Jude spent a week training his skills and leveling up his warrior class. He was slightly annoyed that he hadn’t been able to get another skill passed Rank III. But they were supposed to be legendary so he couldn’t really get mad.

What annoyed him, even more, was the Warrior class. Jude was a programmer, a System Analyst, and a person who dreamed of being a wizard. Slinging spells around like in a video game was his one of his greatest fantasies. Now that he was a Wizard and he could do that very thing, you would think that he was happy. And he was until he started the Warrior class.

What annoyed him was that he had a natural tendency for swinging a sword. True he could cast a spell without a chant, but that took a lot more work than you think it would. After learning the sword, however, his movements became fluid and elegant. The sword was like it was part of his own body and it felt as if he had fused some unknown art into its every movement.

His movements became so refined that started to Rank Up without any skills passing Rank III. Weapon Proficiency was now already Rank V! Each new skill only seemed to deepen his knowledge on the sword and broaden his skill in it.

The beauty was captivating, but WHY WASN’T SPELL CASTING LIKE THIS?!

His dream was to be a Wizard, not a Warrior!!!

He didn’t stop, though; he couldn’t stop even if he wanted to. Swinging and moving with a sword was just too energizing. For the first time in his entire life, exercise wasn’t something he hated!

Jude could still reign himself in. And he continued to work on his skills in general. Everything now had reached Rank III except for the Spell Analyst skills as they needed the constant daily training to rank them up. He was pretty sure was about to rank up, but getting to Rank III was going to be difficult.

He visited Ellie often and she was about as obsessed with Blacksmith as he was with the sword. He also learned a little more about the ranks. Rank I was easy to get for most people. Some skills started off at Rank I and others at Rank 0. This was determined by both the skill and the ability of the person who attained the skill. It wasn’t always clear on why a person would get a skill at Rank I or 0, so it was often caulked up to it being decided by the .

Getting Rank II was also not hard but did require a lot more work. As long as one wasn’t lazy getting Rank II wasn’t hard. Rank III was considered difficult. Everyone had to have at least one Rank III skill to unlock new skill categories of their Class. Anyone worth their salt had at least one Rank III skill in each category. A genius here in newbie town would have Rank III in all their skills.

To get passed Rank III into the legendary Rank IV was extremely difficult and most people used a Skill Master to raise their Rank rather than do it the old fashion way. People who were Skill Masters were generally a legendary person all by themselves, so it was an expensive proposition to raise ones Rank through them. Skill Master was the title passed Skill Sage that Jude earned after getting his first skill passed Rank III. Most Skill Masters also had the Heroic Title as well.

Knowing all this, it was only a matter of time before Jude would gain his next Rank IV skill. It was too bad though that the Heroic Wizard’s buffs didn’t work for Spell Analyst. But perhaps Jude was getting a little too greedy with that wish.

***

It was the morning of yet another day. Jude had drained all his mana into another pocket of information in the skill category. In return, a new flood of information was channeled into his mind.

After sitting for a while, meditating on what he just learned he got up and started practicing the forms and attacks. The subtle moves, the elegant moves, the swift moves and more. Slowly, the information went from being knowledge to understanding and from understanding to wisdom.

To know a thing does not mean one can use that thing. Only when one understands knowledge, can one put it to use. However, after understanding comes wisdom. Wisdom steps beyond the original knowledge and in turn creates more knowledge.

And so the cycle will continue.

As Jude was lost in his own world, two people entered his home.

***

“Ah, it’s finally good to be back,” Krinn told his sister.

“We would have been back sooner if you hadn’t jumped in front of that orc,” Wen complained.

Krinn acted shocked, “And let that poor peasant girl die?! I knew you were cold Wen, but to be this cold…”

“Oh please, if you had just killed it you wouldn’t have been hurt. Instead, you tried to act like a hero to get in her pants and all you were rewarded with was an orc axe to the face!” Wen started laughing, “But I guess it was good for a laugh. I mean, she was married and didn’t even want to give you a reward ‘kiss’. Ha ha haha!”

