Chapter 396 - The Plight of a Knight

It's been so nice to have a proper break from the action and write some more chill scenes. I've been really enjoying writing these chapters.

Hump decided to start with Thought Acceleration. He spent a couple of hours familiarising himself with the runes, the spell information, and the essence flow recorded in the Book of Infinite Pages. While not completely necessary considering he could utilise the spellbook to help him cast the spell, it would help him to ensure that he didn’t mess anything up too badly. With a Tier 3 spell that affected the mind, that was especially important. A lapse in focus, a misjudgement in his own intent, and he might be dealing with a headache that could last days. Better to practice with proper technique.

Once prepared, he moved out to the garden, spellbook in his left hand, staff in his right. Hump drew a deep breath, the faint scent of flowers carried on the afternoon breeze. He pushed back his tiredness from rejuvenating the Silver Sprig and doing his best to focus. Time wouldn’t wait. He needed to be stronger yesterday.

His essence slipped into the pages of his spellbook, blue light illuminating the pages. The first rune shone brightly. Essence flowed from it through the channels attached to it, running across the page like streams from a lake, imbuing the next runes with power. Hump took his time, focusing on every element of the spell, familiarising himself with the feeling of the runes. They were different to any he had used before, though most similar to Essence Sight and River and Waves.

When the formation completed, he hesitated for a moment, steadying his mind. Then, with a mental push, he willed the spell to activate. Power burst in his mind. For a brief moment, the world transformed. Details sharpened—the glint of dew on grass, the flicker of a dragonfly’s wings, the gentle sway of leaves in the breeze. Time seemed to slow as his perception expanded, his thoughts quickening with a clarity that felt almost divine.

But then something went wrong.

A flare of pain shot through his skull, sharp and jarring, as the essence flow stuttered. The runes destabilised, the once-smooth channels of essence disrupted by uneven bursts of power as he lost control. A surge of essence rushed back into Hump, scattering his focus. He gritted his teeth, trying to wrestle back control, but it was too late. The spell collapsed, his connection to the formation severing and leaving his mind reeling.

“Damn,” Hump muttered, clutching his head as the pain lingered. He slumped to the ground, dropping his staff and spellbook on the grass to massage his temples, grimacing at the throbbing ache that refused to fade.

Hump massaged his head, the pain lingering. That could have certainly gone better. Learning spells was often uncomfortable—he’d dealt with his fair share of explosions, burns, and misfires, but this was directed at his mind.

Nisha’s violet eyes watched him with concern. Her tail flickered restlessly, worry in their bond. Hump let out a soft chuckle and reached out to scratch behind her horns. She rumbled appreciatively, leaning into his hand.

“Don’t look so worried,” Hump said, his voice light despite the headache. “It’s just a spell. What’s a little pain in the name of progress?”

She huffed in response, fiery breath spouting from her nostrils, sending a warm wind at Hump. She pounced on her front paws, sticking her butt in the air and huffing again. Hump grinned, giving into her antics—he needed the break anyway. Hump spent his break playing with her, but after a few minutes, it was time to get back to it.

The afternoon wore on, the failed attempts beginning to weigh on him. The spell formations continued to destabilise, his head throbbed worse with every misstep, and his essence reserves were running low. By the time the sun hung low in the sky, Hump was sprawled on the grass, staring upward, utterly spent. Nisha loomed over him, peering down curiously. Her tongue lolled from her mouth as she tilted her head, sunlight streaming past her and glaring directly into Hump’s eyes.

“Lean back the other way, Nisha,” Hump groaned, squinting against the light.

She tilted her head further, the wrong way entirely, as if to mock his request. Hump sighed, laughing under his breath as he reached up to gently adjust her head.

“There,” he said, her shadow now perfectly blocking the sun. “Perfect. Don’t move.”

Nisha obliged… for a moment. Then she leaned down and licked his face, her rough, spiky tongue dragging wetly across his mouth.

“Argh, Nisha!” Hump shot upright, wiping at his lips with his sleeve for what good it would do. “That was in my mouth!”

The little dragon rumbled with amusement, prancing in a circle around him, nudging at his back with her snout. Bored. Play time.

Hump snorted. “One more go and then I’ll stop.”

