“He stabbed me first, it was self-defense,” Taleska insisted, not meeting Habersham’s eyes.
“Right, well you can pair with your husband again, it might be safer for all of us that way,” said Habersham.
Taleska shrugged and went to face off with Grogan, while Squeelrick and Thacker matched up.
I was surprised when something light bounced off my chest drawing my attention back to Vari.
“I am so sorry,” she whispered urgently. “I did not hurt you, did I?” she asked just a quickly.
“I’m fine,” I answered, looking around for whatever hit me. I found it on the ground just in front of me. It was a cork.
“It is for your spear,” she added. “I thought you would catch it, I did not think to wait until you were paying attention. I should have called out to you first. I suppose you do not want to spar with me now. I suppose I understand, none of the others ever want to spar with me either.”
“Vari,” I said sternly, halting her spiraling. “It’s fine. I’m fine. And I do want to spar with you. Please, relax a little.”
Vari took a few more panicked breaths before starting to calm as she processed what I said.
I tipped the corked up on end with my foot then stabbed my old Hasta into it, capping and thus blunting the spearhead. “Now, before we start, are there any rules I should be aware of?”
“Only spear skills and subskills . . . oh, and of course combat movement. No magic, no alternate skills,” Vari answered nervously.
“Cool,” I said, happy with the rules but also a little nervous about how I would measure up against the higher-level dwarf. “Are you ready?”
Vari nodded nervously before stabbing her own Hasta style spear into a cork cap. Her spear was nicer than my own but not by much, I guessed it was a higher-level requirement for hers than mine.
“So, how do we start this?” I asked, surprised when I was suddenly and forcefully slammed into and knocked to the ground rolling. When the world stopped spinning in a multicolor rainbow, I was left trying just to breathe, or catch my breath . . . did I just die?
“I am so sorry, I thought you were ready,” said the panicked voice of Vari, her face suddenly filling my vision.
“What . . . rank . . . spear . . . are . . . you?” I gasped out between struggled breath.
“Rank VII,” Vari answered nervously.
Holy Goddess, Vari was Rank VII at just level 13? What in the name of Leeroy Jenkins was that? How did she get such a high level with polearms? More importantly, how did that one hit not kill me? I glanced at my health bar, 3/1900. She almost one-shot me!
“Papa . . . I mean . . . the Lieutenant, he has trained me almost since he found me . . . after he discarded my mother and I,” Vari explained, hissing a bit when she mentioned ‘he’ and if I had to guess, I would say ‘he’ was her father, the mob boss Cap Alone.
“Right,” I said, finally feeling like I could breathe properly again. I sat up and started casting a few heals on myself. “How is your skill Rank VII and yet you are only level 13?”
“The Lieutenant . . . is very strict about training,” she answered timidly.
“Okay, so, shall we try again,” I said, standing up and casting another heal on myself to top my hp up.
“You . . . you still want to train . . . with me?” Vari asked, sounding absolutely shocked.
“Yeah, why wouldn’t I?” I asked, understanding exactly why she thought I wouldn’t. “Just, don’t one-shot me please,” I requested with a grin.
Vari giggled a little but nodded, “I’ll try.”
Somehow, that little ‘I’ll try’ did not fill me with confidence that I wasn’t about to be sent to respawn. Talk about overpowered. Still, assuming I didn’t end up dead several times over, I would probably learn a lot from the nervous dwarf girl.
“Okay, you should probably try to dodge more. I am only slightly faster than you at my level,” Vari coached.
I nodded and swallowed nervously.
Vari attacked, using ‘Shift’ to close in fast.
I had to move faster, or I was a dead man, at least I was paying attention this time. I rolled to my left, under her strike and back on to my feet, attempting to counter, except she had already pivoted and shifted away from me.
“How do you even have enough stamina to use a Rank VII skill?” I asked, during the short pause before I had to ‘Shift’ away from her and flip to my left then back to the right.
“At Rank VI, the subskill start requiring less stamina instead of more. The Lieutenant said it was because you have enough mastery of the skill that it should not require as much effort,” Vari explained, not slowing or stopping her assault.
I had never had to dodge, duck, dip, dive and dodge so much in my life, not even when training with Sergeant Butter to learn the ‘Acrobatics’ skill.
“Plus, my armor pieces each give me +10-Stamina or more,” Vari added as an afterthought.
Vari’s statement made me pause, that was a mistake. I tried to dodge but she still scored a glancing blow to my shoulder, giving it and my arm a ‘Crippled’ debuff in addition to sending me careening through the air.
Half of my HP was gone from that one glancing blow. I thanked my Goddess Issara and any other God or Goddess listening for the muted pain, if this hurt this much muted, I could only imagine how much it would hurt otherwise.
Vari looked at me nervously as I laid on the ground, chanting ‘Lesser Heal’ repeatedly until both the pain and ‘Crippled’ debuff faded away. I sprung back to my feet, knowing that if I quit now, it might well shatter the young dwarf. I couldn’t help but notice how happy she was that I was neither mad at her nor that I had quit on her.
