The next day was the first Mandatory Athletic Trials. After talking with Sillon over breakfast, Serenity knew that - because Athletic Trials took longer - all of the Trials instructors expected to be busy all day. Normally, they’d borrow people from other areas to fill in the need for instructors, but Sillon guessed that probably wouldn’t be necessary.

The other interesting thing is that unlike Dungeon Trials, an instructor was required. Sillon wouldn’t say why - “I can’t tell a student that, and for this you’re being counted as a student” - but Serenity could guess it was probably the bridge trick. Neither of them was sure how Serenity’s special status would make that play out, so Serenity suggested they should try it on the first Trial of the day.

Serenity headed over to the students' dining hall while Sillon stayed behind to enjoy another cup of zeht before he needed to get to the Trial area.

Echo absently kicked the boulder she was sitting on. She didn’t see any threats, but Serenity wasn’t yet in sight - oh, there he was. She’d never expected Serenity, of all people, to need guards - and certainly she’d never expected to be one - but they’d all agreed that whenever he was outside the Instructors’ residence hall, he would have one. They hadn’t even bothered to tell Serenity. Echo was an early riser, so it was either her or Doyle before breakfast every morning.

She saw Serenity look in her direction, just like he had the previous morning. He knew she was there. She was pretty sure he didn’t know it was her, though. He’d classed her as “not a threat”, and only kept enough of an eye on her to know if she did something threatening - all without actually noticing who she was.

It was almost like Serenity defaulted to assuming everyone could be a threat. She’d met people like that before, but it wasn’t normal in modern society. Only Doyle came close, and he was less paranoid than Serenity. Serenity didn’t even seem to think of it as paranoia - it was just normal to him.

Before he was stabbed, he wouldn’t have even noticed she was there. It was like he was two different people.

Which was possibly true. The “prophetic dream” explanation Serenity had given didn’t hold water - it didn’t explain enough - but whoever - whatever - he was, Serenity seemed to be a good man. That was enough. It was certainly more than many humans Echo had known.

As Echo watched, an instructor - her badge said Ekari - walked from where she’d been waiting and “accidentally” intercepted Serenity. Echo prepared in case she needed to act, but it looked like it was just conversation.

“Oh, Serenity. Feeling better, I hope? Blaze said you were better, but -”

“I’m fine. Did the bow lead to anything?” The people who chased the archer had found the bow discarded near where the shot originated.

“No, it was from the armory.” Ekari seemed to freeze for a moment. “I’m sorry, I can’t help you with this. I’m - “ she paused again, then spoke quickly, all in one breath. “Not-permitted-to-help-you.” She took a deep breath, then spoke quickly again. “I’d-like-to-but-I-can’t-sorry.”

“That’s - well. If you can’t you can’t I guess. If instructors can’t help, I guess we’ll have to look into it without you.” Serenity headed off towards the dining hall with increased purpose.

Echo hopped off the convenient boulder she’d been sitting on while she watched the - it really wasn’t a conversation, was it? The interaction, then.

“Serenity said he was bad with people, but I thought he was overstating it. He really is terrible at understanding people, isn’t he?” she muttered.

She knew Serenity was perceptive - probably as perceptive as Echo herself, maybe even more - but he used it so differently!

Echo was confident he hadn’t realized that Instructor Ekari had deliberately intercepted him. He hadn’t noticed that she’d specified SHE couldn’t help, not all instructors.

Echo was pretty sure Serenity also hadn’t heard the instructor’s mutter after she turned away. She’d said “now why was that worth several levels?”

Echo didn’t blame Serenity for that one, though. Echo had only heard it because of her Sound affinity - or maybe Concept. She wasn’t sure exactly what the Concept did yet.

If Instructor Ekari couldn’t help Serenity ... maybe she could help Echo? Especially if Echo approached her correctly. There was no reason to approach Serenity like that just to say she couldn’t help.

First, though, Echo needed to take a Path she’d been looking at. It was clearly not a combat Path, but it looked like one she’d like, and it was perfect for the situation. Plus, she remembered Serenity’s advice.

A combat Path isn’t everything. Some of the best Paths out there are noncombat Paths used cleverly. No matter what you take, train. Train everything. Train to fight, train your Affinities. Train things that come from your Path and things that don’t. A trained person is better than one who learned the skill only from their Path - even if they never took the Path.

