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Book 2: Chapter 22: Game Change

Arthur grimaced as he glanced over the shelves. All were of the Common variety -- Uncommon cards were behind the counter where one had to pass through the approval of the store clerks to get a closer look. And the ones set out for display were... frivolous.

"Oh, look. Here's one that charms long pieces of fabric to wave in the air, even when there isn't a wind." Kenzie helpfully held up a glass case with the Common card locked inside. "It doesn't require mana to work."

He glared at her, not appreciating the teasing. "How does that help?"

"It's one of those which levels up as you practice. Give it enough time, maybe you can wrap a scarf around someone's throat."

"Why is that even a thing?" Arthur grumbled, then reached to pull out another card from the shelf. "Why is this even a thing?"

Item Camouflage

Illusion

Common

Camouflage a single item no larger than one foot square to perfectly match the surroundings. This is an illusion based charm and will does not alter the object's size or weight. Illusion will fall if item is touched by a living person. Cool down: 12 hours.

Actually... now that he thought about it, he could see a few uses for that one. It would make an excellent thief’s tool.

Arthur slid it back onto the shelf. "Why didn't we go to the hive's commissary again?"

"Because if it's a combat card you want, you'll need to keep it secret. That won't happen if we're using your stipend to pay in the hive. Besides," Kenzie added, picking up a card with the image of a scantily glad woman on it. Because it was a Common, the image didn't move, but the image alone still painted... quite the picture. Her eyebrows rose at what she read, but then returned it back on the shelf, "All the real interesting stuff has already been picked over. You know how riders are. You're not going to find an 'Instant Sword Mastery' card there."

"Likely not going to find one here, either," he muttered.

There was a reason why he and Horatio had worked for literal years to gather enough shards to create cards of their own. Though card shops had more in them than a bumpkin from the borderland could ever imagine... the truth was, they were mostly the dregs the dragon riders had passed over, then the nobility, followed by the guilds, the merchants, the well-to-do middle class, the lower middle class, and the lower workers. Not to mention the professional card collectors and resellers who knew a diamond in the rough everyone else had missed.

Arthur picked up and set down a rapid dash card that allowed someone to skip every third step at a run when they used mana.

Actually... he could see a use for that, too. If he didn't have his Master of Body enhancement card to assist with running. Someone who was looking to link with a Common purple dragon might find use of that card.

Abruptly, he realized he was being a twerp. All cards had their uses in the right hands. Even that risqué card Kenzie had picked up.

Arthur waited until she moved onto the next shelf, took a peak himself, and hurriedly put it back: Mild seductive effect via 'Belly dancing'. This effect is a mood enhancement only and can be mentally dismissed by the unwilling.

"That won't help you in combat, either," Kenzie called from the next shelf over. She must have known what he was looking at via his emotional aura. "But it might get you out of a fight."

With a cough, Arthur went down the next row. He already knew better than to ask the price of any Rares -- not only where they strictly locked away, available only to high priority customers, the markup was insane -- but he might be able to afford an Uncommon card.

'Why bother?' asked a little voice in his mind. One that sounded a lot like his gloomy friend, Horatio. 'You'll soon be surrounded by Legendary card wielders. You think you'll win any duels with an Uncommon card?'

No, Arthur thought at him. But I'm a Legendary wielder, too.

He needed something to play to his strengths.

With that in mind, Arthur moved to the Uncommon Utility shelves.

Here, he found several cards which granted individual skills.

Expert Hair Shaper

Utility

Uncommon

This card grants its wielder the ability to cut and shape specific hair-styles. This is a level-based card. With higher levels, the wielder will complete more complex hairstyles at a quicker rate.

Industrial Temperature Sense

Utility

Uncommon

The wielder will be able to read the temperature of any forge, glass glory hole, or oven. The wielder may adjust and refine these temperatures using mana.

Competent Tree Surgeon

Utility

Uncommon

Using mana, the wielder will instantly be informed of a living tree's health and grade of wood. 15% enhanced ease pruning or limbing of a tree. This card will not work on non-living, already harvested wood.

Interesting, but nothing that would help him in combat.

