Bacon Macleod
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Chapter 123: Long Awaited Destiny pt. 6
🕑 Added 2024-11-26 20:30:01 +0000 UTCAfter leaving the meadow that held the site of his class selection, Kaius and his guide had fallen into an easy silence. He appreciated that. As they walked through the giant old growth forest, working their way through the undergrowth, he started to feel at home.
It had been far, far, too long since he had been in the Sea, been graced by the radiant warmth of the sun, smelt the rich earth and vegetal notes of wood and leaves on the air, heard the chirping of birds, and the rustling of true wind as it passed through the canopy above.
Even the wooded sections of the Depths were a poor substitute for such concentrated life. He only hoped that whatever changes the second phase would bring, that it would leave this aura of serenity untouched. More than anything else, that would cut at him if he was the reason for its disruption.
Beyond a doubt, this was the break that he had craved, needed, after so long in the depths. Even here in mind only, he felt the tension of a year of war slowly leave him and a renewed vigour and determination take its place.
Only now did his success start to feel real. They had done it, slain a Guardian and obtained their classes. Sure, the future held perils, but the most immediate mountain had been summited. With their success, and the knowledge and experience he now carried with him, Kaius felt far more steady about the looming range on the horizon.
The forest parted once more, revealing a small break in the trees where a rocky slope hampered their ability to take root. Kaius came to a shuddering stop. He recognised this place.
There, at the base of the slope, lay a number of cracked boulders. Four in total, by chance or fate each had split cleanly through the middle to reveal a clean and flat space. Just off to the side lay a burnt out campfire, scattered with loose dirt and cleared of leaves.
It was the sight of where he had first truly dived into the possibility of glyph-binding. Where Father had expounded on the mysteries of the runic arts in depth, and spent his evenings muttering as he sketched theories on one of the split boulders. It had been an enrapturing time. Then, more than any other, his father had been driven - focused totally and utterly on something other than Kaius’s direct training.
It had been fascinating, seeing his father attack the stone with sticks of charcoal like he was trying to slay a dragon, diagram after diagram materialising before being wiped clean once more.
It had humanised him, let him see Father as more than a harsh taskmaster and stalwart protector. Yet it had highlighted the cracks, and shone a revealing light on all they must have lost. It had revealed glimpses of the man Father must have been. A driven, passionate, and viciously intelligent man who latched on problems like the jaws of a greater beast, wringing them for all the secrets and solutions he could.
It had been when he realised that Father was drowning.
How could you solve the destruction of your dynasty? Your own loss of power, that only dwindled by the day, and a son you needed to nurture and train without the resources you needed to do so?
It had become clear then, in those halcyon days, why Father had such demands on his attention and effort. Ensuring he could survive without him was Father’s final act. The final problem he had to solve.
Kaius loved him for it.
Letting out a slow, shuddering, breath, Kaius turned to his class guide. “Here?” he asked, his tone half accusatory.
“Here.” his guide replied with a nod. “There is power in symbolism. Come along now.”
Kaius steeled himself. He took a long, final look at the camp he had lived in for months before he followed after his guide, approaching the split boulders. As they drew closer, he realised that three of them were not as he remembered them being. They were set in a neat line, exposed faces unshadowed by their missing halves.
One seemed to be some sort of sword technique diagram. It was similar - no, identical - in style to the ones that Father had sketched in the dirt with a stick when he was being taught the components of Warforged. It was different though, this was no simple style guide. Waves of roaring energy rolled off the blade. When the sketched figure struck his opponent, that energy tore at their flesh. A true class skill, rather than the mostly passive effects of his general set. The diagrams were vague, barely showing him what the skill did, let alone how.
The next had a singular massive glyph scrawled across its surface. Pointy and jagged, it was made of hard lines and acute angles. As he approached, it seemed to almost shift with his perspective, its form mutagenic and transient. It seemed there would be no stealing hidden insights from skills he didn’t plan to select.
Out of the corner of his eye, Kaius caught sight of his aged clone smirking. Of course it could read his thoughts. No matter, it was an incarnation of the systems might after all. He turned his attention to the final boulder.
The last was another technique diagram, though this one was clearly designed for glyph binding. A runebound figure cast a bolt of magic, a runic hymn burning away from their outstretched hand. It did the same with its other hand, two bolts appearing while only one charge was burnt.
