I took my shower and returned to my room. I know I had to read and finish one of those books tonight, but I also knew I wasn’t going to be able to concentrate on it. Instead, I pulled out my journal and writing tools and began to write. Filling in the details and drawing the pictures. Letting what I had found to be cathartic, take shape.
When it was done I felt better, just as I had before. I took a few minutes afterward to draw a map of the caves we’d explored gaining another level to my cartography skill. I don’t think it’s normal for crafting skills to level as easily as mine have, but then again, they weren’t the most complex skills. I suppose I shouldn’t complain it isn’t harder as that would be foolish.
Finally, I took out the book ‘Surviving the Greater Outdoors’, sitting to read. It was actually a pleasant read. It was a firsthand account of a man camping and surviving for a year, away from people. It went through his trials, creating a new tent from tree branches and leaves, cooking food over a campfire and some of the seasonings he collected in nature. Before I knew it, it was nearly midnight and the book finished. I also got an interesting skill and several subskills.
Campsite Management
Level: 1
Experience: 0.00%
Subskill: Tent Construction
Skill Effect (Passive): Enables you to construct a rudimentary tent.
Subskill: Campfire Construction
Skill Effect (Passive): Enables you to start a safe campfire.
Subskill: Campfire Cooking
Skill Effect (Passive): Enables you to cook food over a campfire and add 1 seasoning.
Subskill: Campsite Perimeter
Skill Effect (Passive): Enables you to establish a campsite perimeter with a rudimentary warning system.
Chapter 24
“Morning Sergeant Butters,” I greeted the man as I arrived at the training ring.
“Bye-bye, last to arrive today. Not getting lazy on me, are you?” he asked.
“Not at all, I was up late reading, so I slept in this morning,” I explained myself. No rooster today thankfully, and hopefully, it wouldn’t be the last time.
“So, what do you want to work on today?” the sergeant asked.
“I need a skill or two for ‘Two-Handed Polearms’,” I answered.
“Come with me,” he ordered.
I was quick to follow him, first to his weapons rack where he grabbed his spear, then to a set of practice dummies.
“Okay, the ‘Power Thrust’ is a power attack. You are going to thrust your spear forward with as much power as you can muster. Your goal is to knock over the dummy,” he explained.
I watched then as he took just a step forward thrust the spear hard into the center of the dummy causing it to bend back hitting the ground then spring back up. The sergeant dodged the spring back moving away quickly.
“That’s step one. This is step two,” Sergeant Butters instructed. He attacked again, thrusting hard into the chest of dummy knocking it over, he then flipped over the downed dummy before it could spring back up. He attacked again, this time rolled away from the springy dummy as it came back. There was no order or pattern, just attack then use ‘Acrobatics’ to dodge the counterattack.
“That is the first thing I have got for you today,” the sergeant said, then motioned for me to follow him. He led me to a series of hanging sandbags suspended from a metal bar.
“Next is ‘Impale’, it is pretty simple, stab and twist to inflict a bleeding wound.” Sergeant Butters explained before stabbing one of the bags, the spear moved very fast to penetrate the bag, easily cutting into it. He then twisted the spear and jerked it back, sand came pouring out of the wound in the bag.
“I will leave you to it,” said Sergeant Butters. “I should go check on the others.”
“Thank you,” I said. Since I was already here, I started with the ‘Impale’. It wasn’t as easy as it looked and as sharp as my spear was, I just wasn’t piercing the sandbag. I would hit the bag causing it to swing backward. If the sergeant was teaching me this, I was strong enough to do it or he wouldn’t bother, same for speed. That meant it was in my technique.
I took a moment to reflect on his attack, it was fast, really fast. I had been trying to attack normally, which was fast, but not as fast as what the sergeant just showed me.
I tried attacking again, this time focusing on speed. A small hole in the sandbag was my reward. The bag swung back but it had a tiny hole in it now. It meant I was on the right path.
