by J. J. Thorn
When finished, the Sergeant asked us to expend all of our energy. For some, they displayed no visual signs at all before they eventually grimaced with a headache. One student even passed out.
He was quickly taken away by Professor Valk, who returned a few minutes later.
Upon her return, the Sergeant once again made an emphasis on safety before he asked us to proceed.
Some students displayed some interesting abilities of their own. One student was able to interact with the wind in the room, while Jen's manifestation of her sword had gained her some attention as well.
For my part, I simply augmented my eyesight before checking the weight of several students in the audience.
145 pounds!...173 pounds!... 103 pounds!... 108 pounds!...
After I had expended my energy, I waited for the other students to finish as well.
The Sergeant asked if we were all finished before starting the demonstration again.
"Ok, good work cadets. You've all done well. I'm now going to demonstrate my Skill. Those in the audience won't be able to see much, so I'll be relying on you to explain what happens.
Vigor."
The Sergeant exclaimed the final word as internal energy visually left his body. It was brief, but for a moment we had been able to see a slight sheen of internal energy across his body. Within a moment it was gone.
But at the same time, I immediately felt better! Some of my tiredness was gone, while I also now felt more alert.
I looked around and people that had previously been breathing heavily were now breathing normally again. Any sweat we previously had was still there, but the last 15 minutes felt like they had never happened.
"Gosh, some of you must really have a lot of internal energy, because that was extremely tiring.
Now, you at the front there." He pointed at a young boy at the front of the platform.
"Can you describe what you think happened?"
"I don't know. I was tired after running, but now I'm feeling fine."
"Ok, thank you. Anyone else."
Jen raised her hand and started to speak.
"Our internal energy has also been completely topped up."
What?!
Current Progress.
Affinity : Weight
Rank 1 – View Weight – 93%
Energy : 10/16
Ok, so not all of my energy has returned but still! For him to be able to return 10 of my 16 energy was amazing. So far, I hadn't heard about anything that could affect others in this way.
I dismissed my screen as he started to speak.
"Yes, I see some of you are looking now, but that is the second part of the Skill, thank you. I will ask each of you to sit down on the platform for the rest of class, I don't want to disrupt any of your fellow classmates.
So, about my Skill. It is named Vigor. I received it about 3 years ago while working with a group of cadets, just like you. In the capacity of our role, we are tasked with guarding at all hours of the night and sometimes fighting monsters above most of our abilities.
My ability was manifested to even the scale a little bit. It gets rid of both physical and mental tiredness, to a small degree. And even more astounding is that it allows others to regain energy that they had lost.
There are drawbacks.
First, you exercised for 15 minutes. If you had gone much longer or had exerted yourself more, it would have been less effective. As I increase my abilities, it improves, but it does not fix everything.
For example, it does not heal your body. I am not a healer. Instead, I get rid of some tiredness, both mental and physical. This allows my guards to continue working a little bit longer. Sometimes this can be all the difference we need.
Furthermore, I'll correct the young cadet who said it would regain all of their energy. It is likely that your energy levels are fairly low, which is to be expected at your Rank, but for those who have more energy, they would not be at their maximum. The Skill converts some of my energy and places it within you. I do not know the exact conversion, so please do not ask.
It is not a lot, but when you are fighting for your life, everything counts.
That ends the demonstration, I will now answer questions. For being brave, all questions will come from those of you who volunteered.
Now, do you have any questions?"
Most of the class groaned as the Sergeant said his final words. I was happy to have been part of the demonstration and to be able to ask questions.
I raised my hand quickly and was able to get my question answered first.
"Sir, how does your Skill work on non-affinity users?"
"Good question. Non-affinity users may not have an affinity, nor do they have any Skills, but we believe they do have a modest amount of internal energy. As a result, they are not able to benefit from increased energy, but they do become less tired.
Also, I find that the Skill is less taxing when I have fewer affinity users to use it on. Today, for example, has completely expended all of my energy and I am now in Burnout. I would not be able to use it again at this time."
Others raised their hands to ask questions.
"How does the Skill know who to apply the effect to? Could you accidentally apply it to a monster you're fighting or an enemy?"
"Another good question. You will forgive me for being ambiguous, but I do not fully know the answer. I have used the Skill in combat before, and it does not seem to affect any monster we are currently fighting. I have even found that I can exclude people from its effect.
There are also distance limitations on the Skill.
For simplicity's sake, I think of it in this way. I must have a full visual of those I want to use it on and I must think of those people as a group for it to work. The rest is magical in nature, something for scholars to discuss."
He continued to answer questions from the students on the platform, and in the end, did answer two questions from those in the audience.
Most of the questions were as follows:
"If you use the Skill on fewer people do they receive more energy?"
"Yes, to a point. I have expended all of my energy on a smaller group of dungeoneers as a test, but they did not receive a significant amount more energy. At my current progression, there seems to be a limit. I do not know why this happens, nor do I plan on testing it too greatly. I have better things to do with my time."
