Amelia

I stared at Garahk as I tried to register what she was saying. “Something is resisting?” I asked, stunned. Garahk nodded as she continued muttering. “What could be doing that?” I asked. The orc holding Dexter's arm next to me spoke up.

“It can be any number of things.” He replied, grunting slightly as he pressed on Dexter. “It could be part of some other spell, some error in her spell's design, it could even be the subject of the spell itself.”

I gave him a quizzical look. “H-how?” I asked. “How could Dexter be part of it? He’s not even conscious.”

This time the orc across from me answered. “In certain cases, the recipient of a spell can resist its effects.” He explained, keeping his arms pressed into the dirt. “He could even be unconsciously resisting her attempts. Judging from his struggling, he is being very resistant.” I looked down at Dexter as he let out a pained cough. His face was contorted into a grimace as he continued to squirm.

I brought my hands to my head as I let out a groan of my own. “Mmmmm I hate that I can't do anything to help,” I complained helplessly. “I'm just sitting here being useless.”

Dexter's teeth continued to chatter as the orcs beside me spoke again. “There is nothing else that you can do.” He assured me. “You can wait and hope.”

I nodded as I watched the scene before me.“I know, it's just-” The orc holding one of Dexter's legs cleared her throat. I turned in time to see her bring her finger to her lips before bringing it back down. Dexter suddenly increased his struggling as Garahk's chanting started to fill the room. The purple flames glowed brighter as the moon radiated the same aura. Despite Garahk’s chanting, the object appeared to worsen in its state, cracking further and crumbling under its own weight. Dexter's struggles slowly died as Garahk's chanting grew intense. He panted as he seemed to relax, soothed for an unknown reason. The orcs looked at each other in confusion as they appeared to ease their pressure.

The orc holding Dexter's left arm suddenly looked down in confusion. “He is tensing.” He warned. The others briefly pressed down again before relaxing. Dexter wasn't struggling anymore, just tensing his muscles as he let out another groan. One of the orcs cooling Dexter let out a gasp as she looked up. I followed her gaze and my eyes went wide. The object above Dexter had sprouted thin green filaments, reaching out from the surface as they swayed in an invisible wind. Bulak let out her own gasped as she noticed it too. I sat there, open-mouthed, and watched as the filaments turned and bent to bridge the gap created by the crack.

The orc holding Dexter's left leg spoke up. “Garahk is tha-” She was cut off as the orc holding Dexter's other leg clamped a hand over her mouth. Garahk tilted her head back, eyes closed, as her chanting grew louder. I looked down as I noticed the soil, or rather Dexter's body beneath the soil had risen up. Dexter's contorted face let out a muffled grunt as the wispy strands grew taut, weakly pulling the object together. The other orcs continued to exchange confused glances until Garahk's chanting was finally interrupted by Dexter himself.

His eyes shot open, seeming to stare angrily at nothing as his chest fell and his mouth flew open. His eyes seemed to glow with a strange aura as he shouted towards the moon above him. He roared in guttural anger as the filaments gained new energy and snapped together, twisting and turning into vine-like tendrils. The new coils of light gripped the object tightly as the purple energy grew brighter, shooting out from the object like a ring. I watched as the tendrils slowly pulled the object together, allowing Garahk’s purple energy to fuse the pieces. Dexter continued to bellow as the lights grew brighter, feeding more energy into the spell. The crescendo of actions came to a close as the object started being enveloped by blackness once more. Dexter let out a croaking sigh as his bellow finally ran out of breath. The purple light faded and the tendrils started to wither. Garahk let go of Dexter's head and slumped back, exhausted. Dexter’s face went slack as her fingers lifted from his skin. The object remained just long enough to watch the tendrils wilt into blackness and fall away. The other orcs back away slightly as the staves extinguished themselves, filling the room with bleak dungeon light. Everyone stood in stunned silence as Garahk sat on her knees, panting. The other orc cooling Dexter down finally stepped forward. “Garahk, there was a-” He was cut off as Garahk raised her hand.

She took a few more breaths, then reached for her staff. “I know, Drigka. I know.” She sighed. The room suddenly exploded with questions.

“What was that?”

“What was it doing?”

“Did it try to fight you.” Garahk merely rose on shaky legs. Bulak noticed first and rushed to fetch a chair.

Garahk raised her hand firmly and halted the questions. “To answer everything at once,” Garahk said a little loudly, walking a short way from the center. Bulak came running back with a chair and placed it beneath Garahk. She sat down in the chair as she continued speaking. “I shall explain everything I know about the green aura.” The room fell silent as the stared expectantly at Garahk. “As far as I can tell, the aura was not a remnant of the initial offending spell. It seemed to be a projection of Dexter's own will.” She explained, pointing at Dexter with her staff. The questions erupted again, but Garahk merely raised her free hand. “To answer the inevitable question; yes, I do believe Dexter played some small role in his own restoration, even if he was not aware of it. He appears to have gained a temporary affinity for cerebration magic from the spell I had cast on him.”

“I-is that even possible?” One of them asked suddenly.

