Chapter 15: Avoiding Training

Desmend griped his Jian. Well, he was pretty sure this blade was called something, but since it looks like Jian, feels like Jian, it's a Jian. A Jian is good enough for him. The sun had been up for some time, and the heat of the day was upon them. Desmend held his double-edged straight sword in one hand while he used the other to support himself on the wall that ran around the compound.

"Can I Stop now?" The South African boy from another begged the attractive dirty ash blonde tomboyish girl. He looked exhausted and hot. "I think I've done enough running."

The girl looked at him with pity. Too bad it was false pity he knows this. She wasn't feeling any of what she showed him. Her real feelings were directed elsewhere.

"You can stop when you're dead," she said.

She didn't mean it. But she did mean it.

"Clementine!" The Chosen One winded. "This is such bullshit! I'm the Chosen One, which makes me the King! Your King! Why should I be doing this type of stuff?!" The boy dramatically waved his double-edge sword, his enhanced Javelin armour on his body, each piece weighing about 100 pounds. That god, this world runs off of Anime rules mix a tedious RTS game.

The realism was undoubtedly annoying on all parts. He wishes this was entirely like an RTS game.

"Because you are the Chosen One," the girl answered matter-of-factly. "That means you have to do all kinds of shit."

The Chosen One was not amused. Since when did that girl make jokes? It's bad enough that he had to wear this godforsaken mask that makes breathing so hard. But now she made fun of him, too?

The Chosen One was not impressed. Ok, he was impressed, and it was kinda sexy, except it was at him.

"You 32 hours before you teleported to the Dungeon where the rock people are imprisoned, and you just barely have control over your breathing." Clementine bluntly stated, crossing her arms over her really lovely chest. "Stop complaining and do your last laps soon. After that, you will face five of my knights in battle!"

Desmend groaned painfully. Let it be known that Desmend hated nothing more than training and effort in something that didn't interest him. And he was supposed to fight these knights, who are already much better fighters than him—what a joke.

His martial arts from Earth used to help immensely, but now it's not really effective anymore. Which makes sense Desmend most used those skills to escape from the cops, his mother (badass psychotic black women), his grandmother (never, ever mess with that lady), and many jealous boyfriends.

"Yeah, yeah," The Chosen One agreed. "At least I get something beautiful every morning," Desmend said, looking at Clementine with a teasing tone, not noticing how the girl turned red in embarrassment. "Hey, maybe we should do something together?" He asked, grinning widely. "I could teach you the art of lovin' and jokes!"

The Chosen One had no idea why the Knight-Commander of Dogmatic Reagent Knights wanted to learn Earth jokes. So Desmend asked around, and people said it was only after he came to this world that Clementine started making jokes.

Weird, huh?

"Ten more laps!" The Knight-Commander shouted at him. "If you don't finish by the time I finish, you'll be punished! Cleaning the stables of Transport beats!"

"Dang…" Desmend's laugh bordered on the hysterical, rising in pitch before dying down to a sombre mumble. "... Just dang…"The Chosen One sighed, knowing he was doomed to fail. "Whoever invented training and practising, I would love to punch in the nose," he said, running to his last ten laps.

He felt like dying. This is what death feels like. He was pretty sure... Maybe 90%? Who knows? All that Desmend knows is that running laps blows.

"Chosen One. Chosen One." Clementine stood over the tired boy. "You have five minutes of resting before we head to Aurarock Cliffs... Do you even recognise me?"

"Of course," the black-haired boy gasped as she checked his pulse. "Uhh… Lucy, right?"

Clementine blinked, "That's… not my name." Will he be ok? Tangerine will maim her if the Chosen One dies in case of heatstroke.

"Oh crap, uh… Oh, of course – Hailey! You looked very similar to my uh… this fine chick, yeah, the honey Clementine. I got you mixed up."

"I'm not called Samantha either." She blushed being called 'fine'. The tomboy Knight-Commander could only watch as the man's eyes seemed to glance away from her, chuckling nervously. Did he… did he honestly not recognise her…? Also, would he stop flirting with her?