"Do you see a lot of monsters around the city and how often are the walls themselves attacked?"
"Monster attacks do not happen all that often close to the city. They do happen, but we send out constant patrols to preempt any attacks. On those patrols, if we find a monster of E-Rank or higher, we keep watch of the beast as we alert the Guild."
"Is your job safer than Dungeon diving?"
"Safety is relative, but I believe so. We have protocols in place to make sure those going out into the wild can come back safely. I'm always trying for more, but we do our best."
"Do you have to have a SWORD or SHIELD affinity to become a guard?"
"No. They are the most common, but we also have other affinity users join us. I will say, it is less frequent, but these people are often more useful than the SWORD and SHIELD affinity users. If I could get more healers, I could save a lot more lives.
We also have a recruit who uses her abilities to draw monsters away, without putting anyone in harm's way. Give me more of her and I'll be happy."
"Do you know of many Skills like yours?"
"Yes, I am not unique. Similar Skills are common in military leaders. Something that allows one side of an army to empower its troops is invaluable in an extended battle or when marching from one location to the next. I will say that it doesn't usually appear within the Guard, but it isn't uncommon. I also hear that it generally appears at Rank 4, so I was fortunate to get it at Rank 3."
The Sergeant answered questions for an hour before finally saying we were finished. Professor thanked the class and we all clapped for the Sergeant.
Zane and I joined Jen and Trish as we all waited for Britta and Cassie to join us on the platform. As we waited, we talked about our different experiences with 'Vigor'.
The Skill really was amazing. Despite its limitations, allowing a group of people to continue going when they were previously tired was huge.
The healing we received over the weekend was good, but even that didn't help with tiredness. It got rid of some soreness, but never any internal energy either.
By his demeanour, he seemed unlikely to try and improve it past Rank 3, but it would be great to have someone like him on my Dungeoneering team.
"Zane, do you think you could get something like Vigor?"
"It's not impossible, but honestly, I doubt it. Identify Skills don't usually manifest like that. I'm more likely to get a debuff Skill than I am to get a Skill like his. Both are unlikely though."
"Darn," There goes that idea.
"But who knows, maybe we talk to Cassie. Get her to start rethinking her future abilities. Some Healers can regenerate energy instead of direct healing, but it's extremely rare."
"Ya, doubt you'll have me doing that," Cassie jumped in as she joined us on the platform with Britta "I'm going the more traditional healer route. I'd rather keep you alive. I don't need to get rid of my energy just to give you a little bit more. And besides, I'm already healing you. Do you need me to do everything?" She scoffed jokingly at the group.
"Ok Cassie, we get it," Jen responded.
"Let's go get something to eat," I said, trying to change the topic.
"Actually, do you mind if I talk to you and Zane super quick?" Britta came up and addressed me directly.
"We'll catch up with the girls soon, this shouldn't take long."
"Ok, we'll see you at the dining hall. Let's go, Cassie and Trish." Cassie and Trish smiled as they started to understand what was happening. The three girls left the auditorium as Britta waited for them to leave.
"What's up, Britta?" I asked.
"Oh, Ren. You haven't figured it out yet. I love you buddy, but think about it."
I considered his words and the situation itself. I hadn't thought about it since yesterday, and my mind was on the talk we just had, so I hadn't considered it but...
"Oh," I said out loud.
"Ya, I wanted to let you guys know directly. I thought about it a lot and..."
"It's ok Britta if you can't bring us we understand. There are only a few spots and we'll hear about it after." I cut her off as she started to let us down gently.
"Ren, let her finish man."
"Ya, I think you've got it wrong Ren. I want you both to come with Jen, Cassie, and me on the hunting trip.
Do you want to come?"
Chapter 26
Interlude – Ring of Mountains
"Group Leaders, gather your teams closer to this side of the road. If you are here, I expect that you have received approval from the Guild to participate in the expedition. If you were rejected, leave now. We have a list with everyone's name, and one of my teammates is capable of seeing your name. If I find you have disobeyed my order, we will push you away forcibly.
It is early and I have been traveling for a week. Do not worsen my mood.
Everyone who has approval to take part in the expedition, please come closer and speak with Donald. He is the Guild liaison for the expedition. He was originally on the scouting team that ranked the Dungeon, so he will participate in this morning's debrief as well."
"Thank you, Expedition Leader Omar, all leaders come to me. Make sure your entire team is here as well."
Tom and his team had all made it on time to the morning debrief. Lin had been grumpy waking up so early, but Griff made sure they all made it without issue.
Standing outside the gates of Dire, the guards were astounded at the number of Dungeoneers all gathered in front of them. They knew the Dungeon would bring Dungeon Divers, but they hadn't expected to see so many of them all gathered at once.
Tom and team were one of at least 10 different groups, and they were far from the strongest there. Disregarding the Expedition leader, Omar, who was B-Rank, they noticed several other notable names within the crowd. Several veterans had made their way north to take part in the expedition.