I stuck again, a slightly larger hole. I struck a third time, focusing on my initial movement, where speed began. Success, my spear penetrated into the bag, I twisted the spear and yanked it back causing sand to pour from the wound. The hole wasn’t as big as the one the sergeant made, but it was a good start.
Ten tries later I saw an Exclamation point appear in my peripheral so I checked the system message.
You’ve learned ‘Two-Handed Polearm’ subskill ‘Impale’.
Two-Handed Polearms
Level: 33
Experience: 6.38%
Current Damage Modifiers
Damage: +16.50
Critical Strike Chance: +1.65%
Subskill: Hamstring
Reduce Enemy Movement and Attack Speed: 50% Duration: 15 Seconds Enemy Receives Increased Damage: +8.25%
Skill Stamina Cost: 48
Subskill: Impale
Damage: 10-15 Bleed Effect: 2 Damage per Second Duration: 10 Seconds
Skill Stamina Cost: 51
Nice! I pulled out my canteen and took a few drinks to top off my stamina, as I walked back to the first dummy the sergeant showed me.
The dummy seemed to be set atop a large metal spring which explained why it would bounce back. The next question was how much strength I would need to knock it over. I gave it a tentative poke but didn’t budge. I pushed a little harder, still getting nowhere. I struck it with a normal attack and it finally moved about an inch backward.
Power seemed to be the operative word for this skill. I struck again, this time trying to put more muscle behind it, causing it to rock back a good six inches. I needed more power. Not quite a running start but I needed to put more of my body into the strike. I took a step away from the dummy, gripped my spear with both hands, my right hand across my body and gripping the spear from below and closest to the spear tip while my left hand, my dominant hand, was cocked back gripping from the top closer to the butt of the shaft. I tried to visualize how the sergeant had done it, trying to mentally mirror his body. His knees were slightly bent, his right leg was back, ready to explode forward. I stepped my left leg back. When he attacked, his right leg stepped forward, not exactly lunging but it started the movement. The rest of his body followed that step, twisting slightly at the hips as his arms stabbed the spear forward.
I stepped forward with my left leg and the rest of me followed. My spear struck with such force I thought I was going to drop it for a second. There was second popping sound as the dummy hit the dirt. I was so preoccupied with my success I forgot about the counterstrike right up until the dummy was an inch away from headbutting me. My eyes closed on reflex in anticipation of the strike.
I opened my eyes sometime later, staring at the sky above me and my forehead throbbing in pain. Rotten dummy, rotten dazed debuff.
Eventually, I clambered back to my feet to face the dummy again. I tried the attack again, this time I remembered to get away before the counterstrike got to me. I did this a few more times before I attempted adding in the ‘Acrobatics’ aspect.
I flipped over it successfully my first try. The thing about the springs though is they bend back, even though it wasn’t as far on the second recoil, it was enough to ring my bell again. Rotten dummy, rotten daze debuff . . . wait, I just thought that didn’t I? Rotten dummy, rotten daze debuff.
When my head cleared I tried again. Strike, flip over, strike, dive to the left, strike, roll to the left. It took a while to get used to it, especially when my strike wasn’t always pow
erful enough to knock the thing over, Usually, it was because I didn’t step into the attack properly. Once I got into the habit, it became considerably easier.
Eventually, the game was satisfied I had learned the skill and rewarded me with a waiting system message, advising me of a few more skill levels and the new subskill.
Two-Handed Polearms
Level: 35
Experience: 57.32%
Current Damage Modifiers
Damage: +17.50
Critical Strike Chance: +1.75%
Subskill: Hamstring
Reduce Enemy Movement and Attack Speed: 50% Enemy Receives Increased Damage: +8.75% Duration: 15 Seconds
Skill Stamina Cost: 50
Subskill: Impale
Damage: 10-15 Bleed Effect: 2 Damage per Second Duration: 10 Seconds
Skill Stamina Cost: 55
Subskill: Power Thrust
Damage: +35.00 Chance to Stun: 10%
Skill Stamina Cost: 85
That was an expensive skill but so much extra damage. I checked the game clock, I had barely been here an hour and already I learned two skills, or rather subskills. I don’t know if that surprised me more or the fact, Sergeant Butters didn’t show up as soon as I finished learning them.
