Chapter 7: First Card II
"Actually," he said slowly, "there's one more card I could show you. It's been sitting in my collection for almost two weeks, which is unusual for an uncommon. The price has dropped to ninety silver due to lack of interest."
He disappeared into the back room, returning with a card that made Lev's breath catch in his throat:
Skeleton Swordsman
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Rank: Uncommon
Race: Undead Warrior (Undead)
Attributes: Death, Shadow
Level: 1
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An ancient skeletal warrior in masterwork armor, gripping a sword with perfect form. Azure magical fire burns in its eye sockets, and shadows seem to writhe around its form even in the static image. Despite its unsettling appearance, this creature possesses extraordinary potential for growth and adaptation.
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Stats:
Strength: 8
Defense: 13
Agility: 30
Intelligence: 21 Wisdom: 17
Mana: 18
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Abilities:
Swordplay â Skill Rank S, Proficiency C: Master-level combat techniques
Learning â Skill Rank S, Proficiency S: Can acquire new skills at unprecedented rates
Shadow Step â Skill Rank A, Proficiency C: Teleportation through shadows
Death Cut â Skill Rank B, Proficiency D: Necrotic energy-infused blade attacks
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Summon Potential: S
Legendary potential for development.
Skeleton Swordsman [https://i.imgur.com/WXDqE0O.png]
Lev had to work to keep his expression neutral. S-rank potentialâthe highest rating he'd ever seen, the first he'd ever encountered. And that "Learning" ability with S-rank proficiency suggested this creature could develop new skills and techniques far beyond what most summons could achieve.
"Skeleton Swordsman," Master Toren said, his tone carefully neutral. "I acquired it as part of a bulk purchase from a dungeon clearing company. Skeletons have an unfortunate reputationâpeople associate them with necromancy, death magic, and unsavory practices. They're also considered physically fragile compared to other undead types."
Lev could understand the prejudice. The creature did look unsettling, with its hollow eye sockets and exposed bones. Death and shadow elements weren't popular among most summoners, who preferred cheerful, inspiring creatures that reflected well on their character. People didn't want gloomy, macabre summons following them around, regardless of their power.
"The price reflects market realities," Master Toren continued. "Ninety silvers is a very reasonable for an uncommon, especially one with such detailed armor and weapon work."
Ninety silvers would leave him with only ten silvers to his nameâfar better than spending his entire inheritance, which he'd been prepared to do for the Stormwind Eagle.
His heart pounded with excitement. S-rank potentialâthe first he'd ever seen, surpassing even the impressive A-rank Stormwind Eagle. Where the eagle offered aerial superiority and elemental power, this skeleton promised adaptability and growth beyond anything he'd imagined. The Learning ability alone suggested it could develop in ways no other summon could match. Yes, it was risky choosing such an unconventional summon, but the potential...
"I'll take it," he said, surprising himself with the decisiveness in his voice.
Master Toren's eyebrows rose slightly. "Are you certain? It's not a decision to make lightly, especially with such an unusual summon."
"I'm certain." Lev pulled out his coin pouch, counting out the ninety silvers with steady hands.
As he examined the card image more carefully while Master Toren prepared the transaction, he could see additional details: the skeleton's posture suggested retained tactical intelligence beyond mere combat reflexes. The armor, while ancient, was of exceptionally high qualityâmasterwork pieces.
The Death element wasn't necessarily evil, despite popular misconceptions. It represented with endings, transitions, and the natural cycle of existence. Shadow magic involved concealment, misdirection, and moving through spaces others couldn't access. Both were powerful in the right hands, and potentially very useful for someone who might need to operate outside traditional power structures.
The transaction completed, Master Toren made an unexpected offer. "Would you like to use the bonding room? I have a private space designed for first-time card bonding. It's more secure than attempting it on the street, and you'll have complete privacy for the process. Normally it's a paid service, but consider it my gift for your awakening."
Lev accepted gratefully. Carrying ninety silvers worth of card through Equinox's streets would have been nerve-wracking, and bonding required complete concentration and vulnerability.
The bonding room was a small, private chamber with thick walls that would muffle any sound and comfortable cushions arranged on the floor. Master Toren demonstrated the door's magical lockâit would only open from the inside once activated, ensuring complete security during the bonding process.
"Take as long as you need," the merchant said kindly. "First bondings can be intense experiences."
Alone in the secure room, Lev settled into a comfortable position and held the card in both hands. He could feel magical energy humming within it, waiting for connection. Taking a deep breath, he reached out with his awakened abilities, seeking the presence contained within the card.