“Married people should really put something on themselves that broadcasts that they are married,” Krinn complained.

“Next time just take an HP potion, spending a day that little village while you try and play the wounded hero was quite painful.” Wen jabbed.

Krinn fought back, “You know, if you weren’t so abrasive, perhaps you could find a man.”

“As if I would let a man hold me back. Besides, they are all like you so I don’t want any part of them.”

Krinn lost so he decided to change the subject, “It’s been ages since we been back to the Rumblescares, I hope they are doing fine since the Leader died.”

“I’m worried that cosh of a sub-leader didn’t drive it into the ground.”

“The yearlong mission that we went on should have paid the company quite a bit. It’s too bad the others didn’t make it.”

“Yeah, at the very least we should get a hefty pay day once we get back!” Wen said. “Which is good, since we are almost out of money.”

“I can’t believe that this is the last open HQ.” Krinn said, “But if we are going to get new recruits I guess we need to at least have this one.”

“Yeah, but how is that cosh going to operate our entire company in that small HQ? I’m telling you, something fishing is going on. Once we get our pay, we should consider leaving.”

“But we are contracted for another 6 years. If we break the contract, we might not even get paid. Let’s decided once we get to HQ.”

…

“Longdale does bring back memories though doesn’t it? ...”

Krinn and Wen made their way through Longdale town until the came to what used to be the Rumblescares Mercenary Companies last HQ. Unfortunately, they didn’t know that the Rumblescares had already been disbanded. But since they didn’t know, they walked in as if they owned the place.

The two thought it rather odd that the once rowdy Rumblescares HQ was now relatively quiet except for a single youth practicing his sword forms.

But what they surprised them, even more, was the youth’s skill. Both Krinn and Wen were Warriors and both were considered exceptional which was why they were able to join an organization in the first place. But this kid was simply amazing. Every move was precise and clean. There was no waste in how he moved his feet or arms. His entire upper body twisted and turned in perfect motion with the rest of him. His skill with the sword was like poetry in motion.

They stood there dumbfounded for several minutes until Jude came to the end of the sword form he was practicing.

“Who are you?” He asked.

Krinn was tall and well-muscled. His leather plated armor made him look even stronger as each plate was shaped after a bulge of muscle. Even if he didn’t have a six pack, which he did, his armor looked like it had a six pack. A large shield and axe were strapped to his back and the red Rumblescares bandana was wrapped around his head.

Wen could have been Krinn’s twin, but they were actually a year apart. She was just as tall as Krinn. Though not a wall of muscle like Krinn she did have a well-toned figure. She also donned the Rumblescares standard gear for warriors. The dark brown leather contrasted nicely with the shiny plates attached to it. Hers were polished and cleaned better than her brothers, but he was the front line tank so battered armor was more of an issue for him. Her long brown hair was tied in a ponytail and her cream colored eyes matched her brothers.

Both of them had an imposing presence and Krinn was a little incensed at being asked who he was while in the HQ and clearly wearing the companies gear. If anything a new recruit should be introducing himself and serving the two of them! It didn’t matter if he was skilled! But Wen was the first to speak.

“Runt, you dare act this way to full members of the Rumblescares?” Said Wen. “I should have you whipped for misconduct.”

“Huh?” Jude was thoroughly confused; he had already forgotten who it was that this HQ used to belong to.

“That’s it! Who is your Trainer? This is not how you act to a superior of the Rumblescares. In fact, I’ll tie you to the whipping post and do it myself!”

“Who are the rumble scares?” Jude asked and said in a lower tone, “The name is so stupid.”

“Boy, you are in our HQ and you dare say that?!” Krinn said aggressively.

“I may not know what you are talking about, but this isn’t your HQ,” Jude said flatly.

