Chapter 26- A Dangerous Proposition

The sun had set, and the forest was now home to the predators of the night. The darkness beneath the trees held promises of death and the sound of the wind whistling through the leaves was the sombre song of the final sleep.

A wolf howled, signalling the start of its hunt and an owl screeched as it took flight. The forest had awoken, and the flurry of activity was visible for all to see if only one had the eyes to spot the signs of life.

But one fact held true for all the denizens of this place.

There was one place that they all avoided. A beautiful clearing beside a lake reflecting moonlight that had become the grave of so many animals, thirsty for a drink of water.

It wasn't the presence of carcasses that warned them off though. No, it was something so much worse. All the animals could feel it. Smell the sense of wrongness that permeated the filthy air there. The perversion of natural order. A beast, and yet so much more.

They could smell a monster…

~Arthur Ward~

Arthur was silent for a long moment, contemplating the questions that Mira had asked him. She stood there in the moonlight, content to simply wait for his answers if and when he finally gave them.

Arthur instead asked a question of his own. “What do you mean what am I?”

“I'm human of course.” Arthur said, surprised she had asked him something so strange. ‘Well I am still human, aren’t I?’ He thought to himself, recalling his half-breed title. ‘At least I hope so.’ 

Mira just chuckled before replying.

“You could’ve fooled me. But what about that dark aura you always give off.”

Not for the first time since this conversation began, Arthur was stumped. He had no idea what she was talking about. Unless she was referring to the 'pressure' that Julia had confronted him about, but Arthur had assumed she'd simply been trying to unsettle him at the time to get him to reveal some of his secrets.

“Aura, what do you mean aura? What the hell is that even?”

Mira inhaled sharply in surprise.

‘He actually doesn't even know what I’m talking about. Is he lying or just genuinely stupid?’

“Well, the aura I'm talking about is that feeling or pressure you sometimes sense surrounding beasts when they’re really strong. You’ve probably never yet met a human strong enough to give it off.”

Besides herself of course, but Mira knew better than just projecting her aura for all to see unlike a certain dunderhead.

Arthur was getting more and more confused by the minute. He still had absolutely no idea what Mira was talking about. ‘Except you do,’ his inner voice nagged him, but he quickly silenced it.

“Okay, now you’re just messing with me. I’ve never felt anything like that before, not even when I faced a Rodent King twice my level…”

Arthur trailed off as he recalled the oppressive feeling he’d felt when facing the shadow panther before he’d unlocked the system. It was something he would never forget, and he realised that he did indeed have some experience with this so called aura that the poison mage had mentioned. ‘That’s what she’s talking about, isn’t it.’ Except the panther had only been level 11 and that didn't really fit with the rest of her narrative.

Mira meanwhile was trying to take in what Arthur had just said.

‘He’s never felt it before? Just how strong is he to have never met a beast that could exert pressure him. His aura control might be shit, but he should have at least sense... wait, it looks like he’s remembering something.’

“Never mind.” She eventually said, carefully observing the way Arthur's skin had grown a shade lighter. 

He was scared. 'Just what kind of monster did he face?'

“It doesn't really matter anyway. All I can tell you is that you’re supposed to be much, much stronger than level 39 before having an aura of your own. At least a level of 100, 80 if you’re a little special.”

Mira stopped talking for a moment, carefully considering how best to phrase her next question. She needed to appeal to his emotions.

“Arthur, I know you have a lot of secrets, and you have every right to keep them to yourself. God knows I've got enough of my own, but if we’re going to have any hope of working together, and I really hope we will, you’ll have to tell me how you’re so strong. Not everything, just enough to let me know you're actually human and not some alien impostor or something.”

She hesitated for a moment, afraid she’d said too much, genuine desperation leaking into her next words.

“Please. I need to know exactly what you're capable of if we’re going to try and do what I have planned.”

Arthur hesitated for a moment, when he saw how earnest the young woman was, actually considering her question instead of outright ignoring it like he'd immediately planned. He didn't feel like Mira was lying, and if she was being truthful about the fact that she really would die in a month if Arthur didn't help her, he wasn’t sure how he’d live with himself if he turned her away.

The prospect of learning alchemy was definitely not influencing him in any way.

Whilst Arthur didn't like Mira, he didn't despise the woman to the extent that he wished death upon her. Taking a leap of faith, he came to a decision. She had been honest with him, at least partially, and he’d reciprocate the favour. He couldn’t keep hiding his abilities forever, now could he; and more importantly, he didn’t want to. The secrets were starting to weigh down on him and they'd come out sooner or later. He'd rather they came out of his own volition instead of at the most inopportune moment when he was forced to use a skill he hadn't revealed.

Plus, that alchemy skill seemed very appealing.

“I have four affinities.” Arthur calmly stated.

Silence greeted his statement, a reaction in and of itself. Mira just stood there, stunned as she had been many times since meeting the strange man. She’d come up with a whole host of reasons to explain his strength, from a powerful fruit he might have ingested in the tutorial, to a rare artefact he may have been gifted with.

Never in her wildest dreams did she think he’d have four affinities. The notion was simply absurd.

