Chapter 7 - Trust Issues

Sword Mastery

Level: 7

Don't get ahead of yourself; you’re still far from being considered anything but a beginner.

Sword Mastery increased from level 4 to level 7

Primary Attributes

Dexterity: 15

Agility: 10

Strength: 13

Constitution: 16

Intelligence: 11

Wisdom: 11

Charisma: 9

Strength, Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma each increased by 1 level.

Constitution increased by 2 levels.

By now, Doldahr was getting on Tal’s nerves. The blindfold hadn't gone back which was a small relief, but that didn't mean the dwarf's teaching techniques got any less brutal. How I ever thought this guy was a friend is beyond me Tal thought.

But in the dwarf's own way, he really was just trying to help. He even felt a little bad for thrusting the poor human into a situation he wasn't ready for. That's why he was so eager to offer his services, and for free at that. Many a resident of The Devil's Tongue, and beyond, would pay good money for his teachings - for good reason.

What Tal failed to understand, was the brutality of the dwarven tribes; Doldahr’s particularly. Tal tried to compartamentalise his feelings. I’m not here to make friends. I’m here to avoid getting myself torn apart by all these monsters. I’m here to find a way to emerge from this place in one piece. It didn't take his status sheet to see he was making progress; his frame filling out just a little more. The decrease in Charisma was a bit disconcerting. Tal quickly whipped up the definition of the attribute when he first saw it.

Charisma Attribute

Level: 9

This attribute is a measure of how well-received one's social interactions are including personality, persuasiveness, and leadership skills.

This was just one of many breakdowns Tal had over the past few days of his training. If there was one thing he was good at, it was focusing past his emotions on the task at hand. Doldahr’s methods, however, left him with more downtime than he would have liked while his body battled to heal itself. He knew he had to keep it together, that was his best chance at getting out of this Tower. Unfortunately, emotions such as these were rarely so easily dealt with by logical arguments. But there was nothing he could do.

Doldahr watched as Tal struggled with himself. It was something he had faced himself as an abandoned child. He had plenty of first-hand experience of what he knew Tal must be feeling. Lonely. Afraid. And to put it nicely - screwed. What he didn’t have experience with, however, was how one could recover quickly from these things. Time is really just the best healer for things like this. Well, and booze of course. By now Doldahr thought he’d figured out that alcohol really could heal all wounds. Beyond offering Tal a drink, who refused multiple times, Doldahr could only try his best to help his poor friend keep busy and distracted from his problems. Bury them for a better day he thought.

And so the days went on and Tal’s resentment for Doldahr grew ever so slowly all the while. It was safe to say that Tal no longer considered the burly dwarf a friend. Despite this, it pained Tal to admit that he needed him. He had little to no friends in this strange new world and losing the one person he had become acquainted with was just not something he was comfortable with. The training was yet another benefit. This must be what a toxic relationship feels like he reasoned.

Still, the days wore on. It didn't take long until the blindfold went back on. Tal couldn't help cursing his luck. And just when I thought I was beginning to get a handle on all this business, he goes and throws me in the dark. Literally! Though perhaps that was the point.

Tal stood in the centre of the room, shrouded in darkness once again. “Again…I am going to move to strike you. Your mission is simple. Don’t get hit. Predict my attack. Block, dodge or deflect it. I want you only on the defence” the rough voice next to him said. It was his teacher of course. So essentially the same lesson as last time. Now, though, I am much more prepared. This is going to go much differently he thought with a grim smile. And if an opportunity presents itself, I might just get some sweet, sweet, payback.

Tal resumed one of the fighting stances that Doldahr had told him about in their many downtimes. Just like in previous times, Doldahr nudged him in all the places that were set wrong; perfecting his stance. Then he stepped back “This time, I will go slowly. I will keep speeding up until you fall”. Doldahr paused briefly, “Now - protect yourself” he warned.

Tal knew where the first set of attacks would come from. His teacher had given himself away when he had spoken and some part of Tal knew that the dwarf was not one to strike him from behind unaware, at least, not yet. What form his attack would take, however, Tal had no warning of. So he simply took a step back. An instant later, Doldahr’s fist whizzed through the air, narrowly missing where his shoulder was just moments prior. A small part of Tal noticed the merciful strike. For it was merciful as far as choosing a target for an attack went. But Tal couldn’t get distracted by those thoughts. Now that he had a clear idea of his master's position in his mind's eye he was enabled to take more informed evasive actions.

It was like this that the two went back and forth. Tal kept moving as much as he could, trying to make himself the hardest target to hit that he could. Doldahr for his part would never fail to be before him, in some cases just a few inches from where he would least expect him, slapping various blows about.

Doldahr didn't push him quite so hard this time around and Tal couldn't help but notice his reduced growth rate in his various Attributes. On the plus side, his movements were only becoming more fluid with each bout. Soon enough he could make it multiple exchanges without Doldahr landing a solid hit on him.

Doldahr noticed the slow smile spreading across Tal’s face, “If you’ve got time to smile, you obviously aren't training hard enough” he huffed. With that, the pace increased noticeably.

Sweat coalesced upon Tal’s forehead and he had to make a concerted effort to avoid the cursed salty water from falling into his eyes and stinging. Still, the training continued, and in time Tal was once again moving about, efficiently dodging or otherwise avoiding the speedy blows. And just like before, his ever-so-aggravating trainer declared war on his satisfaction by raising the difficulty yet again.