Garahk nodded solemnly as she let out a sigh. “Yes, my child, at least temporarily.” She clarified. “Without my mana in place, I doubt he would be able to replicate the spell I just performed. I do not expect him to be able to repeat his actions once he wakes up.”

Everyone glanced at him as they remembered the reason this conversation was happening. “H-how's that possible?” Another piped up. “How could he have learned magic like that?”

Garahk shrugged. “I am uncertain in that matter,” She admitted. “I do know such a phenomenon is possible, albeit in a lesser form. I believe we have a history tome about a low-level wizard who was able to learn spells more quickly by having them cast on him. This may be a similar phenomenon. Though, I doubt he would be able to cast a basic mental spell from this one event.” Everyone turned back to Dexter as Garahk's explanation ended.

Bulak stepped forward as she gestured insistently. “So, that is that?” Bulak asked. “He is cured?”

Garahk seemed to think for a moment, then nodded. “He may require a brief recovery period,” Garahk added. “The minor damaged caused by the barrier occasionally required an hour of rest after restoration. Given the level of damage, it may take several days for him to recover.”

Bulak turned to stare angrily at Garahk. “That's not brief at all.” Bulak voiced angrily. “His rite is but a week away. He cannot afford to rest for that long.”

Garahk shrugged as she leaned back in her chair. “I could be wrong.” She admitted. “Such matters are not certain. He may require only a day or no time at all. We will not know until he awakens.”

Bulak let out a sigh as she glanced at Dexter. “And how long will that take?” She asked flatly.

Garahk shrugged again. “It could be any amount of time.” She replied. “He may remain unconscious for the next few hours or awake in the next few-” She was interrupted as Dexter let in a gasp and sat up. Everyone turned in shock as Dexter continued to pant heavily, dirt and sweat falling off his torso.

Dexter

I woke up cold, covered in dirt, and only the faintest idea of where I was and why I was there. I panted, as if I'd just finished a marathon, and tried to take in my surroundings. The room I was in was dark and damp. I could smell a moldy aroma wafting from nearby, and I could faintly make out figures on one side of the room as one of them moved towards me. Amelia knelt in front of me as she pushed my torso up a bit. “Nac ouy reah em?” She asked. I stared blankly at her as I struggled to comprehend what she was saying.

I turned as another voice called out. “Rexted. nac uoy dnatsrednu su?” Garahk asked. I stared at her as my mind refused to connect the syllables together. I let my head fall into my hand as my body let out a groan. “Sa I evah deraef, eh seriuqer ot revocer.” I tilted my head slightly as I heard a third voice joining my awareness.

“Tub rof woh gnol? Eh tonnac retne eht anera ni this etats.” I tuned out the nonsensical noise as I tried to think. “Memories, memories, what is my last memory?” I saw steel, armor, weapons, fire, blood . . Shel . . My eyes shot open as my brain went into overdrive. In an instant everything came flooding back; the lessons, the plan, the setbacks, the fights, the arguments, my problem, the funeral. Thoughts and opinions overlapped in the same events, adding to the information. It was like watching a movie with conflicting commentary. I looked up at Amelia as the world itself seemed to sharpen into focus. One last word came out as the stream of information died, little more than a whisper from a faraway source. “Remember.”

I looked up at everyone as I suddenly understood them. They were arguing about my condition, but that didn’t matter. All that I knew was I needed to hold on. “Binder,” I said quickly. Everyone looked at me in confusion, shocked at my speedy recovery. I gestured insistently as I let out an angered sigh “Binder,” I repeated firmly. Amelia finally understood and jumped up to fetch it. I looked around as I remembered why I was here. The world beyond the circle was little more than various-shaped blurs. I pointed energetically at the Garahk shaped smudge. “Thank you for fixing me,” I said, quickly conveying my gratitude. “I’ll thank you properly in the future, for right now I need to write something down.”

I turned to Amelia as I saw her smudge pull something out of my bag. I quickly cast Levitate, yanking the binder from her hand and towards me. I heard a gasp echo around the room as I opened the binder and began searching for a blank page. I squinted slightly as I saw the distorted equations I'd written earlier. “My glasses,” I asked, holding out a free hand. Another thought occurred to me as I tried to read what I'd written, the blur of the paper making it difficult. “And a pen.” Amelia was already pulling out a pen from my backpack she tossed to towards me as she reached into her pocket. I cast Levitate on the flying pen and drew it straight into my hand, determined to jot down the message before it disappeared from my memory. I put pen to paper and wrote furiously. I drew a plain oval with an eye just above the center. It was a simple shape but one that I felt had a degree of significance. I made lines connecting several words to the drawing. Cause? Adept in magic. Has followers. Sneaky Asshole. I moved on to draw a pure black rectangle, a dark doorway punctuated by another eye in the center. I connected the words Demonic. Gateway to him. Watches you. Material Looks Very Smashable. I quickly wrote one final message before the information faded from my mind.

Here's everything we know. Do Us a Favor And Kill This Asshole.

