196 Chapter One Hundred and Ninety-Six – A Reunion for the First Time (1/2)

”Sir Errant!”

”Highness.”

”Prince Estemar!”

”Miss Amber! And Miss Verd, and Miss Veis... Lady Hazé?” A pause. ”Is Mama here, too?”

”Commander Briggs. It has been some time.”

”Pure Sword Errant? Damn, I was a still a noob when I talked to you last!”

”You know my sister, Highness?”

”I, ah, met the girls some time ago, Sir Errant. It never came up in conversation...”

”He's just Sir Estemar, Errant. Don't go giving him airs.”

”Apologies, Sama. Ah, Sage Sama. I heard you had a most interesting set of Titles revolving around Swords...”

”Says The One Sword, The Heavenbound, and the Purely Bound. The immortal Pure Sword Errant...” I answered with a snicker.

”Yes, I'm feeling all kinds of immortal now,” he replied drolly, his eyes flickering over everyone. ”I am to understand that you can give people a modified form of Succubus Blessing? And... something about a Diamond Vajra?”

I eyed my sisters, who were all clustered around the modest and astounded figure of Prince Estemar, Paladin and all-around team player nice guy, naturally arriving here with Briggs. ”How'd you meet our Paladin?” I asked, amazed that he had met everyone before anyone else. Mithar making chess moves...

”I am his senior in the Order of the Ruby Heart. He was my squire for a short time, in no small measure because his knight was a shapechanger whose head I ended up removing.”

”You Heavenbound, always picking fights with unlucky evil bastards.”

”Yes, a very sorry state of affairs,” he agreed, with absolutely no change of expression.

Great poker face. I was going to like him. ”Let me get you Marked, and we can take this into Markspace.”

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-Damn, you completed the Heavy Gravity Training already? So unfair,- I /groused at him.

-You'll get it in time. Now, some details. The Heavenbound, a Diamond Vajra, and your Titles, as a courtesy?- He was looking around the Markspace in fascination, his golden figure as pure as Estemar (who wasn't in this private /chat), only brighter, the Pact on his soul visible in his Markform.

I /squirted him the details on a Diamond Vajra, and he whistled to himself. -I would probably have stumbled across that before Sole, if I had not died...-

-Your Title of The Heavenbound was conferred upon your posthumously, after they founded Heavenbound Hall.- Hazé looked interested, as she didn't know about such events.

-As for my Titles, my Grandmastery is: A Sword is a Shitty Weapon, but it's Better than all the Rest. I can use any weapon-related Feat with a sword as long as the sword can sub for such a weapon, and I have Weapon Mastery in it.-

He considered that. -Your swordwork must be tremendously versatile?- he /hazarded.

-Well, think Spirited Charge lance, Hew axe, and Finish spear, among other things.-

He made an impressed face. -Very good. And Sage of Swords?-

-It played off my Grandmastery. Remember Profound Artisan?-

His mental eyes glazed for a moment. -Plus Synergy bonus to damage with a Focused weapon from a specified Skill?- he /remembered. Not a bad Feat, not a great one. +2 damage at five Ranks, +3 at ten.

-Uh-huh. And because of my Grandmastery, it applies to any Skill which wields a tool that can be called a martial skill. Thus, a Mastery of Skills applying to Swords, ergo, Sage of Swords.-

He mentally blinked, as everyone listened in. -Any Skill? Stacking?- he /asked faintly.

-Yes.- I /affirmed.

-That... sounds like a Warsmith's Hammer bonus...- Hazé /interjected, amazed.

-Funny you should say that. Briggs' Hammer Grandmastery works exactly the same way. Any Skill that uses a tool in the hammer/chopping motion...-

Many eyes turned on Briggs, who mentally shrugged. -Twelve of them.- he /admitted.

Errant and Hazé turned back to me, all their eyes wide as they did the math on that.

-Ah, twenty-some synergies, not all of them a straight +3. Riding only applies when mounted, for instance, and Stealth and Sleight of Hand only apply to Sneak Attack Damage.-

-So, bonus fixed damage bonuses of at least +70... in addition to all other things.- He /sighed despite himself. -Okay, I finally believe what they say about Forsaken being the tool-users.-

-Which reminds me. Hazé, you a Shardcaster?- I /inquired.