Light filters into the tavern bedroom as Sheriff Grace pulls curtains out from in front of the window. El hides his eyes from the light as the elven woman marches around the bed. She stops at the foot of it and yanks the blankets away that El clings to.

“Sabi told me you’ve been in here crying all night.” Grace puts her hands on her hips.

“You can keep the money. I’m done training.” El doesn’t move from where he lays on his side.

“Bullshit. Don’t drag my reputation through the mud by washing out. Zander wants a rematch and I intend to get your sorry ass out of bed for it.” Grace puts out a hand for El to take.

“You already got what you wanted from the first night we met. I could care less about your reputation.”

“You mean when you threw up all over yourself, blacked out, and I dragged you back to my place so the butler could wash you up? Yeah, I’m sure I really had my way with you.” Grace pulls her hand back with a grimace. “I’m over 300 years old. You are an infant. Teasing you is fun, training you to fight is smart, but have relations with you? You had just spilled your guts about getting your girlfriend killed before you literally spilled your guts all over the bar. Too pathetic for even a pity fuck.”

“You’re a callous bitch.” El turns to face her as he sits up in bed.

“And I’m still alive because of it.” She turns and leaves the bedroom.

El slowly stands, puts on his clothing, and pulls the moonstone necklace off of his nightstand. He holds it in his hand pressed against his chest for a second before putting it on. Sick on his right hip, longsword on his left, and the greatsword over his shoulder. El leaves the bedroom ready to face the rest of the day.

“El, you decided to join us.” Grace calls out as El approaches the training ground.

Talot the dwarf guard and Adriana the human guard stand in a sandpit fencing and stepping around each other. Sairene and Khazadin watch from the sidelines calling out different criticisms. Zander rubs a bandage on his throat as he looks away from El.

“I need you to start warming up for a fight…” Sheriff Grace speaks to El as he walks right past her.

She closes her mouth and looks sternly as he passes her by ignoring her. El stops in front of Zander. The guard turns, hearing his footsteps stop by him, and he looks up at the farm boy.

“What do you want?” Zander says with a raspy voice.

“I’m sorry.” El sighs. “I was in the wrong for attacking you like that. There’s no excuse for being a huge douche.”

“That…” Zander stands and shoves hand towards El, “I think that's the best apology you got, so I’ll accept it.”

El grasps Zanders hand and the guard smiles.

“What?” El cocks his head.

“I’m gonna beat you in a fair fight this time.” Zander pulls his hand away.

“Speaking of a fair fight,” Grace stretches her arms, “we are doing a team fight.”

“What?” El and Zander turn towards her.

“Each of you can choose a fellow guardsman to be your teammate. Since Zander has home-field advantage El can choose first.”

El turns and looks between Talot, the incredibly dense-looking dwarven guard, and Adriana, the unassuming human guard. El notes the scars all across Talot. He is used to taking a beating. Adriana has fair skin and there must be something about her that got her into the guard.

“I chose Adriana.” El says.

“Hah! You fucking idiot!” Zander laughs.

“Oh what, like Talot isn’t much better.” El crosses his arms.

Talot raises his arms obviously offended and throws them down before walking away. Zander nods past El looking at someone else. The farmhand looks over his shoulder at Khazadin. Dressed in a modified guards uniform.

That’s right, he was the Captain of the Guard.

El flinches away from the captain's cruel smile and faces Adriana. She shakes her head and holds her hands together as if already apologizing. El grits his teeth before all four fighters move into the sandpit to fight.

“If you are pushed out of the pit, you lose. If you are knocked unconscious, you lose. But if your ally is the last one standing, you win with them. Losers have to buy drinks tonight.” Sairene explains the rules.

“Alright, fight on three. One, two,” Sheriff Grace starts counting down.

El grabs a wooden greatsword, Zander grabs a thin fencing sword with a balled point, Adriana grabs a shortsword, and Khazadin grabs a massive fucking axe.

