Angry with himself, James walked the two miles it took to get to campus from his church. As he did, he berated himself for the humiliating morning. He hadn’t fallen asleep in church since he was a kid and all he could think of was how mad his dad would get at him when that happened. Lost in thought, he hardly noticed the time pass as he made his way to the gym. Once there, as he looked up at the large structure, he felt a powerful wave of exhaustion crash over him.

I don’t know if I got it in me. He thought as he imagined himself trying to lift weights or fight through some cardio. The more he thought about it, the more discouraged he became. Well, I’m here, I might as well at least take a shower. He thought as he trudged through the doors. After checking in, he was so focused on his own negativity that he nearly didn’t notice the word on the wall near the entrance to the lockers.

“Sauna”

Those five letters sparked hope in him as he quickly moved into the locker room and changed into his workout clothes. I completely forgot! The sauna here will be exactly what I need. All the energy I need to work out and a way to recover from this morning. He thought excitedly as he nearly skipped to the sauna.

Opening the door to the sauna, he felt an immediate sense of relief. As soon as the steam hit him, he felt his energy beginning to return to him. Even still, the sauna was significantly weaker than the steam waterfall he had made for himself at work and, with his new tolerances, barely made him sweat. Noting that he was the only one in the sauna, he went to the steam machine in the corner of the room and set it as high as the safety lock on the machine would let him. Settling in on a cedar bench he began to feel the dull ache in his bones subside.

*Ding*

[Steam Master] +1 EXP (243/10,000)

That sure brought a smile to his face. The speed of EXP wasn’t very fast, but he enjoyed getting the messages as his energy returned. After getting his first EXP in his EXP pool, he got out of the sauna feeling refreshed and ready to workout. Having been a while since his last gym visit, he decided to do what he was comfortable with and started with some basic free weights. After about ten minutes of warming up to the weights, he began a set of barbell curls and was shocked by the weights that felt almost too light to him. Where a week ago he was struggling to do more than a dozen pushups, he was now curling 125 lbs. comfortably and was able to do multiple reps a set. After a handful of sets he heard a comforting sound.

*Ding*

[Strength LVL 16] +1 EXP (515753/1,000,000)

Oh, well that’s disappointing. He thought as he saw the one million required Exp. Well, I’m here already and more than halfway to the next level. Might as well work hard. With that thought, he began working through the handful of free weight exercises he knew. Moving on to the weight machines he enjoyed, then some body weight exercises, he saw a continuous stream of EXP come his way. The encouraging stream of experience, along with just how much energy he felt he had, led him to one of the most intense workout sessions he had ever had. It probably had been since high school wrestling that he had this intense of a workout. And frankly, it was due to those workouts that he had given up on that sport half way through his first season. At the end of nearly two hours of rigorous strength training, he decided to go for a short jog before spending some more time in the sauna. While on the second lap, he saw a message that made him feel much more optimistic.

[Dexterity LVL 9] +1 EXP (452/10,000)

Ten thousand is a much more doable number. He thought as he ran another handful of laps. He would have sworn this morning that he wasn’t nearly this fit. Not knowing what was going on, he couldn’t help but be thankful for his newfound ability.

After pushing himself to the point of exhaustion, he doubled over with his hands on his knees as he attempted to catch his ragged breath. Eyes on his feet he heard a different noise than the *Ding* he was used to.

*Whoosh*

Looking up, he saw a new kind of message box. Gold and shimmering, the box was pulsing slightly and dripping what looked to be drops of molten gold.

[Quest Complete!] Daily quest: [Rigorous Exercise] has been completed.

[Strength LVL 16] +100 EXP (115 [EXP Boost]) (516,040/1,000,000)

[Dexterity LVL 9] +100 EXP (115 [EXP Boost]) (588/10,000)

[Constitution LVL 14] +100 EXP (115 [EXP Boost]) (4,037/10,000)”

EXP +25 (29 [EXP Boost])

Bonus requirement met: [Limit Break]

[Strength LVL 16] +1,000 EXP (1,150 [EXP Boost]) (517,190/1,000,000)

[Dexterity LVL 9] +1,000 EXP (1,150 [EXP Boost]) (1,738/10,000)

[Constitution LVL 14] +1,000 EXP (1,150 [EXP Boost]) (5,187/10,000)

EXP +250 (289 [EXP Boost])

[LEVEL 2] [Dream Weaver] Reached

You have received new skill [Sleep]

Leveling will take effect upon next full rest.

“Oh, wow...” James said, completely forgetting his exhaustion for a moment as he looked over the results. “That’s pretty incredible.” He had spent the last three hours pushing himself past what he thought of as his limit and it seemed to pay off. Almost numb, he stumbled back to the sauna to try to recuperate.

