In the Before, I was active. Not in a dedicated way. Not professionally. But growing up I had loved to move. So it started with kids sports. Gymnastics, T-ball, swimming, even martial arts. Over time, I grew out of most of it. Gymnastics was too restrictive -when I had turned twelve the coach tried to limit my food and what I could do. ‘If she wants to compete, she needs muscle not fat.’ And it stopped being fun. So in turn I stopped going. T-ball had turned into softball, and swimming turned into swim team. I was fifteen and being pulled in too many directions. And once again it stopped being fun. I quit them both. When I was seventeen I got a black eye while boxing. I hadn’t wanted to spar. And in that moment, it didn’t matter that I’d spent over a decade learning. I hated it. But I had quit everything else. Then I got home and my family refused to let me go back. And suddenly the final chain was broken. After that, I would do casual sports -a pickup game here, a boxing class there, tumbling on soft grass instead of plastic mats. But for ten years I was casual about it all, choosing to focus only on things that brought me peace. And I never regretted it.

After waking up in Maeve, I couldn’t get myself to move. To find enjoyment in moving. Even the past few weeks in Fellan have been dreary, overcast with my thoughts of the past no matter what small thing I let take my attention. Now here I was. Moving.

As the magic construct moved, I tried to follow its steps. The first move in the sequence was a forward stab. From the way I was meant to hold the pommel, to the position of my foot when I lunged. I didn’t have time to correct it the first go round, because the construct moved in what felt like a dance. A forward stab, a pivot, a straight up slash, a step back, a pivot, a block, a pivot, a low slash, and then a pivot to start it all again. My movements felt clumsy, nothing like what I was seeing from the construct. I was off time, my feet were unsteady, I couldn’t get the sword to act like I wanted it to.

But I couldn’t pull myself away, and so I didn’t break until I heard a chime marking the overall class break -a brief few minutes where my body begged for water. As I moved, the fatigue from earlier sank into a different part of my mind hidden from my perception and a new, comfortable strain was seeping into my physical muscles.

Stab, pivot -no that’s the wrong sword movement, straight up slash -ah too diagonal, step back, stumble, pivot, block -have to reposition hands, pivot without looking, stumble m, low slash, shaky hands, pivot -steadier this time, stab -no, wrong spot, pivot, stumble again, slash steadier, step back with wrong foot, pivot wrong way, get lost, back to low slash and pivot, start again…

I don’t know how many rounds I was focused for. I hadn’t looked at the other kids, or tracked where the instructor was, so when I felt something hard forcible shift my foot I stumbled and had to catch myself.

“Keep going. Bend your knees more and keep you shoulders loose.” The hard voice of Instructor Revel prompted me to keep looking at the construct and grit my teeth.

I kept going. It was almost energizing feeling my sword shift in my hand to the correct position, or having my arm shifted, or being told to change my breathing. It almost felt… good.

“Stop with the white knuckles. Loosen your grip.”

“Don’t look at your feet when pivoting.”

“Don’t cross your legs -it’s why you’re unbalanced.”

“Spine straight- no, straight. A little more back.” My chest got a whack and pushed for that.

“Eyes on the opponent not your sword. Don’t make that face. Pretend they’re in front of you.”

In five minutes, I went through the full sequence nearly two dozen times -even with the whacking. It was bittersweet when, without warning, Revel moved on to the next person in the sword group. But I didn’t falter, I continued the dance. The movement.

At the time, it didn’t process what Revel had said earlier. That the [System] reads your desire and talent, and decides if and when it should give you a [Skill]. And I had already been ignoring the sensation of having a backlog of waiting notices from earlier, so I didn’t feel it when another notice popped into the queue. I didn’t know it was early on -before the halfway point. These were things I found out later, when I was willing to accept what it meant.

But as it was, when Instructor Revel clapped her hands and dispersed the constructs, I didn’t even check to see if I’d gotten a [Skill]. I didn’t want to deal with the combat notices, or risk seeing any other meddling Gods.

Instead, as soon Revel stopped us, I let my exhausted muscles take me to the ground. I laid all the way down, resting my head on the hard packed dirt and closed my eyes. I was sweating, not obscenely so but enough. I could feel the cool tingle of air running over my damp skin and the feeling of dirt mixing with sweat on my neck. Unlike after the trip to Fellan, or the times I slept at the main estate, or even just a few hours ago, this exhaustion wasn’t taxing. Not in the same way. This exhaustion was purely physical, and mostly voluntary -if you ignore the bit about an unknown punishment had I refused to attend the Academy. But most importantly, the weight in my muscles is the same. It’s the same as the Before. Something that space and time has not changed - even with stats, and [Skills], and a new body. The sensation of having moved. As I took it in, Revel’s voice washed over me.

