“Do we really need to do this?” I asked the overly enthusiastic Franz.

“Of course!” Franz beamed at me as he brandished his padded wooden staff. Franz was standing about five meters away from me, his wooden staff slung over one armoured shoulder. “Now that you don’t have the physique of a toddler I can finally start teaching you properly!”

This was the first day since the whole bog disaster that I could move my body without issues. In fact, my body moved better than ever. “Levels really are strange.” My body has grown so much stronger in the past week. I had reached level 16 yesterday and I had gotten an additional 7 stats making my new stats:

Str: 14*, Agi: 17*, Dex: 21*, Vit: 19*, End: 19*, Int: 23*, Wis: 18, Cha: 11.

Still, standing on the training grounds behind the Yallow Guildhall, I felt none of the confidence my increased strength should have offered me. The reason for this was Franz. The dwarf looked like some kind of mountain as he restlessly shifted his weight from foot to foot in the sand.

“Fuuuck…” I swore silently as Franz’s earlier words came back to me. ‘Pain, is a most excellent teacher’. I clenched my teeth and at Franz’s gesture I rushed the dwarf with my short wooden practise sword. Franz nodded approvingly and in the next moment my world spun.

Franz had stepped in and swung his staff as I clumsily charged him. He had smoothly swept my feet out from under me with such ease that I was momentarily stunned. Then I face planted in the dirt with a grunt as the air escaped my lungs.

“Now, what happened?” Franz asked, while I was busy spitting sand out of my mouth.

“Y-you…” I spat out some more sand and could hear Kiyara snort to the side. “You swept out my legs from under me.”

“Indeed? So, how do you avoid that next time?”

“Uh… by not getting hit by the staff?” I asked more snarkily than I had intended. “I haven’t ever done anything like this before…” I added bitterly as Franz looked at me disappointedly.

“Just because you have never fought before, doesn’t mean that you can’t use your brain.” Franz shook his head. “Well, let's try that again.” He stepped back and gestured for me to return to my starting position.

I reluctantly did as told and walked back to my starting position. Then with another gesture from Franz I gritted my teeth and charged him once more. This time I tried to jump over the expected swing. This, did not end well. I face planted even harder in the sand this time and coughed as the air was propelled out of my lungs by the impact.

“Well, at least you are trying.” Franz just sounded tired and I blushed in indignation. I got up and glared at the dwarf, Franz just snorted at me. “You know, I have only taught you how to swing properly and some rudimentary footwork. Why do you rush around like an idiot?” Franz asked pointedly. I snapped my mouth shut, swallowing the complaints I had been about to utter. “Now, I have given you a hint. Again.” I gritted my teeth and returned to my starting location.

It took me about six more tries before my footwork was at a, ‘barely’ acceptable level and Franz stopped sweeping me off my legs and instead began ‘gently poking’ me to correct my posture and stance instead. The following hour was a rather painful experience but credit where credit is due, Franz was an excellent teacher.

Franz may be both strict and harsh, but he was also quick with his praise when I grasped something without his ‘gentle’ prodding. More importantly I could feel myself improving even as my bruises multiplied and sand found its way into every nook and cranny of my clothing.

“I can’t possibly see how that novice could possibly slay a troll.” Said an extraordinary masculine and powerful voice. I tiredly glanced over at the dark clad man.

“Isn’t he a mage boss?” Askes the young man standing next to the dignified Guild enforcer. The Enforcer snorted and looked at me like he was apprising a slab of meat. The younger man continued undaunted by the indifferent attitude of the enforcer. “Even such meagre physical prowess is beyond most mages. So, I’d say it’s almost impressive.”

The older and dark clad man looked at me with thinly veiled disgust and the yellow aura that surrounded the staggeringly handsome man made me rather nervous. The younger man, the apprentice of the enforcer who had apparently saved my group, looked at me with amusement and his silver badge glimmered in the sunlight.

The enforcer snorted derisively and turned to leave. His black enforcer’s badge looked like it was absorbing the light around it and gave off an imposing air that matched the enforcer himself to a t.

