Law of Shadows

Congratulations

" Stupid, broken system, " Sam grumbled as he kicked the rock in front of him. The last bit of hope in his future had just fallen away, leaving him bitter, as he saw the prompt at the corner of his vision.

" Why couldn’t I have been a Wizard or Healer? Or even a Farmer? But nope, it had to be the same damn class. . . "

The class his family had received for the last fifty years. At least, that’s what the more superstitious members of the village thought was happening.

Once upon a time, his family had been Arcane Researchers, a well-respected subclass of Wizards who delved into the past. They worked for the really powerful battle wizards, creating spells and strengthening wards. They had accumulated a lot of wealth and even lived in the city.

But ever since his grandfather’s time, when the class had failed to be inherited. . . The change was a death curse.

Now they were stuck living in this little village that was all he’d ever known except in his imagination.

The notification hung at the corner of his vision and he flopped down on a rock as he tried to wave it away. Instead, it opened again to the sound of cheerful trumpets. It was even outlined in gold light.

Congratulations! You have unlocked a unique class! There can be only one of these classes in each generation.

Winston, you are a Law of Shadows!

" Go away! " He shouted at it, waving his hand through the air where it appeared. Stupid cursed thing.

The class was completely broken. The realization that he hadn’t escaped his family’s fate was a mountain pressing down on his shoulders. It was crushing his dreams.

" Sam! " His dad’s cheerful shout came from across the field. He wasn’t far from their house, just around the corner. Like always, his dad knew where to find him.

Before long, the slightly portly man jogged up in front of Sam, grinning at the same time as he gasped for breath.

" Son! " He laughed as he grabbed Sam’s shoulders and bear-hugged him.

" You got your class! This is excellent. You can come with me and explore the old ruins now. I think I’m getting close to unlocking a secret that will let us advance. "

He let his father lead him back to their house, his head low. It was his eighteenth birthday and he couldn’t avoid the celebration his family had planned, no matter how embarrassing it was.

Their small house was warm and bright. His mother and little sister had decorated it with silver and gold streamers, which had probably cost too much, and they were waiting for him with smiling faces. His sister, Altey, grabbed his hand and danced around the room with him.

He couldn’t stop a smile.

On top of the chipped wooden table, there was a cake, which was also decorated in silver and gold. Colorful metallic icing and spell-inscribed candles shot little sparks into the air.

Eighteen was a special birthday, since it was the day you got your class. He had been hoping that he would be a powerful Battlemage or a Paladin, or even a Scholar or Farmer, any of which would have given him a clear path for advancement and useful innate skills and abilities to support his family.

Now, he was just sure that the cake had cost far too much. It had to have been at least worth a couple silver coins, which was a week’s pay for his father as an unclassed laborer.

His mother was from a different family line and should have been spared the curse, but she was unlucky in her own way. Her family class was Historian.

Not all of the classes in the world were easy to level and some were outclassed by much more powerful versions. Unfortunately, Historian was one of them. They could never measure up to an Arcane Researcher, much less the much more powerful Seer.

The class didn’t even have magic as one of its abilities. It was supposed to earn experience through reading and writing books about what had happened in the past. In a world that ran on power and magic...basically, they were useless.

They couldn’t even afford the paper to help her get past the first level.

When she first met his father, it had been at the unskilled laborer’s pool. Her family was as broke as his father’s, so they hadn’t been able to set her up for success either.

The only way to level a useless class like that was if you were a noble and had the time and resources to pour into it...and then you could at least learn some of the non-class specific skills and subclass as a swordsman or guard.

A Historian Swordsman, hah. . . .

His mother’s bright smile washed away all of those thoughts as she pulled him and his sister towards the table. Looking at her, he felt ungrateful for even thinking such things.

" Happy Class Day! " His family cheered as they sang a birthday song for him.

" May you have great success on your path! " His little sister was first to offer the traditional congratulations. She was practically dancing in place, jumping around as she held onto his hand. She was only ten, and completely adorable with blond hair pulled up behind her head in a bun that their mother must have done for her

Even coming from his sister, the words burned.

What path?! He cried in his heart. There was no future for this class! His father was proof of that. Even with the ability to earn experience from universal tasks, like killing monsters, farming, building, or other common professions, it was never equal to leveling your own class.

Even after all of these years, his father had only made it to Level 9. The Level 10 barrier required a class quest to complete.

A Wizard could have made Level 10 in a month.

It got progressively harder the higher you went, but the first twenty levels were nothing. Even once you hit 100 and you had to look for evolution paths to upgrade your class...that was still easier than trying to survive with a broken class.

" Sam! " His father called, pulling his mind out of its rut. He ran into the bedroom, the single other room in the house, and came out with a scroll wrapped in a leather tube. " I have your present! "

" Oooh, what is it? " Altey cheered as she jumped up and down. Her excitement was palpable. " Open it! Open it! "

Haze took the scroll from his father and, at an encouraging look, unrolled it.

It was a spell scroll.

" Now that you have a class, you can learn general spells, " his father grinned at him, his enthusiasm unflagging. " Read it! It took a lot of work to prepare that for you. I know how much you’ve always loved the idea of being a Wizard! What’s more, learning a spell will give you enough experience to get your first level! Happy birthday, son! "

" Your father has been holding onto that spell for a long time, Sam, " his mother said, smiling gently. " You don’t know, but it’s something your grandfather left him before he passed away...he’s refused to use it himself and has been saving it for you. "

Sam’s hands trembled as he unrolled the spell scroll, reading the contents.

The scroll was an ornate swirl of sigils and runes, a spell pattern that flared into existence. The information swirled through his mind and settled into a prompt, translating all of that information in a way he could understand.

Aura Bolt.

Aura Cost: 1 AP

Duration: Instant

Classification: Damage.

Do you wish to learn this spell?