It grew exponentially more rare to awaken with more than a single affinity with the difference between two and three being one in twenty-seven to the minuscule one in two million percent chance of awakening with three affinities. Recalling the numbers she’d learned from the booklet she’d received during the tutorial she realised Arthur was probably the only quadra-affinity mage on the planet.

Mira highly doubted there was another when the chance was only one in six billion. It seems she was extremely lucky to have come across perhaps one of the few people who could actually help her in the entire world. Kazi Alukai probably, no definitely could, but she highly doubted that he’d make the time to even listen to her request for assistance. 

Trying to get her racing heartbeat under control, Mira finally managed to speak. She gulped nervously. This conversation was not following the script she’d expected.

“Okay, do you mind telling me what they are? I promise I won't disclose your information to anyone no matter the circumstances.”

Mira actually meant that. As a quadra affinity mage, Arthur was someone she definitely wanted as an ally in the future, and she wouldn't sell him out for anything that could be gained on Earth. After all, it was just a newly evolved backwater planet, and the quadra-affinity mage was most certainly someone who would be leaving the place soon. It was only a matter of time before the planet became far too small to host Arthur, of that she was certain.

She just hoped that when he did, he wouldn't forget about her and still stay in contact. No, she’d make sure he did by any means possible short of sleeping with him.

Arthur hesitated for a moment before finally speaking.

“You already know about my healing and water right. My third affinity is shadow magic.''

As he said the last statement, he used a little ether to make his shadow move to prove his point.

“My last affinity is one that I can't use yet, so I don't think there’s any point in telling you about it. It won't be of any use in achieving your goal, whatever that is, so I’ll keep that information to myself.”

Arthur wasn't quite prepared to disclose his soul affinity. Something told him that it was quite a bit more rare than his other magics. After all, it was the main reason why he was forced to remain on Earth when everyone had gone to the tutorial, and even Ruffeus III had talked about it with a hint of begrudging respect in his voice.

Mira was already shocked that he was a quadra-affinity mage. Telling her of his last one might just give her a heart attack. 

‘And it might persuade her to turn on me.’

“What the actual fuck!” Mira exclaimed.

“You're a goddamn shadow mage. Do you even know how rare that is?”

‘How the hell is he so lucky. Someone with healing affinity should never have gotten shadow. The perquisites for the two are polar opposites.  It's like he’s got two souls mixed into one or something.’

She wasn’t far from the truth, and if Arthur had known what she was thinking, he’d be far more nervous than he was now.

‘And he has another affinity that he can’t even use yet. Just how powerful is it?’

These thoughts flitted through her head as Mira thanked any god that might exist that she was fortunate enough to even meet with Arthur. He was a literal goldmine. One that no one had found yet.

‘I wonder which Academy he was invited to,’ she thought. The man, no creep,’ she shuddered as she recalled the lecherous young noble, ‘who gave me my spot told me that there was another promising candidate that he’d managed to locate in another tutorial.’ Mira was wondering if that other student could be Arthur. 

She hadn’t heard of many other promising individuals in America besides the man in front of her, and she doubted everyone would keep their abilities quiet like Arthur had done. ‘No, it’d be better if that man didn’t find him. Who knows what he’d have done?’ She couldn’t help but wish that he was the mentioned individual though. She wasn’t sure if she’d survive another meeting with that man alone. She might just try to kill him and Mira knew that wouldn't pan out well, even if she was miraculously successful. 

Curious and hopeful, Mira asked the question on her mind.

“Arthur, if you don’t mind me asking, can you please tell me what institute you’ll be going to after you leave Earth?”

Arthur, she observed, looked a little sheepish for some reason when asked the question and he scratched his head. She’d come to learn during the course of the past week that it was a bad habit the young man displayed whenever he was unsure of himself.

Arthur eventually answered. “Well, I’ve not really decided yet.”

Mira blinked in surprise. She’d been so naive. Of course someone like Arthur would receive multiple offers. After all, he had the potential to become an absolute monster. Any magical association would want to get their hands on him before he could stand on his own two feet and probably strong-arm him into an unfair contract.

Mira felt the small bud of hope that had been birthed a few minutes ago bloom in her chest, as she made a decision. She’d do everything she could to persuade  Arthur to come to her new academy with her, if it was the last thing she did. ‘ And besides, it’s the best institute for light years around,’ she thought to herself and yet her decision still felt like the wrong one.

 Mira steeled herself. She needed Arthur with her the next time she met with Rakesh.

“So, Arthur, do you mind telling me which offers you received in the tutorial? Maybe you’ll be able to come to the same institute I’ll be going to.”

Arthur’s eyes widened in surprise before immediately narrowing in caution. He was entering dangerous territory here, and his answers, if he chose to give them, could either make or break this partnership before it even began.

‘Of course he wouldn’t tell me,’ Mira thought sadly.

‘Heck, I wouldn't trust me if I was in his position.’

Arthur meanwhile, was running a number of scenarios rapidly through his head. So far, he’d told no one about the fact that he’d not taken part in the tutorial. He didn’t know exactly how strange an anomaly like himself was, and he didn’t want to put anyone in jeopardy, most of all himself, just because he couldn’t keep his mouth shut.