He was reaching the limit of what this card shop had to offer. With a sense of resignation, Arthur went to the last shelf in the corner of the store: The place where miscellaneous cards were kept.

These were a mix of Common and Uncommon cards. Everything from being able to instantly count the number of trout in a small pond (the size of the body of water increased as the wielder leveled the skill), to enhanced flower arranging (a note on the bottom said higher levels were rumored to be able to send messages via flowers) to a Common partial tailoring skill--

Arthur did a double take at the last. Then he snatched it up and reread the card.

Kenzie joined him a few moments later, standing on tiptoes to read over his shoulder.

"Giving up the whole dragon riding idea to join the tailoring guild?"

"No." Ideas flicked in Arthur's mind -- dangerous, stupid, perfect ideas. "I just realized I don't need a combat card. Well, no, I need a combat card," he amended, "but it needs to be the right card -- not something I buy on a whim. This card, though... this will be perfect."

Kenzie looked hesitant until he gave the bare outline of his plan. Then she called him an idiot.

But the important thing was, she paid the overpriced fee for the card.

She still dragged him to a proper tailor's shop afterwards to get him a new wardrobe. That was, after all, what the stipend was supposed to cover. In addition, Arthur spoke to the shopkeeper and purchased two bolts of low grade fabric. Kenzie refused to pay for those even out of the stipend, so Arthur was forced to dip into his dwindling coins.

The new clothing would be delivered to the hive when it was completed. As for the bolts of fabric, Arthur simply placed those into his Personal Space.

His last purchase was for a candle with dies worked into the wax to mark the time.

By the time he and Kenzie were done shopping, the city streets had taken on a properly festive atmosphere. Likely, this was helped by free flowing alcohol and the up-tempo music kicked out by performers.

"The official announcement over the Legendry’s supposed to go out tonight," Kenzie reminded him. "It's the worst kept secret in the hive, but people will be happy to know the thing's alive. Are you staying around to watch?"

He shook his head. "I have things to do."

"Tailoring?" she asked, dryly.

His response was a grin.

Back in his room at the hive later that night, Arthur rechecked the lock on the door. Then he lit the candle. It was high grade with a mark for every quarter hour. Even more accurate than an hour-glass, the shop-keeper had promised.

Arthur hoped so.

After lighting it, he sat on his bed, closed his eyes, and reached for his Rare cards.

A moment later he found himself mentally standing in front of the bookshelf. It was just as sparse as last time. That was fine. If this worked, he had a guaranteed way to fill it.

Turning from the shelf, he instead inspected the vault that represented his Personal Space.

He opened the door. Then, holding his breath, he stepped in.

Everything was here, exactly as he stored it: The bolt of cloth, the odds and ends, and a few of his sharpened knives.

He got to work. The new Common card in his card anchor gave him just the skill he needed:

The Perfect Snip

Utility

Common

The wielder of this card will have an enhanced ability to accurately and concisely cut fabric. This is a skill-level based effect with greater benefits the higher the level.

This was a Common card and didn't offer anything above basic benefits. His other cards took up the slack.

The moment he made his first cut, he received a skill notification for Fabric Snipping (Tailor Class).

Arthur kept going, hacking away at the bolts of fabric at first randomly, but then with greater precision as his skill leveled up. After a bit, however, the knives felt... wrong. So he switched to scissors.

By the time he had thoroughly destroyed the first bolt, every snip felt like he was carving through butter.

He had reached level 9, which was a good night's work. And it felt like an entire night's work -- though he was in a mental space, his fingers ached from snipping the scissors. And mental or not, the fabric was destroyed. He had been at this for hours.

Putting the scissors back, he left the vault and 'stepped out' of his mental space.

He blinked awake back in his room, feeling like he had been in a trance. Clenching and unclenching his fingers, he swore he felt a ghostly twinge of soreness from working the scissors so long. But it faded away within a few moments.

His head, however, ached like he had spent hours intensely stuffing his mind full of new knowledge, like he was back in school.

The real test was the candle. Still blinking, it took a few moments for Arthur to focus on it.

The candle was still fresh and new. Nowhere near the first fifteen minute mark.

Time did not pass within his Personal Space. He had just trained himself up to Level 9, Fabric Snipping, in moments.