I held up a hand, “One second.” I checked my messages and it was exactly as I feared. I hadn’t gained a single level to ‘Two-handed Polearms’ which was a problem. I only had one more day to get my skill to Rank II. However, there was a silver lining, ‘Acrobatics’ and ‘Shift’ had both improved . . . a lot. I knew then, I would need to keep improving them both until I got to the point where I could fight her on a more even footing or until I raised them both high enough to be able to counter more . . . probably more the latter than the former.
“Okay, let’s go again,” I said, taking a fighting stance with my spear ready.
Chapter 13 - Rose
Rose was a bundle of nervous energy as she stepped into the mess hall, not entirely sure what to expect from her trainer for the day. But, it was another chance for her to get stronger, to become more than she was in the real world. To become strong enough to protect the people around her, something she couldn’t do when she was little. Rose shivered slightly, trying to will her fears and memories away.
Focusing again on the training she was after today, the chance to learn from Patrolman Harrison made her feel giddy. Seeing his skills in action the other day was something else, it put an idea in her head that just wouldn’t leave her be. She just had to learn to wield dual shields, even if that meant she would never get a legendary weapon of her own.
“I tells ya, boys, you should have seen the look on her face when she saw me coming,” laughed a loud and boisterous voice.
“Charged you double, did she?” a weasel voiced man asked, snickering.
“Triple,” laughed the loud man again. “Anyway, I do believe I hear my afternoon trainee coming.”
“Another one? Man, the Lieu can be a real sadist,” laughed the weasel voiced man.
“Hey, I get paid either way,” said the loud man.
Rose didn’t like the sound of these men and the way they joked. Hopefully it was just stupid jock talk and boasting and nothing worse than that.
Rose finally emerged from the hallway into a poorly lit dining room with four long tables and benches on either side. At the end of one of the tables sat four men, one of which was
“Right then, you Rose Thorns?” the loud man asked, making Rose cringe a little. It w
as Patrolman Harrison. With his helmet off, Rose saw he was actually an orc or a troll, maybe half and half, his skin grey-green and he had two large tusks jutting from his lower jaw, but they weren’t as big as what you would see on most trolls. On the other hand, his nose was slightly upturned like an orc’s would be but not nearly as pronounced.
“Yes, I am here to learn to duel wield shields like you do,” Rose stated clearly.
“Right then, let us get to it, Banks and Pratch, you two good to do the healing?” Harrison asked, suddenly all business.
“Long as we get paid,” said the weasel voiced one, his nameplate updated to read
One of the other two nodded once firmly but didn’t say anything, his nameplate now read
“You sure I cannot help too?” the fourth man asked, an elf of some kind. “I need the practice.” The man was dressed in leather armor but had a massive backpack on him as well as several large pouches on his belt. He also had a single pistol holstered to his leg.
“Are you working for free, Haggerty?” Pratch asked, twirling his overly large mustache again.
Haggerty clicked his tongue, “No, could you not just charge her more?”
“Lieutenant is footing the bill,” said Harrison. “You want to ask him to pay for a third healer, go right ahead.”
Haggerty cussed under his breath, clearly not happy with the reply. “Right, you boys have fun then. I am sure there are some brothel girls that would be happy to trade services.”
“Haggerty, you do know that if they need your services, it is because they caught something, right?” asked Harrison, giving the elf a telling look.
“Yeah, so? If I can heal them, I can certainly heal myself,” Haggerty replied.
“There is something wrong with you,” said Pratch, shaking his head.
“Well, times a wasting, fellas, let us get to work,” said Harrison. “So, Miss Thorns,” he started to speak, meeting Rose eye to eye. “You ready to get to work?”
“Yes, are you?” Rose asked, not caring for the previous attitude or the company.
Harrison chuckled. “Alright, we got a smart one, boys. Miss Thorns, I am sure you have your reasons for being . . . you, but I do not care. I am here to train you to use shields, whether you learn or not is up to you. I get paid either way. That said, I am also not here to be your friend. I do not care if you like me. In fact, I expect you will come to hate me very much and I still do not care. If you come to like me by the time we are done, I will seriously be worried about your sanity. Now that the pleasantries are out of the way, what do you say we get to work?”
Rose nodded, accepting the orc was a pig of a man but would do his job and train her.
“Where we going for this?” Pratch asked, picking up the staff he had leaning against the table and walking to join Harrison and Rose.
“I think ring 6 should be big enough. Do me a favor, run ahead and kick out anyone in there. Tell them if they do not clear off, I will have to make an entrance,” said Harrison.
Pratch snickered. “With incentive like that, I am sure they will clear off in short order. Alright, see you over there.”
“Come on then,” said Harrison walking out behind Pratch, who’d already run ahead.
Rose followed, surprised when Banks stepped next to her and gave her a friendly wave.
“Do you speak?” Rose asked.
“Banks got his tongue cut out a long time ago, back when he was a slave. His master did it to all of his slaves, made them silent and obedient. He also castrated the males when they were old enough. The Lieutenant rescued him when he killed the owner during a raid,” volunteered Harrison. “Why? You want the eunuch to give you a little time and attention?” he asked, laughing at his own terrible joke.
“Not even a little,” said Rose quickly, feeling disgusted by the suggestion. Realizing what she said, she looked to Banks, “No offense intended.”
