"Until you develop some fodder classes, you'll have to feed your Dedication with skills. Since you have to choose at the start of the day, I would recommend lesser-used skills, Lock-picking, Endure Through the Pain, and so forth." ZEKE said. "As to what to select... that will be trickier. I would start with any MAX level class skills. Perhaps your Unbound..."

"You k-know how to pick l-locks?" Bergman asked as ZEKE ignored the pair in favor of his own little world of hypotheticals.

"I had an odd childhood," Alarion answered honestly.

"I h-have always wanted to l-learn," the young soldier blushed at the admission as though it were some secret vice. "We could t-trade off for some skills you can u-use for your Dedication."

Alarion tilted his head slightly to the side. "I would teach you for free."

"Oh. Well-"

"-in any case. We need to focus. Your allies could be back at any moment, and Mother knows we do not want you picking all by yourself."

The young man shot the digital image a withering glare, but decided against arguing.

Foresight [Rare]

Description: While most Unravellers focus their vision on the horizon, a few have been known to turn away from the grand tapestry in favor of individual stitches. Trading depth for precision, these immediate visions make them a force to be reckoned with.

Requirements: None

Type: Active/Vision

Effects: When active, this skill allows the user to see a number of possible futures related to the actions of a selected target. The user may specify a time up to thirty seconds in the future and see possible actions that person is likely to take at that time, as well as potential consequences of their actions in the intervening thirty seconds. The further into the future the user specifies, the less accurate the predictions will be. The higher the user's LUK attribute, the more accurate the predictions will be. This skill cannot predict the actions of third parties that the user is unaware of.

Growths: STR +4. AGI +4. VIT +4. INT +4. PER +4. WIL +4.

--

Redress Fate [Rare]

Description: While others curse their fates, you have the wisdom and the power to alter your own and the fates of those around you, if only sparingly.

Requirements: None

Type: Active.

Effects: When activated, the user or a single target they can see is retroactively removed from causal reality for up to 1 second (1 second base + 0.1/level). Anything that happened during that period did not happen to the user or selected target. Anything done by the user or the selected target did not occur.

Growths: STR +4. AGI +4. VIT +4. INT +4. PER +4. WIL +4.

--

Augury [Rare]

Description: The most sought-after talent of the Unraveller, an Augury is a potent reading of fate interpreted through the Unraveller's preferred means. Though far from flawless, the value of even an incomplete view of the future is not to be understated.

Requirements: None.

Type: Active.

Effects: The user must select a known method of fortune telling (such as Tarot, Tea Reading, or Palm Studies) or create one of their own devising. When using the Augury skill in conjunction with their preferred method of fortune telling, the user will have significantly increased accuracy in any predictions that come to mind.

Growths: STR +4. AGI +4. VIT +4. INT +4. PER +4. WIL +4.

"I am not taking Augury," Alarion said the moment he finished with the description.

"Young Ma-"

"ZEKE," he said unflinchingly.

"Understood. In that case, Foresight would be my choice." ZEKE knew a losing battle when he saw one. "Both are interesting, but I think the former is more straightforward and useful."

"R-redress makes my head h-hurt just trying to think of how it works," Bergman complained. "If you stab me and I alter fate, what happens if the sword is still 'inside' me. Does it do anything? If you c-cut my head off, do I show up where my head is, or does my head show back up on my s-shoulders?"

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

"If I eat something and then-"

"Enough," ZEKE said. "For all our sake."

It was nice to know he could bully ZEKE into going along with his preferred choice, so long as the alternatives were weird enough.

Activating his newfound [Foresight] was as simple as speaking the word and willing it to happen. Using the skill was quite a bit different.

Alarion hadn't entirely known what to expect based simply on the skill's description. He understood the gist of the power, but seeing it in action was another thing entirely. Using the power on Bergman at its maximum duration, he watched as over a dozen blue 'ghosts' bust out of Bergman. They wandered around to various parts of the room, moving at an unnatural, accelerated pace. Some picked up books that took on a ghostly blue coloring of their own as they moved around with him, or were discarded. Other copies began walking in circles or exercising, while yet another started smashing his head into the wall until it slumped to the ground. It was disorienting and strange, with the unusual coloration and unnatural speed being the only differences between the fictitious ghosts and the real thing. Then, all at once, the copies stopped moving at their advanced speed, slowing down to a normal pace as they continued their odd activities.

"Ivor, could you get up and do something weird?"

"Weird."

"Yeah."

The young man shrugged and did as he was asked. He stood and moved a short distance away. Unsure of what to do, he began walking in tight circles that mirrored one of his visions almost exactly. Alarion tried to follow back the behavior of that particular vision, but soon found Bergman switching tactics, moving to follow the actions of a second ghost. Then a third.