The training sword was thrust back into Tal's hands, where it settled with a grace born only from the constant critiques he had received over the last few days. Doldahr sought to disturb that grace when he lurched forward in an underhanded strike. Fortunately for Tal, Doldahr was moving slow enough that by the time his shifting clothes gave away his intent, Tal was ready.

Wood met wood in a clash that the two both instantly bounced back from. “Much better!” Doldahr acquiesced in an almost chirpy voice - a sharp contrast to Tal’s ragged breathing.

Sweat poured from Tal but against all odds, he was still keeping up. Nearby Doldahr grinned; the boy made for a quick learner, but if it wasn’t for his own intentionally slow strikes he would have been back bleeding on the floor by now. Still, Doldahr decided a boost to the boy's confidence was a much-needed reprieve. He would need it in the days to come. The easy smile resting upon the boy’s face was a refreshing and welcome break from his all-too-usual sombre expression. All of that was to say that Doldahr was proud.

Tal’s muscles were aching as he moved his sword up to block a pair of oncoming strikes. And then, in the heat of battle sought to return his own. He swept Doldahr’s strike away, turning it to the side just enough to expose the midsection of the infuriating little dwarf. Tal lept forward, following the trajectory of his enemy's sword, sending his own outward, braced against his locked wrists. The attack of course, never met. Tal blinked as he met no resistance. Tal jumped back, resetting his stance, coiling like a viper waiting for an oncoming strike.

“You’ve got some fire boy! That’ll help you later if you can temper it with some common sense” the dwarf teased from a spot further in the room. It was like his teacher had never been there. One moment there, the next, more than several feet ahead.

The Dwarf leaned forward on the balls of his feet, immediately extending his hand to drop his wooden sword. His leg snapped outward as the sword fell, kicking it just hard enough to send it spiralling towards Tal’s legs. The dwarf lunged. Tal didn't have time to react. The dwarf leaned forward, hand still extended. He flicked Tal across his forehead. But that was all it took. With his exhausted legs tangled in the wooden wedge driven between them, he fell like a rock onto the cold, unforgiving ground.

Tal caught himself, rolling out of the way of what he presumed would be a follow-up attack from his merciless teacher - and onetime friend. Tal scrambled to his feet, resetting his stance despite the complaints from his aching body. Tal swept his sword to his front. Listening for anything that would tell him his trainer's next move. He was interrupted however by a prompt hovering in his vision.

His teacher's voice echoed around the chamber, “You’ve much to learn my boy. But I am happy with your progress insofar. Now you must seek to apply what you've learnt.” Tal noted from the voice that his trainer hadn’t moved from his initial attack. It was that information that allowed him to feel comfortable exploring the contents of the new prompt

Secondary Attributes

Determination: 1

Martial Awareness: 1

The Martial Awareness Attribute has been gained at level 1.

“Apply? Has that not been what we have been doing just now? And how did you know I just got that prompt. And seriously? All of this for that?” Tal was full of questions. His confusion broke him out of the detached state that was all too easy to acquire of late.

His teacher chuckled slightly at the onslaught of questions, reminiscing on his own early days of adventuring. “Inspect is just one of my many skills. It allows me to see far more than these old eyes ever could,” he said gesturing to his head. “If you're lucky you’ll get a chance to obtain the same skill. As for the Secondary Attribute, I can see you’ve just acquired…there is a reason Secondary Attributes are listed differently from the rest. You should count yourself lucky you already have one so early in your journey” His teacher paused “Well I suppose you have two now but I am getting distracted. The point is, the effect of Secondary Attributes is plentiful, with each affecting you in a very powerful way”

Tal sighed. All this for a single Secondary Attribute. I already gained one on my first day for Christ's sake. If anything, the training itself was more beneficial. That at least provided me with 7 levels in this Sword Mastery skill as well as a wealth of knowledge to avoid getting stickered with the pointy end of things. Tal could tell his training was coming to an end. He didn't know how to feel about that. There was only so much fondness he could retain for someone that had quite literally been beating lessons into him. Despite this, leaving his teacher would mean the resumption of his journey. Once again all alone. That frightened him more than he would admit. Enough to realise there was some part of him that had been secretly revelling in his training. Some animalistic determination that enjoyed seeing the constant growth from throwing himself at a problem. He couldn’t help but feel that his training had left all too early.

Doldahr noticed Tal's dissatisfied expression and as if reading his mind continued, “Skills will only take you so far in this world. To truly carve a place for yourself in Valeria, you will need the help of various Abilities and other mysterious magic. Not to mention widely varied combat experience. While you are here, The Tower can help you with some of that much more than I ever could. It’s time you explored this Tower once again; to claim a piece of its power as your own. What I’ve taught you will keep you alive for that long at the least.”

Doldahr didn't know how his friend regarded him after the whole ordeal. He hoped they were on the same page but he didn’t think their budding relationship had truly survived. The fact was, his teaching methods were extreme, brutal even. But it was both the dwarven way drilled into him and the best way for his friend to learn. It was the best way Doldahr knew to ensure his friend would survive this Tower and make it out into the world outside. There was only so much he could teach him without the aid of personal experience.

It was with carefully obscured, sad eyes, that Doldahr led Tal from one of The Devils Tongue's many training rooms, and out into the unknown beyond. Tal faced the door with a steely expression and walked away from one of the first friends he had made here.

"Farewell, my boy. May we meet again in this life or the next".