"Right… I knew that. Well, uh… sweetheart… I just want you to know that I am regularly tested and am clean, plus I always wear protection. So whatever you think happened definitely didn't happen because of me." Oh, for the love of…

"We haven't had sex," Clementine growled, ignoring the part of herself that was disappointed with the news.

"We haven't?" The simple uncertainty on his face was really tempting… she wanted to put her fist right through it. "Then why did you-? Oh… Ohhh… wow." He coughed and looked away.

"What?" Clementine's eyes narrowed dangerously.

"Well, I just mean, this is pretty damn quick, even for me. Normally I at least have to flirt with girls a little first, but I can understand but don't tell the sisters. They are clock blocking me like crazy. But still... For you to grab me like this? I have that effect on women." Desmend didn't notice her fingers tightening on his throat. Despite that, it must have cut off some of the oxygen to his brain. Then again, maybe he didn't have a brain. "I just want to mention, though, I've put up with some pretty crazy kinks, but despite what it looked like when we landed, I am not into any kind of vegetable play." Then, to her mounting rage, he looked her dead in the eye, one hand coming up to pat her shoulder. "I'm sorry Mary-Lou. I'm not willing to lay here and let you have your way with me...."

The boy thought about what he just said. "To hell with that! Let's go!"

The sound he made as he sailed through the air, across the training field, cracking through a few tree branches before landing in a bush near the castle walls, was one of the more satisfying ones she'd ever heard. Plus, she'd resisted the urge to punch him, which was good. He'd recover from his little throw-assisted flying session… and maybe next time he'd think twice before accusing her of something like that!

"That was a good prank," Desmend said from his position flat on his back, legs resting vertically up the trunk of a tree he had crashed into. A leaf fluttered down onto the tip of his nose, doggedly refusing to budge, no matter how hard he snorted at it. Sure, he could move his tired arms to take it off, but that requires effort. And then he'd be late to the sparring match.

"I didn't do anything," Clementine defended herself, blushing, walking over to him.

"You didn't have to do anything," Desmend replied, sitting up.

"B-be quiet and get ready in five minutes."

Aurarocks Cliffs

The five Dogmatic Reagent Knights and Harry watched the sense in front of them with amusement, disbelief, and slight wonder. Normally these feelings are what people feel around Desmend when he is off his meds.

A group of new recruits were at Aurarocks to join the Dogmatic Reagents Knights. Desmend reordered the Dogmatic Knights to be the special forces instead of the general army and disbanded the adventures guilds.

To him, the guilds were basically unreliable mercs and money leechers. So the Chosen One assign the subjugation of monsters to Clementine's knights.

A group of new recruits were at Aurarocks to join the Dogmatic Reagents Knights. Desmend reordered the Dogmatic Knights to be the special forces instead of the general army and disbanded the adventures guilds.

To him, the guilds were basically unreliable mercs and money leechers. So the Chosen One assign the subjugation of monsters to Clementine's knights. One knight in training used to be one of those adventurers. Most of the people here are former adventurers or mercenaries. They don't like it much at first but when Desmend gave the details on what they get if they join was simply too good to pass up. still a dick move. But they're still happy that their kids will have more chances than them.

The rookies took notice of Knight-Commander Clementine she is giving them a welcome speech. "Allow me to the pecking orders and the methods you might die here today! You have travelled here today in search of know-" a loud clang tore through the woman's speech, making Harry hold in his laughter even as others in the crowd held their ears in pain. There were a few scattered comments, but with a cough, the Knight-Commander brought things back on track. "-in search of knowledge. This will be easy. It will hurt but you will be strong. And when you have finishe-" Another ear-shattering sound of metal striking stone echoed across the training field, this time the new recruits looking around to figure out what it was. One female recruit cursed her height as she hopped up, trying to spot the source of the noise over everyone's shoulders.

Right now the senior Knights are laughing along with Harry and the passing maids and servants can only shake their heads in exasperation while trying their best not to smile.