After a long mission, then a long journey, then this irritating brat in their HQ, Wen had now lost it! She took out her spear made of a light colored wood and an enormous single hooked head. Using her technique alone she rushed Jude and thrust out her spear.

Jude had his sword already out from practicing so he immediately flowed like water catching the spear gracefully with the edge of the sword. Once the sword and spear made contact it was like Wen lost all control over her spear. Jude parried the spear all the way around him and sank it into the ground. Then as if it was all one single fluid movement, Jude stamped his foot down on the spearhead and thrust his sword pommel into Wen’s stomach pushing her away from both the spear and Jude.

Everything happened so quickly and seamlessly that Wen and Krinn weren’t sure exactly what happened. Wen was 24 years old and a level 22 Warrior, how could someone that was 15 or 16 years old beat her so easily? She could feel that his strength stat was much lower than hers, yet his application of power brought about such a result! It was so mysterious and so intriguing that she as a Warrior wanted to know how he did it!

But now Jude was irritated, “Not only have you come into my house, you attack me as well? I don’t know anything about your Rumblescares, but I’ve rented this place. If you have any issues, please pick it up with the landlord.”

Then with a kick, he sent the spear flying back to Wen who deftly caught it.

“I’m sorry to have attacked you,” Wen’s attitude took an 180. “We have been gone for a long time, but if the Rumblescares aren’t here anymore then it means that our mercenary company has been disbanded.”

Seeing Jude not answer she continued, “Since the Rumblescares are no longer here that means we don’t have a place to stay or even the back pay that was supposed to go to us.”

This woman just attacked Jude and now she was asking for a favor?

Jude replied, “What is it that you want? You barged into my home and attacked me. Now I’m supposed to feel sorry for you?”

“No, we are truly sorry for our actions,” Krinn interjected. He didn’t attack Jude, so perhaps he could be more persuasive. “Since we are no longer in a company, perhaps we can join your organization. After all, you are so strong, it has to be a good place.”

Jude sighed, “Strength does not make right. Nor does it make it a good place. I am, however, looking to start an organization. Feel free to stay here for a few days, if we feel like we’ll work good together then you can join. How does that sound?”

“Sound great!” Wen said with a squeal.

Krinn thought this strange of his sister. She never acted like this with other guys… and this one was so young. What?! SHE LIKES YOUNGER GUYS?!

Name Krinn Frotgen Gender: Male Age: 25 Race/Echelon Human/Citizen 22 Primary Class Warrior 22 Other Classes Stats HP MP Str Spi Agi Char 544 120 108 21 47 10 Job Skills Special Skills General Skills WP (Axe) III

Power Strike II

Sweep Strike III

Charge II Party Leader Common III (Lang) Defence III

Medium Armor III

Block I

Dodge I Warrior Stance III

Draw Energy III

Bolster II

Coordinate I Equipment Other Stats Strengthening Stance II

Taunt II

Bellow I Magic Axe +20 str HP Rgen 20.38 Plated Leather Armor +200HP +10Regen MP Rgen 2.00 Reinforced Leather Boots +10 agi Red Bandana +75 hp, +10 str Ring of Str +20 str +10 regen Shield +75 hp +15 str Name Wen Frotgen Gender: Female Age: 24 Race/Echelon Human/Citizen 22 Primary Class Warrior 22 Other Classes Stats HP MP Str Spi Agi Char 470 120 103 21 47 10 Job Skills Special Skills General Skills WP (Spear) III

Power Strike II

Sweep Strike III

Charge II Party Leader Common III (Lang) Defence III

Medium Armor III

Block I

Dodge I Warrior Stance III

Draw Energy III

Bolster II

Coordinate I Equipment Other Stats Strengthening Stance II

Taunt II

Bellow I Magic Spear +30 str HP Rgen 20.38 Plated Leather Armor +200HP +10Regen MP Rgen 2.00 Reinforced Leather Boots +10 agi Red Bandana +75 hp, +10 str Ring of Str +20 str +10 regen