After enough time had passed that he didn’t feel dog tired he attempted to try some body weight exercises in the sauna, but his burning muscles didn’t allow him to continue for long. It seemed that while his energy recovered the damage to his muscles didn’t. It would take a good night’s sleep to deal with his soreness. He spent the rest of his time in the sauna stretching and attempting balance exercises. These turned out to be useful as he saw some increase in his dexterity. However, it wasn’t long before even this light work was too much for his aching muscles.

While relaxing, he considered how to spend the rest of his day. He decided he would get enough EXP in his EXP pool to level his student profession then spend the rest of his day in the library researching what was happening to him. He expected most of his research would be in the Fantasy or New Age sections, but it was the only lead he had to follow right now.

*Ding*

[Steam Powered] +1 EXP to EXP pool.

Finally. He thought as he mentally dumped the entire pool into his student profession.

*Ding*

Congratulations! You have reached level 2 [Student]

You have received new skill [Study]

Focusing on his profession, he opened the description.

[Student]: One who has made it a habit to study and thinks of learning as a way of life.

Ability: [Exp. Bonus] X1.25

Ability: [Skill Transfer] Through meticulous study of a manuscript or under the tutelage of a teacher you are much more likely to gain a skill, even one outside of your class or profession.

Ability: [Study] By devoting time and attention to an object, person, machine, system, concept, or problem, the student can gain insight and knowledge into the subject being studied. This skill is similar to the more common [Appraisal] skill. While it is not as detailed as [Appraisal], it is usable in more abstract situations. Time required and results obtained vary based on the student's level and materials able to be studied.”

Level 2 EXP (0/1,000)

James was left confused by the description of the skill, to him it didn’t seem very different from the studying he did before his awakening. Without a better way of testing it here, he decided to get ready to go to the library and test it there. He was excited by the increased EXP factor and questioned how high it may someday get.

Running on autopilot, he daydreamed about the skills he could learn. While fantasizing, he hardly noticed his surroundings as he showered, changed, and left the gym. Even as absent minded as he was, he did stop in his tracks upon seeing the sky outside the gym.

Swirling blood-red clouds filled the western sky highlighting the dark grey winter sunset. It seemed that a storm was coming in due to the torn and churning clouds. It looked fantastical as he watched the clouds move so quickly in the wind. Where he was standing the wind was gentle and sporadic, while on the horizon, the clouds were whipping against each other in the powerful winds.

Dismissing it as an odd winter storm, he put the scene out of mind as he walked the distance to the school’s library. It wasn’t the largest library, but for a school this size it was more than enough. Deciding where to start his research, he wandered over to the periodical section of the library. Here he was surrounded by years of local and international newspapers. While fantasy might contain more of the ideas he was searching for, it was where the fantastic and the realistic met that he was interested in.

Focusing his attention on the task at hand, he focused on the activation of his [Study] skill. With no great change, he suddenly found himself wholly concentrated on the materials he was studying. He thought it felt a bit like how his friends described adderall. He suddenly was totally focused on the task at hand and distractions seemed to flow off him like water off a duck.

Looking through first national, then international tabloids he felt convinced that here he would have the best chance of finding the results he was looking for. After a quarter hour of effort, he was surprised by a characteristic noise.

*Ding*

[Intellect LVL 17] +1 EXP (7978348/10,000,000)

[Student] +1 EXP (1/1,000)

He marveled at the dual experience boost for a moment before he felt irresistibly drawn to the task in front of him. It was a discouraging task that only got more discouraging the deeper he got into it.

After close to two hours of concentrated effort he heard a new noise and was shown a new type of screen.

*Bong*

The quick and almost computerized sounding noise came with a red screen.

Task Failure: Skill [Study] failed to produce any results in discovering examples of people leveling up. This may be due to low level, incomplete or inaccessible study materials, or impossibility of task.

“Well foo…” he said to the deserted desks around him. Usually there would be at least a few other students working through projects down here in the library. But coming in this late on a winter break weekend left him completely alone in the periodicals.

Frustrated with the failure but seeing that it was only six P.M., he decided to grab a “meal” from the vending machine as he moved to another part of the library to test out his other skill.

After a short period of searching the shelves, James found himself in a private study room with five books in front of him.

“A Handyman’s Guide to Carpentry”

“Self Defense for Beginners”

“A Miner’s Guide to Prospecting”

“A Fighter’s Sword: An Illustrated Technique Handbook”

“Wilderness Survival Merit Badge Book”

Growing up in the city, James only had a few experiences with nature and the outdoors. Almost all of these had been with the Boy Scouts. It had been four years of backpacking trips and outdoor adventures before he had left his Troop. In that time he had become very interested in wilderness exploration and the stories he had been told around many campfires about the pioneers of old. How they had struck out from all semblance of civilization to conquer the Wild West. A people who had made a place for themselves even in the most inhospitable of environments with little more than a wagon full of supplies.

Starting with that almost forgotten dream, and with what little experience he still had under his belt, he picked up the thinnest book that was sitting in front of him. The wilderness survival book stared back at him as he reminisced on the friends and experiences he had left behind when he had to leave the Scouts. He had begun the class for this merit badge before he had left the Scouts, and he was fairly certain he could still make a fire by hand and improvise a lean-to if he had to.

