Book 3: Chapter : 24 - Level 50

    Brixaby

    Brixaby flew on with his new stealth class fully activated. He was all but invisible to other dragons and people. But that meant...he was all but invisible to other dragons and people.

    "Watch where you''re going," he growled, having to rely on his flying ability to quickly take him out of the path of a brown dragon.

    The big, lumbering brown dragon who had almost plowed right into him mid-air flinched in surprise and looked around. After a labored moment, the brown dragon finally settled his gaze on Brixaby and squinted. "Oh, there you are. Have you ever considered painting your wings a brighter color? You''re a little hard to see."

    Brixaby clamped his muzzle shut before he could roar out that that was the point.

    Instead, he flew on and veered to the side, closer to the walls that bordered the aerial highway between the Free Hives'' lava bubbles. He supposed he should be happy that his stealth skills were so effective.

    Some dragons naturally flew close to the walls, either due to preference or to give way to larger dragons. There were a few more close calls.

    Brixaby could have started using his stealth class more sparingly, but that would have been the same as admitting he had made a mistake. He wasn''t ready to do that yet.

    Instead, still flapping his wings, he found he could creep directly along the walls, sort of bounding from one vertical spot to another.

    New Skill gained: Extreme Rock Climbing (Adrenaline Activities Class)

    Due to your card’s bonus traits, you automatically start this skill at level 3.Witness the debut of this chapter, unveiled through N?o?v€l--B1n.

    Hadn’t Arthur been working toward a rock climbing skill of some sort? Brixaby felt a brief flash of pity for him that he didn''t have wings to help him along the way.

    Finally, the tunnel widened out and Brixaby arrived at the crafters'' bubble, which was a wider area that allowed him to stay away from other dragons. He stuck to the shadows, now clinging to the top of the domed ceiling, and looking down. His naturally magnificent dark scales allowed him to blend in with the shadows.

    And right below him was the stall that sold chainmail.

    Twisting his head so that he wasn''t staring upside down, Brixaby observed craftmaster Dimitri putting chainmail works into an enchanted net. The same type that had carried himself, Arthur, Joy, and Joy’s rider here. Interesting. He wasn’t aware that his craftmaster had one of those.

    And it was obvious that the man had more products than he had let on. He removed more and more chainmail shirts and even several pairs of pants and greaves from boxes that had been stored under the booth tables. Brixaby supposed he should have been more curious and checked within those boxes before. But it hadn''t seemed to be important until now.

    The enchanted net must have accounted for weight because after he was finally done and pulled the drawstring to shut the top of the net tight, Dimitri picked it up with merely a grunt, slung it over his shoulder, and started to walk out.

    Naturally, Brixaby followed.

    It was slow going because in his inefficient, human way, the craftmaster also stopped to talk to people. More than once, Brixaby considered gouging out a pebble from the wall he was clinging to and throwing it at the man to get him to hurry up. But, since that might give away his position, he resisted.

    It was a good thing that he was certain that this would be worth it.

    Finally, Dimitri made it out of the mesa complex, and Brixaby could take to the air again. He modulated his wing beats so that the two wings on each side beat in unison instead of each cupping the air separately.

    This was a much more inefficient way to fly—just like a normal two-winged dragon—but it cut down on the buzzing drone. It was, unfortunately, a distinctive sound.

    So, flying in this boring, inefficient, tiring way, he was able to follow the craftmaster.

    All sorts of humans conducted their business outside the main mesa complex. The location varied based on where the sun was in the sky. No one wanted to stay in the blazing heat for long, so temporary booths and picnics were often set out in the shadow of the mesa, moving as the shadow did.

    Dimitri met with another human almost at the point of the tall shadow. The other human was...a little odd. It wasn''t the way his many golden rings decorated his ears, nose, and eyebrows. It wasn’t even his shiny bald head.

    To Brixaby''s eye, his proportions seemed... off. His ears were a bit too sharp. His limbs seemed too long. He held himself not like a human but more forward, as if he were walking on the tips of his toes. Brixaby landed and crept closer, hiding behind the occasional boulder strewn across the landscape.

    He wasn’t able to catch the conversation between the craftmaster and the new man, but he did see the handshake and the two of them exchanging enchanted nets. Dimitri immediately loosened the drawstring, looked inside, and grunted with satisfaction. Brixaby suspected he had just seen a transfer of goods, and possibly money.

    The man looked at him for a moment as if he was trying to decide if Brixaby was joking or not. Then he shook his head with a deep chuckle. "Well, until then, I come every second week for trade. Come visit me if you have more goods, young Brixaby." Then with that farewell said, he activated his heart card. Instantly, he was whisked away with a teleporting spell.

    New Counterfeit Skill Obtained: Return Home (Spell)

    Remaining Time: 59 Minutes 59 seconds

    Ohhh. A Rare-level teleport spell. This was useful. Based on the name, that card''s limitations meant he would only be able to teleport where he considered home. That was annoying, though he supposed the cave he shared with Joy and her rider could be considered a temporary home.

    Brixaby gave it a try. After all, he would only have this spell for an hour.

    Sure enough, he emerged back into the cave he shared with Joy and her rider. It was currently empty, which was good because Brixaby still had one more great accomplishment ahead of him today.

    He retreated into his Personal Space where he had stored liberated rare metals from the crafter’s stall. Gold, one of the crafters had called it. Too bad they hadn’t kept a close enough eye on his product. Throwing a bar of the stuff into his Personal Space last week had been too easy.

    Smelting it on the sly had been harder, but he only had to heat it to a melting point before, again, stuffing the entire crucible and tongs into his Personal Space.

    Knowing that he would need to stretch himself to gain that final all-important level, he worked the odd, soft metal into a special chainmail shirt he''d set aside. It was, he suspected, not helpful for protection. But decorative, which tended to draw the eye.

    He would have added it to his own chain mail, except gold clashed with the purple highlights in his dark scales.

    After several hours within the mind space, he was feeling the strain that told him he needed to take a break soon.

    But Brixaby did not take that break. He worked until the ache behind his eyes expanded to encompass his entire head, and the last bit of gold was woven rather pleasingly into the rivets.

    Only then did he reach level 50.

    Congratulations! For reaching this milestone you have been awarded the following:

    +3 Dexterity

    +2 Wisdom

    +1 Intelligence

    +25% quicker learning in all chainmail class skills.

    +25% quicker adaptation to all chainmail body enhancement skills.

    Ha. He had been right! There was a sizable reward for sticking to a single skill.

    Brixaby felt an immediate wave of tingles wash up and down his body. The result of his new attributes, he assumed. He spread his wings and examined himself for any physical changes. Nothing was immediately apparent.

    Dexterity, Wisdom, and Intelligence weren''t among the physical attributes... but he would have liked to grow in size.

    He was just pondering what a chainmail body enhancement skill was, and if that would affect his physical form, when he received another startling prompt.

    Warning: No further advancement in Chainmail Weaving is possible until this skill is added to a class.

    He reread it again and again, hoping he had misunderstood. But the truth was literally staring him in the face.

    Classes were indeed the way to grow stronger. At least, past level 50.

    Heaving a sigh, Brixaby exited his Personal Space. He was not looking forward to telling Arthur that he had been correct after all.