<>(Zack)<>

"Hey, Nik!" I wave at the old Dark Knight.

"You seem cheerful this morning," he says.

"Look!" I pull out the dog tags from under my shirt. "I considered what you said yesterday, and decided to get them! I could only get the copper ones, but I expect I'll have the silver tags by the time I'm a Dark Knight."

"That would require you taking on Dark Squire, first."

"Yeah, yeah," I wave a hand. "I'll get to it once I get to 100 Total Skill Levels. Since there was something for hitting fifty without a Class, I'm going to see if there's something at a hundred, too."

"There was something for hitting fifty?"

"An Original Class," I nod. "It counts as a Subclass, according to the status screens. 'Original Ruffian'. It's currently Level 3, after I killed the sleepy Goblin yesterday."

"A'Rui," he says. "Its name was A'Rui."

"Yeah, I know," I say. "But he was a sleepy Goblin."

Nik snorts, shaking his head.

"Alright, Zack," he says. "So there's such a thing as the Original Classes, then?"

"Indeed."

"If there is some sort of reward at 100 Total Skill Levels without a Class," he says. "I will personally pay you a full gold. One silver per Skill Level you gained without a Class. I will not give you more than a full gold, it's only to 100 Total Skill Levels."

I give him a cheeky grin. If there is, he'll probably be glad he fixed that loophole before finding out that he'd have to pay me.

"Did you come here for anything else?" He asks. "Ask me anything?"

"No."

"Did you dream again last night?"

"Yeah."

"Care to share?"

"The mage was sunbathing."

"Uh-huh."

"He was," I say. "And he didn't have tanlines, so it's probably normal for him to do that, too. Then again, a being powerful enough to wipe out hordes of monsters and use Cataclysmic Shifts so many times is probably able to just sunbathe at a waterfall without worry because Monsters probably avoid his presence if possible. They can probably just sense that he's well beyond their capabilities, and so choose to live."

"They generally only do that for Dark Knights and Blood Priests."

"Maybe he's both?" I ask, and he snorts. "What? His attire suggests an affiliation with Most Awesomeness, so it's not like it's a far stretch."

Were you referring to me? Big Flame asks.

"Yes."

Oh, cool! He exclaims, and Nik suppresses a laugh. I really am the most awesome one, you know!

"Yes, you are."

Big Flame giggles in my head, and Nik snorts in his attempt not to laugh.

"I'm heading out to the forest," I tell Nik. "Going to try raising more of my Skills, instead of gaining new ones."

"How did you hit 50 Total Skill Levels already?"

"I'm fully-ambidextrous," I remind him. "And apparently did enough climbing before dying in reality for Big S to say 'fuck it' and make mine Level 10. Then there's my Rage already being at Level 6 and Level 7 Martial Arts. So it wasn't really that hard, since I was already almost there."

Appraisal Resistance is Now Level 2!

"Yes!"

"What?" Nik looks confused.

"Sorry," I grin at him. "I've been actively trying to resist Appraisal with everyone since I got the resistance Skill. It finally went up to Level 2."

Nik just snorts again.

"Go back to lurking around and waiting for me to show up instead of training," I wave a hand. "I'm going to head out to the forest and stalk some Gobbies again."

Nik laughs and wishes me well, then I head out of town and into the woods. I spend the entire day hunting, and only find one Goblin I can take on, not gaining much, even in Skills. I return home and make a small stew, then get some sleep.

I train in the forest all day, every day, for another eight days, only stopping in town at night to sleep, to sell my loot at the Trading Post, to get some more food from Jesse, and to chat with Nik about various things.

The dreams come to me every night, the dreams of the mage.

Even though I don't manage to kill very many Goblins, I do manage to increase my Skills and notice the difference when I fight the Goblins I do go against, even managing to take on two at once.

As I'm sneaking through the woods on the eighth day after the one I bought the tags on, Sneak goes up another Level, and an additional message appears in my vision.

Combined Skill Level of 100 Reached Without a Class Adventurer Subclass Unlocked New Class! Adventurer The truly adventurers, these people posses special talents, allowing them to reach a high level of skill without a Class to assist them. They benefit from all aspects of their adventures, never failing to find new things. This does not count as a Class, and nor does it take up a Class Slot. This Class has 5 Tiers, each Tier having 10 Levels, like traditional Classes. This Class's Level is based on your Overall Level. It will go up a Level each time your Overall Level is a multiple of five. +1 to All Stats each Level Minor bonus to all forms of Experience, loot drops.