“That’s it for practicals. Put away your weapons in the bay you got it from. I have this weeks theory booklets. On top of six local monsters, it contains basic [System] information and recommendations as well the in depth guideline of the Academy. Grab one from the entry hall once you’re finished in the training yard.”

After a pause, wherein I didn’t hear any movement or words, Revel huffed. Her voice sharper than before, “Dismissed. Shoo.”

This time, I heard dozens of feet begin moving towards me. Because the quad I was in was near to the weapons bay. Snapping my eyes open, I propped myself up on my elbows. I promptly met the eyes of two children hovering over me and staring at me. Uriel and Remour looking both curious and worried.

“Do you need help up, Nori?” Remour voice was small, unsure, and she looked tired as well.

“I’m fine,” I shook my head at her and leaned fully forward, crossing my legs and placing my wooden sword across my lap, “I’ll get up once there’s less people at the Bays.”

“I’ll wait with you, then.” Remour gave a small smile as she sat down a few feet in front of me, soon followed by Uriel.

I looked at him then, staring maybe more intensely then I thought, because he met my eyes and narrowed his own, “Yeah?”

“…” I paused for a moment, deciding if I really wanted to ask, “Do you know if you won?”

Realization hit him quickly and he briefly widened his eyes before his expression settled, “Not yet. I’m hoping he fumbled his spear.”

I hummed in response just as Louis popped up and jabbed Uriel with the blunt end of his training spear, “Excuse you. I did no such thing-“ a malicious grin spread across Louis’ face, “Besides, I saw you stumbling about with your sword.”

Uriel tutted and muttered something under his breath, but didn’t say any more. My body was quickly recovering, but it looked like the others were much worse off than I was. All three of them were drenched in sweat, and even if my eyes had not been improved by the [System] I would’ve been able to see their arms shaking with every movement. Whether it was Endurance or Vitality I wasn’t sure. But I was looking forward to the booklet from the Academy that supposedly had basic information on it.

If I hadn’t been repulsed by the idea of interacting with anyone at the main estate I would’ve likely gotten answers sooner. Or if I’d given any information about my Awakening when it happened, they might have said something without me asking. As it stood, no one would expect a freshly Awakened seven year old noble to have any complex classes or level up significantly. But that was over a year before and was now a moot point because either this booklet would answer it or some scholar would tell me next week when they showed up to the mansion to teach me how to drink tea or give back handed compliments or something. Other than the basics I really wasn’t sure what to expect and snark could very well be included. All I knew is it would be the same person who would teach me geography, history, and whatever basic education included for a noble of Maeve. I suspected some minor economics. Nevertheless, whatever I couldn’t figure out from this booklet I could ask them about. It felt a bit like crossing a line had I asked Sylvia and Gristle -even taking into account I’d shown them both my class and level, so the Academy and a scholar were preferred anyway.

After I sudden wave of exhaustion filled me, I picked myself up off the ground and turned away from the three -Oliver was still elsewhere.

“I’m heading out.”

Things to ignore, people to avoid, and all that. I mentally hummed as they gave light goodbyes.

Most of the class was gone, including the young nobles from earlier, so there was no point waiting any longer. As I put my training sword back in its bay I heard Remour chatting quietly behind me. If I more kids had been around, I likely wouldn’t have been able to zero in on it from the weapons bay.

“She’s a bit… scary, isn’t she?”

“Rem?”

“Well, I mean… uhm… she hardly stopped today. And when Instructor Revel was directing her -well, she didn’t say anything back. Even when she was hit. It’s almost like… she was used to it.” I had to fight back a choke at that.

“What if… what if she is?” Remour’s voice sounded strangled, “Used to it, I mean.”

“I don’t think that’s our business.” This was said roughly, I hadn’t looked back to check but I was certain it was Uriel.

“But! What if she’s being forced to fight monsters? That’s a bit-”

“Even then-“ Uriel’s voice cut off as I faced them again, an irritated tick in my face. Whether they could see it from where they were huddled at the edge of the quadrant I wasn’t sure.

I think that’s enough.

Remour had shrunken back as soon as I turned around to meet her eyes and Louis was looking at me uncomfortably. Uriel was giving Remour a tired look. I went to take a step towards them, to say ‘It’s fine’ or ‘Mind your own life’ or maybe even ‘What you’re worried about isn’t a problem’. But then I felt how heavy my legs felt with that step, and the tightness in my arms, and decided it didn’t matter.

