Of war, of victory, of those who prevail over hardship. It comes as no surprise, that given the Empire's history, many of the stories they hold dear, focus upon the lives of past Heroes. Legends, such as The Wrath of the Stone Sword, or The Bow of the Black Knight... any child past their ninth summer can likely recite those word for word.

The tale of the first [Engineer] is one of those, as well. Though, less popular among the masses when compared to those already mentioned, I still find it to be a personal favorite.

In a time when the wars were raging across the land, before the borders had solidified, and battles raged just a stone's throw from the capital: the [Engineer] was summoned. Unlike the others who came with him, though, he was initially considered weak. Yet, by using his ingenuity, he went on to build machines of great power. Through careful instruction, he guided thousands of [Worker] Class citizens to erect crucial defenses during a siege that almost brought the Empire to its knees, driving back the enemy without ever touching a sword.

Perhaps, what I love so much about this story is how it compares to the rest. Instead of glorious bloodshed, the [Engineer] doesn't achieve their greatness through violence at all. In fact, there's no direct fight against an enemy [King] or [Warlord] as the [Engineer] never once sets foot on the field of battle. Instead, it is a story of people working together to save themselves. One, which holds knowledge above power.

There's a lesson in that, I feel. For the people not to waiting for someone else to come and save them. For the power they too, hold, should they only push themselves to use it. Perhaps, that is why, no matter where I've heard the tale during my many travels across the Empire, the end of the story is always left out. That very important part, after the battle ended with the Empire's victory, the city was saved: and the [King] commanded our great Empire's beloved [Engineer] to be executed.

........

I didn't like the situation.

Having gone from being what amounted to a slave for the Empire, to a brief and chaotic period of relative freedom, and then back- to what would likely amount to a slave, again. Only this time, for the Baron, and with slightly better pay and benefits.

I didn't like it.

But, pride has no place when it comes to survival. And as far as life lessons went, I had learned that rather quickly during my stint with the Golden Wing.

It was better to live another day, than die pointlessly and avoidably because you couldn't keep a lid on it.

Not to romanticize what the mercenary company was, of course. Or even attempt to redeem the atrocities they casually accepted as a daily practice. But, for all I hated that place, it had taught me what I needed to know if I was going to survive. A person like me, with no useful talents on the battlefield, could find their surest method of living another day, simply by keeping their mouth shut.

It meant doing what I was told, when I was told.

It meant not inviting any additional punishment unless I found it was absolutely necessary.

If they told me to train, I complied. If they told me to work back-breaking labor, I complied. If they told me to shut the hell up... well, you get the idea. Fairness never entered into the equation, because it wasn't fair, or right, or just. There was no morality in this, or a sense of satisfaction. And it certainly wasn't something I enjoyed. Being looked at as a disposable weapon, was simply that. I would likely be used until I broke. I didn't have to like any of it, I just had to put up with it while trying to get strong enough to beat the odds, and not break.

Suffice to say, it's not a huge leap to understand that emotion was hardly my friend in this. Emotion, while mixed with the contrast of this world compared to modern-day Earth. Knowledge of how things "should" be.

It made resistance tempting.

Just like anyone else, I wanted to argue against what was happening to me, and to the others.

But I didn't.

Because doing so would be stupid, and because no one I had witnessed attempting it was ever rewarded for their troubles.

This wasn't like the movies. The smooth talking and clever fellow did not win prizes for resisting authority. They didn't get the girl, or earn everyone's respect: they got the shit kicked out of them and then died foolishly because they hadn't properly recovered from the beating in time for whatever bad thing was about to happen.

I've wondered, if maybe, my Attributes helped me to adjust in adopting to this reality. I imagined it had to be possible, that the more Attribute points one receives in Intelligence, or Wisdom, the farther away a person could distance themselves. That is to say, the better they can dissociate, from emotions, and insulate from mental harm.

I say this, because I want to clarify: it's not as if I didn't feel resentment. I felt anger, and frustration, just like anyone might have if they were put in my shoes. I did feel those things. The trick was that none of the feelings churning about beneath the surface were emotions I was going to let free.

If I let my pride got the better of me, what would come of it?

Would I be rewarded?

No.

Was there any benefit at all?

No.