“The Guild is mad to allow such weaklings the same rank as myself.” The enforcer said with disdain and strode off. His apprentice chuckled and with a shallow bow to Franz he hurried after his master.

“Well, he is not wrong.” Franz said with a grin and I felt a shudder run down my spine. “Shall we continue?”

“I-I… Um, could we not stop here for the day?” I asked hopefully. Franz just smiled and made a telegraphed overhead attack. Apparently we had now entered into sparring. “Fuck” The attack might have been telegraphed and linear to a fault, but I still had to throw myself out of the way to avoid it.

“How high is Franz’s agility?!” I screamed in my mind and as I half-panicked on the inside. I had seen the attack coming but when Franz started the swing, the staff had, at least to my eyes, blurred. It had taken all of my meagre skill to avoid the overly telegraphed strike and I had still felt the staff whistle past my ear.

I landed clumsily and only with the slimmest of margins did I manage to get to my feet in time for the sweeping strike that would have knocked my lights out. I ducked and felt my hair ruffle in the wind from the strike.

“Good!” Franz shouted completely unfazed by the rapid strikes he was throwing at me. “When fighting a stronger opponent you should keep focusing on dodging.” He thrust the staff at me and I had to twist my body out of the way as I stepped backwards. “Parrying should only be done when you have enough leeway to control the incoming attacks, or…” He took an explosive step forward and swung the staff much faster than before, he aimed for my shoulder and I was forced to party the attack. “Or, when you are forced to do so.” Franz sounded pleased and I groaned with the heavy impact that sent me stumbling backwards.

I forced myself to get back into the stance that Franz had quite literally, beaten into me and faced the dwarf. Sweat was pouring down my body and my right arm was numb from the previous impact. “I think that hit would have broken my shoulder…” I felt cold sweat mix with the regular sweat as I imagined being hit by that attack.

“Very good.” Franz nodded approvingly. “Now come at me and show me how strong you have gotten.” Franz smiled widely. “Could I not?” I thought miserably but still charged the dwarf. ‘Hesitation’ I had been told, had killed more than its fair share of fighters.

This part of my training was, despite not having me eat sand on the regular, by far the worst yet. This was simply due to Franz’s unique way of ‘correcting’ my mistakes.

Franz would strike me every time I made a mistake, just like he did when I practiced my form and footwork and he did this all the while dodging my rather pitiful strikes. All the while he was scolding me for messing up and at times even praising me. Although the latter was a very rare occurrence. By the end of it all, I lay panting and groaning on the sand once again unable to move.

“I must say you have improved quite a bit.” Franz said as he took a swig of ale. “I couldn’t even force myself to swallow the water I was offered, yet Franz is drinking ale and isn’t even winded. This world isn’t fair.” I thought bitterly and forced my body into a seated position with a grunt. Rubbing my bruised thighs I only half-listened to Franz. “But you fall apart every time you try to combine the things I have taught you…” Franz rubbed his chin and looked at me appraisingly. “I will have to make you a new set of exercises for the mornings and evenings.”

I just groaned and took the abandoned water skin from the ground pouring water on my face. I immediately regretted that as my clothes were suddenly filled with wet sand as opposed to dry sand. I sighed and rose on unsteady legs. It was at this point my next headache arrived.

“Victor.” Liz called out to me and moved over with a scowl. I had to take a deep, deep breath and only then did I turn to the priestess with a smile.

“Good morning Liz.” Liz stepped onto the sand and scowled at Franz.

“Franz.” She said curtly.

“Priestess.” Franz responded flatly. I wanted to just leave. “Can’t these two at least pretend to get along?…” Liz turned back to me.

“The high Priestess would like to see you before we leave.”

“I see. I’ll go see her after I have washed off.” I sniffed my now ragged sweatshirt and pants that I had brought from home. I only had a few sets of clothing that was up to the standards I had gotten used to back on earth and this set was all but ruined. I would have worn my wyvern leather armour but it was still being washed. I was already missing my smelly and oddly comfortable armour and with the loss of another set of precious clothes I now missed the armour even more. “Why didn’t I put on some of the shity clothing I bought in Elianor...” I cursed my previous self that had thought ‘You should wear comfortable clothing when I work out’.

