B2 Chapter 154: Mask


    Waking early the next morning with the rising sun, Kaius had set about breaking the fast of their little troupe with a hearty meal of fried potatoes and bacon. Despite everything that had happened, he could see the appeal that artisan sses held to many. In another life, being a cook might have been his calling, what with how gratified he felt when he saw the looks of appreciation on his party member’s faces as they ate their breakfast.


    They set off shortly after, making their way further towards Deadacre. At first, Kaius was worried that Ianmus would notice the quail egg-sized gem that sat in the pommel of his de. With his sharp eyes, he was sure the man would notice the difference. Yet, if he had, Ianmus gave no sign.


    That, at least, was something.


    They walked across rolling fields, skirting around shallow hills and fording thin streams as the sun beamed down on them from above. It was a warm heat, filled with the brilliance of the mid-summer sun. Thankfully, there were just enough clouds to prevent it from growing stifling, while few enough in number that it could in no way be called gloomy.


    More than once they diverted their way around the asional copse of trees that studded the ins and served as shelter to the wild’s primal denizens, or redirected when they spotted some herd of beasts. Ianmus gave them odd looks for that. Understandable after so many days of them throwing themselves into fights at the first opportunity.@@novelbin@@


    Yet, even if it was mildly suspicious, it was far easier to exin away than waving around a crystalline sword that had been in metal the night before.


    Sitting astride Porkchop’s back, Kaius looked over to their half-elfpanion. The man kept pace with themfortably. For all he seemed unused to the rigours of long-distance travel, the man was no slouch.


    He just hoped that he wouldn’t be in too much of a rush to sequester himself inside the safety of a city''s walls.


    <em>“Just get it over with and ask him, Kaius.”</em> Porkchop said with a soft snort, startling him.Kaius rolled his eyes. He hadn’t been hemming and hawing <em>that</em> much, it was just a big ask. Still, his brother had the right of it. There was no point waiting.


    “Ianmus,” he called out, causing the mage to look in his direction with a questioning look on his face. “I have a request, if you are amenable to it.”


    The man cocked his brow at him. “Oh, and what would my mighty saviour like to ask of this humble academic.” Ianmus teased, after so many days in each other''spany he’d begun to rx, revealing a subtle and quick wit.


    Kaius chuckled, before he quickly exined their problem - how having Porkchop revealed as a greater beast would cause a hubaloo they would rather avoid.


    “Which is why I was hoping you would be willing to stay with Porkchop an hour or two outside of the city, while I go see if I can purchase an artefact that will shift his status.” he finished, watching the half-elf’s face closely for any sign of dissatisfaction.


    Instead, he found something unexpected. in confusion.


    “Why would you need an artefact? I would have thought that the two of you would be able to Mask well enough without one''s assistance to at least get into the city. I mean sure, if the guards have reason to peer deeply, you might need one, but I don’t see why they would take that much of an interest.” Ianmus said, clearly puzzled at his question.


    Kaius too, found that he was growing confused. Masking? What was that? And how in the world would they be able to hide their status without an artefact or skill?


    “I’m sorry, Masking? I don’t know what you mean.” he replied.


    Ianmus’s eyes widened in realisation. “Of course! You two met when you were unssed! My apologies, I would have brought it up early if it had urred to me.” he responded, bobbing his head politely. Kaius gestured for him to continue.


    “Masking directly involves interacting with your ss or bloodline construct, so it is one of those things that is annoyingly difficult to share with unssed due to the restrictions around the selection process. Most don’t bother trying to teach it until after someone has reached ss advancement.” Ianmus finished, pausing for him to digest his words.


    Kaius groaned, rubbing his eyelids in frustration. Of course, another lesson that he missed due to circumstances. He just hoped that it wasn’t some great secret, and Ianmus would be able to share it.


    Porkchop beat him to the punch.


    <em>“What is it, and will it help us get into Deadacre without giving away what we are?”</em> his brother asked.


    Ianmus nodded emphatically, before heunched into an exnation of the ability. “Yes, yes, it’s down right perfect, and no great secret either. Not well known amongstmon folk, but almost everyone whoes from a learned or well off background knows of it, and can use it to varying levels of proficiency. I’ve heard that the Guild teaches it to their members once they have proven themselves and risen out of Copper rank too.”


    Kaius nodded, gripping the loop of leather attached to Porkchop’s under-armour a little tighter as his brother stepped into a particrlyrge pothole hidden in the grass.


    If the guild gave it out at Bronze rank, then it was no great secret indeed. Leaving copper only took confirming that you have delved the fourthyer, or by reaching level sixty and doing enough high-copper tasks, and that was if they were being overcautious.


    “What does it do, then?” he asked.


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    “It’s a way to fight off identification skills through a clever exercise of masking your soul in your will. It will let you feel probes - basic ones, at least - and either attempt to rebuff them or attempt to deceive them. Blocking is easier, but then you give the game away, and are faced with far more scrutiny. Deception requires more focus and willpower to pull off upfront, but in this scenario will save you from far more suspicion.” Ianmus exined, going through the function of the skill.


    Kaius frowned. If it was so easy, so fundamental, then surely people must be constantly using it, right? Such a thing would grant a huge tactical advantage in direct duals and conflicts with other people. He voiced his question.


    “Ahh, at higher levels maybe, but it is an exhausting skill, and one that takes time and persistence to grow skilled with. That is actually what most artefacts and system Skills do, empower your own ability to Mask and often allow it to be done passively to some extent. That, and with its demands on your focus, you’ll find it''s about as wise as a sorcerer trying to channel and fight at the same time.” Ianmus exined with a little grin.