That caught his eye. The potential to double the output of his limited runic hymns would do much to shore up the weaknesses of glyph-binding. Not that he intended to make his choice of only a first impression. Now that he had a class, with a monumental plus-three to Intelligence every level, the limits of his mana pool would dwindle rapidly. Even gated as he was by being limited in the amount of hymns he could inscribe at once, he doubted that many things would live long enough to threaten him after he had gotten through twenty-four Arcane Bolts.
He was also immensely curious about the glyph. They were supposed to be a major centrepiece of his class, afterall.
“Shall we start with the last one then? It certainly seems to have caught your eye.” His class guide said with more than a little mirth, shaking him from his revere.
Kaius returned his guide's smile. “Caught that did you? I suppose you don’t miss much.” he replied.
“Not really, no. Go on then.” His guide ushered him forwards.
Kaius approached the stone covered in a glyph-binding technique diagram. The air grew heavy as he walked forwards. Not as potent and charged with destiny as his class selections, not by half, but it was still enough for the hairs on the back of his neck to stand on end.
The charcoal diagram shimmered, and a description of the skill quickly dominated his view.
Hyperius Choralcasting:
Class Skill- Tier I
Affinity: Arcane, Mirror
Type: Glyph-binding, Metamagic
Selection Available!
Unique
Master Hyperius was known for his placid demeanour and destructive might. Where others preferred variety and flexibility, he preferred to take the simplest of arcane shards and then proliferate them until they were a storm that blotted out the sun. His contributions to the Order mean that he is interred in the Tomb. Do you think you will be able to do the same, Initiate?
This skill allows the user to alter a runic hymn inscription to duplicate the spell when activated for 90% added base mana reserved.
Every 10 levels the user may increase the spell duplication by 1 for an additional 90% base added to the reserved mana required per hymn.
Kaius pondered the first skill.
It was good, that was without a doubt. Even with the nigh instant casting of glyph-binding compared to normal spells, there was still some level of delay caused by his own ability to will a hymn to activate. It was a non-issue at the moment, when the most he had done was send a volley of less than a dozen spells at once.
However, when his pool improved, and he could potentially inscribe a full two dozen Arcane Bolts or more, it would be a significant improvement to his firepower.
Either way, it was a solid option to have available, though he wouldn’t know how it shored up until he checked the rest.
He looked away from the skills description, down to the line to where the next boulder waited. The glyph.
That was what he was most curious about. From what his guide had said, his current glyph was… jank. What's more, if he kept it he would be limited to the spell-hymns he had already devised, or whatever other slight alterations he could make to Arcane Bolt, until he found himself a tutor in High Lothian.
If the glyph served to be an improvement to his own, and provided some way for him to gain spells like his guide had said, then it was almost certain it would be the one he picked.
Which is why he would save it for last. He knew if he saw it now, it would taint his impressions of whatever the sword technique was on the final boulder.
Leaving the first skill behind, he walked past the boulder with the glyphic inscription and approached the one at the end of the line.
“Oh? Not going to check in order? How unexpected.” his guide said teasingly, giving him a wink.
Kaius suppressed the urge to roll his eyes at the construct. While it may have looked like a venerable copy of himself, it was impossible to forget that it was a direct agent of the system. One did not snark the highest of gods.
“Just trying to save the best for last.” He mumbled, arriving at the stone that held the sword technique. Stepping forwards, he focused his attention until a status screen flickered into view.
Disruptive Cut:
Class Skill- Tier I
Affinity: Martial, Sound
Type: Longsword, Antimagic, Strike
Available!
Unusual
Some Runeblades specialise, tuning themselves to a specific kind of prey. Amongst these rare figures, it is the howling blades of the mage-hunters that are most feared by all of an arcane bent.
This skill allows the user to infuse their blade with disruptive vigour at the cost of 100 Stamina, temporarily destabilising channelled mana in their targets.
Each level reasonably raises the difficulty of preventing or counteracting this destabilisation.
Each level moderately increases the length of time that the disruption persists.
Each level minutely increases the chance of interrupted channelled mana causing a damaging backlash.
This one intrigued him. While he was heavily disinclined to take it, it still revealed some secrets about this nebulous Vesryn Order that dominated the history of his class. He had chosen the path he had to be flexible, not to focus on a single type of enemy, even one as ubiquitous and dangerous as mana users.
In isolation, it would be a strong pick, even with being a lower rarity than Choralcasting. Yet he doubted it would operate in isolation. He decided to satisfy his curiosity. Afterall, what good was a guide if you did not ask them to show you the way?
“These skills. Will they influence what I am offered later? Both later skills and class evolutions?” he asked, turning away from the boulder to address the system construct.