[Identify]

Guard's Armor

Slightly used, but sturdy. Plated with steel in several vital locations, this will likely provide suitable protection from light to medium attacks. This is of fine quality, and is stamped with the crest of Baron Foldest, appointed ruler of the Northwest Territories of the Free Lands.

[Identify]

Sturdy Boots

Thick soled and tough, these are decent quality. Wax has been rubbed against the material to provide some level of water-proofing. Though the technique is somewhat crude, they are also plated with metal beneath the leather covering, but only along the toe. Suitable for travel over difficult terrain, and combat.

From a free man, to a lackey.

I didn't like it.

But I wasn't dead.

So, at least I had that going for me. Which was nice.

Also nice, was that The Baron hadn't spared expense. The armor, combined with the weight of coins in the purse on my belt, balanced with my dagger, made that rather clear.

I had value to him, and he wanted me to recognize it.

As we walked through the fort, though, I soon found that he didn't spare words on that front, either.

"You're worth quite a bit to me alive. What that is, exactly, I haven't quite decided. Just know that if you're dead, the price is exactly ten gold coins. Empire mint, stamped, and sealed." He said, leading me along the parapet. "For someone down on their luck in these parts, that's a new set of cows, a second wife, and more kegs of ale than they'll manage to drink before someone else kills them and takes the rest of the money."

To one side of us, I could look down into the fort itself. Castle-like, but not quite so grand, it rose up atop the slightly raised hill in the town's center. The buildings around us, rose out in a sprawl of wooden and stone. Church towers seemed the only commonality to break the clusters of two or three story structures, among mud and gravel streets.

"This close to port, it's all but given that some fool is going to try and end you. Common folk might not know what you're worth, but the [Trader] and [Merchant] groups will. Especially if they run routes up north." He didn't bother to look at me, as he pointed down towards the port.

That was where the town met the ocean, and I could see several boat masts teetering, beside the familiar cliffs. The ground seemed to have been strategically carved away for greater access, almost terraced in a crude way, but I could still imagine the drop was significant. The system of ropes and pullies mounted on platforms, seemed to provide proof of my assumption.

"I say all that as if you're going to run. But you're not, because running would be unbelievably stupid." The Baron spit over the edge of the wall, watching it land somewhere far below. "And you're not stupid, are you, John?"

"No, Baron." I answered.

No, I thought of myself being more of the "dangerously ignorant" variety of know-nothing. The kind of person who knew he was in over his head, but wasn't quite sure how deep.

The Baron continued leading farther along the wall with an approving grumble. Perhaps, a little disappointed I hadn't tried to say more.

... Which, made me offer up a silent thanks to Squad Leader Kepler, where ever that man happened to be.

The Baron wasn't much for other people speaking, when he was still speaking. It was entirely one sided, unless the Baron wanted it otherwise. Everyone who came in contact with the man, either answered with a "yes" or "no" or they saluted and didn't talk at all. In fact, from the day's observations, I suspected there was probably only one person in the fort that logic didn't apply to.

And thankfully, she wasn't present.

"Fort's a few centuries old, but the hill is built on an old foundation from ages ago. Sunken into the dirt, it's so fucking ancient" The Baron lectured, as he lead me along. "Probably some forgotten relic, or some temple dedicated to dead Gods..."

At that, the skin on my neck crawled a bit, but the Baron continued without bothering to look in my direction.

"Ports are the only efficient way to trade. Terrain is too difficult for carts..." I listened, splitting my attention as best I could manage, as he continued.

Walking by several men with the [Guard] Class, I noted their reactions: swift salutes for the Baron, and then stern stares in my direction.

Those made the count's tally something close to forty. I had to guess, with additional forces on the road, the number could easily be three or four times that, and they were all at what I perceived to be "Kepler" level in Attributes. Many, not only boasting [Guard] as their Class, but several [Swordsman] as well.

Yet, whatever relative power the Baron's men had: compared to him, they fell horribly short.

Which meant, of course, that I was even worse off.

[Identify]

Stone Brick

Solid stone, cut and shaped to roughly uniform size. This is of decent quality for building, and held together with mortar. The wear on its surface indicates great age and heavy use, although it will be many more years before it is in need of replacement. The wall it is a part of sits atop a natural incline, providing additional security in case of attack.

