HBWnovel Chapter 54: The Relictombs
Chapter 54: The Relictombs
Toren Daen
“Striker candidate Toren Daen,” said a tall woman with a face that looked like it hadn’t seen enough coffee, “Flexibility of offensive magic, above average. Manipulation of mana, average. Athleticism, exceptional. Mental acuity, above average. Survivability rate, high.”
One of the greatest injustices in this world was that there was no coffee in it. I saw it in the eyes of practically every receptionist I’d met on this continent.
She held her notepad to the side. “You’ve passed your ascender’s assessment, Lord Daen. Congratulations are in order.”
I smiled tiredly. The assessment differed very little from what was displayed in The Beginning After the End and in my own re
“You give me too much credit, Hofal. I’ve got a habit of helping up-and-coming ascenders without backing get through academies, and on the rare instance, their prelims.”
A woman behind Darrin stood up, brushing off her red-lined battlerobes. “He has a habit of taking in strays,” she said with a good-natured smile. Her auburn hair trailed down to her back, bringing out the freckles on her cheeks. “His bleeding heart is a bit too big for his chest.”
Darrin rolled his eyes while the woman introduced herself. “I’m Alandra. Darrin’s our resident striker, while I support him as a sentry.” I shook her hand. “Our caster is currently being a bit flighty, so we’ll have to make it through a zone without their assistance.”
At the mention of other party members, I looked behind them. There was another man conked out on the table. He had a longer beard that was currently soaking up some spilled drink on the table.
“That’s Jared,” Alandra said with an irritated huff, kicking the man hard in the leg. He bolted awake, knocking over the mug that was emptied in front of him. “He pretends to be a shield.”
The man blinked owlishly, trying to adjust to the light. He only had one eye, the other covered by an eyepatch. The eye he had left wandered around with the confusion only somebody who has just been roused from a deep sleep possesses. “What’s up? Are we leaving already?”
Darrin chuckled. “You know, Jared, while you were sleeping we found your replacement.” He slapped me on the back. “He’s got all the qualifications to be an amazing shield, like staying awake during meetings.”
Jared glared at Darrin. “It’s not my fault your long speeches are boring and the ale is good.” He looked at me with his single eye. “Hey, kid? Try and stay alive. The pay’s not great and all your teammates will try and ruin your beauty sleep, but–hey!”
Alandra had pulled the elastic band of Jared’s eyepatch, then let it snap back into place. I winced at the sound. That was sure to sting. “You horrid woman!” he cried, trying to ward her off with his hand.
“That’ll keep you awake, you miser. We’re taking Toren here on his prelim.”
Jared pulled himself out of his chair with a grumbled, “Nobody appreciates me around here,” but it was a good-natured kind of mumbling.
Darrin shook his head at their antics, turning back to me. “So Toren, are you ready to be an ascender?”