“Good catch, and good question,” they responded, giving him a nod. “Yes to influencing later classes. The skills you pick, and how you use them, both directly influence class evolutions, and often impact the types of feats that you complete. As for later skills? Yes, but to a lesser degree. Ultimately, it is the class itself that has the most influence, and it would take several skills with the same broad focus to completely shift everything you are offered.”
Kaius nodded along to his guide's explanation, chewing the inside of his cheek. “In that case, I don’t think this one's for me. Not for my first skill, at least. Is it able to be offered again?” he asked.
“It could, but it is much more likely to be something different, whether subtly or radically.” his guide replied, shifting their weight on one foot. It stood out to Kaius, he doubted it was unconscious. There was no way that the system itself was a slave to things as base as simple discomfort. Still, it humanised his guide. Which he supposed was the point, it had said that it had taken that form to put him at ease after all.
The specifics of skills impacts on his future choices aside, Kaius still had one main question. Where this class had come from. He’d had a suspicion building for a while, after reading epigraph after epigraph. One that had only grown as he saw the references made to a supposedly powerful Order of glyph-binders, when he was supposedly the first of his ‘cohort’. Whatever that meant.
“The Vesryn Order, they're not from around here are they? They can’t be.” he asked, cautious curiosity tinting his words.
His class guide gave him another one of its wide smiles. “Clever. You’d be surprised how few people ask that. Everyone is usually too caught up in the hullabaloo of their shiny new class.”
Kaius paused. That wasn’t much of an answer, though the fact he had been commended for asking it confirmed they were not in his mind. He supposed that they could be from the higher realms, but they sounded all too … mortal for that to make sense to him. “Where are they from then?”
“Can’t say. Not yet at least. Keep on climbing like you have and you’ll figure it out for yourself quick enough though.” Giving him an apologetic shrug, his class guide nodded towards his last skill option. “You should check that out. Something tells me you’ll be quite pleased with it.”
Kaius turned back to the final boulder.
The shifting, aggressive angles of the glyph on its face seemed to tug at him. Drawing him forwards.
He complied willingly.
A/n:
To the small number of people who have been consistently complaining about my writing style - Here's the deal, I write what I want to read. If you don't enjoy my writing style, you are welcome to bank chapters, or just unsub if its too much of a bother.
The vast majority of people do not seem to care either way, and for every person complaining, I have had another telling me they love the style.
Writing differently would require me to completely change my writing style, which I have very little interest in and would also completely tank my writing speed - This chapter style has been present literally since chapter 1. Not every book is written for every person, and I am primarily writing for myself - I am not changing my writing style.
if you just want to add a little 'God damn, dao of the cliff got me again!' as a way to vent the tiny bit of frustration or as a joke, then that's fine, but when you start getting personal and insulting with your comments - whether at me or my writing - it's time to take a step back. And I want to be clear, implying that the only reason I write the way I do is because it must be some manipulative scheme to bait people into wanting to read more or sub to patreon is insulting.
Complaining about something that has been in the book since day 1, and is not going anywhere, does nothing but derail discussion and sour my mood - if I am forced to pick between deleting comments or blocking people and ruining my motivation to write for the day, I'm picking the former every time. If you don't like my writing that much, I wont force you to read it.
Disliking tension focused writing is a preference thing, not an indication of quality thing. Its fine to have a preference, but implying I am a bad writer because I focus on things not to your preference is rude.
Comments
Eldar Zecore
I did unsub for a month or 2 because I found the cliffhangers frustrating, but I’m back now because I’ve got around 50 chapters banked to read through (I’m to weak willed to bank chapters while subbed lol). I enjoy your story a lot, and actually think you’ve been doing a better job with the cliffhanging since you’d posted that poll. Keep up the great work!
ReadingObsessed
Love your writing style. Inspiring fight scenes! The way the emotions are described during merging was masterful.
M van Dongen
There are cliffhanging' authors that are much worse. Though verbose in places your writing has a point. Some authors on RR are in love with verbosity for the sake of verbosity. You are not one of those.
Dark Moon Gaming
I both hate and love cliffs, hate them because I hate to wait till the next chapter, and at the same time love them because it gets me so excited for when the next chapter comes out. Thanks for the chapter.
Gio
Cliffhangers are part of webnovels, it's pretty much a prerequesite, as is complaining about them. Don't worry about it.