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The response was immediate and overwhelming. Instead of the simple acknowledgment he'd expected, he found himself pulled into a vast, dark spaceânot threatening, but profound in its emptiness. Standing in that darkness was the skeletal warrior from the card, but here it seemed more real, more present.
Massive hollow eye sockets regarded him with ancient intelligence, azure flames flickering in depths that seemed to contain centuries of experience. There was loneliness thereâprofound, aching loneliness that spoke of being trapped and isolated for far longer than any conscious being should endure.
But there was also curiosity. Hope. A desperate desire for connection, for purpose, for the chance to be more than just a forgotten relic in a merchant's collection.
Alone, came a whisper in his mind, not quite words but understanding that bypassed language entirely. So long alone.
Lev felt his heart clench with unexpected sympathy. This wasn't just a magical construct or mindless undead creature. This was a being with genuine consciousness, genuine emotions, genuine need for companionship.
"You won't be alone anymore," he said aloud, his words echoing in the dark space. "We'll build something together. Find friends, create a family. But I need your strength, your skills, your partnership."
The azure flames in those empty sockets flared brighter, and Lev felt a wave of emotion that was both gratitude and fierce determination. This creature had been a warrior once, and would be again. But more than thatâit would be a companion, an ally, a member of whatever family they could build together.
The bonding completed with a sensation like puzzle pieces clicking into place. Lev felt the card's presence settle into one of his seven available slots, no longer separate but part of his magical identity. The skeletal warrior smiledâan expression that should have been terrifying but somehow conveyed warmth and approval.
As the connection settled, euphoria flooded through him. He was no longer just an awakened potentialâhe was a summoner. A real summoner with a real partner. All those years of watching others practice with their cards, of dreaming about this moment, of wondering if he'd ever be worthy enough to form such a bondâall of it culminated in this profound sense of completion.
The weight of it hit him: he belonged to something larger now. The ancient traditions of his people, the legacy of summoners stretching back generations, the promise of growth and partnership that defined what it meant to be Sapphire. His grandfather would have been proud.
As the magical connection solidified, Lev felt a warm tingling along his left arm. He focused his will on honoring the traditions Rav had taught him, shaping the bond's physical manifestation according to Sapphire customs. Looking down, he watched in fascination as a new marking appeared on his upper arm near the shoulderâconcentric circles in the traditional Sapphire style, but with subtle differences that reflected his new partner's nature. The outermost circle was a deep azure blue, the same color as the skeleton's magical eyes. Within it, smaller circles were etched in darker hues, with tiny sword symbols and shadow-like patterns that seemed to shift slightly in the light.
The marking pulsed once with gentle warmth, and suddenly Lev could sense more than just his partner's presence. Information flowed into his consciousnessânot overwhelming, but clear and organized, as if his awakened abilities were naturally cataloging what he now possessed.
Card Slots Available: 7
Skeleton Swordsman - Level 1 | Rank: Uncommon | Potential: S
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Core Ability: Summoner's Eye
Can perceive the true nature and potential of summoned creatures and their cards
Magical Talent: Very Low
Limited capacity for direct magical manipulation
Class Affinity: Summoner
You can only bond summons
When he opened his eyes fully, the card in his hands had vanished completelyânot destroyed, but absorbed into his being. The physical bond was complete. He could sense the intelligence within his magical core, patient and ready, waiting for his call.
For a moment, he just sat there, overwhelmed by the magnitude of what had just occurred. He was no longer the boy who'd walked into this shop with nothing but hope and inherited coins. He was a summoner now, with a partner whose potential exceeded anything he'd dared dream. The skeleton might be unconventional, might draw stares and whispers, but it was his. They would face whatever came together.
Exhaustion hit him like a physical blow. The bonding process had drained far more energy than he'd expected, leaving him feeling as though he'd run for hours. His hands shook slightly as he carefully examined the new marking on his arm.
Master Toren was waiting when Lev emerged, his expression knowing but discreet. "Successful bonding?"
"Very successful," Lev replied, unable to keep the satisfaction from his voice. "Thank you for everythingâthe privacy, the security, your kindness throughout this process."
"It was my pleasure," Master Toren said warmly. "I have a feeling that particular card found exactly the right partner. Come back anytimeâI'd be curious to hear how your training progresses."
Walking home through Equinox's evening streets, Lev felt the presence of his new partner settled quietly in his consciousness. The Skeleton Swordsman was there, patient and ready, carrying an S-rank capacity for learning new skills that promised incredible possibilities.
The academies, the military, the complex political situation with Caleb and the communityâall of that still waited ahead. But now he had a foundation to build on, a partnership that promised growth beyond what he'd dared imagine.