She let out a huff, a small spat of fire escaping her nose. Bored!

Hump snorted, shaking his head. “One more try and then I’m done, okay?”

Nisha huffed, a small burst of flame puffing from her nostrils. She thumped her way to the deck and plopped down with a dramatic sigh, her tail lashing side to side. She glared at him, radiating exaggerated impatience.

Hump smiled, feeling her playful annoyance tug at his own tired spirit. He turned back to the pond, centring himself. The air was still, the water calm, and his focus sharpened. He took a deep breath, drawing in the essence around him, and activated the spell formation.

“Thought Acceleration,” Hump murmured.

This time, the spell felt right. He sensed the runes activate as they should, his essence control perfect, his body and mind surging with essence in a way that felt steady and controlled. The world slowed. The faint buzz of a dragonfly reached his ears, deep and resonant, as the creature floated across the lake in languid motion. Its wings moved so slowly Hump felt as though he could count each beat. He marvelled at the clarity, the precision, the sheer control.

Then, without warning, the spell faltered. Time sped up suddenly, and Hump’s balance wavered. His heart raced as an unsettling hum filled his mind. He clenched his staff, fighting the disorientation, and managed to steady the spell once more. Time slowed again, though his movements felt sluggish.

Behind him, the door to the house creaked open. Bud stepped onto the deck, his voice slow and distorted in Hump’s enhanced perception.

“…aaaaaat… aaaaaaare… yooooou… dooooo…iiiiiiing?”

“What?” Hump said, startled by the slurred sound of his own voice. He shook off the spell, letting the runes fade before they failed entirely. The world snapped back to normal speed, and the hum in his mind eased. “What did you say?”

“I asked, what are you doing?” Bud said. “You were just staring at the lake.”

“Oh. Thought Acceleration—a new spell that speeds up my perception of time. Makes everything seem slow, and that was my first success! Well… partial success.”

Bud smiled and gave a nod. “Good timing! Well done.”

“Thanks.” Hump approached the deck to join them both. “How about you? You good?”

Bud hesitated, rubbing the back of his neck. “Quite well. I went to the temple, and…” his brow furrowed. “Something strange happened.”

Hump straightened; his curiosity piqued. “What?”

“I reached the fifth circle.”

The words hung in the air for a moment, and Hump swallowed, his mouth suddenly dry. “That’s odd timing.”

Bud nodded, a shadow of doubt flickering across his face. “It occursed to me too. That’s why I hurried back, to make sure you weren’t, erm…”

“Smited?” Hump offered dryly.

A faint smile tugged at Bud’s lips. “Glad to see you’re still here, my friend.”

“Just about,” Hump said with a grin. “Though that’s odd timing. When I talked with Celaine about all this in the Infernal Halls, everyone started receiving blessings too. I’m sure it’s just a coincidence.”

“Or the gods are listening and are merciful.”

“I’m not sure which I’d rather. Anyway, congratulations, Bud. What’s the blessing?”

“I haven’t used it yet, but I get the sense I can unleash a torrent of Frostfire from my mouth.”

“Like a dragon’s breath?”

Nisha perked up.

“I think so. If so, it’ll be great. Gives me some range and an ability useful against groups of foes.”

“Yeah, that’s brilliant.” Hump stepped up to the door to the house, seeing Dylan and Celaine talking in the main room. “While you were out, I told Dylan and Emilia about everything. Figured it was best if we were all on the same page.”

Bud nodded slowly. “Yes, probably for the best. How did they take it?”

“Let’s just say nobody almost broke the deck,” Hump said.

“Better than me then.” Bud chuckled. “I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised.”

“Honestly, you took it well, Bud,” Hump said earnestly. “Better than I expected, anyway.”

Bud exhaled, his shoulders relaxing slightly. “If it’s all the same to you, I’d rather not talk about it for a couple of days. I need some time to… process.”

“Of course,” Hump said without hesitation. “But… are we good? I don’t want things to change between us.”

Bud smiled, and it seemed genuine. “We’re good, Hump. You were honest with me with what you knew. I cannot fault you for that.”

“Well then, when you’re ready, I’ll be here.”

Bud gave a nod, then held up a folded piece of paper in his hand. “There was a letter for you by the way. Bumped into the messenger on the way in.”

