Almost two years later, Ryan was still fighting Tea-cup Salamanders. He sometimes took on higher floors with senior students, to test the waters and see if he would pick anything up from the monsters there. He didn’t. His teachers continued to agree that fighting and observing Salamanders was his best bet and that Ryan just needed more time like everyone else. Being a prodigy could only take you so far, or so it seemed.

How annoying.

Ryan had, however, discovered his first cumulative Skill. He stumbled over the word in his head.

“Cu-mu-la-tive,” he mouthed. There. His teachers explained it as Skills you got from all of your other values combined. His was [Enhanced Senses] and he loved it.

Apparently, a large number of [Fighters] had it or at least something similar. The Skill helped his reflexes in combat, made paying attention while not paying attention easier, and made the classroom smell oh-so-nice thanks to Flower Boy. He slapped the kid on the back one day as he left the classroom. At least one person in that stuffy room smelled nice.

Still, that gratitude didn’t last very long before Ryan was frustrated again, eager to grow. Everyone was looking at him now. He wanted to live up to their expectations, but one big question was burning in his mind. Why hadn’t he advanced his Path yet? Almost two years and he had zilch, nada, nix to show for it.

He asked questions and got more questions in kind. Maybe he could only learn so many Paths, beast or otherwise. Maybe he could only learn one branch and he had wasted it on Salamanders. Maybe he just wasn’t old enough for another branch. Maybe he hadn’t advanced whatever [Exemplarism] was enough yet. Maybe he could only learn so much from fighting Salamanders and had to start eating them …

Ryan gagged at the thought. A Gourmet foreigner had suggested that one.

… Maybe he could only learn so much from fighting Tea-cup Salamanders.

That last one was the reason Ryan pushed every time the topic came up. He was sure if he just pushed enough and explained his hunch, the teachers would relent and allow him on an expedition to fight, or at least observe a fight, against actual Salamanders. Even if they were only lesser or unmade ones, Ryan would take it. The answer he got most often was that it was too dangerous. Already [Lesser Salamanders] were much bigger, faster, and stronger than Tea-cups. Some of them were specialized in being quick and poisoned you with a touch. Some left a path of fire in their wake.

Some breathed fire.

Whenever Ryan imagined that, a fire of his own lit up inside of him and he happily sat down and meditated, trying to paint the picture that would let him achieve that dream. Maybe this time he would understand some secret, some wisdom of the tiny beasts?

And this time, he did. Unfortunately, that something wasn’t breathing fire.

Ryan stood on the mural Salamander eye in the void surrounded by a ring of red scales that fell off into nothingness. When he turned, the floor in one direction started twisting. The scales bent in on themselves and formed a ring in the air that stretched into the distance. Where there were gaps, brown canvas grew like roots to fill the path. Ryan recognized the scene immediately: It was the Salamanders’ floor. There, a lone Salamander of red oil and porcelain ran at him, its tongue hanging out stupidly and flapping against its glass eye.

Ryan’s own snapped open.

[Salamander Path explored!]

[Skill - Enhanced Traction obtained!]

He groaned where he sat on his windowsill.

His father was chopping wood in their small shared garden below and heard. He wiped his brow, looked up to where Ryan sat and asked what was wrong. Ryan told him.

“Chin up, buddy,” his father said. “I’m sure you’ll be able to breathe fire someday.”

“Thanks, dad,” Ryan mumbled. He would have to tell Mr. Gardener the bad news. He had training tomorrow. Then, he would have to tell his teachers the bad news. Mentally, he geared himself up for another two years of fighting Salamanders and waking up to numb limbs.

“Wanna let it out on a pile of wood?” his father asked.

“Yes please,” Ryan said. He monkeyed his way down the house side and took up the axe. Someday, he thought as got to chopping.

“[Enhanced Traction]?” Gardener asked as they walked up to the Climber’s Guild.

Ryan glanced at the Tower rising above them. He owed it that much at the very least. He heard some people actually prayed to it or to the Dwarf. Wasn’t that a bit too much? He chirped a frown and focussed on the topic at hand.

“Yeah,” he said. “Is it common?” He looked up at Gardener. The man shrugged.

“Somewhat, though I’ve mostly heard it under different names. You would have to ask one of the teachers or a registrar.”