-L

-R

I finally leaned back and gazed at what I'd written, completely lost on the meaning of it all. I felt a presence to my left and I glanced over. Amelia was looking over my shoulder, reading the page intently. “What is all that?” She asked, handing me my glasses.

I shrugged as I took them and looked back at the page. “I have no idea,” I admitted, putting the frames on. My vision grew sharp again as I continued to read. “I just knew I had to write it before I forgot. I’m sorry if it’s not much to go on.”

I heard a shift in the soil and looked up so see Garahk standing again. “Are you certain you're at full strength?” She asked, crouching to look at my face. “Are you not experiencing any fuzziness?” I thought about it for a minute.

“Maybe a little bit,” I replied. “but this is the clearest my head has been in ages. I feel like I could tackle anything.” I let my mind zero in on the issue pressing me since the battle, the rite. I let various scenarios play out as tried to maximize my chances of victory. “Given the current plan, there's little to no way I'll be able to pull this off. That leaves me one option. The only issue is . . . Bingo.” I snapped the binder closed and jumped up. “New plan.” I declared, running over to my backpack.

I threw the binder back in and zipped it up as Bulak started questioning me.“What do you mean ‘new plan’?” She asked in exasperation. “What is wrong with the current plan?” I shook my head as I threw the backpack over my shoulders. I felt my bare back scrape against the fabric. I looked down and realized I was shirtless, covered in dirt and a strange dry paste. I started rubbing the dirt and paste off as I looked back up to ask about my shirt, but one of the orcs was already tossing it back.

I threw off my backpack and pulled the shirt on as I answered Bulak. “It's too slow; I won't be ready in time for the rite. There are too many unknowns. We need another plan of attack.” I pointed at Brokil as I pulled my backpack back on. “I sorry for what I said earlier. I'll make it up to you in the future, but right now we'll have to put the magic learning on hold.”

Brokil gave me a confused look. “Why? It appears your ailment is resolved. You still may learn something useful.” He protested.

I shook my head again as I tightened the straps on my backpack. “There are too many uncertainties.” I countered. “Anything I learn may end up being useless in the arena. The one combat spell I learn could just glance off whatever beast they throw at me. Same goes for if I were to learn any other shielding spells. No, I have a better idea to make it through. Plus, it might help me in the long run.” I turned and jogged through the doorway and towards the stairs.

I heard a pair of footsteps behind me as I made my way up. “Just a moment, what is your plan?” Bulak asked. “What are you planning to do?”

I kept my legs pumping as I ran up the steps. “In summary? Move faster.” I called back. I emerged from the stairs and headed for the front door. “We'll have to double down on any training you have lined up; plus, focus on one particular weapon discipline instead of the techniques of all of them.” I threw open the door and started running towards the gate, backpack pressed firmly to my back. “I'll See You Back At The Barn!” I shouted over my shoulder. I rushed off as I started compiling a mental list of things to do. “First, I'll need the things from the barn. Then I'll have to find Brugo and the others and explain my request. After that I'll get back and resume training, assuming Bulak waits long enough for me to get back.” I ran through the streets as the orcs gave me strange looks. I ignored all of them and continued my brisk jog back to the barn. I could deal with their animosity later.

I rounded the corner and saw the building in the distance. I grinned to myself as I again evaluated my chances for the rite. “I can fucking do this.” I thought as I threw open the door. I tossed my backpack onto a table as I ran over to an open box. I looked in and saw the items I was looking for resting on top. I reached in and pulled out the amulets before turning to sprint back out the door. My heart was starting to pound in my ears as I ran towards the Foaming Flagon. “Might as well squeeze some stamina training in. There's never a time like the present.”

It took a considerably short amount of time to make it to my destination this time. I waved towards the orcs still toiling away at rebuilding the burned houses and homes. The smell of sawdust and dirt filled my nostrils as I bolted down the street, wind whistling in my ears as my feet pounded on the cobblestone. My lungs burned as I rounded the corner and ran down the street towards the bar. I leaned against the wall, panting, as I finally arrived at the tavern, sweat beginning to drip down my forehead. “Definitely need to work on stamina.” I thought as I wiped the sweat from my brow. I took a few gulping breaths before I pushed open the door. I spotted Brugo behind the counter and quickly made my way over, gripping the amulets tightly as I gasped for air. He looked up and gave me a concerned expression as I made it to the bar. “Dexter.” He said, grinning slightly. “What can I do for you?” He seemed hesitant at my sudden and early arrival.

I grinned in kind and panted heavily as slammed the amulets on the table. “I need . . your help.” I gasped simply.

Brugo looked down at the three amulets then back at me. “What could you possibly need that requires you to use all of your life debts?” He asked skeptically.

I grinned as I lifted the amulets and held all three of them up. “I need your help . . .in completing the rite.” I answered enthusiastically. Brugo seemed about to protest, but I cut him off. “Before you ask, I'm not asking you to fight with me; that wouldn't be fair to the rite. No, I need you to find people that are able and willing to enter the arena with me. I need people that are willing to train for the next week and go through the rite with me.”

Brugo continued to stare in disbelief at me as he seemed to consider my request. “You do realize what you are asking, correct?” He inquired. “Are you willing, to use not one but three life debts, just to gain help in this rite?”

