The loot box stared at him within the window. It laughed. It goaded. It did nothing at all.

Leo’s eye twitched, re-reading the description over and over. Epic rarity guaranteed.

In all his loot box purchases, the things he had adamantly sworn himself off from, Leo’s rewards could be called… average. Several really good items, especially the boots he still missed, and a lot of hot garbage.

The issue, more than his chances of receiving something legendary for his path, was the price. Without a doubt, something was being purchased for Ellie if possible. He had no idea what she wanted, but with how determined she looked, it mattered how serious she was taking it.

Unless she’s asleep. He put his hand on her head and she leaned into it. Okay. Not asleep. Good girl, keep on thinkin’.

Could this item truly be worth five million credits? With five million he could buy a pretty top tier piece of Exalted rarity equipment, granting him easily a hundred stats of something. The mystery box might just do the same thing, or worse.

“Ahhhh,” Leo yelled, hands scraping through his hair, surprised it wasn’t falling out yet.

Ellie barked in annoyance at his loud outbursts. She pounced on him.

Her weight crashed down, toppling him over with ease. “Oof, you’re getting even bigger, Ells. Soon you won’t be able to do this without crushing me,” Leo said, laughing.

Ellie got off of Leo without any kind of fanfare or noise. It was like she was huffing. Leo could only shake his head, she was still a child after all. She was getting bigger, though. That wasn’t a lie. Each time she unlocked a new skill it was like she was hitting a tiny growth spurt. Becoming the height of Iskarion might happen eventually.

There were still lots of tabs to go through, so he decided to have a good browse before he committed any kind of gambling mistake. Ellie still needed her time too. Sitting down to calm himself, Leo got to work.

~

While Leo was complaining, shouting, and pleading at boxes, Ellie was doing her best to search the store herself. It was hard.

There were so many things that just told her they were “Unavailable for her race.” She had no idea what that meant, but figured the store thing was just being mean to her.

The items she could use were quite numerous. However, they were boring. Things like:

Icicle of a Frozen Fae (Epic)

An icicle formed when a creature, known as a Frozen Fae, seals itself within ice in order to evolve. The icicle left behind holds the left behind power of their evolution.

Consuming this item will increase your affinity for frost related spells and skills.
Price: 3,500,000

Ellie didn’t know what half of it meant, really. But it sure didn’t sound tasty.

Not to mention the current outrage she was feeling. Leo had said something she had been fearing for a long time. A horrifying, unbelievable fact. She was getting too big to cuddle on his shoulders.

Despair filled her mind. This couldn’t be happening. It was too fast! Ellie wanted to always ride on his shoulders, to be carried like a baby while he went super fast.

It wasn’t fair.

Just when she was at her lowest, a brainwave struck her. Something she hadn’t touched yet, partially due to forgetting it, and the other being indifference.

I can ask Beardy for help!

Would you like to activate: Library of the Grand Arcanum?

Yes/No

Warning: this skill will not be available for 30 days after use.

Yes, Yes, Yes! Hurry up already!

Ellie stilled. Her erratic movements she did without realising during her periods of concentration were absent. Her mind was soaring through time and space, travelling for endless distances. Stars, books, things she didn’t know the names of, all of them were passed on her trip.

Suddenly, almost like she hadn’t moved at all, Ellie found herself within a vast library. Her big eyes blinked in wonder as she looked around curiously. This was Ellie’s first time in a library, and first time seeing this many books. The only books she’d seen so far were in Beardy’s house, really.

A figure appeared. It wasn’t Beardy, nor was it Green lady or Fate lady. It was a creature unlike anything she’d ever seen. Not that uncommon for her though.

Green skin, not completely unlike the green lady’s in colour. It had a bald head, big eyes, and a nose that was barely a nose. The creature looked old. Really old. On its back was a large shell-like thing that Ellie inwardly wondered if she could chomp through it. It reminded her a little of the ‘bastard ants’ that Leo used to call the tougher ones.

“Hello, young one,” the creature said in a slow, soft tone. “My. It’s been over fifty eras since I’ve laid eyes on a dragon. Aren’t you just divine.”

