Cass and Sorral rubbed their eyes sleepily. Theo had woken them up early shouting about some god.

  "What? What did you say?" Vaz asked, sitting up.

  "I said a god came to me in a vision last night and told me to rescue the sailors and go to some ruins."

  Vaz pondered this for a moment.

  "Huh." he said, and went over the lake to splash some water on his face.

  Cass was lacing her tall boots and fidgeting with her complicated leather outfit.

  "You got a quest!?" she asked.

  "Yeah, to explore some ruins. Evidently this island has some..."

  Sorral pulled a pack out of the large bags and started distributing dried fruit to people; "I've heard of it happening before, and I don't see why you would lie about it. But saving those sailors? You realize the situation that puts us in, right? I think we're better off discovering these 'ruins' ourselves..."

  Theo took a shriveled up plum from her. "I know, I don't plan on rejoining that crew either. But with their numbers, and with the Nymarion on our side, I think we should be able to negotiate for our freedom."

  "And why would the Nymarion help us?" Vaz asked.

  "Oh yeah- the god gave me this." Theo showed the bracelet on his wrist.

  "Pretty." Cass said, taking his wrist in her hands. "Not really your color though."

  "It's not for me, apparently if the Nymarion wears it, she can leave the ship."

  Sorral plopped down onto a rock and started examining her weapons. She took the shotgun, grabbing the end she bent the barrel down revealing the inner barrel. After checking to see that it was empty she started disassembling it.

  She let out an exasperated sigh, accepting her fate; "If we don't do this... Then we won't be earning ourselves any favors. There's a reason why people do quests when gods ask... We need to do it. But needless to say- my sister and I aren't adept swimmers. So we'll remain behind for the rescue. But we can help plan using my [Mini-map] skill."

  "Are you up for this Theo? You're not actually Yosef, if you were I'd say this would be an easy swim. But the ocean isn't like swimming in a lake.", Theo shrugged nonchalantly; "I already tried arguing my way out of it. I'll use my [Assimilation] skill and do what I can."

  Sorral made a sudden confused expression; "What does [Assimilation] do? I never heard of that."

  Vaz and Theo exchanged a look, both looking for permission to explain his secret.

  After a moment they both nodded.

  "I'm a changeling. I change into people. [Assimilation] helps me become more like them, for a short while in any case."

  Sorrals eyes widened, and so did her sisters. But for different reasons.

  "Wow! Do me! Turn into me me!" Cass laughed as she said. Theo smiled awkwardly; "..Probably better to wait to change my form until after we swim. It's probably best I remain a sailor until then."

  Sorral shook her head; "I never heard of a changeling. Is that some kind of monster?" she took a small cloth and started to delicately polish her rifle.

  Theo nodded. "Yeah, I guess so. But there's more to it than that. But I'll tell you all about it after we get off the island, it'd only distract us now."

  "D'awe, I want secrets." Cass pouted.

  Vaz chortled; "Well, I'm a [Rune-Mage]." At that, Theo was even surprised. He had seen him cast magic before, but only when they fell down the cavern back at the thieves guild. And when he was repairing things on the ship- but he had always forgotten to ask about it.

  "What's that?" Cass asked.

  Vaz made a complicated gesture with his hand and began drawing it across the air- after a moment a golden light began to trace behind. Suspended in the air.

  "Pretty." she said. "What's it do?"

  "It's the way mages like me handle incantation. We channel the mana outside our bodies before we cast so that we can skip traditional mage training. It's the fastest way to learn magic without going to some school, I think. If a mage doesn't know how to use mana it can be dangerous. Mana poisoning for one, and spell affects can randomly launch from their bodies. But this way, it launches from my rune. It's a tactile thing, a way of visualizing intent without the math and mumbo-jumbo that comes with that." he spoke as he drew a complex sigil. It looked like a balancing scale.

  This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

  Once it was done he snapped his fingers towards the center and it exploded into gold dust and a gust of wind tussled their hair back.

  "Why didn't you use that in the last fight?" Sorral asked.

  Vaz rubbed his fingers together. "I haven't learned yet. I started about ten years ago when I was sailing around the north. We were docked for quite awhile and I made friends with one of the mages in training there. She taught me a few basic sigils for repairing and this wind spell. I'd probably have to go back to learn more, or buy some fancy tome."

  "So anyone can do this?" Theo asked, intrigued.

  "With practice- it's not as easy as it looks to draw perfect circles in open air- for example. You're essentially trading off the mental burden with more artistic, dexterous work. It takes finesse and speed."

  "I'm all about finesse and speed!" Cass cheered. "Teach me."

  "If you don't mind multi-classing, I could try." he said. At that, Cass deflated. "No... I'm already multi-classed." Vaz nodded sympathetically. "Yeah, I thought you were."

  Theo looked between them confused. "What, you can't have more than one extra class?"

  Sorral shot him a cynical look; "And you don't already know that? How old are you?"

  "Uh... I grew up in a small town..."

  Vaz took up answering the question, munching on a piece of dried fruit; "Most people get their first class in life before they know what they want to do with their lives... Often times the gods decide for them. Some people don't level until their adulthood, but many end up being [Warrior]s or [Cleric]s before then. I knew this one kid who became a [Cleric] after her brother fell and scabbed their knees. Healed it right there with her first level skill. Her parents were devoted to the light mistress, so it makes sense a bit."

  "Can't you remove your class if you don't like it?" Theo asked.

