Chapter 63 — Burning Determination
Constitution increase? Appearance???
Toren wanted to grumble at Appearance only going to 9, but-
10,000 XP?!
Level 8!
A hidden achievement? His disbelief at the ludicrous XP reward stopped short upon sighting the glimpse of green on a notification that had been buried by the cascade of others.
A viridian-rarity skill! ‘Of the Phoenix’ even!
If Phoenix tears were said to make Elixirs of Life, what would a [Constitution of the Phoenix] allow him to do? It was like a gift from Horevi just when they needed it!
“Toren!” Warnel’s voice called out to him.
The man looked frantic to get his attention.
Falma was by the stables trying to calm the barking and howling horror hounds and pups.
“You lit yourself on fire and wouldn’t respond no matter how many times we called!”
Relieved that the emergency wasn’t an attack or something with Laiya or Emina, Toren filled his lungs with fresh air and marveled at how much easier it was to breathe. And, he wasn’t done yet.
“I made another breakthrough,” Toren assured Warnel, his voice steadier than his still fierce emotions, and turned his attention back to his body and the notifications.
Warnel started sputtering something about scaring everyone to death, and what would they do if their primary means of survival in the gods-forsaken jungle had off-ed himself through crazed stupidity.
Yes, Toren thought to the final shard awaiting his answer, dismissing the rest.
Mana flowed into him from the World Spirit carving intricate patterns into his Core and his brain.
As the itching in his brain stopped and the knowledge of the Skill came to him, he both marveled and grimaced at the depths of the path he had just set foot on. At its heart, [Constitution of the Phoenix] was a skill that would guide him through the process of replacing his physical body with one composed entirely of primordial fire, culminating in a complete rebirth through flame.
Toren stared up at the sky and let Horevi’s warmth bathe his face, sending a prayer of gratitude to his patron. From various readings on the Profession tiers, Toren knew what transformation to a body composed of mana meant. This was an immortality Skill—a guaranteed path to tier 3 should he survive the Skill’s advancement thresholds. With each partial transformation, he would overcome an aspect of mortality from physical to spiritual.
He should have been overjoyed…
If only the cost hadn’t been the paths of everyone he had once called his companions.
Toren aggressively shook off the whispering bitterness. There was now a chance that he wouldn’t be too late or too weak to change that terrible pattern of failure.
He wasn’t wrong to think that this new Skill could help Laiya. It wouldn’t be because of phoenix tears, though. Thanks to [Burning Blood], his blood was the furthest along the first transformation process, a process he could move toward completion now.
Slinging the spear over his back by its strap, he drank a mana-replenishment potion and walked over toward the pile of logs from the tree they had carved up the previous day, spotting one as tall and thick as a person. “Help me move this one.”
“Have you listened to a word I’ve said?” Warnel objected.
“Yes. I told you I have an idea. I have almost figured it out.” Toren lifted smaller logs off the one he wanted.
With an aggrieved sigh, Warnel helped. “I don’t see how swinging that spear about and setting yourself on fire is… rather, how are you even fine after burning like that?!”
“My Profession has a strong fire aspect. You’ve experienced Horevi’s cleansing flames before haven’t you?”
Warnel stopped mid-motion and stared at him. “You… you can’t be thinking…?”
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“I am. This breakthrough let me create flames to cleanse impurities within myself. If I can get one more breakthrough… there might be a way.”
“Two breakthroughs in a single day? You say that as if breakthroughs were matters of will!”
“This is my second in two days, isn’t it?”
The [Haberdasher] didn’t have anything to say to that.
Three breakthroughs over two days was even more ridiculous, of course. Toren knew that just as well. “It’s the XP we’ve been collecting. It’s why [Hunters] grow faster than [Tradesmen].”
The man grimaced and bitterly echoed his wife’s sentiments from that morning, “The ones that survive.”
“We need Laiya’s strength for what is coming,” Toren stated. It wasn’t a matter of question. “And, it was my fault the stalkers ambushed us.”
His blood was already burning with his determination. [Empower]-ing his muscles and bones, Toren squatted down and hugged the length of tree trunk, wrestling it into the air with all his Strength and stomping his way over to the center of the training area to slam it down. The ground shook as the log sank a hand-depth into the dirt worn bare by their weapons practice, setting the hounds to complaining again.
“Emina and I appreciate that you want to help, but there’s no way what you're doing isn’t reckless,” Warnel cautioned with tired exasperation, having followed behind still entreating him to return to common sense. “You should at least stop and eat something. Don’t think I didn’t see you down that potion just now!”
Speaking of potions… Toren rifled in the pouch of potions for their morning expedition and pulled out a ‘fire wall’ potion. He was loath to waste their limited supplies, but he needed the log to be on fire, and magical fire was sure to be better for his purpose.
He wasn’t completely ignoring Warnel. If anything, ‘reckless’ was understating the risk he just took ‘purifying’ himself. “I don’t want to lose focus. If you could bring the bowl out, I’d appreciate it.”
Sloshing the fire wall potion onto the sides of the log, Toren watched the flames grow until he was satisfied they would cover the entire log. He stowed the remaining potion and, readying Laiya’s spear again, resolutely took up the first stance.
“You stubborn fool,” Warnel groaned at him before stomping off.
It wasn’t as if the [Haberdasher] didn’t understand what Toren was doing. The father of two daughters had done the same throwing himself into his sword training the last several days. Emina would be upset, but Toren had been offered a way to fix his failure, and he wouldn’t rest until he seized it.
This time, he didn’t need a purifying flame, but to finish the attunement of his blood.
~~~
Name: Toren of Theravos
Race: Human
Age: 20
Profession 1: Level 8 Burningblood Berserker (1800/16000)
Mana: 16/115
Strength: 16
Constitution: 15
Dexterity: 15
Agility: 13
Wisdom: 12
Intellect: 8
Will Power: 18
Perception 15
Appearance: 9
Charisma: 8
Luck: 10
Attribute Upgrade Points: 7
Traits:
Sacrificial Guardian
Abilities:
Burning Blood (Rank 1) Proficiency: Mid
Control Blood (Rank 1) Proficiency: Low
Flurry of Blows (Rank 1) Proficiency: Low
Ability Upgrade Points: 7
Profession Skills:
Constitution of the Phoenix 3
Empower 6
Focus Rage 8
Combat Awareness 6
Berserker Weapon Arts 5
Pain Tolerance 8
Intimidate 5
Skills:
Danger Sensing 3
Stealth 18
Mana Sensing 14
Wilderness Harvesting 12
Theravos Language 11
Religion 10
Divided Focus 7
Meditation 6
Hunting 20
Archery 19
Running 15
Wound Binding 8
Arithmetic 4
