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A Burned Heart - Chapter 3
🕑 Added 2024-07-13 19:35:10 +0000 UTCChapter Three
Choices
Rise of Winter, Week 1, Day 2
“What?” Freddie’s grandfather leaned in, “What are your options?”
“It’s… unique, that’s for sure,” Freddie responded, distracted. “I got three acolyte Classes, kind of. I also got one pure fighting Class, three noble Classes, and the [Citizen of Maeve] Class.”
“Well, you can cross off anything related to the Gods, that’s for sure.” The old man grumbled, and Freddie peeked over at him, questioning. Sensing her curiosity, he continued, “You cannot take a Divine related Class. It requires you to leave to be raised in Oberon with the other young Acolytes. It sounds like you likely have the Class in three different rarities –don’t tell us the height of it all. The higher rarity the more confined to the Class description you are. It also means the Divine you serve has more direct control over you. Your Divinity is no longer yours.”
“Go on, tell her the other reason,” Bridian said, amused, as he looked at his father. To his credit, the Duke of Nemo looked embarrassed.
“Well, if you become an Acolyte, you’ll be unable to inherit the Duchy when it’s your time.” He coughed into his hand, attempting to cover the next words, but Freddie heard him clearly anyway, “And we’ll miss you too much.”
Freddie let a smile spread, “It’s okay. I actually think I know the three Classes I could want.”
“Oh?” Aster said, smiling at her daughter, “Tell us more.”
“I have three levels – [Brawler], [Martial Lady], and [Young Lady of Flame]. They all let me fight.”
Freddie dropped the bomb as if nothing had happened at all. And she sent all three adults reeling. But it was her father who spoke first.
“Take [Young Lady of Flame], darling. It’s a Rare, I’m assuming?”
“Bridian,” Aster said warningly, “Fredericka is capable of choosing her own path.”
Absentmindedly, Freddie nodded and answered her father anyway, “And it seems like it’ll give me a range of stats rather than focusing too hard on one.”
She was too busy thinking of all the ways she could integrate the fires of this world into her style from elsewhere. Would her soul rune carry over? Would the flames she could wield still burn her, or would she be immune? What did it all mean?
She knew she wasn’t going to take any of the crazier Classes. It just wasn’t what she wanted —despite the attributes it would give her. Also, she hardly had enough Divinity to make use of [Devourer of the Forbidden Fruit] before it leveled so high it made her Anathema to the Divines and stripped her Divinity whole.
“I’ve decided,” Freddie announced after another second.
“I’m going to become a [Young Lady of Flame]. It’s the best one out of the three I want, and it gives me the ability to wield flames. I want it.”
Before anyone said anything, Freddie mentally selected the Class, and a red notice appeared, the same shade as her other boxes.
[System Notice: Please confirm your Class selection of ‘Young Lady of Flame,’ a Tier 1 - Rare Class.]
“Confirmed.” She said aloud, to the immediate clamor of her parents and grandfather, all rapidly standing and approaching her.
[System Notice: Class Confirmed!]
[Congratulations! You have obtained the class ‘Young Lady of Flame,’ a Tier 1 - Rare Class!]
[Congratulations! You have leveled up Young Lady of Flame!]
[Congratulations! You have obtained the Class Skill: Manipulation - Fire]
[Congratulations! You have obtained the Class Skill: Conjuration - Fire]
[Accumulated experience is being applied!]
[Congratulations! You have leveled up Young Lady of Flame!]
[Congratulations! You have leveled up Young Lady of Flame!]
…
[Congratulations! You have leveled up Young Lady of Flame!]
[Congratulations! You have obtained the Class Skill: Imbue Flame!]
“Hey, mom?” Freddie glanced at her mother before returning her gaze to the barrage of crimson notices.
“Yes, dear?” Aster said, stilling in her approach as she got within grabbing distance of Freddie.
“I think you’ll need to—” Freddie stumbled, and a new notification flooded her vision.