“I will go help out the High Priestess until then.” Liz smiled at me and I just had to ask.

“You know… you have been a bit… well, odd since I woke up… did something happen?” Liz blinked. She blushed slightly but then cleared her throat.

“This is how I normally am. I’m sorry if I was a bit… um, unrefined when we first met. But, with the circumstances being what they were, you can surely find it in your heart to forgive any slight transgression.” She said and smiled. “Unrefined she says…” I almost wanted to call her out on her bullshit but refrained. Her eyes had a rather odd light to them so I decided to not get anymore involved in that particular mess for the moment.

“I don’t think you did anything that would require an apology.” I said as diplomatically as I could manage.

“Why thank you.” She curtsied and smiled. Her entire demeanor felt itchy to me.

“You don’t have to act like that…” I said tiredly.

“Whatever do you mean?” Liz asked, feigning ignorance.

“You can just be yourself… I sighed with both mental and physical exhaustion. Liz’s smile slipped ever so slightly so I pressed on. “I don’t mean to sound like an arse but…” Before I could finish my sentence, Gilana, who had been ‘filling up on Kiyara energy’ interrupted me.

“You are being a bit of a creep.” Gilana said with a raised eyebrow and handed over a pear looking fruit to me. “Ertba.” She said as I took the proffered fruit. “It taste amazing this time of year.” Liz’s smile twitched as she turned to glare at Gilana.

I chose to make a strategic retreat and bit into the reddish brown pear-shaped fruit. It tasted almost like a red apple with a hint of strawberry. “That’s not what I’d expected, tasty though.”

“I do understand that ‘Guildies’ aren’t the most refined of people but calling someone a ‘creep’ when you yourself completely lack any sort of common decency, is rather rich, don’t you think?.” Liz glared up at Gilana who just shrugged.

“At least I don’t just randomly go fawn over a stranger.” Gilana said tauntingly.

“I do not fawn!” Liz snapped. “Also Victor is a Champion of my Goddess, he is not some brutish merc, HE deserves respect.” Liz was angry enough that her Priestly demeanour completely cracked.

“But you do fawn, right Victor?” And with that both of the women turned to me. I froze, my mind running at previously unmatched speeds as I tried to find a good solution to the ‘pickle’ I had suddenly found myself in.

I slowly finished my bite of the Ertba fruit and tried wracking my brain for an answer that wouldn’t land me in trouble with either woman. I chewed slowly as cold sweat began to bead on my back. “Welp, I can’t find a single thing to say here.” So I just took another bite and watched in real-time as the eyes of two women turned cold.

“You know, I don’t think anyone is perfect…” I found myself saying and regretting my words even as I spoke them. “I do believe that this is what they call ‘putting your foot in your mouth’.” I tried to think of a good way to recover but I soon gave up and let out an exhausted breath. “You know…” I took a deep breath. “Gilana isn’t wrong, when people suddenly change the way they act it is more than a bit creepy.” Liz scowled and was about to say something but I continued. “Having said that. Gilana, you don’t have to be an arse.” The two looked at me less than pleased so I did what I should have before. I walked away.

“How the hell did I end up in a situation like that anyway?” No one would ever call me a ‘people person’ even as an exaggeration. “So how, how did I end up in the middle of two arguing women?” I walked over to the washing area and sighed. I pushed the entire ordeal out of my mind and pushed through the door to the washing area.

Calling the indoor well with what was essentially a hole in the ground for the excess water, a washing room was a massive overstatement. “At least it is inside…” Most people cleaned themselves by simply pouring a bucket of water on top of their head by the well or alternatively, they would wipe themselves off with a wet towel. Baths and showers were unheard of and thus, personal hygiene was rather lacking at least in this part of the world.

I washed myself off and decided to put the almost ruined clothes into my storage. Instead of the comfy clothes I had been wearing, I put on a set of uncomfortable linen clothes I had bought in Elianor. This was the moment that I learned that itchy clothing on bruises was exceptionally unpleasant.