Focusing on the power, Alarion willed his [Foresight] to narrow in scope from thirty seconds down to ten, then to five, then to one. Each decrease in duration cut the number of ghost Bergmen down, until there were only three alongside the real one. These mimicked his actions much more closely; they all walked in the same direction, took the same number of steps, they only differed in the precise specifics.

"Could you punch me, please?"

"Are y-you sure?"

"He is sure. It isn't an unusual request for him," ZEKE said.

With no good argument against it, Bergman closed the distance between them and squared off opposite Alarion. He took up a fighting stance, and Alarion watched in fascination as three versions of his friend drew back their right arms. Each prediction was a hook, but there was enough variation between them that it wasn't as simple as blocking the punch that he knew was coming. Not to mention the nature of the delay. Even shortened down to half a second, the minimum allowed by the skill; the experience was massively disorienting. He knew what was coming, but his reflexes were keyed to act immediately on what they saw, not to delay half a second.

Suffice to say, Bergman clocked him squarely in the jaw.

"A-are you okay?!"

"I am fine," Alarion told him. For a bookworm, Bergman packed a surprisingly powerful hook. "Just how high is your strength?"

"278," Ivor said sheepishly. "I've had excellent l-luck with my growths, despite not having a p-physical class."

"Good to know," Alarion spat blood from his split lip as he righted himself and took up a proper fighting posture. "Try again?"

Ten punches, and six knockdowns later, Alarion felt he was getting the hang of the skill. It wouldn't be something he would use in combat, not without substantial practice beforehand, but he was satisfied with its potential.

"We should talk about my rank-up choices now," he said.

"I'm sorry, your what?" ZEKE asked.

"Stubborn Swordsm-"

"You didn't think to..." ZEKE heaved a heavy sigh as he shook his head. "You know what, never mind. Give us the details."

Stubborn Challenger [Epic](Rank II)

Description: Unwilling to yield even in the face of divine obstacles, the Stubborn Challenger has proven capable of tremendous feats of bravery, prowess, and obstinacy. Their power and potential is reflected in their class, driving them to greater heights than most. This class focuses primarily on skills and attributes related to martial combat, unyielding resilience, and testing one's limits.

Requirements: [Challenger] feat of strength. Stubborn Swordsman - Rank I class.

Growths - STR – +24 – 60% | AGI – +24 – 60% | VIT – +24 – 60% | INT – +24 – 40% | WIL – +24 – 40% | PER – +24 – 40%

--

Stubborn Foe of Many [Rare](Rank II)

Description: Whether driven by hatred, greed, or desire for power, the Stubborn Foe of Many has a focus, drive, and body count that few can match. Where others may see such a path to power as fraught with enemies, the Foe of Many sees only new opportunities. This class focuses primarily on skills and attributes related to martial combat and enhancing the [bane] feats of strength.

Requirements: Stubborn Swordsman - Rank I class. At least three [Bane] feats of strength, one of which must be Rank II or higher.

Growths - STR – +21 – 60% | AGI – +21 – 60% | VIT – +21 – 60% | INT – +21 – 40% | WIL – +21 – 40% | PER – +21 – 40%

--

Stubborn Savant [Rare](Rank II)

Description: Though given ample formal training, you stubbornly refuse to adhere to the rules and norms of combat. You take what you can from what you are taught and make it your own in defiance of structured growth. Though you have faced danger on this path, it has only strengthened your resolve to expand beyond orthodoxy. This class focuses primarily on skills and attributes related to swordsmanship, but may include unusual choices suited to your needs or desires.

Requirements: Stubborn Swordsman - Rank I class.

Growths - STR – +21 – 60% | AGI – +21 – 60% | VIT – +21 – 60% | INT – +21 – 40% | WIL – +21 – 40% | PER – +21 – 40%

--

"None of them," said ZEKE as Alarion finished the recitation. "For now. I trust you understand why?"

Alarion nodded. "If I rank up now, I lose out on seven levels of attributes, as well as a skill at level fifty."

"You do remember my lessons," ZEKE replied with minimal snark. "If you have no other options between now and then, then Challenger is the obvious option. There are arguments to be made in favor of Savant, as it is the closest to a direct upgrade of your Stubborn Swordsman and thus the most you of the bunch, but we will have that debate when the time comes."

"I-if it is alright w-with you, I'm going to go back to my p-plotting," Bergman asked. "I would like to finish before the Sergeant gets back, in case we have to leave immediately."

"Mm." Alarion had one last reward to collect, but he wouldn't need input on it. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

"If you found any o-other journals or personal d-documents, could you bring them to me?" Bergman suggested as he returned to his spot on the floor, a map laid out to the left of him, an open book of coordinates on the right. "I have been s-scraping the bottom of the b-barrel with some of these l-letters."

Alarion already had a couple of books in mind, but he dug into his system menus first.

[Quest Complete – Party Crasher]

Would you like to claim your Rewards? Yes/No?

He happily struck yes.

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