[System Notice: Warning! A large amount of experience was applied! The System advises taking a meditative state as soon as possible. It is estimated that your body will acclimate to the new attributes in: 9 Hours 59 Minutes 59 Seconds]
“—Catch me.”
Freddie fell directly into her father’s arms.
“How many times did you level, Fred?” He asked worriedly.
As the sensations rushed through Freddie’s body, she felt her muscles spasm and her veins burn. Freddie didn’t have the wherewithal to answer. She was too busy being aware of every cell in her body. Too busy forcing her eyes shut. Too busy feeling her very existence alter.
“Son,” the Duke said coolly, “Worry about that later. For now, set her down. It’s best this doesn’t leave the room.”
Gently, Bridian set Freddie down on the plush couch and propped her head up on a pillow.
“Don’t move, sweetheart. It’ll take time to adjust. You should have a countdown. Use the time to look at your Status and understand what has changed.” Bridian kissed Freddie on the forehead, and she could feel it in her bones.
Too much.
All Freddie could do was groan in response.
Soon, though, the sensation passed, and she was left with a sense of uncertainty in her own body. Attempting to lean further into the pillow, Freddie lifted her hand and gripped the fabric. A tearing sound resounded, and the pillow fluff found its way onto Freddie’s face. She sneezed as it tickled her nose and slammed her head into the back of the couch, cracking the wooden frame. Behind her, she heard grumbling coming from her grandfather.
“I liked that couch,” he said under his breath. But still, Freddie could hear it.
[Status]
[Name: Fredericka Nemo]
[Race: Human]
[Age: 8]
[Unallocated Stat Points: 0]
[Vitality: 89 Endurance: 27]
[Strength: 48 Dexterity: 44]
[Perception: 24 Magic: 42]
[Luck: 78 Divinity: 37]
[0th Tier Class: Child of the Gods, Max Level]
[Boon: Druigr’s Blessing]
[1st Tier Class: Young Lady of Flame, Level 10]
[Skills:
0th Tier: Inspect Lv. 1, Running Lv. 1, Sparkler Lv. 1
1st Tier: Quick Fight Lv. 1, Bright as a Flickering Flame Lv. 1, Fire Step Lv. 1
2nd Tier: Otherworldly Lv. 1, Fire Conjuration Lv. 1, Fire Manipulation Lv. 1
3rd Tier: Imbue Flame Lv. 1
Untiered: Hidden Heart Lv. 1, Regenerate Lv. 1]
Freddie took a deep breath, careful not to move, and then she started whispering.
“[Inspect][Inspect][Inspect]”
[Fire Conjuration: As a Young Lady of Flame, you are a fighter and a noble. Ruler of the domain of Flame. Whether you wield the flame offensively, defensively, or passively is dependent on your will. With this Skill, you will be able to summon a corporeal Fire that can interact with the world. Total effectiveness is dependent on your Perception, Magic, and Divinity stats. Additional effects unlocked upon level up.]
[Fire Manipulation: As a Young Lady of Flame, the world of the Heatshiller shall be yours to command. Much like the monster of myth, you are capable of great things. Whether you alter fire to do your bidding, wrap yourself in the warmth only a true flame can bring, or wish to burn your enemies -this Skill will allow you to manipulate Fire according to your will. Total effectiveness is dependent on your Perception, Magic, and Divinity stats. Additional effects unlocked upon level up.]
[Imbue Flame: As a Young Lady of Flame, you are the producer of warmth, the master of heat, the ruler of Fire. Now, you can imbue a part of your essence into an object to give it immunity to the damage inherent from being embodied by flame. Through your strength of will, your flames will be able to alter the essence of the target. Duration of enchantment increased upon level up. Additional feature unlocked upon level up.]
As she read, the timer ticked down, and the adults sat in silence —occasionally sharing a worried glance. Eventually, Aster left for a moment. When she returned, Freddie had finished reading.
“They will deliver lunch here, and I’ve requested a soup. I’ve also had our meeting with the Void Captain pushed to tomorrow.” Aster said, settling into another chair.