That… is fucking amazing. A weakish bonus per Level, but still. Amazing. I don't even have to do anything but gain regular Class Levels for it to go up, and I still receive the minor bonus to all forms of Experience and to loot drops.

Nik mentioned those, too… what are they? Maybe I should ask him.

Or see if I can figure it out on my own.

The Class came with a Title, too.

(R2) First True Adventurer Only the truly adventurous can manage to attain a high level of skill without a Class, and you not only managed it, but managed it first. Congratulations!

I'm somewhat annoyed, though. Adventurer started off at Level 0, just like Ruffian. That means I need to hit Level 5 before I can make use of its bonus.

The sun's going to be setting soon, so I make my way back to town and sell my loot to Jesse for three copper, then convince him to give me more food. That done, I make my way to the Dark Temple, the sun having just begun to set past the horizon as I do.

Looking around, I note that the leaves have turned, finally indicating the presence of autumn. Soon, they will begin to fall, and winter will set in.

I am so glad I could afford the jacket and blanket.

I eat dinner while waiting for Nik, though it takes a couple of hours past that for him to arrive. He arrives while I'm playing with a couple of the marbles I looted off of Goblins.

"Enjoying yourself?" He asks.

"I am," I look up at him.

"You do know you're playing on a sacred sigil, right?" He gestures to Big Flame's insignia.

"I asked him first," I say. "And he didn't respond, so I took that to mean he was alright with it."

I'm having fun watching him. Oh, and you owe him a gold.

"Seriously?" Nik asks.

"Yeah," I collect my marbles and send them into my inventory. "At 100 Total Skill Levels without a Class, you obtain another Subclass. Its Level is based off of your Total Level, at multiples of five."

"Ah," he says. "Not sure if you were told this or not, but every fifth Total Level you gain, your stats are boosted additionally by another set of Stat Points."

"I vaguely remember a mention of that," I nod. "It's based off my base Stats, right?"

"Indeed," he nods. "Either a quarter, half, three-quarters or all of your base Stats each boost, plus up to eight extra points. No one knows how it's determined. And again – this happens every fifth Total Level gained."

"Got it," I say, then hold out my hand. "I believe you owe me a gold?"

He laughs, pulling a gold out and dropping it into my hand.

"Thanks, Nik!"

I pocket it, then make my way down to Jesse at the Trading Post.

"Hey, Pervert," I flip the coin to him. "Silver tags, please."

"How did you get this?"

"Nik paid me for doing something."

"What did you do?" He asks.

"Reached 100 Total Skill Levels without a Class and prove there was something for it."

"What was it?"

"Just give me the tags, Pervert."

Jesse sighs, but gives me the tags and eighty silver.

"See you, Pervert!" I wave to him, leaving the Trading Post and beginning to walk back to the Dark Temple, examining a window in my vision.

Dark Squire: Requirements: Sword Mastery 1 Rage 1 intimidate 1 Bonus: +1 Strength +1 Endurance +1 Vitality If you take this Class, you will not be able to take on any holy Class or use any holy Skills you have already learned. Take on this Class? Yes No

Duh. But, uh… did Nik get confused? It doesn't require Knives Mastery. It's probably Dark Knight that requires it, but it's been so long for him that his ancient brain mixed them up. Probably.

Having Knives Mastery is still a useful Skill, though, and will help me out a lot. Already has, actually.

"Accept," I say.

You are now a Dark Squire! +1 Strength +1 Endurance +1 Vitality

Sweet. I don't start off at Level 0 for that, which means I receive an instant bonus. I guess it makes sense, though, since this is a Class I earn by having Skills and having worked for it already.

Then again, I sort of did for those two…

Yeah, well, things are as they are.

"Hello, Big S."

He ignores me.

I finish my walk to the Dark Temple, and when I reach the doors, I examine them. When I first arrived, they refused to budge for me.

Holding up my hands, I push on them, and they easily swing open smoothly and silently. I smile. Nothing will keep me from my goals, and my goals include entering. And now that I am a Dark Squire, I may.

Taking several steps forward, I enter the Dark Temple and examine my surroundings.

Dimly lit halls of black stone, crimson candles providing the only light. No carpeting or decorations, apart from the occasional suit of armor.

I do find a few bedrooms and training rooms, as well as a large, circular hall with pillars around the edges of the circular room, a jet-black altar in the dead-center of the room. Atop the altar burns a fire without fuel.

It feels cool.

Did you seriously just put your hand in fire?

"Yes, Big Flame, I did."

I like you! He says happily. And for the record: most Dark Knights do the first time they see my Sacred Fires. It's funny. I don't know what it is about the natural Dark Knights, but they seem to like seeing if the flame that burns without fuel atop an altar in a room clearly sacred in some way will burn them.

