VRMMO: World's First Glyphborne-Chapter 146: Providence
"One more step?" Valerie muttered with a frown, "How is there still a step? You have your mana lobe, even without a source you should be able to cast some of your magic, right?"
"Ah, but that’s the thing. What makes you think that my magic relies solely on mana?" Percy replied with a smirk, causing Valerie to frown deeper as she thought it over. However Percy didn’t let her get too into her own head as he continued to speak,
"You see, as I’ve told you my class is a type of Paladin. Although I only use that term because it is similar to ones I have played in other games. Specifically, in Dawd, it is known as a Soul Sworn.
When I received my class, I did so by kneeling in front of the statues of the Gods and swearing an oath before them. The Oath is the corner stone of the Soul Sworn, it is where the name comes from. We are bound by mind, body and soul to that Oath. Sworn to fulfil it until our last dying breath."
"So, does that mean we are screwed?" Valerie asked, glancing over her shoulder at him in concern.
"I mean without the Gods, you won’t be able to make the oath and you won’t have access to your class features. If... if that’s the case, I could probably give you some mage lessons. I can’t promise that I will be the best, I’m still learning myself after all, but I’ll do my best to help you."
Percy glanced back at her, meeting her eyes for a second before chuckling and looking away. He lifted his hand from the moss green water and watched as it trickled between his fingers.
"No, I don’t think so. With it being presented before the Gods, it was given more power. But that was it. The Oath is what is important, that oath is where I draw power. The dedication to it, how close I hold it in my heart, and how much I pledge myself to carrying it out.
You have to believe in it entirely, as if it is the most singular truth in the world, and that belief is what gives it power. That’s what I was told anyways..."
He closed his eyes and clenched his fist tight, until his fingernails dug into his palm and blood began to trickle from the wounds.
Raising his hand up, Percy let the blood trickle down his hand until a singular drop fell from his palm, and as it fell he recited his Oath in his mind.
It was not the same Oath he swore in game. Instead it was one he believed in even more, one that was truly important and close to his heart. It was an Oath that no matter what happened, he knew he would never even come close to breaking.
Just as he finished reciting his oath, the droplet touched the water. A ripple cascaded across the waters surface, as it always did when a droplet fell. Yet this ripple was accompanied by a colossal wave of foreign power that brushed over them both and then faded away into oblivion the next second.
It was a wave of pure serenity.
Valerie let out a sharp gasp as she felt it wash over her, flushing her system of any pent up stress or exhaustion and, although it did not restore her mana levels, she felt completely refreshed. Better than she had ever felt in her life, in fact.
When she glanced over her shoulder at Percy again, she found him staring at his clenched fist, as an ethereal and translucent gauntlet, like one would find on plate armour, had manifested around his forearm. Formed entirely of a pure, golden energy that radiated that same peace and serenity.
"What is that?" She muttered, not even realising she was whispering when she did so. It was just as if she was scared she might scare away this wondrous sight if she spoke too loudly.
"This... is Providence. The power of the Soul Sworn. The Oath is complete." Percy replied with a smile, before letting the golden gauntlet fade and starting to get out of the new useless bath.
"Really? Wow that seems... Easy. So what did you swear an oath to? Like making your guild prosper or... or maybe protecting the world like some super hero?" Valerie asked with a laugh, half of her mind focused on drawing in the remaining mana in the bath to replenish her stores.
Percy glanced over his shoulder as he towelled himself off, giving Valerie a strange look that made her a little bashful, as she shifted slightly so her chest was facing away from him and pulled her hands over herself.
That, and how much her face was changing colour, made Percy laugh and shake his head before looking away and focusing on getting dressed.
"Yeah... Something like that. Come on now, let’s get you out and dressed. Want me to get the robot?"
"N-no... It’s fine." She muttered, glancing back at him and then quickly looking away again, "You’re here now. So you might as well make yourself useful. Put those show muscles to work Princess, and don’t you dare act like I am heavy."
Percy laugh again, giving her a dramatic bow, before carrying out his assigned duty. He treated her with the utmost care, just like he did last time. Although this time Valerie was awake for it all, she kept just as silent as previously.
In fact she was the most silent he had ever heard her, as he helped her get dried off and dressed.
Once they were ready, Percy wheeled Valerie to the kitchen, where she once again regained her voice.
"It’s still a while till lunch, and the garden still needs to regain its mana since my last visit. So... want to join me for a bit of training now that you have your... What was it called again?"
"Providence." Percy answered as he strolled over to one of the cupboards and began to root through them. After a few seconds, he turned around to face her with a smile on his face, and a pot lid in his hand.
"Sure, I’ll join you. It’s about time I showed you exactly what a Soul Sword can do." 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖
His eyes flashed golden for a brief moment, and suddenly a translucent kite shield of pure golden energy manifested over his ridiculous pot lid.
