills on offer immediately caught my interest. Spider Grip sounded like it might allow me to climb sheer surfaces. While useful, it was the extra information that had me considering the option. If the Skill subsumed Controlled Grip, then it should free up two Skill slots, which would be enough for me to use my other Skill Seed.

While Spider Grip was interesting, it paled in comparison with Phantom Hand. Without asking Gramps, I was pretty certain that the Skill would be of the Kinetic Affinity. A way to turn locks or lift objects without ever touching them. Depending on how much control you had and the weight that could be handled, it might even have combat applications. I was a little doubtful about that, but the possibility existed.

Still, despite how tempting the other options were, the Skill I actually needed was Scent Erasure. I had little expectation that it would be perfect. After all, Nazim had explained how he had still been able to smell the foxkin that attacked me — though the limitation was how the wolfkin’s advanced attribute had interacted with the Skill the foxkin was using. He had been certain it was a Skill though, since the Illusion affinity had no spells for managing one's scent.

I closed my eyes and hoped I wouldn’t come to regret my decision, choosing Scent Erasure. The Skill appeared on my Status. Activating Cloak of Shadows to hide my aether usage, I mentally drew on my new Skill. My Aether Channels tingled, the sensation of a slowly building fire flowing through them as the new Skill glutted on my limited aether before sending out tendrils to every part of my body.

Using the Skills together seemed like it wouldn’t be an issue for now, but running Scent Erasure would quickly deplete my Aether Core. I kept both Skills active as I dressed, making sure I had my sword, hatchet, and shield. The enchanted ring went into my warm coat, and then with one backwards glance, I was sneaking out into the night.

I didn’t drop the Scent Erasure Skill till I passed the Baron’s keep, though by that time, it had drained a third of my aether on its own. If it wasn’t for my Potent Shadow affinity, this entire plan would’ve been far too dangerous. As it was, I could afford to keep up my Cloak of Shadows even after I stopped channelling the other Skill along with my Nightvision spell.

The sounds of the night whispered around me, the buzzing of insects mixing with the cool wind that still possessed a taste of winter chill. I hugged the road west, staying parallel to the rocky path itself as I moved through the trees where the shadows were deeper and I was just one more sliver of darkness among the many. Rather than move slowly, I kept up a steady jog that I could maintain for hours if needed. My speed meant I made more noise, and with my aether reserves what they were, I couldn’t afford to use Muffled Aura.

Still, staying out longer than necessary seemed like a far worse idea and more likely to get me caught. I passed by the turn off to Griselda’s home, picking my way further down the road until I thought I was in the right area. Then, with my heart beating fast — which had nothing to do with my jog — I started to slink deeper into the forest at a more sedate pace.

One moment I was creeping through the trees in the cold night air of faux winter, and the next it felt like I was standing in the height of spring. It was still cool, but the change was dramatic enough to notice, which reminded me I had never been here at night. The worst part was that I felt no aether — nothing that would cause the sudden change. I crept forward slowly when I heard her voice.

“I know you’re out there… you’ll find nothing here but an early grave,” Magatha called out.

Slinking a little closer, I finally came into view of her garden. With Nightvision active, I could make out the many plants moving in the darkness. In the middle of the garden sat an odd looking small tree in the shape of a humanoid with thorn-filled flowers growing out of its head. The branches of the unusual tree were misshapen but looked a little like two arms, one bigger than the other.

On her porch, standing in the shadows but revealed to my sight, was the Hedge Witch herself. Seeing the forest spirit with her, for that’s what the unusual tree had to be, made me wonder how I had never noticed it before. Perhaps it had a way to hide itself, or perhaps it had only come to reside here in the years since I had last visited. Either way, my plan suddenly seemed a lot less simple.

The new worries I felt at approaching Magatha gave way to the old ones of failing to gain entry to Songleaf.

I called out without revealing myself. “Even for an old student, Magatha?”

“Old student,” she muttered in obvious confusion, the forest spirit stirring at her words — bark creaking as it pushed itself to its feet.

Tall, I thought seeing how long the creature's legs were. At least two metres.