“What does it say?”

“I didn’t read it,” Bud chided.

“You can read my mail. What do I care?”

Bud frowned. “Most people would consider that rude. And this is sealed by General Korteg’s sigil. Also, don’t go reading my mail.”

Hump laughed, taking the letter. “Is it really?”

“Yes. Why the surprise?”

“Not surprised,” Hump said with a smirk. “It’s just funny timing. We were just talking earlier about asking him about our reward. Guess he beat us to it.” He opened the letter. “We’ve been summoned the morning after tomorrow by the general.”

“Does it say why?” Bud asked.

Hump shook his head. “No. Just a time and a place. He’s requested the whole party. Perhaps to prepare us for our next assignment. I can’t imagine he’s in a rush to get us into the armoury.”

“I hope we do not need to wait too long,” Bud said. “I must acquire something for Henrietta—I owe her much for leading the Blackthorne Company in my stead.”

“Any news from them?”

Bud shook his head. “Not yet. But it hasn’t been long. They may not even be back to Fort Nordric”

“You two should get ready,” Celaine called from inside. “We need to leave soon, and I don’t think Emilia would appreciate us being late.” Hump stepped inside as Celaine activated one of the gems on her Belt of Storage, the gem glowing as she withdrew two neatly folded sets of clothes on the sofa. She held onto most of their goods for them.

She was wearing the emerald dress she’d worn in Sheercliff, its flowing design accentuating her every move. It had been a long time since she’d dressed up, and it showed.

“What are you staring at?” Celaine asked, a playful smirk curling her lips.

“Oh, nothing,” Hump said quickly, feigning nonchalance. “Just thinking about getting a storage artifact at the armoury. We could use more capacity.”

“You look lovely, Celaine,” Bud said, shooting Hump an amused glance. “I’m sorry Hump’s an idiot.”

Hump glared at Bud. “She knows she’s gorgeous, and I don’t want it going to her head too much!”

Celaine rolled her eyes. “Good to see you two back to normal. Now get dressed. We can’t keep Emilia waiting.”

“Before that, we need to talk,” Bud said, his tone suddenly serious. “I know we’ve just had a heavy discussion, but this is urgent.”

Celaine perked up, her ears practically twitching with curiosity. “We? What’s going on?”

“It’s a…sensitive topic.”

“Ah,” Dylan said. “I believe dear Robert here is specifically requesting the advice of the men in the group.”

Celaine frowned, glancing between them. “I… see. Well, best of luck with that.” She gave a pointed look at Hump before stepping outside to see Nisha.

Hump and Bud sat down opposite the druid.

“What is it?” Dylan asked.

“It’s about Emilia…”

“Oh, here we go!” Hump said, leaning in excitedly.

Bud groaned but pressed on. “Her almost dying got me thinking. We’ve never really talked about our engagement, and… I feel like I’d regret it if one of us died and I never said how I felt.”

Hump and Dylan exchanged glances.

Bud sighed. “I don’t know where to start. You’re the only one here successfully maintaining a relationship,” he added, looking at Dylan.

Dylan leaned back in his chair. “What do you want help with? Why not just tell her how you feel? You two are closer than ever.”

“Her father hates me,” Bud said flatly. “I’m fairly certain the only reason he hasn’t challenged me to a duel is because Emilia isn’t letting him. It doesn’t feel right to… pursue her without first making amends.”

Dylan winced. “Well, my friend, I mean this in the kindest way possible, but you did flee from his daughter. It’s going to take time. You need to show him that one moment doesn’t define you.”

“So your advice is to do nothing?” Bud asked dryly.

“Not nothing,” Dylan said with a shrug. “Be yourself. The honourable Knight of Kelisia. The Frost Knight of Fort Nordric. Emilia’s fiancé. Just… don’t push it.”

Hump crossed his arms, nodding sagely. “Excellent advice, Dylan. Very wise.” Then he grinned. “I wonder what they’ll serve for dinner. Bet they’ve got a great cook.”

Bud turned to Hump with a scowl. “Is my plight nothing to you?”

Hump chuckled. “What are you talking about?” Hump placed a hand on Bud’s shoulder. “Your plight is tonight’s entertainment.”