Introductions

Mia and I flop onto the couch. I start to massage her thighs and Mia looks at me, a regretful look on her face. “Babeee I want to as well, but you know we can’t. Skylar's coming over soon.” Mia says. “We can finish before then.” I giggle. “If we start, we won’t want to finish quickly. Besides, what if she comes early?” Mia protests. I sigh and stop massaging her leg. “Fiiiiine. You owe me though.” I tell her, resigned. “Of course mommy.” She giggles, then cackles louder as I hit her. “I still don’t know where I stand on that.” I tell her. “You’ll learn to love it.” Mia chortles, turning on the tv and snuggling up with me.

‘I cannot eat any more.’ I receive a mental communication from Ivy at the same moment as the window pops up. That mental link still feels really weird, it’s going to take some time to get used to. ‘That’s alright Ivy, thank you anyway.’ I tell her. I turn to Mia. “Ivy can’t go past my level.” I say. “Bugger. I really want to fuck her already.” Mia replies and I snort. “If I didn’t know the numbers, I’d say that you’re hornier than me.” I say.

“Maybe the numbers are wrong then! Lets bed her already!” Mia pouts and I chuckle. “I just have more self control than you.” I shoot back with a smirk, knowing what her reaction will be. “Oi! You can’t say that missus ‘lets have a quickie before Skylar comes over!’” She insists and I cackle at her outraged reaction. “You’re too easy to mess with.” I tell her and she bats my arm. At that moment, Mia receives a text that Skylar is just outside. She shoots me a glare. “You’re lucky.” She comments and I snicker, as we get up to let Skylar in.

“Hey, how was class?” Mia asks, giving her a quick hug. Skylar returns the hug before answering. “It was alright. Gets boring without you and Gemma there though.” Skylar says, a hint of warmth in her otherwise neutral voice. “Is that because of our stellar personalities or because we help you train?” I ask. Skylar looks at me, raising an eyebrow. I snicker at her response, and the ghost of a smile touches her face.

“Ivy, come and meet Skylar, the other member of our guild.” I call, looking back behind me. Ivy walks down the hallway and extends a hand to Skylar. “Nice to meet you Skylar. Supposedly, a handshake is a nice way to greet somebody you’re meeting for the first time.” Ivy says politely. Skylar shakes her hand. “Likewise. If you’re honest and nice, we’ll get along just fine.” She remarks.

Ivy smiles at her, joy at meeting another person radiating through her eyes, her body language and our mental connection. “I shall try to be. I recently figured out that I want to make the people around me happy. What makes you happy Skylar?” Ivy asks, sincerity oosing from her tone.

Skylar’s expression falters at Ivy’s words, and her eyes flicker down. Almost too quick to notice, she looks back up into the brilliant violet eyes of the artificial spirit and assumes her usual confident, relatively stoic expression. “Getting stronger makes me happy. What about you?” She asks. I make a mental note of her response to the question. One day, Mia and I will get her to open up to us.

Ivy beams at the response. “I can understand that! It’s nice when Gemma increases my stats or gives me a new skill! I also like seeing others happy and learning new things.” She exclaims. Skylar gives her a small smile. “You’re a sweet person.” The maiden of shadow remarks. “I try.” Ivy responds.

The introductions over, Ivy goes back to researching things while Skylar sits on the couch with Mia and I. “You really did it. That’s astounding frankly.” Skylar says, the tone of her voice way too calm and neutral to fit the words she’s saying. Mia voices my thoughts. “Ya sure? You don’t sound too astounded.” Skylar looks at her. “I have a good poker face.”

“What’s astounding about it?” I ask. Skylar looks me dead in the eyes. “You’ve been in the abyss for just over a week, yet you’ve already blown past the power levels of the majority of the abyss. You’ve picked up cryomancy and arcane magic, and now you’ve managed to create an artificial spirit, and a seemingly pretty sentient one at that, which is not something easy to do. You really are something special.” She lays out. Mia pokes me in the side of the head. “She’s special alright.” She says. “Oi!” I exclaim and Mia giggles.

“Feel like training today?” I ask Skylar. “Sure. Might as well see what Ivy can do.” She replies. “Ah! Not just yet. We’re gonna rest for a half hour, let Ivy do some research and you’re going to relax. Then we can train.” Mia says, shooting Skylar a stern look. “What? Why?” She says, looking the most confused I’ve ever seen her. “No reason. I just want you to relax and take care of yourself.” Mia giggles and Skylar sighs.

Half an hour later, we’re in another dungeon. Once again, we’re doing the tier 5 version of the rats. Skylar gets used to having Ivy around to heal her fairly easily, and between my own fights, I can see that she’s allowing herself to be a little more aggressive. Ivy adjusts easily to having a third person to heal, although it helps that we don’t get injured very much in this dungeon.

For my part, I’m getting more used to using my axe mastery ability, and combining my new skill in melee combat with my magic. Alternating between the two, and using the full range of my abilities, I find myself easily able to deal with the enemies coming my way. Even when they come two at a time, I can handle myself, although I have to be careful.

The boss isn’t difficult either. Mia and I have good coordination due to training together so often, Ivy fits in well due to the mental connection we have and Skylar is a competent team player. The result is that we work in tandem to take down the boss like a well oiled machine, all with minimal HP loss.

1500xp

The first thought in my head when I see that window is that I’m one step closer to raising Ivy’s libido stat. I push that thought away and instead gather the loot. I offer Skylar a ring that dropped, which has a weak enchantment for endurance, which she accepts. There’s nothing else interesting, and we get back to Mia’s house soon after.

I hand Ivy some of the loot and instruct her to eat until she can’t anymore. She takes the first bite before she leaves the room, and the expected window pops up immediately.

I open up her character sheet and spend the 5 points on intellect to get her to the 50 point mark, and another window pops up that I’m really happy to see.

I’m slightly unhappy as I read the window. The percentage increase at the 50 mark is substantially lower than it was at the 25 mark. A 50% increase as opposed to a 100% increase. Still, it does leave Ivy at 760 max MP total, and I can hardly complain about that. “Thank you Gemma.” Ivy says. “What for?”

“I meant what I said before. I do enjoy increases in power.” She says, smiling happily at me, the sincerity in her words palpable. “I’m glad.” I tell her, smiling back. She turns and walks to the kitchen, to continue eating until the consumption bar is mostly full, and to continue researching. As she walks away, I open my own character sheet and spend my new statpoints on strength. The expected window appears, and now that I’ve achieved that goal, I can focus on my other physical stats.

I note the small changes in my character sheet with interest. My health regeneration is ever so slightly higher, but it’s still pitiful. I’m glad I have Ivy as a healer now, I don’t have much of another way to heal in combat. The added summon costs bit is interesting too, and useful for calculating my actual mana regeneration. I don’t plan to become a summoner, but even just keeping one summon around whilst also being a battle mage is an incredible boon. I smile to myself. It’s evident that my powers are potent at the very least, and I could potentially get extremely strong.

That is, if I can survive.