Banks shrugged and smiled.
Rose hoped that meant he was okay with it.
“Do not worry about Banks, he is a paladin of Isis, the goddess of magic, marriage, healing and protection. He is not one to inflict harm or take offence unless you attack one of those beliefs,” explained Harrison.
“Good to know,” said Rose. “So, what is your story?”
Harrison’s laugh ceased. “My story is the stay out of my business story,” he snapped harshly.
Rose glanced at Banks, the mute was shaking his head, a small frown on his face.
The rest of the walk was completed in silence. Harrison led the trio to a field and past a group of patrolmen giving Harrison a dirty look as they passed.
“They give you trouble?” Harrison asked as they arrived.
“Nothing unusual, just the promise to complain to the Lieu,” answered Pratch, sitting on a small stadium bench next to the training ring. He was quickly joined by Banks sitting down next to him.
“How do we start?” Rose asked, feeling excited now that they were finally at the ring.
“First things first,” started Harrison. “What level is your ‘Shields’ skill at?”
“Level 64,” Rose answered, checking her skill list just to make sure.
Shields
Level: 64
Experience: 87.41%
Current Defense Modifiers
Block Chance: +3.20%
Critical Block Chance: +1.60%
Subskill: Shield Slam
Damage: 33-35 Effect: Interrupt Chance to Stun on Critical Strike: 10.30%
Skill Stamina Cost: 84
Subskill: Shield-Counter
Block Chance: +32.00% Cooldown: 30 seconds
Skill Stamina Cost: 99
It was Harrison’s turn to cringe. “Okay, that is really pathetic. But, for level 6, I suppose that is about right. Okay, to start we need to get your ‘Shields’ skill up to Rank II.”
Class Quest Alert: Shield Maiden in Training 1
Become a knight of renown in the eyes of the Goddess Lilith and gain at least some mastery over your shield.
Reward: Experience, Skill ‘Shields II’, Sigil of the Goddess Lilith
Do you accept this Quest?
Yes
No
“Great, how do we do that?” Rose asked, accepting the quest with question, eager to begin.
“Survive,” the patrolman stated plainly, before blurring and purposely slamming his shoulder into Rose’s shield, driving her back and knocking down almost half of her health with that one hit.
“No more than one of those or you might accidentally kill her,” warned Pratch.
“I know,” snapped Harrison irritably. “Let me try just punching her shield and see what happens.”
Rose though was still shaking out the arm holding her shield, it was completely numb from the impact.
“Better block, Miss Thorns,” shouted Pratch. It was the only warning Rose got before Harrison’s gauntleted fist impacted against her shield, knocking her to the ground and dropping her health another 22%.
“Yeah, that might be the better way to go for a while,” said Pratch. “Four punches, then we can heal her up and you can do it again.”
“Can I ask why?” Rose panted, struggling to climb to her feet.
“The best way to improve ‘Shields’ is to block powerful attacks. Right now, this is the best I can do for you until you get stronger and learn ‘Resist’, a skill you should have already picked up as a defensive knight, even if you are just Squire ranked,” explained Harrison, slamming his fist into Rose’s shield a moment later.
Rose groaned painfully from her spot o
n the ground, her arm was broken if the ‘Crippled’ debuff was anything to go by. She was quite thankful for the muted pain.
“Heal her up already, at this rate we will be at this all night,” complained Harrison, looking at the two loafing healers.
“Yeah, yeah,” said Pratch, placatingly.
Rose was back on her feet a few second later. It took just two heals, one from each of them to get her back on her feet.
“Incoming,” shouted Harrison, blurring out of view before his armored shoulder impacted against Rose’s shield with a resounding gong that sent the young half-vampire sprawling across the training ring.
Rose couldn’t tell how long the process repeated itself, all she knew is that she kept getting knocked down harshly. But she also kept getting up.
“Okay, where is your level at now?” Harrison asked, finally pausing his ongoing assault against her.
Rose groaned tiredly, even as the spells from the two healers rejuvenated her.
Shields II
Level: 11
Experience: 87.41%
Current Defense Modifiers
Block Chance: +5.55% Damage Absorbed: 111-HP + Equipped Shield Armor
Critical Block Chance: +2.775%
Subskill: Shield Slam
Damage: 57-58 Effect: Interrupt Chance to Stun on Critical Strike: 10.50%
Skill Stamina Cost: 142
Subskill: Shield-Counter
Block Chance: +35.00% Cooldown: 30 seconds
Skill Stamina Cost: 100
“Rank II, level 11,” Rose answered, between ragged breaths. Confronted with the happy quest completion notice and her first ‘Sigil of the Goddess Lilith’. Apparently, the Goddess Lilith approved of Rose’s pursuit to learn to wield dual shields.
Class Quest Alert: Shield Maiden in Training 1 – Completed!
Become a knight of renown in the eyes of the Goddess Lilith and gain at least some mastery over your shield.
Reward: +5,000-Experience, Skill ‘Shields II’, Sigil of the Goddess Lilith
World Tree Online: The Duchess of Hammers: 2nd Dive Begins Page 20