I looked down at the amulets. “No, Uggog and Xegog are going to get different tasks. I just want you to find people, preferably capable trainees, that can join me.” Brugo continued to stare at me as I finished outlining my request. I nodded encouragingly as I held the amulets slightly higher. “Can you do it?” I asked again.

Brugo rubbed his head nervously for a minute before answering. “How will you train them?” He asked skeptically. “From what I have heard, you have Bulak training you for the rite. Any apprentice I give you will only take away from your training.”

I nodded as I gestured towards the amulets. “I'll have Uggog and Xegog handle that,” I replied. “I've thought of everything; I just need your contribution to the plan.”

Brugo let out a sigh as he stared at the amulets. He thought for another moment before finally replying. “I can ask around.” He admitted. “I merely need to know when they should arrive at the barn.”

I nodded as I lowered the amulets. “Send them over the day after tomorrow,” I replied. “Preferably around midday. I should have everything ready by then.” Brugo nodded as he turned to leave. I quickly grabbed his arm, causing him to stop, to ask him about one more matter. “One other thing, where can I find Uggog and Xegog?”

Brugo grinned and let out a short laugh, grinning as he pointed towards the door. “Take a left out the door and head to the western barracks. It should take ten minutes to walk there.”

I nodded as I turned and jogged towards the door. “I'm counting on you,” I called over my shoulder as I burst back into the open air. I turned and began sprinting down the road as my heart started to pound in my chest again. “All that's left is Uggog's and Xegog's contribution.” I continued to run as I tried to think of anything else I'd need. “Food: I’ve thought of it. Equipment: Shurkul might be willing to supply a few. Strategy: Hammer it out once they arrive.” I managed to run to the barracks within a few minutes, sprinting past more half-constructed houses. I leaned on a nearby post, panting, as the orcs around me gave me more strange looks. I gasped for a short while before I looked back up. This was definitely the barracks. A sign bearing a sword and shield was hanging just above the front door, narrowing it down to an armory or barracks. I could hear booming chatter within and the clash of weapons behind the building. “Definitely barracks. Armory wouldn’t need that many people. Perfect.” I took one last gulping breath and walked into the building.

The room inside was relatively plain. The half stone walls made it look like I stepped right into the Roman era, minus the Centurion armor. Instead, the armor and weapons in the room were a weird combination of tribal leather and medieval metal. I quickly spotted an orc meticulously writing on a piece of parchment and walked over. His seemingly bored expression turned into a scowl as he looked up. “What business do you have here, outsider?” He spat angrily.

I held up the amulets as I closed the gap. “I'm looking for Uggog and Xegog,” I replied.

His scowl turned into a glare as he stood. “How did you come to possess those?” He demanded.

I stopped and gestured calmly at him. “They were given to me,” I replied. “That's how it works, right? They were hanging from weapons outside my door. Look, they have my name on them.”

The orc snatched them from my grasp and examined them. He continued to glare as he read each inscription. “What possessed them to do this; I will never know.”

I nodded as I held out my hand. “Well, I need them for something and I'd like to know where they are.”

The orc looked at my hand then at me, his scowl remaining. “Why should you possess these?” He asked angrily. “You are not worthy of these, let alone a title.”

I gritted my teeth as I clenched my fist. “Look,” I said calmly, trying to hold back my own anger. “I know you don't like me. I can understand you having a bad experience with my people, but I need their help. So, give me the amulets and tell me where they are.” The orc just stared at me. I let out a sigh as I realized his refusal to comply. “Fine, just tell me where they are. I probably don't need the amulets anyway. I'll get them back anyway once I tell Bulak about this headache.” The orc faltered at that statement. I stifled a grin as I realized what I needed to do. “I don’t like people getting in my way over important matters like these,” I explained. “If you continue to refuse my requests, I’ll have to talk to Bulak or the chief about your interference. I can only imagine what kind of punishment they come up with.” I held out my hand again. “I can, however, forget about all of this if you just give me the amulets like I asked and tell me where they are.”

The orc stared at my had for a minute, then let out a scoff and tossed the amulets to me. I caught them as he pointed to a nearby doorway. “They are at the training grounds.” He sighed angrily, continuing to scowl at me. I nodded as I turned and walked through it, stepping out into a dirt-covered field. I spotted wooden mannequins, decked out in various weapons and armor. I could see an orc carrying a bag of weapons into another building. Several others were sparring with one another on the far side of the field, near the mannequins. I took a few steps forward as I tried to spot the two brothers. “Hang on, where would they even be? Come to think of it, I don't know what they look like.” I scanned the group as I tried to find a sense of familiarity amongst them. The orcs turned and gave me hostile looks as I awkwardly wandered around the field.

I suddenly felt a hand slam onto my shoulder and I turned to see an orc grinning down at me. “Now what would you be doing here?” He asked rather sinisterly.