I looked around and found him working with Rose on something without any weapons or even a stance of any kind I could see. Were they just talking?
“If you do not believe what you are saying, no one else will either,” instructed the sergeant.
“I do believe them,” Rose protested.
“But you have yet to make me believe them,” Sergeant Butters replied. “Take a break, clear your head. You can do this. I know you can.”
“Fine,” Rose said hotly, turning and stalking off.
“Everything okay?” I asked.
“Just fine,” replied the sergeant smiling. “Miss Rose asked to learn more of the ‘Command’ warrior spells.”
“What’s that?” I asked.
“All classes, including warriors, have their own unique magic spells and abilities. They fall under a magical subclass called ‘Command’,” the sergeant explained.
“Can I learn?” I asked. I am a Warrior Priest. Doesn’t the warrior part make me eligible?
“You can try but I doubt it. Your ability as a warrior is more akin to that of a paladin. Still, if you want to try, I am sure Rose would appreciate the company,” suggested the sergeant.
“Clearly, you don’t know her very well,” I joked. Truthfully, I had yet to figure her out. The skills I had applied in the game to make friends with the NPC’s and even Olaf and Micaela to an extent didn’t seem to work on her. Plus, we seemed to regularly rub each other the wrong way, somehow getting under each other’s skin without much effort. “As long as she’s okay with it, I don’t mind trying.”
“Well, have a seat. I will go check on the others and come back. Let Rose know for me,” requested the sergeant, moving off to check on the others.
I ended up laying down in the grass and looking up at the clouds. The environmental settings were pleasant in this province. It seemed every day was sunny and warm. I had yet to encounter rain or heavy winds. That might have been because it was a starter province or maybe it was just the time of year for this kind of weather.
“What are you doing here?” asked Rose, sounding clearly frustrated.
“I asked Sergeant Butters if I could try to learn ‘Command’ too,” I replied without getting up.
“And why do you want to learn ‘Command’ spells?” Rose questioned.
“Well, I figure, even just learning taunt might make things easier for our group,” I answered, seeing and hearing the tension in Rose.
Rose clicked her tongue in annoyance but didn’t argue against it.
“It’s hard,” she said after a minute of silence.
“Why’s that?” I asked.
“You channel mana to your throat, then speak. Your intent behind the words make them work,” she explained. “But if your intent isn’t clear then you get nothing.”
“So, how did you learn to ‘taunt’?” I asked. She said she taught herself, I was curious how.
“I just had to,” she answered as if it would explain everything.
“Why?” I asked, prodding her to explain more about it.
Rose growled.
“You don’t have to get angry with me. I’m just curious. If you don’t want to tell me, then don’t,” I stated.
“My sister was about to be chomped by one of those condors. Even though she is levels above me, she is physically weak. Weak enough one of those birds could easily make a snack out of her, despite her level. She would have died, so I tried to use it, tried what I read in the forums and it worked,” Rose explained.
“That’s cool,” I said honestly.
“Anyway, now I’m struggling to learn another ‘Command’ skill,” she admitted.
“Which one are you trying to learn?” I asked.
“It’s called ‘Courage’, it can remove mental effects from my group, effects like ‘Fear’ or ‘Daze’,” she explained.
“I wonder if someone can put a ‘Fear’ or ‘Daze’ on Baby for you,” I suggested.
“Don’t you dare,” threatened Rose.
“I was just an idea. You learned it before because you wanted to protect your sister, right?”
“I’m not putting her in danger just so I can learn a new ‘Command’ spell,” replied Rose.
“Okay,” I replied. “Maybe you need a reason to use it, not just the intent of what you want to do.”