“Uhm,” Ryan started, a bit hesitant. “Is it useful?”

Ryan wasn’t a good judge of Skill value. Even [Bird Singing] could apparently be used to communicate over distances, Gardener had told him. And to woo a lady, which was less interesting. Ryan hoped the older man could teach him more about Skill use. Maybe there were some tricks he could use with [Enhanced Traction], a certain type of swing or fighting style? Then Ryan saw the older man’s grin, the swagger in his step, and his hopes were dashed.

“Well,” Gardener said and faltered, "... Huh. I must admit. I don't really have a wise comment for that."

Ryan had been ready to stick his fingers in his ears and shout loudly anyway, but he breathed in relief as they stepped into the Guild.

Gardener's "wise" meant "lewd" and was generally horrifying.

“I meant in combat,” Ryan cried anyway. Gardener wiped the laughter off his face so only a grin remained.

“I can’t just give you the answers, kiddo,” he said. “You tell me. Does it have any value?”

Ryan thought about it. He relented.

“I mean, I guess traction is good for running. The image I see is one of a Salamander running at me, after all. Even if it looks stupid … And I bet it helps with your footing during combat,” he trailed off. “Otherwise, I don’t know?”

“Good idea, bad answer. You’ve really got to work on your expression, Rye,” Gardener said. He was looking around, as if they were waiting for someone. Normally, he would have told Ryan if someone was joining them by now. He supposed they’d gotten a little sidetracked. “Traction helps with agility and stability, two valuable aspects of combat. It’s as simple as that.”

Ryan nodded in understanding.

“Are we waiting for someone?” he asked and looked around as well, to see if anyone was headed their way. Some people waved at Gardener, some even waved at him and he waved back, but Ryan didn’t see anyone approaching.

“Maybe,” his instructor said. “There’s this Mage who is failing one of my colleague’s classes. I told her she could come join us if she wanted to freshen up the basics, but I’m not sure if she’ll show. You know Mages, they’re always late.” Ryan nodded again, though he wasn’t sure. He hadn’t met that many Mages yet. The ones he had were peculiar, but maybe they were exceptions?

“Ah, there she is,” Gardener said, nodding at the entrance with his chin.

Ryan turned around and saw a girl running up to them. She looked a few years older than him and had a wooden staff with her. Her hair was long and light brown, tied into a small bun at the base of her neck. She was pretty, probably. She reminded Ryan a bit of his mother.

“Sorry!” she said once she’d reached them. She bowed, not out of respect, but to prop herself up on her knees and catch her breath. She didn’t look unathletic, though. Maybe she ran a long distance? They waited for her to finish. “I wasn’t sure which entrance to go to or I would have been here much earlier. I had to go back and ask which branch Gramps’ works at.”

“Well you made it in time,” Gardener said and handed her a flask. A healing potion? She put it in her belt. “We’re doing Salamanders. Do you have everything you need to fight them?”

The Mage put a finger to her lips and looked up, considering. Her breathing was still a little rough. Gardener, meanwhile, was staring at her long skirt. Ryan realized why and joined him in waiting for her to notice as she mumbled off a list of everything she had brought. He idly wondered if he would have to switch weapons for different opponents someday. Sword and shield seemed pretty stable, though.

“Ah!” she said finally and ripped her skirt off. Ryan looked away, but nobody else was reacting so he slowly turned back around. She was wearing pants underneath. “They’re just fashionable,” she explained and Ryan’s eyes shot up in respect. Didn’t it get warm wearing two layers of clothes? It was almost summer already.

Then again, Ryan was biased because of [Hot Skin]. He couldn’t really turn it off, just dial it down, so he wore loose clothing most of the time.

After she stuffed the skirt in her pack, she finally seemed to notice him and held out her hand.

“Hello, there. I’m Lisa, budding Mage. No specialization yet.”

“Ryan, budding Fighter. I copy monsters,” he said and shook it.

Her eyebrows shot up a little. “You copy monsters? How does that work?” She seemed nice about it, Ryan was beginning to like her.

“Enough chit-chat,” Gardener said in a rough voice, “if you wanna talk, get a room.” He started walking away, but when he met Ryan’s eyes, the man gave him the briefest of winks.

Ryan stifled a groan and followed behind as they headed towards the Tower.