But here was someone who apparently needed his help just to survive till the end of the month. Even if she was lying about the gravity of her situation, Mira DID need his help. Here was an individual who had a wealth of information and experience that he could get access to if he played his cards right. He’d already told her so much already. One more secret wouldn’t be the end of the world. 

Would it?

At least he hoped so. Arthur took a deep breath. He could very well be making one of the biggest mistakes of his life, but his gut was telling him he needed Mira as an ally. The future was uncertain and he needed someone's backing if the government decided to move against him because of his most recent stunt. ‘And we need trust for that.’

“Well, the thing is… “ Arthur paused for breath.

“I didn’t actually go to the tutorial.” He finished quietly.

Mira just stared at him for an eternally long moment before exploding into laughter. The reaction was so unusual, and so unlike the Mira he knew that he didn't know what it meant. When Mira noticed that Arthur wasn't joining in, she realised something was wrong.

“Wait, you’re- you’re actually being serious, aren’t you.” she exclaimed.

Arthur nodded his head gravely in assent.

“Then- then where the hell did you go when everyone was gone?” Mira asked incredulously.

Arthur took a deep steadying breath and prepared himself, hoping that he hadn’t just fucked up by trusting Mira.

He began to tell his story.

~Mira~

“So let me get this straight.” Mira asked.

“You died when the system came because your teleport was delayed and the system revived you to make up for its error. And that process involved using the energy that should have went into properly forming a link with you so you had a defective system.”

She frankly didn’t believe the words she was saying, even as they came out of her mouth. What Arthur had just told her had to be the most unlikely series of events in the history of Earth, no, perhaps the galaxy.

‘Every single thing just went exactly right so that Arthur could somehow gain an extra boost before even leveling up,’ she thought to herself.

It was almost too perfect, like someone had orchestrated the whole thing to pan out like this, except she knew deep down that the exact same sequence of events could have occurred without anyone's intervention.

‘And it somehow fucking did.’

Chance was a fickle mistress that sometimes trumped fate, and it seemed she had favoured a young man named Arthur Ward.

The most important thing Mira took away from all this however, was the fact that no tutorial meant that Arthur had been offered no scholarships or apprenticeships whatsoever. He was up for grabs and Mira was determined to get him to go to the same school as her. 

‘She needed him.’

Still, all of that could wait for later. None of this would matter if she couldn't survive the month and establish a proper friendship with him. One that hopefully wasn't dependent on her manipulations and lies.

“So, I’ve been doing most of the speaking here.” He said.

“I think it's about to tell me what you meant when you said you were going to die soon.”

Mira sighed.

“I meant what I said. I really am going to die in a month, probably sooner if I can't do something about my situation.” She answered truthfully. ‘If I don't use my token that is,’ but once again, she kept her thoughts to herself.

She had fucked up hard after the tutorial, getting too greedy as she reached for the skies before her wings had even grown. It didn't need to be said that she’d fallen to the ground and she’d crashed hard, almost destroying herself completely. And that was without even really taking off.

Even as she stood there, she could feel her body deteriorating, the cells in her muscles dying and being repaired in a perpetual cycle of growth and decay as her health regeneration tried to combat the poison in her system. A cycle that the side of life was slowly losing.

“You see, I received a special fruit from a powerful man during the tutorial. It's the reason why I was able to evolve to rank F so quickly.”

Arthur nodded his head at Mira's words. He was familiar with evolution after his conversation with Elizabeth last week. He didn't see how that was related to Mira’s imminent death, though.

If such fruit had side effects, Elizabeth hadn’t mentioned them to him.

Mira noticed the confusion on his face and began to explain. “The thing is, I got too greedy,” she began.

“I already told you that I’m a poison alchemist right?”

Arthur nodded his head. She continued her explanation. “Well you see, instead of just consuming the fruit like I was supposed to, I used it to create an alchemical elixir to increase its already incredible effects. Except my alchemy revolves around poison. It always has a side effect.”

Arthur was familiar with the sin of avarice. If he’d been in her position, he might have tried to do something similar.

“My elixir worked,” Mira said, ”Almost too well to be honest.”

“The magical energies it contained were too powerful for my body to handle, however. I wanted to use evolution to improve my poison affinity and I was successful. Except I poisoned myself in the process." 

"Badly”

Arthur had followed the conversation with rapt attention, but he didn't see how he could really help the woman. He didn’t think he could heal something like that with so little healing experience, at least not at his skill level.

“So, what can I do to even help you? My healing is pretty good but I don't think I can heal whatever's wrong with your body.”

Arthur spoke carefully, hoping he wouldn't upset the woman with his blunt words. Mira started to rummage through her bag, and Arthur felt his muscles involuntarily tense as it prepared for betrayal. His uncertainties were answered when Mira pulled out an elixir from her handbag and let Arthur identify it.

Unstable Growth Elixir (Rare) - An elixir that upon consumption will triple an individual's level. The only side effect is the consumer will die within a short span of time. 4% chance of survival

“I need the blood of a level 200 monster,” Mira said.

“This elixir will make me one.”

“I just need you to help me kill it.”