A second orc appeared beside him, grinning smugly. “Now Uggog, that is not a proper way to talk to a guest. He should be given a proper orcish greeting.” My eyes went wide as I made a connection. These were the orcs I'd saved using the door. The one holding my shoulder barely rivaled my height, blue eye giving off a deceptive vibe. His dark brown hair was left to droop down his head and his clothes were typical of the orcs you'd see, save for the locket he wore around his neck. The orc standing behind him was nearly a match; except for his shorter stature, darker hair, and lack of locket.

The orc holding my shoulder nodded. “You are correct, Xegog.” He said a little loudly. “Come, little brother. We must give this one a proper greeting, away from prying eyes.” He then turned and steered me towards a secluded area, all the while the orcs around me stared in contempt. I went along with their plan as Uggog guided me through a doorway and Xegog closed the door behind us. I looked around and saw a room full of weapons and armor, a storage room for damaged armaments. I turned to the brothers as Uggog released my hand, allowing me to see Xegog grab a chair and use it to barricade the door. “You should not have come here,” Uggog said worriedly, dropping the menacing facade. Xegog turned to us as he finished testing the door. “The orcs out there do not possess the best of intentions after the rumors of you at the battle began spreading.”

I nodded and held up the lockets as I began to explain. “Yeah, but this is the quickest way for me to find you. I need your help.”

The two brothers stared at the amulets in disbelief. “You are using your life debt so soon?” Xegog asked, astonished. “Some hold their debts for years before they expect a return. There is very little you could not request of us with those amulets. Does this request not seem below such an honor?”

I nodded as I lowered the amulets again. “Yeah, but I need your help with this. I need you to go out and recruit as many people as you can to help me train for the rite.”

Their eyes went wide. “Are you Mad?” Uggog hissed. “Most of the city has turned against you, as have many of the warriors within. There are few people willing to train an outsider, let alone one of your rumored reputation.”

I nodded as I let out an annoyed sigh. “Yeah well, I think I might've found a way around that,” I admitted. “I just need you to agree to help me.”

The brothers glanced at each other, then stared at me with mild apprehension. “I suppose we do not have much of a choice in this matter,” Uggog replied with a sigh. “We must uphold our debt.” I nodded as I glanced at the nearby door. The chair was still wedged firmly against the door, barring it. I turned back as Uggog continued. “We will have to know how you intend to convince them to join your cause.”

I nodded as I gesture thoughtfully. “It all hinges on how you sell this task,” I replied smugly. The two of them stared skeptically at me. “Don't tell them it's to help me train; Tell them it's a rare opportunity to beat up the outsider with no consequences.”

Their skepticism turned into shock as I explained my idea. “You are willing to weather unknown numbers just to train your skills for this one event?”

I nodded as I gestured at the third amulet. “They aren't just for me though,” I added. “I'm having Brugo look for recruits willing to enter the arena with me. When your instructors aren't training me; they'll be training the recruits.”

The brothers glanced at each other again as I finished. “You are certainly dedicating yourself to this,” Xegog remarked.

I nodded as I grinned again. “I'm not going to have an opportunity like this again. If I don't give it my all there's not really a point in doing it in the first place.”

Uggog let out a short laugh as he glanced away. “That sounds like something Agrob would say.” He sighed. He raised a hand to his neck and thumbed the locket, thoughtfully. After a moment, he let out a sigh as he turned back. “I believe I speak for both of us in this regard.” He finally replied. “We will follow your plan for the rite. We merely need you to tell us when to bring them to your abode.”

I nodded as I glanced at the door again. It didn’t sound like anyone was outside. “Bring them by around midday tomorrow. I'll be able to give them an official deal by then.”

The two of them nodded in agreement as Xegog gestured affirmatively. “Very well then. We will fulfill your request. We will tell the soldiers to arrive at midday tomorrow.”

I gave them a thumbs-up as I turned to leave the room. “I’ll look forward to it. I’ll give it my all. Thanks again.” I turned towards the door but stopped as Uggog put a hand on my shoulder.

I turned to him in confusion as he seemed to grimace and stared off. “Unfortunately, you cannot leave as such.” He admitted guiltily. “We made a show of roughing you up. It would raise suspicion if you left without some indication of a fight.”

I thought for a moment then let out an annoyed sigh as I nodded and brushed the bruise, still visible on my cheek. “I suppose you have a point there,” I replied, thoughtfully. “It would be suspicious if something didn’t change about me after all of this.” I suddenly removed my glasses and presented my face. “Go ahead and punch me.” I offered, bracing. The two of them just stared at me, surprised at my enthusiasm. I gestured insistently as I kept bracing. “Go ahead, I can take it.” I encouraged. Uggog glanced at Xegog, who seemed to be reaching for something.

Uggog shrugged and pulled his fist back but was stopped by Xegog. “You two are missing something.” He said, presenting his open hand. Several pinkish-red clusters of berries rolled around on his palm. I recognized them as wild raspberries “Chew, but do not swallow, these.” I stared at him as I took the pile and poured them into my mouth. I began chewing as Xegog glanced at the door. “While the solution of violence is easy, it's rarely the best one.” He mused.

I let out a small laugh as I heard his statement. “That's some buddha type shit right there,” I giggled, mouth half full of raspberries.

