Chapter 12: Second Class Awakening
Chapter 12: Second Class Awakening
Astrid peeked behind Rob’s shoulder. The bubbles are making me thirsty. Concentrate.
The bubbles became intense, like a fizzy drink with too much carbonation. Then, Astrid squinted her eyes as her dark vision picked out a human figure, the whites of arms illuminated against her flashlight.
Sighs of relief closely followed the desperate swallowing of air.
Daniel looked up, a pair of dual blades closely scraped across the sides of his neck. “It’s nice to see you too.”
Brett flashed a smile. He stretched his arm forward. “You took your time. I thought that was the last time we would see each other.”
“Now that would be a damn shame.” Daniel took hold of his hand as he was pulled onto his feet, out of the frigid cold water. “Alright, so good news. There is a path.” He swept his hair back, stripping away the water from his locks.
“And the bad news?” Rachelle said.
“I hope you guys can hold your breath for a good while.” Daniel looked at Astrid, Jonathan, and the other seafarers.
“How long is a good while?” Astrid said.
Daniel nodded to Jonathan, as if knowing something. “You got a spell for traversing the water?”
“I can conjure something up, I suppose.” Jonathan gave a slight nod.
“Then let’s just get on with it.” Astrid tightened her long hair into a ponytail.
“You heard the lass.” Brett removed his cloak and dropped it onto the floor.
“Hold on to the back of my shirt. Don’t let go.” Daniel looked at Astrid as she nodded.
With a deep breath and a splash, they entered the abyss of water. Astrid’s head throbbed as the cold water encased her body. It’s so cold…
She clenched onto Daniel’s shirt. With the water blurring her vision, it made it difficult to see anything around her, even with the light stone illuminating the path. She had no choice but to place her trust in a man she spent little time with. Daniel’s powerful back pulled her through the dense water. The water pressure tightened against her chest like a vise. It doesn’t feel normal. Should the pressure be this high? Her thoughts cut off. It was getting harder to hold her breath.
Her untrained lungs were straining. A minute passed. Despite the icy waters, Astrid’s cheeks were blood-red. One hand let go of Daniel's shirt as she clasped at her throat. The only thought running through her oxygen starved brain was to hold on. Then her mouth opened. Water flooded down her throat, her head spun round to the person behind her, Jonathan. His eyes looked back at her. He gnashed at his lips before raising his hand. A bubble swept forward, covering her head. Astrid took a large gasp of air. It only lasted for a few seconds before it popped, but it was enough.
Astrid felt her body being yanked as she was flung out of the water. Daniel’s hand grasped around her arm as she landed on the metallic shelled floor of the ship. Her back leaned up against the steel walls. Her chest violently rose. Everyone crawled out of the water one by one.
General Skill - Lung Capacity level 1 - Learned!
Level 1 - Lung Capacity: You reached your absolute limit for holding your breath. Time you can hold your breath increases by one minute!
Title gained!
Title - You’re Not A Fish: Despite your best efforts, no, you can’t breathe underwater dummy!
| You can hold your breath 15% longer.
| You can swim 10% faster.
Experience gained!
Goddess, help me. If I was close to losing my shit, you’re tipping me over the edge! Astrid resisted the temptation to rip her hair out.
She looked at Jonathan, skin taught over her knuckles. Astrid forced herself to calm down as she remembered her mother's words. “To stop the spiteful actions of those around you, make them believe they are equal. Let them hold power over you, even if it’s just a facade.” Despite his words against my family, I need to think further ahead. I can’t have an enemy on my back. Unless he dies. The thought crept up like a phantom. She shook her head. Taking a deep breath, she nodded towards Jonathan. “You saved me back there. You have my thanks.” Astrid placed her hand forward, her eyes held sincerity.
“Don’t mention it.” Jonathan’s eyebrows raised. He took Astrid’s hand and shook it.
“Get into formation. We’ll find some place to hunker down and get yourselves warmed up.” Daniel said, and everyone listened.