Tom started towards Donald to register the team. Donald was well known among Dungeoneers as a man who would do anything to make himself look better. He often participated in the scouting missions, but rarely fought any monsters himself. His IDENTIFY affinity was well known for its ability to discern the strength of both men and monsters. Where other scouts would focus on stealth and invisibility, Donald's Skills would make it possible for other Dungeoneers to explore more safely.
This would usually be a commendable role if Donald hadn't been such an objectionable person. His usefulness outweighed his attitude and as a result, he still took part in most notable expeditions.
Tom waited in line as other Leaders started to speak with Donald. Tom could already see them rolling their eyes as Donald went into a speech about his prowess at scouting Dungeons again.
"This line is going to take forever with Donald taking our names. The man is bound to tell us how he was too busy to fight the monsters himself and is pleased to place the ability in our hands." A burly woman in furs stood before Tom in the line. She had auburn hair but was otherwise covered head to toe. Tom knew her immediately as Margo, another leader that he had known for years.
Margo's team consisted mostly of ranged magic users. She herself was a high-ranking FIRE affinity user.
"Yes, he is full of himself, but we can't forget that he's the reason we're able to enter dungeons with an idea of what we might be facing."
"You're too much of a good man Tom. You see the best in people, even when they only show you the worst. Is your team ready for the Dungeon, I heard you all took a break after your last Dungeon Dive." Margo asked, continuing to bristle at the thought of having to deal with Donald.
"We are ready. We did well at our last dive and the team deserved a break, nothing more. How are you and yours?"
"We're in top form. We were exploring a dungeon to the west when we heard about this one. That one was mostly picked clean, so we thought to try our hand here."
Margo and her team were D-Rank Dungeoneers, with Margo herself at the C-Rank with a personal Rank of 4.
She and her team were one of the strongest there.
"I'm glad to hear it. I look forward to a good dive with you and your team. If we should see you in trouble, we'll help out and I hope you would do the same."
"For most, I would object, but for you Tom, absolutely. Continue to treat me fairly and I will do the same." With that Margo and Tom shook hands and continued to have some small talk as they waited for their turn in line. After Margo went, Tom was next.
He walked up to Donald.
"Tom Stine, glad you could make it." Donald sneered. Donald was not in good shape and had a pointed nose, similar to that of a bird. His black hair was dotted across his face, as he attempted to grow a beard but couldn't.
"Donald. What do you need from me." Tom knew it was best to be direct with Donald to avoid any unnecessary words.
"Yes, straight to business with you always Tom. I have assigned the Dungeon a Rank of D" Donald was only one part of the process. "And I found out that most of the most likely monster inside is the Talon, with most of them at E or D Rank themselves. As a result, please tell me the names of you and your teammates, pointing them out to me. I will also need you to confirm the highest personal Rank among you."
"My name is Tom Stine. My team consists of Griff Termon, Holly Duffen, Lin Zha, and Rana Ranger." Tom said as he pointed towards his team. "Our highest Rank among us is 4, which you already know if you've used your Skill."
"I see you're still bringing around the two young ladies, Lin and Rana. Rana is part of the Ranger family, very prestigious. Do you think you might be able to introduce me further later
on." Donald started to inquire as he stared at the two girls.
Lin and Rana saw his look and retracted their gaze.
"Donald. Do not bother me with your nonsense. Do you require anything else?"
"Fine, Tom, you are free to go. Before you go, I am surprised to see you received Rank 4. You should report to the Guild after this to receive a new Dungeoneer Ranking. I bet you'll be capable of performing well in the test."
"Yes, I will consider it after we finish. It was an unexpected boon and my main Guild is back in Huag."
Tom responded then walked away from Donald.
There were 12 groups in total, with groups consisting of 4, 5, or 6 members each.
After finishing, Donald and Omar once again got everyone's attention and started addressing the crowd again. Omar started first.
"Ok, we seem to have everyone who has been approved for the expedition. Thank you all for coming. In 30 minutes we will begin our hike towards the Dungeon. The hike should take 8 hours, so ensure you and your team are ready. You cannot see it from here, but the Dungeon is located on the side of a mountain to the north-east of our current location. My team and I will be at the front, with the rest of you following behind.
Some guards patrolled the area late last night and there did not appear to be anything too troubling nearby. With that said, if monsters appear, we will deal with them quickly. Should someone become injured, the team will be responsible to bring them back to Dire. We are entering the Dungeon today.
Donald will brief you on some of what he saw in the Dungeon, but I wanted to make a few additional points as well.
Most of you have participated in Dungeon Dives before, so it should be obvious, but I will make sure it is repeated. If you find the Dungeon Boss, do not engage. One of my team will be stationed near the entrance at all times. If you should locate the Boss, notify them and they will notify me. If this happens, we will determine if we can handle the Boss together.