“But we still have time,” Lisa said. “And you’re supposed to communicate with your team before any expedition. Knowing the limit of their abilities and planning ahead is an important part of surviving the tower.”

That sounded like a quote to Ryan. By the way their instructor was scowling, it might even have come from him. Or maybe someone he disliked.

“Fine,” he said.

Lisa gave a small cheer and slowed to walk beside him. “So?”

Ryan couldn’t resist her stare and told her about his Path and Skill. She was attentive and she asked all the right questions Ryan had no answers to. They were burning in his mind, too, after all.

In the end, he was just a beginning Fighter. None of the Skills his Path gave him were exceptionally unique as the only ones that helped him in combat were ones every other Fighter received from their Path, or even the Fighter Class itself, as well.

He only had [Bird Singing] and [Hot Skin] as unique Skills. Lisa made him sing for her. It brightened his mood just a bit.

Lisa, on the other hand, called herself a “jack of all trades beginning Mage”. But her favorite, or only relevant, combat spell was [Fireball] so she stuck with that. Of course, Gardener prohibited her from using it outside of emergencies so she showed him a cantrip that lit her staff on fire instead.

Ryan was confused, but apparently, Tea-Cup Salamanders didn’t actually have a resistance to fire?

“What about the larger ones?” he asked.

“Of course they do.”

The flames danced around Liza’s hands, but they didn’t hurt her. It was fascinating. Then the three stepped through the door of the Tower’s entrance and the flames vanished in the light of the Salamander’s floor.

A phantom tingling shot up Ryan’s limbs and made him shiver. He resolved to not get bitten this time. That resolve quickly broke down and was replaced by a small prayer to whatever forces governed the Tower. Please don’t let myself get bitten this time.

The salamanders were swarming them.

After the scouting the first few tunnels, Gardener had told them to wait in the third one. Then he ran off screaming. His voice vanished in the distance, and when it came back, it brought a cacophony of hissing in tow.

Crazy old man, Ryan thought.

Ryan bashed his seventh Salamander away as it tried to jump him and stabbed another that was sneaking towards his toes. He turned around and stabbed the first one, too. Just to be safe. It burst into smoke immediately. More and more followed.

Lisa was doing much the same with her flaming staff behind him. She had turned the flames purple so they could see them better and it actually frightened some of the lizards off.

Gardener, on the other hand, lazed around the next corner, casually stabbing any Salamander that was stupid enough to attack him. He was keeping an eye on the two in case they needed help, but getting repeatedly bitten one time they let their guard slip apparently didn’t count. Occasionally, he would shout over tips and corrections, but Ryan knew what he was doing.

An overeager Salamander flew at him from the ceiling and he took a step back to cut it down, but misjudged its path. It slipped past him and bit his arm. Ryan cried out and flung it away, dropping his sword in the process. The beast rolled to a stop near Lisa’s feet, righted itself up and ran for her legs.

Oh no you don’t, Ryan thought as he rushed after it. He arrived just in time to bash it down with his shield. The Mage looked surprised when she noticed him, but gave him a quick thumbs up before covering for him. Ryan took his shield in both hands and slammed its edge down on the beast’s neck. It was still alive, then. Was it fully made? On his third try, it burst into smoke.

The whole cavern shook.

“What the-?” Ryan stumbled to the ground. Lisa was struggling to stand upright next to him, too, and even the Salamanders cowered as the stone rumbled.

“What’s happening?” Lisa called. She was looking over him and Ryan turned to find Gardener was already there, right next to them.

“Cave in!” their instructor shouted. “Everybody out! Now!”

They rushed to follow his orders and left dozens of monster crystals behind in their escape. Gardener led the way, stopping at every intersection to herd them along. Ryan thought he could hear impossibly heavy stones crashing in the distance. When he imagined the roof caving in above them, his heart pounded louder than it all and he ran faster than ever before. A single question was in his mind.

Is it falling?

Finally, they reached the silver light of the exit and ran on through. All around them, other climbers were rushing out as well. They looked just as shaken as he was, but when they turned around to look at the Tower, everything seemed fine. The Tower stood still as always. They relaxed and started talking among one another.

Ryan didn’t. In the distance, he could still hear stones crashing. In the far off distance, he could still hear the Tower tremble.