With the help of the focus skill and his increasing Pain Resistance, the long days of training blended into each other. Being covered in blood on a hot day, arms sticking and squelching with every movement and attracting hordes of flies ceased to bother Arn. Nor could Arn distinguish his old friend, regeneration-driven hunger, from the other constant pains he ignored. He focused and learned on deep autopilot. When he gained points in attributes or skills, he simply dismissed the messages, and when he was done for the day, he simply went home, bathed, ate, futilely tried to see mana, slept and did it again, adrift on a sea of blood and pain.

At the end of his second week as a classer, Arn arrived at the empty training field and simply waited, empty of any thought, staring at nothing. And saw. The world was alive with a swarm of dancing motes, like dust in the air catching the light just so.

CONGRATULATIONS! Mana Sight unlocked! Mana Sight level one reached!

Liara arrived to find Arn slack-jawed, staring at nothing. He is getting worse. The damn old fool is pushing him too hard; you can’t make up for lost years in a few weeks. The little gift I have planned for today could easily go very, very wrong. Well, have to try. I brought a healer along today for a reason. “Arn! Arn! Wake the hells up! Joshua is here to spar with you!”

Arn snapped out of his trance, and the motes of mana disappeared. “What? Oh sparring, ok.” Arn noticed Joshua and processed the rest of Liara’s message. “Joshua! Oh, this is going to fun! Did you know I have 12 strength now? Going to have to be carful not to full out rip your arms off! Well, maybe just one would be ok!”

Joshua gulped and turned to Liara, “this is nonsense! In a week at the festival sure, but today I’m no classer! He has strength and reach, doesn’t feel pain and regenerates! How am I supposed to fight a flipping giant zombie troll???” Liara fought a smile. You’re not. That is why I brought the healer. “Joshua! Calm down! You have been training with me for years! Your sword skills are much higher than his, your footwork much better, you are still faster and you’ll be using a real blade while Arn uses a blunt training sword. You can do this if you focus!”

Liara put an arm on a shoulder of each boy. “All right boys, lets do this. Arn, your scream is off limits. For this fight, for both of you, sword to the head or neck is off limits. Go!”

Arn rushed forward while keeping control of his footwork, growling and baring his teeth to mess with Joshua, who visibly gulped. Joshua backpedalled and tried to circle left around Arn’s shield, keeping Arn’s blade out of reach. Arn feinted a lunge, took a huge step left and forward, and slammed his shield out. Joshua mostly got his own shield up in time, but the force of Arn’s blow sent Joshua stumbling backwards.

CONGRATULATIONS! You have unlocked the Shield Bash skill! Shield Bash level one reached! Blows with your shield do more damage and have a chance to knockback and/or stun your opponent.

Shocked by the rare unlock, Arn paused in thought. Joshua used the time to collect himself, and rushed towards Arn, thrusting forward with his sword. Arn deflected the blow with his shield, and took a giant step forward into Joshua’s guard. Too close for another Shield Bash, Arn unleashed a massive head butt. Joshua staggered backwards, a spray of blood erupting from his nose, and after a stagger, collapsed like a puppet with cut strings.

CONGRATULATIONS! You have unlocked the Head Butt skill! Head Butt level one reached! Using your head as a weapon now does more damage and has a chance to stun your opponent.

Arn grinned from ear to ear and found himself laughing madly. Liara got in his face and started yelling. “Arn! Enough! I know there is bad blood between you and Joshua, but we do NOT laugh at downed opponents!” Struggling to regain control, Arn told Liara of his gains.

I truly am an evil genius Liara thought. “Ok Arn. Well, hells yeah, you get to enjoy that! Unlocking skills without using an attribute point is incredibly hard! Some combat classers that don’t unlock Shield Bash as a class skill never get it. So celebrate!” Liara patted Arn on the arm. “Arn, I don’t say this. Ever. But you have been working too flipping hard for two weeks straight, and I know Dannis has some crazy hunt lined up for tomorrow. Take the rest of the day off. That’s an order.” Arn nodded, still buzzing from the victory and unlocking two skills. “Thanks. I think I’ll head to the swimming hole, and relax.” Arn paused and continued, “maybe drown a few wargs for laughs. You should come, you’ve been working hard too.” Liara smiled. “Ha! You are still 16. And, even more importantly, covered in blood and flies! So get out of my dang sight before I retch!” Arn laughed and headed off.

After putting his gear aside and lowering himself into the swimming hole, Arn thought back to the dancing motes of mana. He tried to remember the sensation of looking at the grass without caring what he saw. After a moment, dancing motes of mana appeared above the water. Arn whooped and yelled, “Hells yes! Gonna be an Archmage!” Remembering the embarrassment of his boast about being a “Titan of legend,” Arn sheepishly looked around. Seeing no one in sight, he descended into mad laughter, truly happy for the first time in a long while.

Arn: Level Three Revenant

Attributes:

Constitution: 16

Dexterity 10

Strength: 14

Intelligence: 10

Will: 10

Charisma: 8

Skills:

Block (5) (+1)

Death’s Scream (1)

Dodge (5) (+1)

Head Butt (1)

Focus (1)

Mana Sight (1) (+1)

Pain Resistance (5)

Shield Bash (1)

Sword Mastery (3) (+2)

Achievements:

Survivor

Tasty!

Masochist