I knew using [Identify] on the ground was somewhat silly. In fact, it felt foolish to even bother, but I was quickly falling back into a survival mindset.

[Identify] was silent. It cost me nothing, so far as I could tell, and was quick to fire off as many times as needed: limited only by the speed I could read what it provided. More than that, I knew that eventually, through constant use, it would probably rank up again.

If something might rank up my skills, without drawing attention, I was going to try and put it to use.

"As you might have guessed by now, this town is one of the original settlements." The Baron said, stopping before we reached a small tower built into the corner of the wall. "The Kingdom expanded into this region after a failure to hold their lines to the south. There was a breach, some hundred thousand folk wound up dead before they got to the end of it. Since then, the population has been spread thinner. There are another ten or so like this, under my watch. Another few dozen or so, if you count the rest that aren't."

He pointed inland, away from the ocean.

"There abouts, are the other appointed Wards, who control and govern territories. Even if you made it to them, I suspect they'd just kill you." From the rather jolly tone in his voice, I felt that he seemed highly amused by the idea. "Maybe, they would torture you first. String you up, and the like."

Normally, I would have considered these statements to be threats: One more layer of fear, woven in the keep me from trying anything. But... well, it was the way they were said, which made me think the Baron was just speaking thoughts as they came to him. As if he really wasn't concerned with whether I lived or died, saying I was actually bold enough to try and make a break for it.

Somehow, that only made it feel worse.

Heading into the tower, hunching below the archway to the stairs, the Baron stopped again. This time, taking an unlit torch off a metal rack that was bolted into the stone.

"Light this." The Baron commanded.

It was a good thing I'd stopped rattling off [Identify] because that made me stop short.

Waiting patiently, he pointed to the torch.

"Light it, or I'll kill you." He adjusted his previous statement, free hand landing on my shoulder like a vice. "Now, Hero."

Fear is a powerful motivator.

Desperately, clumsily, I reached down into the pattern. Burning in my ribs, I felt the drain of mana ticking down, rapidly, as I focused on the wrapped cloth at the end of the wood.

17/100

16/100

15/100

After what felt an eternity, the torch began to smolder.

Then, the flames rose up, in true.

[Lesser Flame]

I did it.

Fire, right there, brought into existence because I'd wanted it to appear.

I would have said that I felt amazed, or a profound sense of accomplishment, with my first intentional use of Magic, but I didn't. Instead, I was much more concerned by the pressure that was creaking the bones and tendons of my shoulder out of place.

Slowly, the pressure eased up.

"Well done." The Baron stated, releasing me.

I could have sworn I heard my collar bones "pop" back into alignment, as I swallowed back the nervousness I'd been feeling, in the off-chance the magic had decided not to work.

He would have killed me.

Right there, right then: I had little doubt.

"Damnedest thing." The Baron, muttered to himself as he watched the flames. Glacing up, he eyed the space above my head, barest trace of a frown forming. "Damnedest thing I've ever seen."

What he saw, or perhaps more accurately: what he didn't see, clearly bothered him.

I kept my mouth shut.

What the Baron knew, what I knew, what the Baron thought I knew... My ignorance was, admittedly, still quite vast. While I could work to remedy that by being active to familiarize myself with whatever I could, I was conscious of the disadvantage.

"Lad, I don't know what Attributes you're hiding, but I know you're not an idiot." He stated. "You've got no Class, but you've got Magic. That's the makings of a [Mage] if I ever saw one."

He waited, still eying the space above my head. Slowly, I saw his frown twist up, into another terrible grin. Wider and wider, until it was the smile of a man who wasn't quite sane.

"Oh... You're exactly the kind of thing that fucking [King] of theirs has nightmares about." Teeth, several of them gold, caught the torchlight as its fire began to burn brighter Shadows on his face, shifting with the flame. "And I think you know why. Don't you, Hero?"

I met his mad stare with as much confidence as I could, keeping my expression calm as I waited.

Chuckling, the Baron turned away and began his way down the steps.

"There's a lot of good fucking reasons the Empire doesn't teach your kind Magic." He laughed wildly, his voice an echo against the stone. "But, lucky for you: I don't give a fuck about any of them."