"And-" Yet again the noise sounded, the recruits watching with morbid curiosity as a wooden mallet slammed down onto a metal spike, the noise echoing as the metal bit down into the stone. Is dark skin tone guy near a tree… driving a nail into cliffs? "When you have fini-" The hammer struck again, at the exact moment the Knight-Commander tried to go further. A few giggles rose from the maids watching. "Desmend…" Clementine growled, her left eye twitching in annoyance.

"Ah!" The Chosen One exclaimed, standing up. "Done."

"Des...mend!" Clementine repeated again, getting his attention.

"Hmm?" The South African young man looked over towards them all, wiping the back of one hand across his forehead. "Yo, Clem, what's up?"

The "I'm trying to make a speech here!" With the way she was glaring at him, the new recruits felt the urge to sudation. "But perhaps we could all wait patiently as you vandalise my sister training field! Would that be better?"

Oh God, talk about embarrassing… Ruby, the short recruit could just imagine how utterly mortified the guy must fee-

"Yeah, that would be pretty handy actually. Since I'm the Chosen One and King. I do what I want!"

Huh?

"Excuse me!?" This wasn't a dream! – The temperature really was bloody dropping. Even Harry and the five knights seemed to look towards the woman with some degree of fear. "I will thank you to cease such wanton destruction entirely, or failing that – at least wait until I'm finished! Then I will kill you!"

"Oh, okay…" the young man said. Mallet fell to the floor immediately. "Why didn't you just say so? Ima takes a nap." Desmend went into the tent. The thing was gargantuan, reaching up to about 15 feet in height looks like a very miniature house than a tent.

"Hey, hey, hey!" Clementine hissed. "Where do you think you're going!? This is important!"

"To sleep," Desmend replied, yawning.

Five minutes later...

"Will everyone make their way to the edge of the cliff for initiation! And Desmend... WAKE UP!" Clementine Aucrulethen roared, her voice knocking over the tent.

Strong Lungs.

The Chosen One opened his eyes, blinking against the light. The first thing he saw was a face that was both familiar and unfamiliar.

Ruby adjusted Harvester the transformable scythe at her sides as she waited on the cliff's edge, taking deep breaths to calm herself. This was nothing compared to what she had trained to do… absolutely nothing. That didn't stop the tiny worm of nervousness, wriggling around in her stomach. Others were beginning to congregate now, so many people – The Dogmatic Knights truly was a place the best aspired to enter. Not all of them would be able to… some would fail in this initiation.

It was the stuff of legends back in the guildhall. She hoped not to see any of them die, though she knew that was unlikely. It wasn't even about whether they would make it through or not; it was about how they got there. And the fact that these people had been chosen for the task.

She took another deep breath and pushed the feeling aside. She'd made her choice. Now she just needed to follow through with it. If only she could forget the image of her mother...

But not me. I won't allow myself to. Her eyes just about picked out the irritating man from earlier, lazying around the Knight-Commander. What is that manchild was doing here, she had no idea. Handsome he may be. There was simply no way someone that lazy and impure could measure up to her… not with all the training and effort she'd put into getting where she was now.

That man would get killed…. I wonder what the Knight-Commander's playing… some kind of influential backer, a son of a royal? No, but it doesn't matter in the end.

Rudy readied herself as she listened to the Knight-Commander explain their task. A simple search and secure, combined with destroying demon beasts that came across their path. The method of selecting a partner was frustrating… she'd put so much effort into securing Diana Morris, and now this happened? No matter… she could use her glyphs to carefully select her landing, bringing her closer to the champion of Whitehaven. Diana's skill and reputation were legendary and she was the highest sought after adventurer. Her talent was mixed with Diana. There could be no better team.

"Now, are there any questions?"

"I have a question!" a male voice shouted out, drawing Ruby's attention. It was the same man, standing on one of the weird pads they are standing on with his hands in the air. "This landing strategy… are you going to be handing out parachutes?"

The Knight-Commander looked at the same like he was insane. "No. You will be using your own landing strategy. Also, get off the pad Des" Clementine started.