“Okay even, wooden, that's not fair.” El takes a step back looking up at the imposing Khazadin.

“Take out Zander again. I’ll distract the captain.” Adriana mutters.

“You sure?” El looks at her.

“Three!” Grace yells, throwing a hand up in the air.

Initiative

Dexterity

El

8(D20)+1=9

Third

Adriana

8(D20)+3=11

Second

Khazadin

20(D20)+1=21

First

Zander

2(D20)+2=4

Fourth

Khazadin lunges towards Adriana swinging his axe. She quickly ducks, weaving under the blow, before striking him in the back for six nonlethal damage. She steps past him as he staggers forward.

El quickly swings his greatsword, relying on the reach to keep distance between him and Zander’s spells, but the guard hops backward. Having avoided the attack he closes the gap between them muttering an incantation. Zander’s fencing sword strikes forward dealing five nonlethal damage, but green flames run down the blade leaping onto El’s shoulder. Dealing another three damage.

Khazadin spins, swinging his axe low, but Adriana hops over it, before striking with her sword. The draconian bashes her sword arm away before the blow can connect.

El swings his sword at Zander, but the guard steps into El’s space interrupting his attack. He then flicks his sword against El’s leg dealing five more nonlethal damage.

Khazadin roars trying to strike Adriana but she easily sidesteps him. With a huff he beats his wings kicking dust up into her eyes as Adriana tries to attack.

The farmhand finally finds an opening, slamming his foot down on Zanders, and slamming the butt of the sword into the guard’s nose dealing eight nonlethal damage. The guard curses as he staggers back. Zander pulls a bloody hand away from his nose and lunges at El muttering another incantation. This time when the fencing sword strikes El it delivers an electric shock dealing a total of eleven nonlethal damage.

El staggers, he knows he is at the end of his rope, but is unaware he only has four health left.

A greataxe flies past El as Khazadin wildly swings at Adriana with no success. Adriana tries to sneak in for an attack, but Khaz’s wild swings are too much for her to get through.

El turns back towards Zander, but drops the greatsword. The guard looks down at the weapon with a slightly open mouth.

“Are you giving up?” Zander looks back up at El as the farmhand lungs at him with his arms spread.

Standard Action

Combat Maneuver Attack

CMD= 13

Grapple

13(D20)+3(Skill)=16

Grappled

“In your dreams!” El wraps his arms around Zander, lifts him up off the ground, and throws him out of the sandpit. He hits the ground with a loud thunk.

“Zander is out!” Sairene yells as the guard tries to suck air back into his lungs.

El looks back up, seeing Khaz and Adriana still fighting, and Grace on the sidelines smiling. Having worked once El charges into the fray to do it again. He ducks under a swing from Khaz, aimed at Adriana, and the female guard finds herself off balance missing her next attack.

Standard Action

Combat Maneuver Attack

CMD= 15

Grapple

6(D20)+3(Skill)=9

Failed

Khazadin bashes El away with the back of his arm and turns to slam his greataxe down on him. Adriana pushes El out of the way before diving away from the attack herself.

Khazadin swings wildly one last time, failing to find a target, but his eyes go wide as he sees the two opponents circling to either side of him. El lunges forward, Khaz moves to block him, when Adriana slams her sword on his back. The draconian flinches and El, seeing an opening, kicks him in the groin. The two deal nine damage together.

The Captain of the Guard beats his wings and hops a step backward. He looks between Adriana as she readies her fighting stance and El as he picks up his greatsword. They move towards him, but he doesn’t attack.

Adriana lunges forward, but Khaz steps past the attack. He grabs her by the throat and pulls her to the side as El swings his greatsword. The heavy blade slams into the guards back with a sickening crack dealing eleven nonlethal damage.

Khaz shoves Adriana into El before swinging his greataxe down. It crashes into her shoulder with another sickening crack dealing twelve nonlethal damage. She cries out in pain from the blow as Khaz pulls his axe back.