By the time I made it back to the temple I found Liz standing outside with a stern expression. Suppressing my urge to sigh, I walked up to where Liz was waiting and greeted her.

“Hi Liz, were you not going to help the High Priestess?” I think I did a good job of keeping the tiredness I felt out of my voice. Liz was silent for an uncomfortably long time.

“What do you want from me?” She asked grumpily.

“Hu?” I made a dumb noise not understanding what she meant.

“I asked what it is you want from me.” She asked again and released an angry breath when she saw my lack of understanding. “I am a Priestess of Amoria.” She stated almost angrily and I nodded dumbly, still not understanding what she was getting at. “I am but a humble servant of the Goddess. I must act in a way befitting the responsibility and trust that comes with my position.” She glared at me and I nodded meekly. “That means that I MUST treat you, the Goddess’s Champion, with the same respect as I would the Archbishop.”

“You say that but when you change the way you treat someone so markedly. It is more than a little off-putting…”

“Just forget about that already!” She half-shouted blushing. We got more than a few stares from the passers-by. I could physically feel the harsh looks stab into my back.

“Could we maybe not talk about this here?” I gestured to the onlookers. Liz snorted unhappily but was unable to suppress her blush as dhe stomped off without looking back and I let out a low groan. “How is this something I have to deal with?” I walked after the teenage Priestess reluctantly and soon caught up to her as she had slowed down as soon as she was inside the temple building.

“Are there gods in your world?” She asked after a short silence.

“Well… that depends on who you ask I guess?” I answered ambiguously. “I mean who do you even answer that?” I shook my head. “I guess I don’t know…” I laughed involuntarily. “I mean there could be gods in my old world. There are priests, believes and holy texts.” I shrugged. “But there are no miracles, no healing magic and most definitely no out worldly Champions. Why do you ask?” I looked at the troubled Liz.

“Have you ever felt the touch of a god?” She asked, looking up at me with her bright blue eyes.

“Ehe… no? Or, I’m here so maybe?” I had to think about it but I was not sure, then again I honestly didn’t even know what ‘the touch of a god’ was so I might have ‘felt’ such a thing without knowing it.

“I have, four times.” She stopped and looked me dead in the eyes. “The first day I came to the temple in Elianor. The day I became a full Priestess.” She then paused and her intensity grew. “Then the night I received my oracle and finally when you lent me your strength.” Her intensity was at a level that had gone beyond uncomfortable. “Out of the four times I have experienced the Goddess’s divine touch, twice was it because of you.” She closed her eyes almost ecstatically at the memory.

“Oh god… she is a fanatic.” I was starting to sweat when Liz suddenly pulled herself back from whatever revelry she was in.

“Thus I’m grateful to you.” She bowed and I forced a stiff smile. “Now shall we go see the High Priestess? She asked and began walking before I could respond. I just stood there for a moment. “How did that explain anything?” I felt utterly lost and I was sure I could hear Simon snort at me. “Can snakes even snort?”

I rubbed my temples and followed the Priestess. “Why is my life getting harder?” I had to comfort myself with the knowledge that I could visit my Mind Palace later before I managed to force myself to follow Liz. “Maybe I could convince her that she doesn’t need to follow me?” I laughed nervously. “Yeah… I doubt that is going to happen…”

I entered the High Priestess quarters together with Liz and felt my fatigue lessen as the gentle smell of flowers and clean air entered my nose. I ended up standing in the doorway stunned. Every free space had a flowerpot with either an herb or flower growing within it. It was a chaotic mix of colours and shapes.

But the smell, the smell was anything but chaotic. If I had to describe it, I would call it an outdoor kitchen in the most perfect summer garden. Seated in the middle of all the greenery was a gently smiling old woman with silvery hair and murky white eyes. The High Priestess turned to us, her wrinkles deepening with her motherly smile.

“Welcome to my small refuge.” The High Priestess voice was inviting and she gestured at a small table and the two small wooden chairs next to it. “Come, have a seat.”