"Okay!!…" The man dove to the side, suddenly sprinting across the ground before them. Ruby didn't think she was the only one who watched him with a kind of slack-eyed expression. For a moment she even wondered if he had become frightened if he was bowing out already… That changed when he leapt off the cliff, falling from their sight. A second later he came back into vision, however, drifting towards the forest canopy with a bright yellow bag deployed behind him.

"Mend..." Clementine finished.

"Wait," a large man in silver armour Jalvain gaped, "what was thatttttttttttttt-" he didn't get to finish, the metal plate beneath him springing up to launch him away. The Knight-Commander didn't even seem fazed by the happenings, palming her face as they were launched away one by one. Ruby shook her head, taking a deep breath as her turn came. This so wouldn't pass health and safety, she sighed as the air whistled past her, reaching the crest of her flight before forward momentum rapidly became downwards. Any hope of maintaining her flight and finding Diana was lost – maybe, just maybe, she'd underestimated how hard it would be to focus on selecting a target location while plummeting through the air at terminal velocity.

Just maybe…

"Alright time to get join this order and get paid big coin." Harvester came forth, aimed towards the rapidly approaching ground as she concentrated. A single glyph would kill her… you couldn't survive the change to momentum from terminal to still instantly. Even with mana, she would smash into her own glyph would all the force of a meteor. Instead, she summoned it at an angle, an acceleration one but set in reverse instead of to speed up her own attacks.

Even as her feet touched it, she felt herself slow. Not enough to prevent her wincing at the strain on her ankle, but enough for it not to snap as she bounced off it, slowing herself a little further as she summoned another, each consecutive one becoming slower and safer as she hopped her way down to the soft ground. One final glyph, one final leap – and Ruby Stone touched down, landing delicately while sheathing her weapon in a dramatic flourish.

"Aww yeah! Good job, girl!" The redhead cheered to herself, proud beyond belief at such a perfect landing., slapping Harvester's on her shoulder with a grin. "Now that I'm here, I think it's time for me to get my partner!"

"Hey..." a fair-skinned young woman with wavy black hair and amber eyes waved.

"No…"

"We are not partners," Ruby growled as she pushed through the bushes and branches before her, a few crashing into her cheek. It didn't leave a scratch. "Why are you following me? We didn't make eye-contact."

"You're going to keep walking into things if you keep your eyes shut like that," the other girl's voice came from behind, sounding mellow and calm. "Plus we made eye-contact Ruby. I even saw how yours widened in horror."

This could not be happening… not to her… not like this. "It was your creativity going wild, a trick of the light, nothing more than your wildest dreams."

"Geez Ruby…?" the girl muttered. "Sis... come on." Blake dryly said to her sister. "

"No!"

"But Ruby-"

"No buts!"

"We-"

"Ah, ah, ah! Nothing!"

"But tree!"

"Wha-" Ruby's words were cut off as bark imprinted into her face, the tree coming out of nowhere to viciously attack her. Such was her momentum, such as how much her sister was distracting her, that she hadn't even sensed it – and had instead almost run into it. She was knocked from her feet entirely, bouncing back onto her rear as she rubbed her nose.

"You ok sis?" Blake asked but the amusement in her tone was present.

"Of course, I'm not okay, you dolt. You distracted me so that I didn't see this tree!"

"Said the girl with her eyes closed. Who didn't bother with sensitivity training."

"Shut up sister!…" Ruby pouted then paused as she looked further up the tree, something that was made an easier task now that she was sitting down at the base of it. She didn't know how she hadn't seen it earlier (though the closed eyes might have had something to do with that), but there was another figure in the tree.

"Oh hey, it's that funny man. Desmend was his name." Blake said.

That was his name… Ruby thought to herself, glad to finally know that idiot.

"What's he doing in a tree?" Ruby wondered out loud.