The draconian’s axe pulls back down away from him. Adriana slips to the ground and Sairene grabs her to pull her out of the way. Khaz and El glare at each other as the farm boy tears the axe from the Captain’s hands.

“You think that’ll do anything for you?” Khaz growls.

“It already has.” El takes a step backward raising his hands to leave himself open.

Khazadin roars with rage as his wings beat and he leaps at El with his claws extended. The field hand tips backward, grabbing the draconian’s arms, and falls backward with him.

Standard Action

Combat Maneuver Attack

CMD= 16

Grapple

14(D20)+3(Skill)=17

Grappled

El’s foot comes up kicking Khaz as he pushes him. With the captain's forward momentum, slight lift off the ground with his wings, and the extra push from El; Khazadin soars past his target and lands outside the ring.

“Holy shit,” Zander says from where he is sitting on the sidelines.

“Oh god, you couldn’t have given him this?” Sairene’s shoulders drop realizing her husband is going to bitch all night.

Sheriff Grace grabs El’s arm and helps him up to his feet. She smiles at El, but the field hand turns and walks towards Khazadin. The draconian is trying to get up when El grabs his arm and yanks him to his feet. The Captain stands tall, towering over the teen, as he looks over at him.

“Good fight kid. I fought a little dirty and you still won.” The dragon-man smiles.

“Well, I realized I’m not the best at winning in straight fights. Having the rules to abuse and the partner to distract you is all it took.” El shrugs.

“Alright, enough chatter, I have to go teach him more tactics. Apparently, he’s learning something.” Grace grabs El by the ear and tugs him towards the direction of the Amfall manor.

“Hey!” El pulls away. “I was promised drinks!” The farmer puts his hands on his hips and looks around the group.

“Well, we can after baths, dinner, and a game of Dragon Chess.” Grace nods and then turns to leave.

El sighs, waves goodbye to the others, and then follows.

The farmhand recalls the general layout of the board and the moves the pieces can make this time. The game is a bit easier to get into and play a couple of rounds of. El manages to feel close to victory on the field of battle, but the underground and aerial battles still elude him. He decides to change tactics; rushing with the aerial troops, playing defensively with the field, and maneuvering into key strategic points in the underground below the battles of the above.

He feels tied for most of the game. His troops trade-off several times, losing troops on the field, only to have his underground troops cover them. Winning the game would be monumental for him, and he even has a chance.

“Is it hot in here?” Sheriff Grace complains as she takes off her leather Sheriff’s jacket.

El’s eyes wander to her chest for a second before returning to the board. He tries to focus on the game, but too much weirdness has happened between him and this teacher. She shifts in her seat leaning to move a piece and El stares.

A hand whacks him on the head.

“Are you going to be distracted in a fight if you go against a girl?” Grace asks.

“What?” El looks up at her rubbing his head.

“Am I an object to you or an opponent?” Grace stares at him with furrowed brows.

“A teacher.” He answers blankly.

“Oh my god. Is that really what's going to get you killed?” Grace rubs her temple as frustration builds. “I had my suspicions, but god damn. Are you such a virgin? Is the first drow you fight going to stab you without you realizing anything beyond their cup size?”

“Cup size?” El blinks.

“Oh my god! I need a drink.” She stands from her chair and leaves the study.

“But our game?” El turns back to the board and then at the door swinging closed.

He sighs and starts to put the pieces away before folding up the board. He grabs the teacup from in front of him and the one on her side of the table. He then brings the dirty dishes to the butler.

“Thank you, boy.” The butler takes the dishes and leaves.

“Yeah sure,” El mutters.

He steps outside the manor. Sheriff Grace Amfall is already long gone. El kicks a rock on the road and sulks as he starts to head towards the tavern.

“I’m not a virgin.” He whispers to himself. But that line of thought also led to heartache.

Retraining - El

Class Levels

Takes 5 Days

Fighter Level 2

⅗ Days Trained

Costs 100 Gold (60 discount)