"Alright, the first Skill I'll learn will be [Corrupt] a Shadow type spell that causes enemies to be attacked by shadows of their surroundings. Misha also got a copy of this one, and it looks like a pretty good area of effect control ability. Plus, it darkens the area for attacks that benefit from Shadows." Mythryll uses the skill book with no visible effect. Though that's not surprising, they're waiting for her to get distracted by a new class option notification.
"Next up is [Haunted Woods] it will give enemies near my Treants, and Vine whips a reduction in attack and spell power."
That one was the winner, her eyes have gone vacant, and she's not moving, clearly in one of the menu options of the Interface. A smile is slowly growing on her face as the seconds pass, and everyone gets ready to congratulate her when she returns to reality.
Inside the Class Selection Screen, Mythryll is overjoyed. The new option looks fantastic, like an anti-Druid. It has damage over time abilities instead of heal over time; it has corrupted versions of the Druid's summons and comes with a base bonus to transformations that will extend her Demonic Form duration enough she can keep it constantly active, with an upgraded version available later in her skill tree according to the description.
It's called a Fallen Warder and uses both Mage and Cleric-type books, so she will be able to learn some healing from books. It doesn't come with any healing spells. Only a damage version of the primary Druid heal over time. It can still grow mundane plant life like the Druids, but it gives a Shadow Damage bonus to nature spells.
The fact that it increases the duration of Demon type Transformations right from the start without spending points suggests that such an ability is a prerequisite and the most likely reason she couldn't choose the Druid or any similar class, despite being a fully nature spec mage.
Mythryll finalizes her selection, her icy white gown gaining black embellishments instead of the previous white on white look, while she puts her few saved skill points into the new class. Maximum bonus Shadow Damage for her nature spells, plus [Shadowed Minions], that grants her Treants and another summons an additional Shadow Damage bonus and unlocks [Corrupted Forest Friends], a modified version of the ability Kone could use to Summon bears when she was a Druid.
She's not ready to try that one out yet, though she bought it with the last of her saved points, because she doesn't know what will appear and they're indoors.
"Fallen Warder. The opposite of Druid. As I recall, you should have an adorable Demon form now." Arial says, and Mythryll looks over her skills.
[Demonic Affinity] increases the duration of Demonic Forms by 300 percent. Demonic Forms are now more suited to the Forest.
Well, that sounds interesting. Overcome by curiosity, Mythryll decides to change right then and there, shifting to her new Demonic Form.
She's no longer exceedingly short; at least that's her first impression. In the Demonic Form, she's now about 180cm tall, judging against Cain's height next to her. Her skin has turned to a dusky peach tone common among Succubus-type demons, with black streaks through it on her arms, turning to a Swirling pattern on her lower forearms and hands ending in long, clawed fingers.
Her outfit has become a high collared dark green sleeveless jacket that extends to the back of her knees, with the feeling of being cut from a giant leaf. Worn open over a form-fitted top that seems to be made of nothing but black wood in a branching pattern starting from a central trunk up her sternum, it is covering the essential bits of her chest, but not much more, leaving a great deal of skin exposed between the branches.
There are no gaps that she can see; the branching pattern might be part of her body and not a top.
Leaning forward, she can see that her legs are covered in a pair of leaf like Capri pants, with branch-like lower legs that roughly mimic a human leg and foot, in the same nearly black color as the designs on her arms and her chest, lightly textured like birch tree bark the same as the others.
Her head feels heavy as if she's wearing a crown, and she looks around for a way to get a better view of herself. She recalls that just behind Cain there should be a large mirror on the wall. She steps around him as he moves aside to inspect her transformation, letting Mythryll take in her new form in all its glory.
Looking at herself from a distance this way, she seems more like a Fallen Dryad than a regular Demon. Her pointed Elven Ears have turned ragged, and her hair is gone, replaced by a collection of half-meter-long and shorter trees with roots like black streaks extending from her new hairline down her forehead and cheeks.