“That is a good idea,” interrupted Sergeant Butters, returning from his rounds.
“Whatever, let’s just try it,” said Rose reluctantly.
“Focus your mana to your throat,” coached the sergeant. “Now, think about what you want to do. Think about who you want to give ‘Courage’ to. Now, speak.”
“Courage,” she said plainly, but I felt a wave of something wash over me, somehow making me feel braver as if nothing could hurt me.
“Perfect, well done,” said the sergeant.
“I . . . I learned it,” whispered Rose stunned. Then a little louder, “I actually learned it. I’ve been struggling with that spell for two hours and I finally learned it. Yes!”
Then she stunned me. She gave me a hug. When she realized what she did, she punched me. “Don’t touch me ever again,” she warned me before stalking off.
“What was that?” I complained, rubbing my now sore jaw.
“Women, son, women,” answered the sergeant. “Anyway, you want to try?”
“Sure,” I replied. I knew what I wanted and had an idea how to do it. I channeled mana to my throat then I pictured Sergeant Butters attacking me and no one else.
“Taunt,” I said.
Hindsight being what it was, I should have known better than to ‘Taunt’ a level 38 Knight.
“Well that was stupid,” I said as soon as I was revived.
“Yes, it was stupid, what were you thinking,” demanded the sergeant.
“That you would resist,” I snarked back.
“Moron. Did you at least learn the spell?” the sergeant asked. “It does not always take even if you are successful.”
I checked my system messages.
You’ve learned the Law and Order spell ‘Order: Taunt’
Order: Taunt
Level: N/A
Experience: N/A
Spell Duration: 30 seconds
Spell Cast Speed: Instant
Spell Mana Cost: 10
Spell Effect (Active): For the next thirty seconds the target of your taunt will attack only you.
“Yes, I learned it . . . sort of,” I replied.
“What do you mean ‘sort of’?” asked the sergeant.
“It is called a ‘L
aw and Order’ spell, specifically ‘Order: Taunt’,” I explained.
“Interesting, very interesting. We will have to experiment and see if you can learn any other ‘Command’ spells that fall within your spell subclass,” he added.
“Who resurrected me?” I asked, as an afterthought.
“Guard Pickler, he is a Squire Paladin of the Goddess Freya,” he answered. “You are lucky he had just arrived for training.”
That was interesting. I didn’t realize the guards were anything but warriors. I guess it made sense. You needed archers and healers or medics as much as you needed warriors.
“Anyway, Olaf will probably stay on the firing range all day. I gave him a few different skills to work on, one more for ‘One-Handed Artillery’ and one for ‘Duel-wielding Artillery’ skills. Micaela said something about going out for another spirit or two. Baby has been training with Trini all morning. Rose disappeared, not sure where she went. Also, my men are here for their daily training, so you had best get moving to see Trini or she will tan both of our hides,” warned Sergeant Butters.
“Sure thing, Sergeant Butters, I’ll see you tomorrow for more of . . . whatever,” I said.
“Think about what else you want to learn from me. I have taught you all can for ‘One-Handed Polearms’, ‘Two-Handed Polearms’, and ‘Phalanx Shield’. Anything else, you will need a higher-level trainer than me.”
Wait, what was that? Did he just cut me off? Did the game put a limiter on the skills to two per weapon from the starting province trainer? What about Trinico then? Could she only teach two spells? If that was the case, then the only thing left in this town for me to learn was the skill books. I’d definitely be asking Trini.
“Do not lose faith though, I can still teach you warrior skills, if you are able to,” he must have seen the frown I now felt on my face. “Anyway, get a move on,” he ushered me off, then turned to his assembled guards and started barking orders.
I could only shake my head, feeling a little sympathy for them. They had lost three of their number last night, from the events with Graves. I am sure the sergeant would be putting them through their paces today.
The Curse of Hurlig Ridge_World Tree Online_1st Dive Page 41