Gold Tier

Zarin sat by the fire, watching the glowing embers flicker and cast dancing shadows around their small clearing. Across from him, Arlya sat in silence, her mismatched eyes studying him intently. Her elfin features gave her an otherworldly grace, but there was something inquisitive about her gaze. Finally, she broke the silence.

“You said that shield you summoned came from your class skill,” Arlya began, her voice measured. “But from what I just witnessed, that wasn’t a simple spell. You must have a higher-level class to cast something that powerful—it seemed close to a Master Tier Protective Spell.”

Zarin blinked, confused by her assumption. “Master Tier?” he said, shaking his head. “According to the skill description, it’s just a low-tier shield, barely lasting 10 seconds.”

Arlya’s brow furrowed, clearly intrigued. “Low-tier?” she repeated, sounding genuinely puzzled. “That’s impossible. The power behind it was nothing like what you’d expect from a low-tier spell. Are you certain?”

Zarin nodded, still feeling slightly baffled. “Yeah, my skill is called Fate Dice. I roll an eight-sided die, and whatever number I land on determines the outcome. I don’t get to choose, but the result is something from the skill list. The shield you saw was just a result of me rolling a 4. According to the ability’s description, it’s a low-tier protective field.”

Arlya sat back, mulling this over, her fingers lightly tracing a pattern on the ground as if deep in thought. “That doesn’t add up. You see, spells are categorized into Tiers based on their power, complexity, and the caster’s skill. Low-tier spells are the most basic, like a simple magical barrier or a minor fireball. They don’t have much strength and are typically the first things a new spellcaster learns. Then comes the Basic Tier, where things start getting more serious. Master Tier spells are far more advanced and powerful, like the shield I thought you summoned. Few mages reach that level.”

Zarin listened closely as she continued, growing more intrigued by the strange world of magic that Arlya seemed to know so well.

“Above that,” she continued, “there’s Grandmaster Tier. Only the most skilled and knowledgeable mages can cast those spells. They’re complex, dangerous, and incredibly rare. And then, there’s rumored to be a Tier beyond Grandmaster, but it’s largely seen as a myth. Supposedly, magic on that level is beyond the reach of mortals. Even Elves, who live far longer and can refine their magic over centuries, have never confirmed their existence. Some believe magic of that caliber would defy the laws of the mortal realm altogether.”

Zarin’s head swam with the sheer scale of the magic system she described. “So you’re saying,” he began slowly, “the shield I summoned felt like it came from the Master Tier? But my skill says it’s low-tier. That doesn’t make any sense.”

Arlya’s eyes narrowed in thought as she considered the discrepancy. “It could be tied to something unique about your abilities. Normally, a caster’s Mind stat determines a spell’s strength, which governs how much magical power they can control and focus. But if your shield came from a low-tier spell yet still held the power of a Master Tier, that can happen if your Mind stat is high enough.”

Zarin glanced down at his hands, still thinking about the strange magic that had flowed through him. “Well, I’m not much of a spellcaster. My Mind stat isn’t anything special. But my Luck stat is... kind of absurd. It’s my highest stat, way higher than any of my others.”

Arlya’s eyes widened slightly, a spark of realization crossing her face. “How high is it?”

“Fifty,” Zarin said casually, watching her reaction.

Arlya blinked, visibly taken aback. “Fifty? That’s… incredibly high for a human. Luck is difficult to raise under normal circumstances—it grows slowly, and most people don’t even focus on it. But if your Luck is that high… that might explain everything. Especially since your class skill is dice-related.”

Zarin tilted his head, curious. “Explain what, exactly?”

Arlya leaned forward, the firelight casting an intense glow over her features as she spoke. “Unlike most spellcasting abilities that rely on Mind, it seems your magic draws its power from your Luck. And because Luck is much harder to increase than stats like Strength or Mind, each point in it has a greater impact on abilities tied to it. In other words, even a low-tier spell tied to your Luck can carry the power of a Master Tier spell because your Luck enhances it far beyond what a normal caster could achieve.”

Zarin’s eyes widened as he processed her explanation. “So, you’re saying my high Luck makes my spells way stronger than they should be?”

Arlya nodded. “Precisely. It’s incredibly rare to see someone with such a high Luck stat. Still, in your case, it means even basic magic has the potential to perform far beyond its intended tier. That shield, for example, should have been weak and fleeting, but because it was influenced by your Luck, it was strong enough to stand against the magical outbursts from that stone.”

Zarin let out a low whistle. “I knew my Luck was useful, but I didn’t realize it worked like that.”

Arlya smiled, her curiosity clearly piqued. “You’re unlike any spellcaster I’ve met. You don’t rely on traditional magical principles, yet your abilities rival those of much higher-level mages. Your connection to Luck is what makes you so unique.”

Zarin leaned back, still absorbing everything she had said. The more he thought about it, the more it made sense. His class, Gambler of Fate, was built around chance, probability, and outcomes. Of course, his high Luck would enhance those outcomes.

But something gnawed at him about how open he’d been with Arlya during the conversation. He wasn’t usually this talkative with people he’d just met, especially about his abilities. It was almost as though something had compelled him to share more than usual. He glanced at Arlya again, but she seemed genuine—curious and fascinated by his abilities.

‘Weird,’ Zarin thought. ‘I’m not usually this open. Feels like something pushed me to say everything.’ He tried to shake off the unease. After all, Arlya was a fellow traveler, and they were on this journey together. She hadn’t given him any reason to distrust her, and maybe his eagerness to discuss his newfound powers came from the excitement of learning just how strong his abilities were.

Still, Zarin made a mental note to be more cautious. There was something strange in the air, more than just the magic and mystery surrounding Arlya.

But for now, as the campfire crackled and the night deepened, Zarin’s thoughts returned to the possibilities ahead—his Fate Dice was more powerful than he had realized. He couldn’t wait to test it in future battles.