Senna
I dont mind the cliffs, I think they are natural. The entire class change is the reward for the conclusion of the entire arc we have just closed. Personally, what I have been “disatisfied” with, and I put that on quotes for lack of a better term, is what I consider to be excessive interactions between Kaius and the system avatar or his descriptors about the scenery. But that’s 100% on me. You have been doing this since day one with the soul space, which I always skipped because I am not into these sections where you create an atmosphere of ‘fake’ tension. We know that he won’t fail to fuse, there’s no information being given about his journey or anything that moves the story forward, it’s just fluff. Filler. I feel like thats the same with how many times you pointed out the system is not human, a god like, and how that makes Kaius feel. I believe you hammer this way too much, but again, that’s on me. You have been doing this since you started. That’s why I didnt comment or complain until I saw your long note in this chapter and felt like it was a good opportunity to point it out. Whoever is complaining and getting personal about cliffs is out of their minds. A webserial is synonymous with cliffs.
Mark
I personally don’t like the cliffs as well, but I think that’s because I as well as many others have long been acclimatized to web novels where everything happens quickly. I believe many, like me, have lost the patience required to read a book, and want all the juicy bits happen quickly. But the issue with that is, when you do so, you quickly feel that the story becomes boring, and then you drop it. Keep doing what you want to do bacon, as you are actually being sensible with your writing style, which is what makes me come back to read the book. Also, titling the chapters by sequence helps, as, like bacon suggested, I’m banking the chapters and reading 3-4 days worth of chapters at a time. Makes things more interesting and satisfying.
CF Sapper
Most people don't notice it when reading full books but most chapters end much like these do it just we get that instant gratification of being able to read the next chapter. As someone who read through your story up until a week or so ago I can say the whole reads very well set up as you have done it and very much feeds that "one more chapter before bed" I love it (even if my sleeping habit doesn't 🤣) And until tomorrow "Number 1 on repel!"
Hunter Vook
Author is a highly skilled master of the Dao of the Cliff. We mortals have no right to question. His is the Cliff.
Kooooomakimi
Fair enough honestly. I don’t understand why people would levy personal attacks against you and your writing, when they obviously liked it enough to subscribe in the first place. I do really like your writing atleast! What you said about the hypothetical longer chapters with a release every 2 days, would honestly fix everything I have issue with for segments of the story like these. It’d make it feel like there’s actually a lot more meaningful progression in the story happening in the slower parts (like these). Maybe you can post a poll asking other people’s opinion on it?
DeadicatedReader
Not that he intended to make his choice of only a first impression. -> off Calling them a cliff is a major exaggeration that I've been ignoring whenever I scroll these comments. They're minor hills at best and, frankly, it's going to happen with a daily release schedule. I've got some authors I follow who prefer a weekly schedule for that reason but you end up with 'cliffs' in that content too. There is no winning here because the work is in progress. You can either play every update of your Early Access game or come back when it is finished to binge the entire thing. Complaining does nothing. Bacon writes excellent descriptions and at an exceptional quality. It's been delightful.
Rick
Your writing style is uniquely yours ..do not change it for anything! Or anyone ! ...go !!! Forward young man ! Don't look back ever ! Nothing to see but jealous ppl and Karen's behind you ..not to mention trolls and other assorted miscreants...again ..just do you !
SanMarco Geddes
I enjoy what you write, keep up the amazing and fun to read content!! Also I enjoy cliffhangers, makes me excited for what’s next. Do what makes you happy!
AsuraFalling
I haven’t really noticed the hangers. But I’ll also admit this is one of like 15 different Patreon subs I have and have had for years so I’m VERY use to the issue style release. I enjoy the story. I enjoy the characters. Even the few parts that break immersion are because I tend to land on the realism side and I KNOW that about myself. I hand wave those things and all is good. Love the work. Keep doing you.
AsuraFalling
They all actually seemed equally broken. It’s just WE know Kaius and what he’s all about so one of them in context is clearly the best. For him. Personally either of the other two seemed more uh. OP. Lower wide range but a much higher peek.
Bacon Macleod
It's not so much well meaning constructive criticism (much like I have received in the past for how information can come across more satisfying, something I have done for many of these chapters ie. revealing all the skill names instead of saving them for the start of the next chapter) or 'this is not to my preference' that I mind, its been a (very) small dedicated subset who have been going 'you are a bad writer and should feel shame for doing this' or just dropping 'these are ruining your entire story. Stop.' - evidenced by the comment of 5 paragraphs of personal attacks I had to delete 15 mins ago. Yes, day by day some things are not ideal, but there is a lot to fit into this sequence with regards to how the system functions, individual chonky status descriptions (which still take up words, and take significantly longer to write than prose) and dealing with character development and backstory, on top of thematic scenery. The only other option I would have would be to double the chapter length for these chapters, but all that would mean is I released them every two days instead of one due to the constraints of writing speed. This is functionally the same as banking the sequence to read in one go, which I have tried to facilitate by titling things by sequence. I'm already releasing 16k+ words per week, which is far more than most web serials, there is no room for chunkier chapters without reducing my post frequency. Especially since my chapters are by no means short for a daily release story, the vast majority of those do 1-1.5k chapters, not 2-2.5 (with the odd 3k) The other fact is that i have had just as many people get super hyped by this release style as people complaining, so its sort of a case of 'i know this wont please everybody, but this is what it is'. I just want people to recognise not enjoying cliffs is a preference thing, rather than a structural issue with any given book or sequence.