Counting the branches extending from her head like a miniature Forest, she's now taller than Cain but still slender in the way of Elven women. A scattering of dark green leaves with blackened streaks adorns the branches of her hair, completing the impression that this new form is, in fact, a Fallen Forest Spirit of some sort.
Cain runs a curious finger over the branches, finding them solid but highly flexible similar to very green new growth wood. The patterns on her arms give a similar result, though they seem to be recessed below the softer flesh like they were carved in, or the flesh has grown over a wooden base, leaving behind patterns where it hasn't filled in. Her eyes are a striking gold color in this form, giving them an entirely inhuman look as if the rest of her wasn't enough.
Mythryll gasps at the touch, having expected the wooden-looking areas to be desensitized, but they're just as sensitive as the flesh; she can even feel his fingers through the branches of her hair.
She calls for her sword when he backs away, his curiosity sated, and gets a black wooden double-sided blade, with branches from the handle enveloping her hand as if the weapon had grown from her body. It lights up with the familiar Demonic Flames, and Mythryll begins to relax. It's still the same ability, just with a new look and a duration that will allow her to remain indefinitely transformed, automatically refreshing the ability as long as she has the mana when it expires.
Arial looks her over even more closely than Cain, turning her side to side, even running a hand across her chest to compare the feeling to some notion in her mind. "Odd, I thought this was a mage and Cleric combination class, a spell caster like the Druid, only more combat and less healing-oriented, but that sword looks more like a melee combat class."
"The Sword and Demonic Flames are from a transformation ability I already had. The one from this class comes much later in the skill tree. I only had enough points for the most basic of upgrades."
Feeling the Black Dragon's intimate touch, Mythryll understands what Lickity went through. She's showing far too much skin for her own peace of mind, even if it looks like she's mostly covered.
"But for the more important reason that we came so early—the quest for the bandits along the trade routes. We were hoping to catch you before you left. It's an excellent experience, and the first half of the route is along the way to your castle in the desert. If you could take the quest and clear a good portion of the roads from here to Montauk, the Merchants would be overjoyed." Red cuts in before they can get sidetracked again.
"We could do that. Send Leafen home with Char and then walk our way to the Exit City. It would take a while, but I don't think we're in a rush to do anything else right now."
"Since I'm level 1 again, I could be the bait. Leave a low-level woman out in the open to tempt the bandits." Leafen suggests, but Mythryll shakes her head, the branches rustling in the wind.
"No, we don't want to risk you getting killed. We can use Puppets for that; they're level 15, and Cain can create quite a few of them, so it's less suspicious."
"Plus, I'm already here. Did you get an upgrade? That new Dryad form is adorable." Char's voice sounds from the basement door, jogging over to give Mythryll the same thorough inspection Arial did.
"Um, if you don't mind, the wooden-looking bits are part of me, not clothing." The Elf stammers when the excited Shaman gets a bit too handsy.
"Sorry about that; I thought it was armor." Char shrugs, unrepentant.
"Leafen, meet Char. She's in charge of our new member training. Char meet Leafen, formerly over level 200, but she had her level reset to the beginning and her accumulated skills wiped out. She's got plenty of combat experience though, and good Archery skills, so you can move her through the early levels a bit faster than usual if you like."
"Well met. Now follow me, young lady; there's a group waiting for a damage dealer ready to go into the dungeon. Do you have equipment?"
"I've got my backup gear still. It's not great, but it should do." She confirms.
"Wait, I'll return your original equipment. You're one of us now, so there's no point in keeping it from you." Cain declares, opening a trade window and handing over the bag of stuff he's pretty sure came from the Forest Stalker. If not, the person was an Archer of some sort with decent gear, so close enough.
"Thank You Sir. I'll take good care of it." Leafen smiles and waves goodbye, following the Shaman, who has already begun heading back downstairs.