It was like time unfroze and Liz cleared her throat and bowed to the High Priestess before she took a seat by the table. “Liz must have been as stunned as me…” I thought as I looked over at the young Priestess that made a poor attempt at hiding her gawking. I chuckled. “Maybe she is not a lost cause?”

As I sat down, The High Priestess offered me some very fragrant tea. She then waited patiently for us to taste the truly remarkable tea before she spoke.

“What do you think of my tea? I have grown, picked and dried the leaves myself.” She took a dignified sip from her own cup.

“Yeah, it is really good. This is easily the best tea I have ever had.” I took another sip and really enjoyed the taste that no “organic” tea from back home could ever hope to match.

“Oh my, such high praise.” She giggled with the refinement only an old woman could achieve. Some time passed in pleasant silence before the High Priestess spoke once more.

“Now, the reason I asked you to come here today is twofold.” Her expression turned more serious. “Firstly I would like to examine you once more.”

“Alright.” I saw no problem with that.

“Secondly I would ask that you take this with you.” She placed a shiny rock on the table. Liz gasped but I had no idea what it was so I just looked at the High Priestess questioningly. Then I remembered that the old woman was blind and blushed.

“I-I’m sorry but I don’t know what that is…” Liz glared at me.

“That is an Essence stone!” Liz's voice was grave. “Have there been any sightings?” She asked the High Priestess nervously.

“Oh no, nothing so dire.” The High Priestess gently patted Liz’s hand. “It is just an old woman’s fretting.” She laughed but Liz did not look relieved.

“Um, what does it do?” I asked, feeling left out.

“It detects demons.” Liz said gravely. I looked at the shiny rock with wide eyes.

“More accurately, it detects the presence of corrupted essence.” The High Priestess said calmingly. “It is just a precaution. But it would help my nerves if you could bring this with you.” She looked me dead in the eye. “Fuck, that is so creepy.” I thought rather rudely. “I really want to ask more but I feel like I should leave it at that for now…”

“I will take it, thank you.” I said and put the stone in my pocket instead of in my Storage. “I doubt it would be able to detect any essence from inside my Storage.”

“Wonderful.” The High Priestess said and reached out for my hand. I offered her my hand and she gripped it firmly. The High Priestess seemed to glow faintly then I felt the soothing sensation flow into me once more and in a few moments the High Priestess opened her eyes once more. “Good, no sign of corruption and the essence poisoning has faded.” She nodded pleased.

“Corruption?” I had a hard time keeping the smile on my face as my imagination ran wild.

“Ah, yes. Sometimes when a person experiences a large growth in essence they are very rarely, not only poisoned by the overflow of essence, but even corrupted by it.” She patted my now clammy hand. “But as I said you are fine, though I would suggest that you avoid such an influx of essence in the future.” She smiled reassuringly. “Also you should try and avoid ‘levelling’ in the near future.”

“Alright. Is there any particular reason I should avoid levelling?” I was a bit terrified as I imagined my body twisting into something alien by too much essence.

“Well, there should be no harm in a more ‘controlled’ progress, but even then there is a slight risk that you will experience essence poisoning once more.” She smiled a bit sadly. “After all, your body has been through a lot and the gods reward hard work and perseverance, not recklessness.” Liz nodded at that.

“So the gods do not like power levelling?” I asked grimacing as a very gamey term escaped my mouth unwittingly.

“I have never heard that term used before, ‘power levelling’.” The High Priestess smiled and almost tasted the word. “But I suppose that it is an apt term. And no, the gods reward hard work and dedication, not recklessness and short term growth spurts. They have gone so far as to introduce essence poisoning to dissuade their followers from, as you say ‘power level’.”

“So essence poisoning is not a natural phenomenon?” I asked, surprised.

“No.” The High Priestess shook her head sadly. “It is a consequence of the actions of the Broken empire.” She looked very sad as she said this and I felt like I should avoid the topic. “I can probably ask Liz or the others later… but I doubt it would be a fun story.” At that moment I remembered the look Gilana had given me when she explained that you could steal essence from anything, even another person.

I shuddered and held onto the now cold cup of tea as I imagined an empire that used it’s people as fuel for their soldiers and rules.