Kooooomakimi
While I understand the frustration that comes from criticism, I disagree with you on that this is somehow the exact same as it always was. Personally, I like the exposition you give during exploration and fighting. I actually see the sense in what you're doing here, I like the fact that you're trying to give the long awaited destiny a grand finale, but there is a point to be made about this many cliffhangers. 7 whole chapters in a row where nothing really happens and we're drip-fed a tiny amount of info about classes/skills isn't at all comparable to anything you've wrote in earlier chapters. If your intention with this is to have this be a very impactful conclusion to an arc, I think you're falling short. Longer isn't always better, and any satisfaction I'm getting from the progression is curbed by the process. I can't imagine the people on RoyalRoad reacting any better than the people here, who like the story enough to pay for it.
Kirisuk3
Bacon, I've been here from the jump and I for one thoroughly enjoy each and every cliff. Keep up the radness and I look forward to more of Kais and Porkchops adventures.
Wolven
Even then, the other classes were good, just not for Kaius. The first class he looked at would have probably upgraded Lesser Regen, and buffed the resulting skill and Rapid Adaption. It would have made him pretty unkillable given how much those skills have helped him survive already
Matthew
Really the only thing I dislike about skill and class selection is when one option is far better then the rest.
Ethan Poteat
Thank you for the chapter! And honestly, cliffhangers that last a day are just fine. If someone can’t wait that long, they should just bank instead and read till they find a good point. Plus, again, you pump out a HIGH QUALITY chapter a day. Respectfully people, y’all can deal 🤣
Leser
I like the writing style if it was once a week ore monthly it would be much more frustrating but its every day that's just amazing. I can understand the frustration im am often thinking a lot about the next chapter that's really great for a story to do great work 😃
Tim Judge
loving the story and the style. rather you wrote a full book every day of course, but I also want to eat a 2 kilo wagu steak AND lose weight.
Tim Judge
Cliff huggers unite........... no I'm not afraid of heights I love this cliff, it might look like I'm hanging on for dear life , but it is just cliffophillia
seth dauer
Structure is an often overlooked but important writing technique. It's easy to overlook, because when you think of writing, it seems all too obvious that it's the words that matter. To presume it's the words alone would be a mistake however. Because it's just plain wrong. Take a look at poetry. Or notice how multiple short sentences cause the reader's reading pace to speed up, or vice versa. Paragraphs encapsulate ideas and chapters do much the same. The heros journey as a concept and a book or movie having the crescendo of a climax before settling down with the falling action and denouement. I get the frustration. I'm a paid supporter because I needed to know what was next after all 😝. But all the same, these skills aren't one of hundreds like randidly's or another story. They are special. There's a weight to them. And really, is this truly that different? This chapter alone specifically. Another author would give you all three choices yes. But you'd have to wait until the next to find out which he picked. A day to theory craft and argue over their options, even influencing the writing at times. And here's where the style, the structure gives weight to the story, in this case the skill that will define his path going forward. Given an entire chapter to delve into its merits and feeling. The anticipation you feel waiting for its announcement. And more
Ernesty5
As much short term dislike I’ll have for a cliff, that’s out of a need to know than any real negative feeling. I respect how excited it makes me to read the next chapter!
Leander
I love your writing style, but please, from time to time, pull us up from the edge, even if only for one chapter among twenty.
The Lost Pages
Smart approach. I am totally fine with your writing style. You are amazing and keep it up.
Isaac Boyles
It's a serial format, you're using the medium in one of its signature styles. That's frustrating at times, sure, but it's also a legitimate style choice that's got its own documented history in literature. Plus when you go back and read it all at once it's a wild ride that way.
Adept
Personally, I love leaving a chapter wanting to come back for more, even if that’s incidental and isn’t the actual intent. TYFTC!
CPTincognito
I am one with the cliff and the cliff is with me 🧘♀️