It certainly seemed to be Serenity’s philosophy. She wasn’t sure what Path he’d taken - he hadn’t shared - but it seemed to be only incredible stat boosts, rather than the usual skill pattern. Whatever it was, it suited him well since he had the training to use them all. Who would’ve thought that a prophetic dream covering millenia came with actual training?

Echo didn’t have the same training, but … on second thought, maybe she did, at least for this. She was certainly better with people than Serenity! And the Path should help.

The Sound of Silence

You hear even the unspoken word, the missing drip, the held breath.

Level 10: Hear and Understand

Determine your surroundings based on sound. Allows hearing to be used as an additional targeting sense.

Level 25: +10 Basic Stats, +50 Perception, +10 Luck, +5% Luck, Unlocks Luck and Luck%

Level 50: Sonic Bolt

A basic Tier 1 ranged attack. Damage based on Understanding, chance to affect target based on Will. Additional effect from sound-related Affinities, Concepts, and Aspects.

Level 75: Unspoken Word

Your Luck and Luck% passively increase the chance that others will say things that you need to hear - and decrease the chance that things that should not be said will be spoken aloud. This skill may also be used actively at the cost of mana. When used actively, it is also modified by your Will.

Level 100: Sonic Enhancement

You can make the loud louder and the quiet quieter … or the opposite.

The Level 75 skill was the reason, of course. Most of the skills were things she’d already figured out how to do, only better than she could manage without the Path. She didn’t think she’d ever learned to passively get people to say things - but maybe it was because she’d learned to listen?

It was too bad she hadn't had that ability back on Earth. Or maybe it wasn't ... Would her parents have believed her? She'd have liked to think so, but she'd only been eight when everything changed, and it must have started years before that.

Either way, she was going to need some points in Will. She didn’t want to spend all of her available points yet, but … 40 should be fine.

Name: Echo

Species: Human

Path: The Sound of Silence

Level: 84 (834/850)

Tier: 0, 40/84 Spent

Path History: None

Condition: Healthy

Mana: 210

Stamina: 210

Might: 11

Agility: 11

Phys: 11

Understanding: 11

Will: 51

Mind: 11

Perception: 51

Luck: 11 - 105%

Resistances

Pain: 6

Affinities

Sound: 76%

Concepts

Sound: 8%

Titles

Earth’s First Mascot

Earth’s First Mascot

The youngest person in the first Tutorial held on Earth, you put yourself forward to raise everyone’s spirits and give them purpose. You have permanently improved the reactions towards you of everyone within the Tutorial, even those who would not normally favor you. This title is expandable to other groups.

Echo trotted over to where Instructor Ekari was slowly walking away. “Instructor?”

Ekari turned to face her. “Oh! You’re the young one in Serenity’s group, aren’t you? Echo?”

Echo nodded.

“I’m Ekari - head administrator for this Tutorial. I’ve heard about the way you’re keeping people’s spirits up, thank you, it’s very helpful. The more people we can get out of here trained and alive, the better.”

Did that mean that instructors got a bonus based on how well their students did? Or did Ekari just want people to succeed?

Echo hoped for the second, but suspected that the first was true, no matter how Ekari felt about it. People are people after all.

“So, uh, about that - “ Echo wasn’t sure how to bring up the attempt on Serenity’s life, but she was pretty sure it was on Ekari’s mind. Leaving an opening should be enough. She made sure to look anxious.

“You’re worried about another attempt on Serenity’s life, aren’t you? I’ve made sure that not even instructors can check out ranged weaponry until it’s open for everyone. That gives a few days, at least, and it’s all I can do.” Ekari looked like she was in pain. “Please, excuse me, I need to -” Ekari gestured off towards the Administration building.

“Of course - thank you!” Echo had heard the message Ekari couldn’t say.

She also heard Ekari’s mutter as she left. “Level 10 already … that had better help … owww…”

Level 10 was almost always the first utility skill in a Path. Echo didn’t know why that would help Ekari, but she’d remember.

More importantly, Ekari had just told Echo that it was an instructor who tried to kill Serenity - and that the instructor had probably checked out the bow from the Armory.

Come to think of it, Serenity had a contact at the Armory, a female instructor. Echo would have to ask him her name at breakfast - aah! Breakfast!

Echo dashed into the dining hall to grab food and talk to Serenity before the Trials started. There wasn’t much time.