Ellie perked her head to the side, but couldn’t help but smile under the compliments.

“You can speak here, child. I can understand you,” the creature said.

Ellie opened her mouth, and spoke in the usual noises she could make. The creature nodded and hummed as Ellie asked her questions in rapid succession.

The creature raised a hand, stopping Ellie’s tirade of noises with a smile.

“My title is The Keeper. Not Shelly.” The Keeper laughed, an elderly chuckling sound, but a little croaky.

Ellie yelped her disagreement, then followed up with another question.

“I am neither a boy Shelly, nor a girl Shelly. I am just The Keeper.”

Ellie shrugged. Shelly was strange. But nice.

It walked over to the nearby shelf with very slow steps, speaking the whole time. “As this is your first time in the Library, I will explain how the skill works. Sit down.” Ellie was sitting before she realised.

“Each book in here is an answer to a question not yet asked. Knowledge, gathered across the eras from gods, beasts, Primarchs, anyone with information can add it to this wonder.”

It reached up, taking a book from the shelf with a light touch. “By activating the skill granted to you by The Archmagus—”

Ellie yelped a quick interruption.

“Beardy?” The Keeper asked.

Ellie nodded.

It huffed a laugh. “By activating the skill, you will be able to ask a question. One question. The answer will depend on your own comprehension, the severity of the question, and how restricted the knowledge is to your grade. Time is slowed while you are here, so please, Herald, ask your question.”

Ellie mewled in disagreement. “Pardon. I will call you Ellie from now on.”

Shelly was pretty understanding. No matter how much Ellie yelped and roared, Leo couldn’t understand a thing she said. Not even Beardy had seemed to fully grasp her words. It was a bit infuriating. But Leo loved Ellie, so she could forgive him.

Ellie tried to get her question across, combining movement with noises in a charade of storytelling. She flapped, jumped, splayed herself out. All the while, The Keeper watched on in amusement.

“I understand. A simple question I have the answer to.”

The Keeper’s eyes flashed, pulling a book from the shelves far in the back. Ellie watched as Shelly somehow moved things with their mind. Ellie wanted to do that! Picking things up with claws was hard!

“Here you are,” The Keeper said, the book landing just in front of her. “Simply touch its cover and the answers will fill your mind. Then our time will be concluded.”

Ellie didn’t hesitate, touching the cover with a claw. It glowed, the information filling her mind in a way she could not just understand a little, but completely comprehend.

“Take care, Ellie.”

Ellie didn’t even have a chance for head scratches or a goodbye wave. Her consciousness returned and Leo had barely moved since.

She immediately pounced onto Leo, words spilling from her mouth in rapid barks and noises.

~

“Woah, woah!” Leo exclaimed. “What’s the matter?” She seemed excited and upset at the same time, like she was telling a whole story with her movements and noises.

“Any help on translating, system?” Leo asked the construct that remained unmoving.

“Your bonded companion has visited the Library of the Grand Arcanum and received an answer to a question asked. The item she wishes you to look at and purchase will be placed on your screen now.”

“Oh, wow, tha—”

Leo was cut off as the notification appeared.

Ellie would like to purchase: Lesser Wildshape (Uncommon)

Lesser Wildshape (Uncommon)

Not every dragon wishes to be seen as one—and not every dragon wishes to be large.

Reshape your body across a range of lesser forms.
You may draw yourself smaller while remaining as you are, a dragon in miniature, or set your draconic nature aside to take the shape of some mundane creature.
Fur, feather, or paw, the truth is hidden from sight.

Concealment is broken when entering combat or suffering a true shock.

Those of greater power may still sense the truth beneath.

Cooldown: None

Requirements: Draconic Lineage

Price: 1,300,000

As Leo read the skill under Ellie’s piercing gaze, he met it. “Are you sure this is what you want?”

She nodded so hard he almost got headbutted.

He smiled. “Alright, Ells. It’s your choice.”

Ellie has unlocked the skill: Lesser Wildshape (Uncommon)

Light shone through Ellie’s scales as the skill settled into place. A giddy grin spread across her as she began to shrink before his eyes. Her form grew smaller and smaller until she was basically the height of a large cat.