Turning on my heel I left through the entryway. The Instructor wasn’t looking my way as I left, busy chatting with a burly man I didn’t recognize. On top of the reception desk were two stacks of booklets -one shorter stack with blue covers and a much taller stack of booklets with crimson covers. Without acknowledging anyone else, I grabbed one of each and decided to wait outside for Theo and Klein to follow me out. I stepped off to the side, hovering in the shadow of the Academy out of sight from the other kids. Some where just arriving, likely for the afternoon theory class, some were chatting, and a few seemed to be waiting for their carriage to come up. As I waited I slid off the athletic jacket I was wearing, juggling the booklets from one hand to another to avoid putting them on the ground. Folding it over my arm, I straightened the loose top I was wearing under it -a pale lilac peasant top that fit looser than the jacket and went well with the deep violet of my pants. As I stood there, I took in the slight chill of the spring day. It was grounding after all the chaos.

Looking over my bare wrists and forearms nearly dropped my booklets in shock. Where I had felt the Blight roots pierce me earlier where not red and angry, barely scabbed over. Rather, they were black dots with dark grey vein spreading immediately out for a few inches around each wound. I ran a thumb over one of my arms, checking the half dozen puncture wounds and felt my throat tighten. The wounds were flat against my skin -the black dots seemed to be flush with the edges of each pierce. Almost instinctively I knew what the blackness was. It was Shadow. I hadn’t seen blood on my clothes earlier because… because why?

I had to force my face to remain still with the horror of a realization. I had been in pain in the clearing. I had felt the Blights inject something into me. And I conjured Shadow to cleanse me. At the time I hadn’t thought of how it would do that. How it could. I had simply willed it to do so.

“Notices… I have to check the notices…” I mumbled to myself, as I pulled down the half sleeve as far as it would go. It didn’t do much good but it helped give me some peace of mind and what my shirt couldn’t cover I hid with my jacket.

I took a slow inhale and thought, [System Notices].

I hadn’t had to call up the log before, as they usually popped up in real time -but after I’d somehow muted them this morning they hadn’t come back up. I was relieved when the command work and I began looking at my log from this morning.

[System Notice: For defeating a hostile with 100% contribution you have unlocked the command [Combat Report]. This will give you details regarding your actions, experience, and achievements. This report condenses all notifications from combat into a single notification. Once the command is utilized the [Combat Report] will become the default notification for combat encounters.]

[Congratulations! You have slain your first hostile! Additional experience awarded!]

[Congratulations! You have defeated three hostiles in a solo encounter! Additional experience awarded!]

…

Looking at the slew of notifications, all seemingly related to combat, I appreciated the [System]’s first notice and decided a summary is perfect.

[Combat Report]

[Overdraft Net Penalty: 2 Divinity]

[Skills Used in Combat:

Translucent Lvl. 3

Shadow Manipulation Lvl. 4

Shadow Conjuration Lvl. 3

Mental Fortitude Lvl. 4]

[Hostiles Defeated:

1 Blight Killed

2 Blight Fled]

[Contribution: 100%]

[Level Discrepancy: 16 Level Excess

1 Level 20 Blight - Killed

1 Level 17 Blight - Fled

1 Level 18 Blight - Fled]

[Overall Experience Modifier Applied for:

100% Contribution against multiple hostiles

15+ Level Excess between you and all hostiles]

[Persistent Status Effect: Madness (Contained)]

[Achievements:

Used Shadow Conjuration to invoke the spell Abyssal Veins

Used Shadow Manipulation to form a Shadow Mace

Survived first Solo Combat against Multiple Hostiles

Successfully Activated Overdraft

Survived the Overdraft Penalty

Utilized Mental Fortitude in Combat]

[Post-Combat Results:

Skill Level Up! Shadow Manipulation is now Level 5!

Skill Level Up! Shadow Conjuration is now Level 4!

Skill Level Up! Shadow Manipulation is now Level 6!

Skill Level Up! Shadow Conjuration is now Level 5!

Skill Level Up! Mental Fortitude is now Level 5!

Skill Gained! Obtained the Shadow Grimoire skill at Level 1!

Spell written in Shadow Grimoire! Found the spell Dark Blood! Mastery is at Level 1!

Spell written in Shadow Grimoire! Found the spell Dark Morning Star! Mastery is at Level 1!]