“Good, good, well, at least we’ll get to spend Freddie’s birthday with her all day,” the Duke laughed to himself.
“Dad.” Bridian hissed.
“What? She’s sitting right there, fine and dandy. It’s just stat sickness. She clearly leveled several times over.”
“Ten,” Freddie said carefully, attempting —unsuccessfully, not to bite her cheek while she spoke. She could taste the copper on her tongue.
“See, she leveled ten—ten?!” Her grandfather whipped his head to look at Freddie, peering at her intently before standing. His usual casual stance was nowhere to be found. Now, his back was straight, and his eyes were sharp.
“Aster, forget canceling the meeting with the Void Captain —bring Tiltham here. She needs to be briefed on what’s happening next. Bridian, go get Marasha. She’ll need to know as well. Be discreet, both of you. Our plans for a simple Affirmation need to be adjusted.”
His commands were absolute, and Freddie’s parents nodded seriously and left the room.
Once they were gone, the Duke of Nemo kneeled next to Freddie. Brushing a strand of her pink hair aside, orange eyes met orange eyes, and he sighed.
“Oh, you’re going to be trouble.”
Freddie released a wicked smile, “It should be my middle name.”
“Yes, well, unfortunately, you’re named after me. Not the headache you’re causing. Now, rest. Your parents and I have to make plans.”
At that, a wave of tiredness overcame Freddie. When she awoke, it was to the slam of a door and hushed voices she could just barely make out.
“Tiltham, she needs to get everything to Level 5. And she needs to do it before her Affirmation. I can push it a few more weeks, but not much longer.” The Duke of Nemo was in commander mode, issuing orders, not suggestions.
“We can do it, my Lord. But it’ll take Lady Fredericka’s dedication, as well.” Came a feminine voice that Freddie knew was the Knight Captain of the local contingent of the Void, Nemo’s sworn protectors.
“That won’t be a problem.” His voice was hard, assured, brokering no argument.
“I’ll keep her brothers away as much as possible. They’re too young to understand the importance of it —but maybe I can get Priya to take them on a trip to the lakehouse for a week.” That was Marasha, Freddie’s governess. She sounded unsure but determined still.
“Good. Worst case, Aster or Bridian will talk to them. Agreed?”
“Agreed.”
Freddie slowly, controlling every aspect of her movement with sheer force of will, turned over on the couch to face the group that had come to occupy the area around her grandfather's desk.
“What about me?”
All five adults froze and turned to look at Freddie, slowly propping herself up.
“Come on, you can’t say that and not expect me to want to know.” She laughed, and it unsettled the room. She shouldn’t be able to move, let alone speak so clearly. Her timer still had four hours left.
But still, her body obeyed her. Her careful movement didn’t splinter wood, and her talking no longer tore her mouth apart. Then she was sitting up, peering at the adults with sharp, knowing eyes.
“So,” Freddie spoke slowly, running the conversation back in her mind, “I’ll be locked away to train for the month. I can do that. But I want to train all of my Skills —not just my Class Skills.”
Tiltham snorted, “My Lady, that is the plan.”
“Yes, Freddie, a noble should never have to speak a Skill aloud in public,” Aster said it softly, reminding her of the way Marasha taught her. Gentle corrections and soft-spoken words.
Marasha was next to her, fondly shaking her head, “My Lady, we’ll get you there. We’ll protect you.”
Freddie, in response, gave a snort of her own.
As the adults all had shifting expressions, Freddie focused only on Marasha’s amused look.
“I don’t want your protection. I want to train so I can protect myself.”
Comments
Irakli Jishkariani
Thanks for the chapter. I'm getting more interested in this then with start of otherworldly. Probably because of Nemo gramps 😀😀😀
LadyLark
This was a good chapter and very different from Nora.
Ben Tilly
Ohhh...that was an interesting downside to being an Acolyte. Have to leave your family and live at the temple. Yeah. She isn't going to want to do that.
SnappyDragon
BURRRRRNNNNN… with kindness