Xegog nodded as he watched me chew. “Now go ahead and spit.” He instructed. “Your teeth should be stained enough as it is.” I complied by spitting the berries into the floor and showed them my teeth.

Xegog nodded as Uggog grinned. “Marvelous notion brother. That was a most ingenious solution.” I turned to a nearby metal shield and saw the red juice now staining my teeth.

Xegog nodded as I turned back to them and grinned. “It is persuasive,” Xegog mused. “but it requires one extra touch.” I had just enough time to see his open palm come hurtling towards me before a slap of pain poured across my cheek.

I reeled as his palm made contact and pain radiated across my face. “Fuck that hurt.” I groaned as I nursed the now prominent bruise. “I need to build up my pain tolerance at some point.”

Xegog nodded as he rolled his wrist thoughtfully. “Perfect,” Xegog remarked. I turned to the brothers as Xegog unbarricaded the door. “Your unwitting instructors will arrive tomorrow. I hope you are prepared for their batterings.”

I nodded as I stretched my jaw. “We’ll see about that,” I replied, moving towards the door.

As I got close the facade that they had outside suddenly materialized again, and they grabbed me before shoving me out the door. “That oughta teach you.” One of them growled. I stumbled and fell, trying to make the ruse more convincing. I panted heavily as I shakily crawled to my feet. I began walking towards the exit, limping to make the ruse more convincing. I walked past sneering orcs as they paused in their sparring and I reflected on the day's events. “All according to plan. All that's left is the next week of training and the rite itself. . . Completely doable. . . Completely doable” I limped out the door and down the street. The sun had risen considerably, bathing the city in a radiant light. I dropped the limp as I rounded the corner and began jogging back to the barn.

The contempt from the orc quickly turned into warm smiles as I jogged back into the Northern district, with the occasional ‘Good afternoon’ as I ran. I smiled back as I began sweating again, feeling a euphoric high as adrenaline coursed through me. I pushed through the discomfort and tried to keep pace all the way back. My heart burned with exertion I finally rounded the corner and spotted the barn in the distance once again. I could make out figures standing near the door. I broke into a sprint and urged my groaning muscles to propel me forward, boosting my stamina gain for the day. I only slowed and stopped once I reached the barn, panting, in front of the three figures.

“That took a while.” I heard Bulak remark.

I nodded as my face continued to drip with sweat. “I had . . something that . . needed to . . be done.” I gasped. I took a few more breaths and wiped the sweat from my face. I looked up as my heart started to slow again. Amelia, Bulak, and Urog were staring down at me. I looked down as I spotted something shiny, glinting in Urog's hand.

Amelia crossed her arms as she stared at me with concern. “What were you doing?” She asked.

I took a few more gasps before answering. “I was working on the other part of the new plan,” I explained. “I kind of accepted that I can't do this alone. So, I got some other orcs looking for suitable candidates; both for instructors and trainees.”

Bulak looked at me skeptically. “Are my instructions not sufficient?” She asked.

I shook my head. “Not with the pace I plan to set,” I admitted. “In retrospect, I wasn't giving my all to the training. Judging from Brokil's instructions, I have a ways to go before I actually outpace you in terms of stamina. Natural skill can definitely be overshadowed by pure willpower.”

Bulak let out a short laugh. “I never thought I would hear you admit a weakness.” She remarked. “It is certainly good to finally hear you admit your flaws.”

I nodded at the statement. “Yes, I'm confident in saying my mindset has changed,” I affirmed. “But that doesn’t mean I’ll be behind forever. In fact, right now I’m more energized than I’ve been in a while. It might take me hours before I need to rest.”

Bulak let out another short laugh. “That sounds like a challenge.” She said, grinning.

I grinned back and glanced at my watch. I pointed at the table of weapons as I let out another short laugh. “It's 12:43 right now. I think I can go past sunset if you think you’re up for more sparring.”

Bulak nodded as she reached over and grabbed a battleaxe from the table. “I accept your foolish challenge.” She said confidently.

I grinned as I brought my fist colliding into my open palm. “Let's fucking do it.” I quipped.

I turned to the table but was stopped when Urog put a hand on my shoulder. I turned to her as she held out her hand. “I believe you requested this.” She offered, holding out the glinting object. I looked at it as I saw that it was a Rubik's cube, made entirely out of metal. Each face seemed to be a different alloy, distinguishing from each other using metallic composition alone. It was amazing to look at, both in terms of form and functionality. I reached out and picked up the cube; bringing the reason for its creation to the forefront of my mind. I idly turned one of the faces as I pondered. “That sides are a little sticky. She left barely any room for error in going from one turn to another. Then again, it’s extremely well built for the local tech. I don’t imagine the medieval era being able to make something like this. She’s really skilled at this. . . Am I going to need any more motivation after this? . . . Probably not.”

I grinned slightly as I returned the cube to it's solved state and looked up at Urog. “Thank you for this,” I said, handing the cube to Amelia. “Shel would've like it.”