"Bigger question," Blake said, "Why isn't he moving?" The two girls shared a panicked look, though if anyone asked later Ruby would claim they'd still somehow not made eye-contact. He looked okay, there was no blood – but his weird bag had clearly become tangled in the boughs of the tree. What if one of the ropes had wrapped around his throat as he fell through the branches? He would be hung from the tree, left to die… like some kind of overripe fruit.

"Keep an eye out for beats," Ruby ordered as she clambered onto her feet, drawing her weapon and summoning some glyphs leading up to the man. "I'll get him down."

"Alright." Her older sister calmy waved one hand back, deploying her physics be dammed Chain Scythe. Ruby sighed as she hopped up the floating platforms, bringing her closer to him with each step.

"um... Desmend?" she shook his shoulder once she reached him, swinging on Harvester above his head to sever the strings attaching the bag to his pack that was on his back. "Damn it, you better be alive or I'll ruin you." His body slumped forward, head resting against her shoulder as she caught his weight. He still felt warm… but oh so heavy, as though he had no energy of his own to hold him up.

He'd died… He'd really was dea-

And then electric tinted eyes were staring into her own.

"Arghhh!" she tried to push the zombie back, logic not quite snapping into her mind fast enough, the realisation that maybe he was actually still alive only hitting when she pushed him back off her glyph. Sending the possibly hurt man plummeting back down to Earth.

Okay… now if he dies, I'll be legally responsible too… the Knight-Commander will not be pleased.

"I'm sorry," she gasped as she leapt down to land beside him, hesitating as she looked at his body squirming in agony. Agony was good, right? It meant he was still alive. With a shake of her head, she knelt down over him, waving two fingers before his eyes. "Can you tell me how many fingers I'm holding up?"

"Why did you push me out of the tree?"

"That's…" how was she to explain that? "Not the correct answer – I'm holding up two fingers."

"Why!?"

"To check for a concussion," Ruby dodged the question again, lifting him up a little. "You were trapped in the boughs when your bag caught. It's okay, we got you down."

"Trapped? I was sleeping!"

"Sleeping!?" Blake said walking back.

The Chosen One groaned, holding one hand over his eyes as he mumbled curses to himself. Now that she was up close to the man —She has never seen a man with such a dark skin tone before. Short, dark and unkempt hair fell across his forehead and down his neck, framing his face in an odd way. His was slightly powerfully built but not overly muscular; it was more of a natural build than anything else. She wondered what had happened to him. He looked like he'd been through some sort of ordeal. The cuts on his arms were fresh, and the dried blood caked around them told her they weren't from any ordinary wounds.

Who would take such a test without Javelin armour?!

"So," he said after a moment's recovery, "you two are partners, right?"

"Y-"

"No. We haven't made eye contact yet." Blake signed at her younger sister stubbornness.

"How have you not made eye contact with one another?"

Perseverance, Ruby thought to herself, sparing a glance to her sister and then the man at her feet. She loves her sister with all her heart, but Ruby wanted to prove herself a big and not some little kid who needs saving from her older sister all the time. She needed someone else, anyone else.

This guy, Desmend. She didn't know anything about him. He said he was the Chosen One and King... Yeah right. Only the high ranking-knights and selected officials have ever sawed the King. The capital keeps the King's identity and how he looks like a secret from most of the kingdom. Doesn't stop him from being very popular with people, though.

Anyway, the man did set up that massive tent in initiation, which was honestly a little bizarre – but then again, wasn't that just good preparation? No idea where he even got it. Then with the yellow bag, yes, it had gone wrong, but it showed a certain level of ingenuity that he had thought of it in the first place. What's more, it showed that he knew what the initiation would be.

Bribery, research – asking senior knights? Ruby wasn't sure which path he'd taken, but either showed that he was using his brain to get an advantage – something she could more than respect.

"What colour are my eyes?" she asked, grabbing him by both shoulders.

"Sliver-grey?"

"Congratulations." Ruby smiled, "You're my partner."

Mandatory Mission 1: Survive.

Description: Survive for Initiation.

Reward: 3 Disposable Attribute Points.

Desmend eyes winded at the prompt. He was finally getting stats points.