Her weight dropped too somehow thanks to the skill. Leo supposed it was for when she grew to Iskarion’s size and shrank to a puppy, then retained the mass and crushed anyone she jumped on.

“Aww, look at you, you’re so small!” He couldn’t help but exclaim.

It was the words the little dragon was praying to hear. She gave her silent thanks to the great Shelly.

With that out of the way and the second purchase complete, Leo decided to take a note from Ellie’s book. Not a shapeshifting skill, exactly, but a skill in general.

Now, many would perhaps think that the last thing Leo needed was another skill, and they’d be pretty much correct. But Leo was still lacking in a lot of areas. Especially defensive skills.

His entire mindset of; “Ew, toughness is the worst.” had been his goal at first, wanting to build for damage and speed. But now, after the seriousness of this new world and how easy it was to lose those closest to him, Leo had to make a change.

Reinforced Stoneskin was his only real defensive skill. Layered Bastion had its uses, very good uses, but it didn’t do anything if he was getting punched in the head or stabbed through the gut. He’d hoped that the Stoneskin would eventually become all he needed, making his skin into literal hard rock at all times so he wouldn’t be so easily hurt, but with his current roster of skills and ability to upgrade them, it was a long way in the works.

There were countless skills with all sorts of requirements in the store, varying from Common to Rare. Leo had hoped to see some Legendary skills, but those seemed to be out of his reach, even as a Paragon.

He needed a way to narrow things down.

“System,” he asked, hopeful. “Could you show me defensive skills that I can currently learn, or maybe some you recommend?”

“There are two options that fall under your requirements,” the system guide said after barely a pause.

Without further asking, the two skills appeared in his vision. Ellie had already rested herself across his shoulders and fallen asleep, so he could freely take his time now.

Live Wire (Rare)

Lightning seeks a path. Become one.

Open your body to the current’s logic, letting hostile mana flow along your nerves rather than strike against them.
Incoming spells and energy are conducted through you and scattered along the lightning’s path, their force dimming.

Scales with Agility.

Cooldown: 1 Minute

Requirements: Lightning Essence

Price: 1,800,000

Sediment (Rare)

The mountain does not flinch when struck. It endures.

Aspect your body to deep earth, dense and patient, so that physical force breaking against you is dulled and scattered.
Heavy blows and crushing strikes lose their edge, their force spreading evenly while being diminished.
Scales with Toughness

Cooldown: 1 Minute

Requirements: Earth Essence

Price: 2,000,000

…Why did it have to be two options?

With every skill selection came a decision, and with every decision, came a paralysis. Not always, sometimes just a quick consideration, but here? With the likeliness of seeing the one he didn’t choose appearing again? Yikes…

Leo now had to weigh these two skills separately, their usage, their upgrade path, and the Paragon lootbox that was still somehow staring at him!

Okay. Breathe.

He took a deep breath. It was time to take things back. So far, in his tutorial, and combat in general, the things that had hurt him most had been physical attacks. He’d been bashed, smashed, sliced and crunched. Meanwhile, against magical spells, Leo had only had Serrix’s swords of Light and Ruby’s fire to deal with really.

Maybe that’s because I’ve been fighting nothing but ants for weeks! He groaned internally, mind spinning.

The question was what he required going forward. On one hand, Leo already had Reinforced Stoneskin. On the other, he was a close-ranged fighter, and would likely be taking more melee hits than spells in the near future.

But, Leo’s defense against magic and spells right now was just to dodge. So taking this Live Wire skill could create a way to defend against anyone, or anything on Earth that wanted to burn him, freeze him, etc.

But he already had Redirect that he’d just learned! That would let him deflect projectiles which included some spells!

He wanted to yell and shout. Perhaps just getting the loot box would be the best thing, or just settle for some kind of Exalted armour piece that increased his stats by over a hundred.

He took one last look at the skills before he did so, sighing in his inability to choose without regret.

“Wish I could just combine them both.”

“As a Paragon, the option to combine the skills is possible. The price and rarity may change, and once combined cannot be separated,” the system guide said. “Do you wish to proceed?”

Leo sat there, stunned and wide eyed. “I can do that!?”