Urog nodded as she rubbed her arm nervously. “Thank you.” She murmured. “Even if she can't enjoy the trinket, I think you will do good in honoring her memory.” I nodded as I turned back to Bulak. She hefted her weapons enthusiastically as she grinned. I grinned back as I walked over and picked up a longsword, choosing a shield as my other weapon, as I turned to face Bulak.

She grinned again as she got into a fighting stance. “Ready?' She asked confidently.

I grinned as I fell into my own fighting stance. “Let's fucking do this,” I replied happily. Bulak nodded in agreement before quickly charging forward. With a clash of metal on metal, we began to spar.

We spent the rest of the day sparring, cutting our usual break time from twenty minutes every hour to five minutes. I had insisted on the time crunch. I felt fired up and wasn't about to let the energy go to waste. Bulak had taken note of my new drive and ramped up her own training. At first, she still managed to disarm or disable me using one method or another; but as the day ticked by, she began to slow and her breaths grew labored. By late afternoon, we were at a standstill; each of us had enough energy to fight, but either not enough skill or not enough energy to disarm the other. Our weapons clashed loudly against each other as her battle-axe met my sword and shield. I felt a strange affinity for the combination as if I was meant to use it. The shield was one of those circular ones, made of wood with a piece of metal bolted on the front, about as big as my forearm. It provided decent cover if I could get it in position in time. Though Bulak was very good at targeting my exposed areas. The sword was a combination of medieval and Viking era design. The long handle meant I could switch it to a double-handed sword if I needed to while still having the shield strapped to my arm. The sword was a bit unwieldy, but I was slowly getting the hang of it as I practiced. Bulak deflected blow after blow as I struck with sword and shield, heading her advice and using the defense armament for an offensive purpose. Our sparring session finally came to a close when I disarmed Bulak with a flourish of the longsword, causing her to drop the weapon beside her. It was a small victory, Bulak frequently flung my weapon away with her techniques, but I relished the small victory as the sun began to dip low in the sky. I panted as I finally had my practice sword leveled at Bulak's neck, both of us taking in lungfuls of exhausted air. I let out a victorious whoop as I lowered my aching arm and Bulak fell to her hands and knees, sweat dripping from her brow. I continued to gasp as I turned and wobbled on shaky legs over to the table. I put the sword and shield on it and reached for a pair of goblets, filled to the brim with water.

I walked back over as Bulak continued to take big gulps of air. “How . . are you . . still standing?” She gasped. “There cannot . . be this . . much of . . a divide.”

I sat down beside her as I offered her one of the goblets. She took it and sat back as she drank deeply. “It's just . . the stamina regeneration.” I replied dismissively. “Our natural stamina stores . . probably aren't too . . much bigger than yours, . . but you definitely . . . trained yours up. I think I’m only . . standing cause of . . . the regeneration. . . .It’s useful when . . . you can run your prey . . . to death.” Bulak nodded as she took a massive sip from her goblet. Sweat dripped from her damp hair and into the dirt. I took a sip of my own as Bulak continued to gasp. We sat there for a while as the two of us recovered.

Bulak finally let out a gasp as she finished drinking. “Do you really intend . . to push yourself . . like this for . . the next week?” Bulak suddenly asked.

I paused as I gave the question some thought. “Probably.” I finally admitted, finally catching my breath. “Giving enough time for recovery from training; I should be at full strength for the rite. I can work on strategy with the other recruits when they get here. Until then, it'll be training from dusk to dawn.”

Bulak let out a long groan at that last statement. “That is double what we . . just experienced.” She groaned. “I cannot keep up . . with that training.”

I nodded as my heart finally slowed again. “That's why I'm bringing in other instructors,” I replied. “You can stay off to the side and provide instructions, while they go in and do the grunt work of physical training. That way you don't get tired and I get the best training available.” Bulak nodded as she tried to climb to her feet. I stood and helped her up as we slowly trudged over to the barn.

Bulak let out an exhausted sigh as she wiped her forehead. “I will have no trouble sleeping tonight.” She remarked, half laughing.

I nodded as I pulled open the door. “Fucking ditto.” I sighed. We stepped inside and spotted Amelia, gesturing at her forearm as Brokil read diligently from a book.

Bulak trudged over and collapsed into the office chair, sinking deep into the faux-leather. “I'll never complain about outsider creations again.” She sighed, leaning back in the chair.

I grinned slightly as I walked over to Brokil. “How's Amelia doing?” I asked.

He glanced up at me, then at Amelia.“She is still practicing Numbness.” He supplied. “She is almost prepared to learn a healing spell or two.” I nodded as I turned to her. She was gripping and stretching her fist experimentally. I jumped slightly as Brokil suddenly pressured my chin and turned me to face him. He tilted my head slightly as he examined my bruise and let out a thoughtful hmm. “You still have damage from Bulak.” He remarked. “It must be painful.” Brokil released my chin and began gesturing towards the bruise.