Astrid was about to open her mouth and ask what their levels were. The curiosity almost got the better of her. It was considered an insult to ask Wayfarers or Seafarers their levels. She had heard stories of a group of Wayfarers that were assaulted on the sea, because the pirates knew their levels and had scouted out their abilities. They were confident in dealing with them. However, if they didn’t know their levels, they wouldn’t dare risk such an attack. I guess they’ll let me know later down the line. Not that’s really important, anyway.
They quickly cleared out a room. Rachelle got to making a fire as the youngsters gathered around it while the more experienced members of the team were on the lookout.
A wall of text entered her mind. Usually she would complain about having to read so much, but this was different. This was her future, her path to becoming strong.
Displaying list of classes you can choose from.
Uncommon - Intelligence based class - Fire Mage: The fire mage focuses on the basic element of fire. This is an offensive ranged class, you will use fire to destroy your enemies. Perfect for those quick to anger and a destructive personality. This is a mage subclass, all previous spells for mage can be learned. [ Stage 1 ]
Class overview:
| 15 added intelligence.
| 10 added wisdom.
| 5 added constitution.
| Cast fire spells 50% faster.
| Fire spells do 15% extra damage.
| Fire spells burn for an extra 50% damage and burn for 100% longer.
Slinging fireballs, it sounds like it would be a lot of fun. Astrid giggled to herself, imagining the scene, her running around with a storm of fire around her. But the entire world was water. She would put herself at a disadvantage, only able to use the class in certain areas.Astrid shook her head. She peered at the other choice. Choice. Who would have thought? Unlike last time.
Rare - Intelligence based class - Ice Mage: The ice mage focuses on the advanced form of water. You can change water’s property, turning it into a frigid ice to freeze and control your enemies, or skewer them with long ranged ice lances. This is a mage subclass, all previous spells for mage can be learned. [ Stage 1 ]
Class overview:
| 15 added intelligence.
| 10 added wisdom.
| 5 added dexterity.
| 5 added constitution.
| Cast ice spells 50% faster.
| Ice spells do 25% extra damage.
| Ice spells can freeze chilled enemies.
An ice mage! Now that’s a hell of a lot better, I mean, considering the world is all water and everything. We only have like sixty ice mages on the ship, and they all belong to the Seafarers. Are the classes ordered by rarity, so that means. Her eyes were giddy with excitement as the next words greeted her.
Epic - Intelligence/Wisdom based class - Illusionist: The Illusionist relies on their powerful mind to varying effects depending on the path you choose. Create illusions to control the battlefield, change your opponent's emotions, or use it to boost your magic strength. [ Stage 1 ].
Class overview:
| 15 added intelligence.
| 10 added wisdom.
| 5 added constitution.
| Psychic mana regenerates 10% faster
| Mind abilities deal 25% increased damage.
| Illusions are 25% more powerful.
| 15% extra defence against mind abilities.
This would enhance my current abilities, and it synergies well.
Legendary - Intelligence/Strength/Constitution based class - Magic Swordsman: Sword in one hand, magic in the other. The jack of all trades, master of all. Able to fight from a distance or slice opponents up close with combined attacks. The potential of a Magic Swordsman is limitless.
[ Stage 1 ]
Class overview:
| 15 added strength.
| 10 added intelligence.
| 10 added constitution.
| 5 added dexterity.
| Cast body enhancement spells 75% faster.
| Body enhancement spells are 50% stronger.
| Spells in close quarters deal 25% extra damage.
| Swords deal 25% extra damage.
And there it is, my family’s specialty, and it’s what makes the Sinwen family the spearhead of humanity. The benefits really are amazing. But, it doesn't suit me. It pained her to think so. She knew she needed close quarters protection, and this class would provide that. But she was thinking about her future. She needed something to enhance her current abilities, to synergize and empower her further. She wanted to be the most powerful version of herself. If that meant having a weakness–so be it. Besides, that would mean I need to add strength from the beginning.