    As they delved more into the topic, Kaius learned that there was much one could do to improve their Mask, and that as one grew more proficient in the technique it was possible for it to be an almost automatic thing. Held in ce constantly, but only requiring active investiture of Will when someone tested your defences.


    Supposedly, when he first started, it would take constant focus to keep the barrier in ce. It got easier with levels and stats, but so did it get easier for people with high leveled skills and sses, with high rarity analyze skills to pierce your defence. He suspected that he would have an easier time than most with developing a barrier, if Ianmus decided to teach them, of course. Afterall, he had far more <em>Intelligence</em> and <em>Willpower</em> than could be expected for someone of his level. That in and of itself would aid him. Afterall, who would expect deception from someone so weak?


    “Will they be able to tell if I rebuff them?” he asked.


    Ianmus shook his head. “No, not without skills or artefacts, though it can be rather obvious if they receive less information than they should. That is why providing <em>false</em> information is often far more beneficial, even if it is far more taxing to do so. Now follow my directions, it is surprisingly simple, though the depths to the technique are vast.”


    Kaius grinned as he and his brother listened to the mage with rapt curiosity.


    Under expert direction, he dipped into his soulspace, wrapping the entirety of his soul in a thin weave of his Will. It was tricky at first, requiring him to spread his focus and intent in an even sheet. Just getting that first bit stable took him nearly an hour to get a hang of.


    Yet even as the sun moved across the sky, and they traversed leagues of open green fields, Ianmus was a patient teacher, and a talented one. Though that was no great surprise considering the man’s background.


    Once the beginnings of his mask was in ce, Kaius found it only moderately difficult to hold it steady, though his constant awareness of the Will-construct was a non-stop tug at the back of his mind. Like consciously holding his hand in a position not quite painful, but ufortable enough that he found it impossible to ignore. Apparently that strain would grow as someone tested his defenses.


    “Good, now that you both have that, I want you to impress on the Mask the information you desire to change. Just know that the further from the truth it is, the harder it will be to hide. For you, Porkchop, pretending to be a simple beast and changing your race should not be too difficult. However, you might have a little more difficulty, Kaius. Make sure you pick a ss signifier that is simr to what you are. As much as you are able to at least.” Ianmus exined, looking at him with a moderately apologetic expression.


    He waved the man off, thinking of what he wanted to masquerade as. After a moment, he decided on <em>Body Enhancer</em>. They were a niche collection of sses, reliant on buffing skills and abilities to supplement their front-line capabilities. He only knew of them because his father had said that some body-formation sses fell under that umbre. Rare enough that his odd abilities wouldn’t raise too many questions, and one that would let him exin away the growing prevalence of the runic markings on his skin.


    He took what he knew of the ss signifier and impressed it upon the shell of his will. It was the tricky bit, and the main reason the skill wasn’t shared with those without a ss. Spinning a thin thread of his Will, he linked it to his ss before doing the same with a thread of soulfire.


    An intimate sense of his status became avable to him, one more qualitative than the simple screens he had avable normally. It was an overwhelming deluge of information, one he had to filter before he could keep it defended - or modify what was read by someone trying to analyse him.


    After half an hour or so of muffled curses as he tried and failed to get it to take, he felt his intention suffuse the Mask. He was ready.


    Looking towards Ianmus, he gave the man a nod.


    A thin questing probe prodded his centre, brushing up against his barrier. He knew then, instinctively, that he could flex his will and fight off the attempt to glean his secrets. Instead, he followed Ianmus’s earlier instructions. Allowing the probe through the mask, but impressing his own limited deception onto the searching skill.


    Tension throbbed behind his ears, the task more taxing than he had expected. Still, he managed, and a momentter the probe withdrew, taking his false ss signifier with it.


    He gasped, releasing the breath he didn’t even realise he was holding as the strain on his will dissipated. A momentter Ianmus started to p.


    “Great job, Kaius. It takes a rare Will to seed on your first attempt, let alone after a short few hours of lessons. Great job.” The half-elf addressed him with a satisfied nod, before he turned to his brother. “Porkchop, you’ve almost got it. It’s no great surprise it''s harder for you, as a caster Kaius will have more of the relevant stats, though eventually sheer levels and the growing strength of your soul will give you enough of an edge to do it with ease. At least, if you are not challenged by someone more capable, that is.”


    Kaius grinned, happy to hear he had done what was needed. Ianmus returned it. “Body Enhancer was a good choice, I see why you picked it.”


    “It’s the closest I could think of that would exin away the most.” Kaius exined, before his sheer need to get at least a moderate acumen in Masking before their arrival at Deadacre prodded him to continue his work. “Would you feel up to practicing this for thest couple of days of our trip? It would be a weight off my back to know Porkchop will be far less at risk.” he asked.


    “dly,” Ianmus replied. “It’s nice to have <em>some</em> way to repay the two of you for saving my life.”


    Breathing a sigh of relief, Kaius redoubled his efforts on infusing his Mask. During their short discussion, his hold on the shaped will had grown tenuous. His attention drifted as the Mask started to waver and dissipate. He frowned, wondering how anyone ever got to the point of doing this in their <em>sleep.</em>


    Spending time to tighten the working, Kaius looked to Ianmus forment. A momentter, another probe prodded the barrier around his ss and soul. He grunted, brow furrowing as he strained to push across the falsified information. It might have been a <em>hair</em> easier, but it was hard to tell.


    Hopefully, by the time they arrived at Deadacre, he would at least be able to keep it up without looking like he was straining in an attempt to lift an entire ox.