Once more, I considered running. In the background, Magatha’s facial expression transformed into a frown. “Bastian, is that you?”

“Yes,” I called back, my eyes never leaving the forest spirit. Questing roots had begun to shift beneath the ground, rustling leaves and dirt out of the way as they moved in my general direction. I got the feeling that the forest spirit couldn’t see me, but it could definitely hear me.

“Wait,” Magatha said in an annoyed tone.

The sound of bark twisting beneath the soil stopped.

“Show yourself,” Magatha called out.

“If I do, you promise your forest spirit isn’t going to eat me?” I called back.

“It’ll only eat you if you turn out to be a shapechanger or some other creature of the dark invading my home,” Magatha replied with a sneer.

The radiance spell of the Shining Light Guild hadn’t revealed me to be demonic in any way, so I figured I was probably safe. Still, I didn’t get any closer to her house, ready to run at a moment’s notice as I dropped my Cloak of Shadows.

Magatha’s eyes instantly picked me out and her frown once more gave way to confusion.

I saw her lips move, but whatever she muttered to herself was too quiet for me to hear. We all stood in silence — Magatha watching me, while I kept a close eye on the forest spirit. If the creature was looking back at me I couldn’t tell as it didn’t appear to have eyes.

“Is that thing why it’s always warm here and your garden seems fine despite the cold winters?”

Magatha finally walked out of the shadows, descending the few steps from her porch to stand at the edge of her garden that even in the night air looked to be in bloom.

“It is,” she admitted simply — much to my surprise. I had honestly expected her to lie, or worse, attack.

“That’s why you were so angry all those years ago about the Shining Light Guild,” I mused.

Her facial expressions warped into one of fury. “You have no idea how much progress I lost because I was forced to move the Path to dormancy because of their visit!”

It was my turn to frown. “You can do that? How do they even find demonic cultists if it’s that easy to avoid their spell?”

Magatha sneered at me. “Their little spell doesn’t work as well when the Pacted Path isn’t with a demon. Spirits are not, by their nature, evil. Dormancy is enough to hide the truth from them.”

“And cost you progress,” I muttered, filing the information away — both of the radiance spell limitation and the fact that Magatha possessed whatever a Pacted Path was with the forest spirit in her garden.

Magatha looked at me boredly. “Go home, Bastian. Our lessons ended years ago, and I have no plans to revisit them. You made your choice when you decided to turn your Mother against me and stopped her visits.”

“You just wouldn’t leave Mum alone,” I blurted out in response.

“You’re… not wrong. I’ve had years to consider what I was doing — and regret my choices. But the past cannot be changed and, even if it could, I doubt I would have gotten what I wanted. So, just go. There is nothing for you here — not anymore.”

The last word was said tiredly with Magatha already turning to return to her cottage.

“Rituals,” I said, hoping to catch her attention. “All those years ago you talked about powerful rituals…”

Magatha stopped, her interest caught, but not enough to make her turn and face me. “What about them?”

“Is there a ritual to force a Rift to form?”

She turned to look at me curiously. “That is an unusual request… why do you ask?”

“I… I need one,” I stated, the words hollow and desperate in my ears. “Unless you have another ritual that would help me progress quickly.”

“You want to use the ambient aether of a Rift to improve your progress? That’s like jumping into a snake pit to practise your reflexes.”

She stared at me, golden hair pale in the thin light of the moon, waiting for something.

“A ritual to help me progress?” I tried again.

“If it was that easy, why wouldn’t I just use such a ritual on myself?” Magatha asked me, sneering again.

“So, it’s impossible then,” I muttered, glancing behind me as I considered the walk home.

“I didn’t say that.” Magatha’s voice was somewhere between amusement and derision. “I said using the ambient aether of a Rift to improve yourself was simply the height of stupidity. But, if you’re desperate enough, such a Ritual does exist…”

“And the price?” I asked, apprehension crawling across my skin.

“You entered my domain, and I was unable to sense you beyond the breach… something I don’t think should be possible for most Adepts, let alone a child yet to unlock their first Class Path. The price is simple enough… your blood for my garden.”