"Msot of us probably doubt we'd be burned by it," I tell him. "Do you know where Nik is?"

He's not as nocturnal as you think. He's currently in Praevar's mines.

"Really?" I ask. "I could've sworn he was returning in the mornings, not leaving."

He's come to expect you, Big Flame tells me. So he stops by. I generally let him know when you're on your way. I do sometimes wait as long as possible.

"And earlier?"

He was in a meeting.

"Ah," I comment, pulling my hand out of the flames.

Thank you. That was kind of disturbing.

"Why?"

Consider the flames an extension of myself.

"Ah," I say. "My apologies."

You're forgiven. You're too entertaining right now for me to stay mad at.

"What if I stop being entertaining?"

I dunno.

"So what's the flame for?" I ask, examining it. "It doesn't look special, other than not using fuel and not burning the altar."

It's for if any of you wish to make an offering or a sacrifice to me, he answers. There's also a Demon Familiar Skill you can unlock at Tier 3 or above of the Class. You sacrifice a 'Vice', something off a Monster you slayed, on the altar. The more valuable the Vice, the better the bonus to your Demon.

"Oh, cool," I say. "You said it's able to be unlocked at Tier 3, or at Dark Knight named specifically. Does that mean I can't get it before then?"

Indeed, he responds. It is one of the few Rank 1 Classes that has Skills locked to it and to certain things. Demon Familiar is available only to it and Blood Priests who have reached Tier 3 or higher of that Classes. The Skill that allows Dark Knights to manifest a demonic aspect is also locked to Dark Knights.

"Alright," I say. "I'm going to head back home, Big Flame. I will speak with you… whenever you actually respond or start chatting again."

Might be sooner than you think, little one, funny, coming from someone that sounds like a child. As we've told you, I tend to speak with my faithful more often than the others do.

"Good night, Big Flame," I say. "I need my rest. Starting tomorrow, I have approximately three weeks to gain nine Levels in Dark Squire so I can hold myself to what I said."

Protip: visualize a ball of flames and say 'Fireball', and you'll probably get it in a few tries. Visualize it manifesting into existence through your desire and Mana, and it should, with that. Like all natural-Dark Knights, you align with me, which means you have a high affinity for it. It'll help you butcher the Slimes, and you need Fireball for the next Tier, anyway.

"I do?"

Indeed.

"Oh, cool," I say. "Thanks for the notice, Big Flame."

No problem. You gain Skill Levels fast due to the characteristic you have of learning and adapting quickly, which provides a bonus to Experience by itself. As a result, you're actually mostly-there in terms of the Skills and Skill Levels required for the next Tier. The only things you're missing are a couple of Skills that you don't have yet, and Fireball is one of those. Plus, it'll give you an easy way to heat up the water for your baths.

"Indeed," I say. "Thank you, Big Flame."

No probs. Oh, and by the way – Crimson Guide is the other Skill you'll need. It generally isn't able to be learned until at least Level 10 Dark Squire, but it's you, so I'll let you know now about it.

"Crimson Guide?"

A sphere of a crimson light, he answers, and I sense a sort of nod from him, which is weird, since he's a massive fucking crystal. Well, not really fucking, but you know what I mean. It emits a crimson glow, as the previous statement states. It hovers in front of the caster, floating wherever they desire it to be, adjusting its location based on where they are looking to illuminate it. The higher the Level of the Skill, the larger the area of coverage the light can affect.

"Ah, okay," I say. "Do you think I could figure out how to manifest it on my own?"

Probably, he answers. All you need to do is, essentially, the same thing as the Fireball. However, instead of flames, it is a light attuned to the power you hold in connection to me. As you manifest it, focus on a light that shows where you look, not where you hold.

"Okay," I say. "Will I be able to move it as well?"

Indeed, but it takes conscious effort until Level 5 of it.

"That's fine," I smile at his altar. "Anyway, thank you for the information, my lord. If that is all, I will be heading home. I need a bath and to wash my clothes, as well as to get some sleep."

That is all.

I give the altar a bow, then begin the trek home, focusing on the Skill he told me about. I fail to manage it by the time I get home, so there, I work on creating a fireball. It forms quickly and easily, allowing me to quickly heat the water for washing my clothes and the water in the bath.

Once the bath is to a suitable temperature, I wash, then soak, allowing my body to relax, nearly nodding off. Once my body reaches that point, I climb out, dry off, pull on my night clothes, then head to bed, crawling under the blanket I purchased, quickly falling asleep, dreams quickly filling my night.