6 months after the trainee evaluations

With a yawn, Kir rubbed the sides of his shoulders in a chill. His arms hastened when a breeze brushed against his skin, under the gaze of a full moon. He sneezed. The cold pinched at his skin, but the blacksmith persisted. He moved to a chair outside the door to Mutuba Smithy and waited. He hunched over and rubbed his shoulders again, until his ears perked to the sound of footsteps. Kir straightened his knees and smiled, forcing his eyes open to the sight of a dark-skinned individual. When at a mere hundred meters from the smithy, the blacksmith waved at the latter with both arms, excitedly.

In a stride at first, Daiden quickened to a sprint and angled his weight to a series of coordinated and ceremonial steps. He danced without inhibition and finished by swiping his arm in a horizontal arc, much like the motion of a blade. His knees buckled from exhaustion soon after. He slumped to the ground and barely managed to sit upright, heaving with heavy breaths. He managed a smile in that moment, drenched in sweat, and looked towards Kir with a proud expression.

“There, look right there!” said Daiden, pushing his Mioveroldian Page towards Kir. “At the bottom.”

The blacksmith lowered his eyes and scanned to the bottom. He read the words and then again, his mouth agape.

[[

Currency: 1,430 Bloodstones

Deity: Ehedus

Citizenship: Godvildian

Rank: Trainee Soldier

Race: (Sealed)

Blacksmith Bond: Zane Morgul (Vulcan) | Monthly Fee: 200 Bloodstones

--

Class: Takshaka’s Descendant (Normal)

You have inherited the will and story of a mythical being. But you are insignificant without accomplishments. Build your accomplishments and grow into a myth. Ehedus will reward you based on the epic you write.

You are mildly resistant to abnormalities. You are slowly becoming one with the sword.

--

Specialization: Takshakan Swordsmanship (Sword Aeter)

Jade Serpent’s Breath. Verses of Takshakan Swordsmanship (1/7).

Class Items: Book of Dancers (Sealed). Origin of Takshaka (Sealed).

Granted Skills: Ehedus’ Embrace. Mioveroldian Constitution. Aeter Understanding and Implementation. Mioveroldian Knowledge (Fragment). Aeter Persistence (Normal).

]]

Kir focused on Daiden’s most recently acquired skill. He shifted uncertainly and trembled around the corner of his mouth. “This, this is usually a craftsman’s skill…”

“Aeter Persistence?” asked Daiden, eyebrows raised.

In a state of calm, Daiden closed his eyes and traced to the source of his aeter – a brilliant, white light centred around his abdomen. He lingered and noticed the encroachment of a jade colour as well, of Takshaka. His body lightened in the minutes that followed, rejuvenating the strength of his limbs. He hopped to his feet and continued with light steps, convinced of the usefulness of his new skill.

“I noticed small improvements with my daily regimen,” said Daiden, stretching his limbs. “But this…this proves that disciplined exercise does impact individual progress. You owe me money now, Kir! Twenty, was it?”

“You mean to tell me that all your running, upside down walking, squatting, and all else…they actually worked in terms of real-world application?” asked Kir, handing twenty bloodstones to Daiden, reluctantly. “But that sounds so tiresome! Why would anyone do that when the gods exist to improve us with worship?”

“Maybe people forgot because of the whole worship thing; it’s the easier of two options in a way,” guessed Daiden. He flipped his Mioveroldian Page and focused on his acquired skill once more. “You also mentioned this new skill to be more craftsman-specific?”

Kir scratched his beard and nodded, “Yes. We tend to become more aeter efficient with time, given the hours and dexterity our work requires. It also helps with faster aeter recovery.”

“That’s excellent!” said Daiden, happily. “You see, Kir? The application of skills across different professions aren’t always exclusive. It’s important to work on identifying what works on a horizontal line.”

Kir cocked his head in response, with a blank expression. “I’m just a blacksmith. Leave me be. I want to work my way towards being as good as the Lord of Fire, your grandfather, someday. You know? I’m sure you understand. You’re like me a little.”

Daiden smiled at the comparison. It struck him in that instant, the memory of his night after the evaluation. He remembered the tiniest of details, from sleeping in the trainee quarters to charting out a progressive plan for exercise. He made mental notes and hid the idea from Rollo even. “Not that it mattered. He found out about it almost immediately.”

“You do the same thing I do, Kir!” explained Daiden, persistently. “You’re at the forge daily to build something, build it better.

“But I’m merely a trainee. I can’t fight a battle to the death every day of the week. This is how I practice, by repetition.”

“If it makes sense to you, I’ll accept it,” relented Kir. He turned and pointed to his fingers, gesturing the shape of a ring. “Since you’re here, would you like me to do any repairs? Is your equipment in good shape?”

“I think I’m good for a while,” said Daiden, quickly checking the condition of his equipment in the spatial ring. He bowed a little and added, “Ah, thank you for asking.”

Kir shrugged and quietly walked towards the storage area, near the back of the smithy. He collected a few ingots and returned to the forge. He stretched his back, his hips next, and then his shoulders.

“I’ll try and not complain,” said Kir, apologetically. “Despite all the tiredness, I do think I’m more productive in my mornings at the smithy than later through day.”

“And to think you whined so much!” said Daiden, laughing out loud.

“Well, you come knocking at my window barely three hours past midnight…” said Kir, with a frown. “I would still prefer you not do that.”

Daiden merely smiled in response to the comment.

“Wait,” said Kir, suddenly. “You pay a hefty fee to the Lord of Fire…how do still have such a healthy reserve of bloodstones?”

Daiden slipped into a chair and continued to smile, only sheepishly now. He tilted from side to side once seated and dragged his chair towards the blacksmith.

“It’s a…well, it’s a secret maybe,” said Daiden, in a whisper. “Rollo forced me to only accept rank battles for a wager, thirty bloodstones and not more.”

“You gamble?” asked Kir, raising his voice with each word. He shook his head, annoyed. “I know the top three can protect their rank after five battles every month. It’s likely you don’t wager on those, given the mandate. But still, then…so, how many do you fight in total every month?”

“After the fifth, I usually manage about ten more,” admitted Daiden, with poise. “The weekly pay for a trainee is abysmal. And I need the bloodstones for the fee! It was easier to swallow my pride after the first month. There’s no turning back from this now.”

Kir shook his head again. “It’s hard to regain a lost rank. Why must you risk so much?”

“Honestly, I only feel threatened from the two other rankers in the top three,” revealed Daiden. “Early days, I trembled at the idea of competing in ranked battles, but it’s easier now. The more I fight, the more I forget about my past…it’s become my medicine, somehow.”

Kir quietened for a bit. Daiden noticed the change and buried his face, bitterly. He hated the falsehoods attached to his identity, more amidst friends.

“I have a ranked match against a top three contender today,” said Daiden, shaking away from the mood. “You should come watch.”

“That Rollo fellow you keep talking about?” asked Kir, with some interest.

“No, not him,” said Daiden, dismissively. “He seems strangely content with his current rank, at second. I asked him about it once, but he never quite gives me a straight answer.”