  At this point Sorral was starring at him perplexed. "Do you two think this is a good time to discuss basic things like this? We have to plan the rescue."

  Theo sighed; "Yeah, yeah. Remind me to ask you about this stuff later Vaz.", he nodded.

  And the small group rallied around Sorral. And she activated her skill.

  [Mini-Map]

  A holographic projection of the island appeared in front of them. About three feet across. The basic shape was there, and it was as if a 'fog' existed everywhere else. Besides where they've been. The path from the caves to the ship were much more detailed. Showing the shoals and reefs of the shore even.

  "So based on where the goblins emerged, their village is likely over here." she waved over a shadowed part of the island. "So it'd be probably best if you two start swimming here."

  "But that's like a mile!" Theo said. "We can handle it." Vaz elbowed him.

  They planned their escape route, what to say to the sailors, and where to meet afterwards.

  "I guess there's no more procrastinating... I really hope Yosef was a good swimmer...", "The best." Vaz said, clapping a hand on his shoulder reassuringly.

  "We'll setup behind this rock here- it's mostly hidden from all directions and close by."

  ---

  They hid at the meeting location- they were far enough away from the ship to not have to worry about the goblin horde camped outside it. A series of rocks were around them that functioned as a campsite, secluded from sight in all directions.

  "Here, you should take this. Easier to swim with than that cutlass you grabbed earlier." Cass offered Theo her giant switchblade. It folded into the handle, which surrounded the blade on both sides leaving only a line of brass visible in the center.

  Unfolding it the two wooden handles flared out pushing the blade forward and joining together into a singular handle. The way she displayed it before handing it to him made it seem dangerous. The flurry of movement was dazzling and confusing as the wooden block turned into a sword.

  "Don't you need it?" Theo asked, holding the hefty thing in his hands.

  "Psh'aw, I got what I need." she twirled her flintlock pistol from her hip. "Plus I got your cutlass if anyone gets too close."

  "And I got my spear. Though I'd prefer something not made by primitive fish people." he said, examining the shabby shaft of wood with a jagged hunk of metal attached.

  "Maybe I can make you something after you get back. Maybe something with a ballistic function? If I add a part that can swivel here-", "Oh here she goes again." Cass rolled her eyes.

  "We better go. If you were Yosef, I'd say we go at night. But swimming in the ocean at night is several times more dangerous. With the nocturnal predators alone." Vaz strapped the spear to his back with the fibrous thong.

  The clipped the switchblade to his belt loop.

  "Goodluck you two. Don't drown." they waved at them. "They better not! I want Bezelda back!", "I can make you another, I've been drafting up designs-", "You can't replace her!"

  They bickered as Theo and Vaz stepped into the water.

  "Stick close. I have skills for moving through the water, and I assume your [Assimilation] has limits.", "You assume correctly."

  "Before a dive, we tell new divers to breath calmly for a few minutes first. Try to relax. The more you panic while beneath the waves, the less oxygen you have. Every movement you make needs to save energy. Be lazy. Go slowly. And you'll get there much more quickly then if you rush and panic."

  "Okay- okay. But stuff like this [Assimilation] should handle."

  Vaz took a deep breath. "Let's get to it then." and dove in.

  [Assimilation]

  Theo followed after. Vaz was right, his movement changed in the water. Like all the things he did while assimilating, it felt intuitive. Natural. He pushed his limbed into the water gracefully, cutting through it in a way that provided the least resistance.

  The water was clear enough while submerged to see the coral reefs and schools of fish around them. They swam around the forests of seaweed and avoided distance predators. Theo would've stopped to admire the beauty of it if he could.

  Every now and then Vaz would look behind him to see Theo following. He seemed impatient.

  And about half way to the ship, Theo realized why as his lungs started to burn and desire air.

  [Assimilation]

  It helped him a bit, but his body wanted to breath.

  About three quarters of the way bubbles started to emerge from his mouth. [Rapid Retreat] he felt the skill instinctively trigger as his speed increased.

  He looked around and saw a prehistoric looking shark swimming straight for them. It had tiny tails all over it's body and the fins furled about loosely. The massive looming shape triggered fears Theo never knew he had- such as thalassophobia evidently.

  "RRHMM!" his shout was muffled by the ocean.

  Vaz grabbed him by the collar forcefully-

  [Nautical Dive]

  The skill triggered and created a surface for Vaz to kick off of.

  They rocketed through the water several feet. He used it again. And once more after that. The water rushed around him as they shot forward each time.

  And finally their hands touched the outside of the ship.

  "BAH!" Theo gasped as his head shot out of the water. They were behind the part of the ship that laid submerged in the ocean. The bulky square captains quarters above them.

  Vaz whistled a loud and sharp whistle, and not long after a row of heads peaked over the side. "Get us the fuck out of here!" he shouted.

  "By the gods- captain!" one of them shouted and ran away. Another tossed a rope down to them.

  "Shark!" one of the heads shouted- seeing the fins of it crest over the waves. They aimed crossbows at it and started firing. After one or two- it decided better and turned back. Leaving the difficult prey behind.

  Theo was lifted over the side once he climbed so high up the rope. He was breathing hoarsely- it was strange how it was only until after he was back on dry land that his legs turned to numb lead. He laid on his back on the deck warmed by the sun, exhausted. Then he felt the sun being blocked by a looming figure- his eyes cracked open to see the shape of the captain standing over him. The sun occluded his face.

  "Ay, the shipwreckers is it? Why yee always seem to show up before our luck turns for the worst?" the captain said irritated.