It was usually during meditation that Jason’s abilities broke through. He smiled with satisfaction, breaking his meditation and taking a sandwich from his inventory to munch on.

His abilities grew stronger with each rank, although it was easier to see with some than others. His vision power, for example, not only increased his ability to see through darkness, but also his normal visual acuity. Colours were brighter, distant objects clearer. It was a concrete reminder of what all his efforts were for.

He decided that after pushing himself so hard, he would take a few days to rest on returning to the city. He also wanted to look into obtaining more awakening stones. Until he awakened all of his abilities, he couldn’t make any true progress towards bronze rank.

Jason Asano

Race: Outworlder.

Current rank: iron

Progression to bronze rank: 0% (0/4 essences complete)

Attributes

[Power] (Blood): [Iron 0]

[Speed] (Dark): [Iron 0]

[Spirit] (Doom): [Iron 0]

[Recovery] (Sin): [Iron 0]

Racial Abilities (Outworlder)

[Interface]

[Quest System]

[Inventory]

[Map]

[Astral Affinity]

[Mysterious Stranger]

Essences (4/4)

Dark [Speed] (3/5)

[Midnight Eyes] (special ability): [Iron 4] 39%.

[Cloak of Night] (special ability): [Iron 3] 08%.

[Path of Shadows] (special ability): [Iron 3] 21%.

Blood [Power] (4/5)

[Blood Harvest] (spell): [Iron 3] 04%.

[Leech Bite] (special attack): [Iron 2] 89%.

[Feast of Blood] (spell): [Iron 2] 00%.

[Sanguine Horror] (familiar): [Iron 2] 16%.

Sin [Recovery] (4/5)

[Punish] (special attack): [Iron 2] 85%.

[Feast of Absolution] (spell): [Iron 3] 96%.

[Sin Eater] (special ability): [Iron 3] 21%.

[Hegemony] (aura): [Iron 2] 67%.

Doom [Spirit] (1/5)

[Inexorable Doom] (spell): [Iron 2] 67%.

He would only start down the path to bronze rank once all his essence abilities were awakened. Jason didn’t feel put upon by his lack of awakening stones, as even Humphrey didn’t have his full set of powers yet. According to Humphrey, it was Geller family tradition to supply their scions with enough awakening stones to get started, while the rest had to be earned.

The Adventure Society was known to give out awakening stones for exceptional service, although rarely. Usually it was for unexpected success when a contract proved more difficult than expected. Some open contracts also offered stones as rewards for those with the greatest contributions. The competition would strongly drive performance.

Otherwise, awakening stones could be purchased through brokers, almost always at auction. They came up semi-regularly, but the prices were exorbitant. Rufus advised him to be patient and work hard. The Adventure Society made sure stones found their way into the hands of good adventurers.

* * *

Returning to the city in the morning, Jason stopped at Jory’s clinic before returning to his lodgings on the Island. Jason’s inn was expensive, closer to a luxury hotel than the inns and hostels of the delta towns. Downstairs was a sumptuous lounge, dining hall and bar. When Jason entered the lounge from outside, he spotted the landlady, Madam Landry, berating a tall man in scholar’s robes.

“…think you can sleep in my lounge area like it’s a common flop house!”

Clive was profusely apologising. Somehow his gangly height seemed lesser than the tiny woman scolding him.