I shook my head as I rubbed the tender mark on my face. “It’s not that bad. It just stings a bit, especially after this afternoon. I’ll be fine.” A familiar tingling sensation suddenly permeated my face, radiating across my skull from its origin. I flexed my jaw slightly as the pain from the bruise slowly dissipated. Brokil finally turned away and reached into his bag as the sensation faded completely. He pulled out a mirror and held it up for me. I stared at my face in amazement. The bruise on my cheek was now absent, flesh pristine and unharmed.

I gently pressed my cheek as I grinned in amazement. “Magic really is something,” I remarked.

Brokil nodded as he put the mirror away. “As are its users.” He added. “Garahk likely spent a decade developing her skills to the point of such prowess. Even then she was hesitant at her ability to remedy the issue before her.” I nodded as I glanced at Bulak, still collapsed in the chair. Her chest rose and fell as she panted from exhaustion. “Persistence hunting. Endurance really is something. But I still have a long way to go. I need to build a reputation here and among the tribes. I need a plan for the future.”

I frowned as my harsh words towards Brokil suddenly came to the forefront of my mind. “Thank you for your patience with me.” I suddenly said, turning back to him. “I know it couldn't have been easy to still teach me after what I said, after everything He has done.”

Brokil paused for a moment then let out a sigh as he closed a book. “No, it was not.” He admitted. “I was certainly greatly tempted to abandon you all together and let you flounder your way through the rite, but seeing you in that state made me realize something. . . Despite all my preconceptions, even the most prominent mages could face obstacles they never encountered before. I saw it on the Elder Mother's face. She was afraid, to lose you or of the power that brought this affliction upon you, I may never know. Yet, she persisted in helping you, even as you spat insults in her face. She did not allow petty insults to affect her duties ... I shuddered when I saw the state of your mind. Having to live with a broken mind is unimaginable ... Yet, you persisted too, even as the spell tried to rip your mind apart, you reached out and shouted in utter defiance to its will.”

I nodded as the morning's events came to mind. “The headaches were a pain to deal with, that much I know.” I sighed. “Thankfully, Garahk was able to fix me. I need to think of a way to thank her.

Brokil nodded as he let out a sigh and rubbed his neck. “I suppose in all of this, I learned there are and will be many obstacles in life, and the ones that rise to greatness are the ones that are able to persist through them.” I nodded again as I glanced down. “It certainly seems like Brokil has grown from this. Hopefully, that means he’s kind of forgiven me.”

I looked back up and held out my hand. “Does this mean we can start fresh?” I asked hopefully. “I want to put what I said behind me. I still plan to learn magic, that’s just on hold for right now.”

Brokil looked down at my hand for a moment, then nodded as he took it and shook. I grimaced slightly as Brokil's grip caused waves of discomfort rippling up my forearm. He let go as he saw my discomfort. “Are you alright?” He asked, concerned.

I nodded as he let go and clutched my forearm. “My muscles are just sore,” I explained, rolling my wrist. “I'll have to train through the pain in the morning; unless the institution has something to cure soreness,” I said hopefully.

Brokil shook his head guiltily. “There are no spells or potions capable of remedying such an issue.” He answered. “We do not know the cause to find an adequate solution.”

I nodded as I rubbed my forearm, thinking about what I knew about muscles. “Soreness is caused by muscular damage, but it’s on the cellular level. If they have healing potions, it should work for muscles too, but then again it might target more noticeable or immediate damage. Cells might be too small of a scale for them. Unless . . .” I turned to Brokil as I gestured insistently. “What about some kind of regeneration potion?” I asked. “Could that solve the issue?”

Brokil let out a sigh and shook his head again. “Any healing potions limit themselves to physical damage. They do not see such ailments as damage. They would not able to solve your issue.”

I nodded insistently, his answer affirming my hypothesis. “What about a potion that just encourages your natural regeneration?” I asked. “Can you make a potion that just gives an overall boost to regeneration, not a magical regenerative ability. No magic, at least none that actually undoes the damage, just something that boosts what the body is already capable of.”

Brokil let out an intrigued hm as he considered my statement for a moment. “I believe I understand what you are referring to.” He replied. “Instead of using mana to create a healing spell in the form of a potion, you need a potion that merely increases the body's natural ability. It could potentially heal your muscles as well, considering your body recovers naturally on its own.”

I nodded as I gestured to him enthusiastically. “Exactly. Do you think it’s possible to make a potion like that? It definitely won’t be perfect, but it’ll be better than nothing.”

Brokil let out another hmmm as he considered for another minute. He tilted his head as he let out a sigh. “That may work.” He finally admitted. “I will have to consult some tomes, but I may be able to create a potion of such effect by tomorrow.”

I grinned again as I nodded. “That'll work for me,” I replied. “I’ll get to start going hard at training once I have that potion.”

Brokil nodded and began packing up. “I had better get started then.” He remarked, shoving the last book into his bag. “I will see the two of you in the morning.” He called out, moving towards the door.

I grinned as I waved towards him and Amelia voiced a “Goodbye.” I sighed and gazed off as I let my mind wander back to my plan. The scenarios played in my favor as I moved closer to the rite. One final thought drifted through my mind before I turned to Amelia. “I have a big day tomorrow; but after today, I'll be ready to face it.”