With some pain in his chest, he opened the booklet and focused on [Skill Transfer] as he began to leaf through the pages. After a few minutes of reminding himself the steps to dealing with hypothermia, and how to handle extreme weather with little to no gear, he heard a reassuring noise.

*Ding*

[Student] +1 EXP (10/1,000)

[Skill Transfer] - [Basic Survival] (12/25)

“Oh, this could be interesting.” He said as he spent some time with each book in front of him.

*Ding*

[Student] +1 EXP (11/1,000)

[Skill Transfer] - [Basic Carpentry] (3/25)

*Ding*

[Student] +1 EXP (12/1,000)

[Skill Transfer] - [Basic Hand Combat] (5/100)

*Ding*

[Student] +1 EXP (13/1,000)

[Skill Transfer] - [Basic Mining] (1/250)

*Ding*

[Student] +1 EXP (14/1,000)

[Skill Transfer] - [Beginner Sword Proficiency] (1/250)

It appears that the more difficult the skill, the more EXP it would take to master. Thankfully, the speed at which the skill leveled up seemed proportional to the intensity and concentration he put into his study. Doing some quick math, James figured he could spend the next five and a half hours until midnight and gain three new skills at the rate he was progressing.

[Basic Survival]

[Basic Carpentry]

[Basic Hand Combat]

If he just spent the next couple hours he could gain all three of those skills and make some serious progress on leveling up his student profession. Catching himself a moment after he already dove back into studying, James couldn’t help but laugh. It started as a chuckle and devolved into a full belly laugh that sent tears down his face as he struggled to catch his breath.

He couldn’t remember the last time he had spent hours and hours studying into the night. He often wouldn’t study for things he had to do, let alone things he was simply interested in. Managing to recover enough that he could continue, he poured himself back into his studies as the night progressed.

In fact, he was so engrossed in his studies, he didn’t notice the light outside the small window in his room turn from a pale white of the winter moon to a darker red of something unnatural. He didn’t notice the night clerk at the desk outside his door fall over asleep as she was carrying a load of books back to the shelves. No, the only thing James noticed was a steady stream of *Dings* filling the night.

[Skill Transfer]: Skill Acquired [Basic Survival]

[Student] +25 EXP (31 [EXP Boost]) (175/1,000)

EXP + 25 (31 [EXP Boost])

Ability: [Basic Survival] This skill will give an advantage when dealing with, and basic mastery over, essential survival skills such as finding or purifying clean water, foraging for food, locating or improvising shelter, building and maintaining a fire, and surviving the elements. This skill is non-specific and will instead give an overall boost to one's abilities and understanding.

[Skill Transfer]: Skill Acquired [Basic Carpentry]

[Student] +25 EXP (31 [EXP Boost]) (200/1,000)

EXP + 25 (31 [EXP Boost])

Ability: [Basic Carpentry] This skill will give advantage when dealing with, and basic mastery over, the foundational skills every carpenter should know. The basics in understanding the behavior and differences of different types of wood, how to work with saws, planes, and chisels, as well as the ability to form and fashion basic joints are encompassed in this skill. This skill is non-specific and will instead give an overall boost to one’s abilities and understanding.

[Skill Transfer]: Skill Acquired [Basic Hand Combat]

[Student] +100 EXP (125 [EXP Boost]) (325/1,000)

EXP + 100 (125 [EXP Boost])

Ability: [Basic Hand Combat] The most rudimentary and common of physical combat skills. This skill will enable your unconscious mind to have better form and precision with the most basic of hand combat movements such as punches, elbow strikes, grapples, throws, and eye gouges. This skill is non-specific and will instead give an overall boost to one’s unconscious form, the precision of one’s strikes, and the strength of one’s strikes.

Character Name: James

Character HP: 5/5

Character Level: [2] EXP:(407/1,000)

EXP Pool: + 0

Character Title: [Dreamer]

Character Race: [Human]

Character Age: [22]

Character Stats: (1-20)

Strength: [15]

Dexterity: [8]

Constitution: [13]

Intellect: [16]

Wisdom: [11]

Charisma: [4]

Luck: ???

Character Class: [Dream Weaver]

Character Sub-Class: [Empty]

Character Professions:

[Student] Lvl. 2

(325/1,000)

[Steam Master] Lvl. 3 (322/10,000)

[Empty]

Character Skills:

[Weave]

[Dream Walker]

[Sleep]

[EXP Bonus] (X1.25)

[Skill Transfer]

[Study]

[Steam Proof]

[Heat Resistance] (X1.3)

[Steam Release]

[Steam Powered]

[Basic Survival]

[Basic Carpentry]

[Basic Hand Combat]

Character Equipment:

[Sweaty Church Clothes]

[Old Family Bible]

[Gym Bag]

[Gym Clothes]

[Bus Pass]

[Phone]