You have selected the mage class - Illusionist -
Granting new Skills:
Common - Active Skill - Minor illusion: Create a minor illusion with your Psychic energy. Please note enemies with high intelligence or wisdom can see through illusions. [ Stage 1 ]
Uncommon - Active Skill - Illusionary armour: Create an illusion of armour around your body. Increasing physical and magical resistance by 20%. [ Stage 1 ]
Rare - Passive Skill - Mental Warfare: You have learnt to detect the matter that consists of mental images and illusions of the mind. Increases resistance against all mind abilities. Makes your psychic abilities 25% stronger while under a mind attack. [ Stage 1 ]
Uncommon - Passive Skill - Illusion detection: You can now detect any illusions depending on the strength of the illusion master. [ Stage 1 ]
Epic - Passive Skill - Disabling Field: Your psychic mana has leaked outside of its container. -5% mana container size. The leak creates a three metre ring around you, reducing the effectiveness of incoming stuns, dazes, fears, and taunts for you and your allies. [ Stage 1 ]
Astrid tried to hold back her excitement from the messages. She immediately left the System and focused on her Minor illusion spell, as if she had used it thousands of times before. She conjured up an image of a gold piece on the floor.
“A gold piece!” Rachelle barged past Brett and approached, but as she stood there, her eyes suddenly shifted to Astrid. “That’s not nice, you know. Second class?”
“Yeah.”
“Nice one.” Daniel said. “Whisper the abilities I need to know.”
Astrid nodded, then a thought struck her. Shouldn’t he have asked this before? Her lips curled up into a knowing smile. She leaned in and whispered about the new abilities he needed to know about. Mainly Disabling Field and Minor Illusion.
“That’ll be handy. Just watch out for high intelligence monsters. Don’t rely on it saving you.” Daniel said.
“I won’t.” Astrid said.
Brett was twirling his knife around in his fingers while his boot was tapping against the saturated metal flooring of the ship.
I better be quick. Astrid quickly entered the stat page. She noticed that her intelligence was already above fifty. It made sense considering that every new class stat was additive.
Status:
Unallocated stat points: 10
Strength: 5
Dexterity: 10
Constitution: 25
Intelligence: 60
Wisdom: 30
Milestone reached: 50 Intelligence!
You have gained a general skill!
General Skill - Expanded Mana Container: Your mana capacity has increased by 5%. [ Stage 1 ]
Note: Milestone Skills cannot level. Stage will increase based on Milestone achievement.
Any little helps. Astrid acknowledged the new skill before adding to her stats.
You now have 35 wisdom.
You now have 30 constitution.
Astrid felt the increase in constitution. The frigid cold of her still wet dress was eased even further. Her shivering shoulders had stopped. She worked on obtaining the fifty stat milestone in wisdom and constitution. The boost in stats just like Expanded Mana Container would be useful. Her eyes shifted to her main status page.
Name: Astrid Sinwen
Title:
Class 1:
Medium Class: Psychokinetic level 11
Upper Class: [ Level locked: ??? ]
Active: Psychokinesis - level 6
Active: Crash - level 5
Active: Mind Barrier - level 4
Active:
Active:
Passive: Psychic’s Power - level 4
Passive: Psych Domain - level 4
Passive:
Passive:
Passive:
Class 2: Illusionist level 1
Upper Class: [ Level locked: ??? ]
Active: Minor illusion - level 1
Active: Illusionary armour - level 1
Active:
Active:
Active:
Passive: Mental Warfare - level 1
Passive: Illusion detection - level 1
Passive: Anti-Disabling Field - level 1
Passive:
Passive:
General Skills:
Etiquette - level 1
Clothes Making - level 3
Clothes Repair - level 2
Identify - level 3
Expanded Mana Container - Stage 1
Swordsmanship - level 4
Mental Resistance - level 1
Lung Capacity - level 1
Status:
Unallocated stat points: 0
Strength: 5
Dexterity: 10
Constitution: 30
Intelligence: 60
Wisdom: 35
It looked like everyone was raring to go. Well, except Jonathan and his posse.
Daniel nodded. “Time to go.”