Chapter 3: Trials

Following the advices of the librarian Alex decided to continue the test of Knowledge. The Novice test was in fact quite easy. He just had to read books until he could gain up to 20 point in both Intellect and Wisdom. That was the more one could gain in the official library. During two more days, he could alternate between reading, eating, sleeping and meditating. He gained from that 5 more point in both Intellect and Wisdom, and also 6 for Reading, 4 for Focus, and 3 for Willpower and Asceticism.

At this time, he received a message:

You have received a message from the exterior:

Time of your daily check-up! Come out!

Without waiting, Alex disconnected from the game and reappeared inside his cyber space.

- No modification in your cyberspace… I had hoped you would have create a comfy place for our encounter

- Sorry! I took too much time thinking of the kind of bed I should install but could not decide in the end.

- … I knew I shouldn’t have tried to play words with you. How is it?

- Strange. I’m weak and I just keep getting strange abilities? I’ve also found a quest and I’m trying to accomplish it!

- Did you encounter some people?

- Yes, the librarian. He is quite friendly and a great help for the time being.

- Anybody other than a NPC?

- … I don’t think so!

- You should try to interact with players sometimes. It is the base of our program after all… But it is just the first day after all.

- I will try to talk to people from times to times, Doc!

- Fine! And do you want to talk about your past?

- Do you want to hear so much about those I killed?

- Not so much! I would prefer to hear about how you tried to live!

- … I…

- Not Ready yet?

- Sorry Doc!

- No problem! But just remember that I’m here to listen, if you happen to be ready to talk Alex!

- Yes. Thank you!

- So it should be enough for today. I will go then.

- What? Is that all?

- Nothing happened and you don’t want to talk about your past! There’s nothing left to do! Next time will perhaps be longer, but that should do.

- Okay, was all that Alex could murmur, flabbergasted.

***

During the following day, or six days from Alex point of view, he just continued to read, managing to finish the test of Knowledge. He tried once or twice to talk with normal people, but he did not know what to talk about and could not join a party at the risk of failing his quest. So he took a little time to install a chair and a divan for his next session with the doctor. He did not say much, but she seems happy enough of him trying.

And then he came back to the game.

- Hi! I was waiting for you, said Etourdix with a smile.

They had become quite friendly during the last days.

- Are you ready for the next one?

- Can I go to the training Hall?

- It would be better to do the Power Test first! You will gain more stamina, and it will help you for the Courage Test later!

- You’re right. But I want to try something for my last Soul’s Skill instead of waiting with the hope of gaining a good one! I just need a scarecrow in order to test it!

- Perfect! You just have to follow me then!

The two of them just left the library and went to the training hall. The librarian had a few word with the instructor before bringing Alex to a scarecrow.

- Do what you need!

Without any word, Alex took a stance. In an instant, he plunged toward his imaginary foe, propelling himself with all the strength of his left leg. At the exact time the palm of his right hand connected to the dummy, he stomped with his right leg while rotating his foot. It was a powerful attack aiming at inner organs, but the scarecrow, which had no internal system, just withstood it with no damage. However, there was no problem as the system recognized the attack and created the fifth and last soul’s Skill.

New Soul’s Skill: Tsuuhaiken (Active)

Novice lvl 1 50%

Powerful energy attack. Need a direct contact, or an indirect through a solid material to work.

Ignore all Defense

Injure the enemy by 6% of the caster total MP amount

Cost: 500MP

- So, asked Etourdix? Have you succeeded?

- Yes! But the cost is really high! Twice my total amount of mana even after having finished the knowledge test! That’s insane.

- But if the cost is high, the skill should be powerful!

- Not yet! But it will! Soon!

- So it will be! Now, do you want to proceed with the Power test?

- I’m following!

And the two left the training hall to go in the direction of the Blacksmith. Once more, Etourdix took a little time to talk with his interlocutor on his own before calling for Alex.

- Alex. I shall present you Fulliautomatix, our blacksmith! He is the one who will show you where to train and explain what to do! Now I have to go! I can’t let the library for too long! Good luck, and come back once you have finished this test.

Saying those words, Etourdix just let Alex alone with the blacksmith. Even if he wasn’t small himself, he had to look up in order to see the craftsman face to face. This two and half meter giant, with enough muscle to have two time Alex’s shoulders width, just stood here, studying his new student. After a moment, he just turned.

- Come.

Alex quietly followed him towards the back of his store. He took a big two-hand hammer, lifted it easily and handed it to Alex. The young man took it in his hands, but at the very moment the blacksmith let it go, he fell on his knee because of the weight, barely managing to keep holding the tool.

- Break that, said simply the blacksmith without any interest toward Alex and showing a big rocky pillar. You won’t earn any point until the end of the trial! Bye.

The giant turned back and left the dumbfounded challenger with a heavy hammer and a rocky pillar to destroy. Alex stood here, letting the hammer fall on the ground and thinking about the best strategy to succeed. He concentrated on the idea of weaknesses and activated the “Seeker of Truth”, but the pillar was homogenous, and it was obvious he would have to rely on strength and stamina to overcome this ordeal.

He took some bread out of his inventory. He had long finished his own stock, but Etourdix the librarian kindly gave him some more when he accepted the quest “Proof of Ability”. He ate a bit and drank a little water, coming from the plaza’s fountain. He then used his Inner Control which had hit Novice level 5 during his first challenge. He now could obtain a 30% increase in stats and regeneration for 5min, for a 5min meditation.

He stood up once his buff obtained. He took the hammer’s handle in hands, letting the head on the ground behind him. Then, in a swift movement using his legs, hips and back muscles, he managed to propel the heavy hammer toward his aim. He heard a loud noise and a powerful shock came back to him. But he kept standing and the handle in hands. He had just managed to do a little dent.

Without despairing, he just began anew. He hit, hit, and hit again the pillar. Then he stopped for a short meditation before hitting once more. One hour passed, and he was still hitting. He had only made a fist-sized hole in his rock. And hours continued to flow. After 12 hours, he took a ten minutes break to eat a little. He had broken only one sixth of his objective.

And without sleeping or logging out, he just continued to hit the rocky pillar, hour after hours, for three days straight, until it fell on the floor, completely broken. Hearing a loud noise, the blacksmith came back and pondered a moment, looking at the broken rock and taken by surprise by the fast end of the trial. He then turned to face Alex:

- You’ve done well, boy!

You have finished the Novice Power Test

You’ve gained:

20 STR

20 VIT

New Stat: Perseverance (PER)

Perseverance lessens the amount of stamina needed for long, arduous or repetitive tasks.

Achievement: Mad Hitter

You’ve finished the Power test in one go, without sleeping or logging out.

You’ve gained:

20 WIL

20 FOC

20 PER

10 ASC

Alex also knew his inner control had evolved a few times, but he did not take the time to look at tit during the test. Now he asked:

- Show “Inner Control”.

Inner Control (Passive&Active)

Novice lvl 8 56%

(Passive)

You have gained perfect control over your body. All of your stats increase by 13%.

Your skill and class growth increase by 8%. Your stamina, life and mana regeneration increase by 13%.

(Active)

By meditating you can gain a temporary buff:

All stats +39%

Mana, Life and Stamina regeneration +39%

Meditation time: 5min

Duration: 8min

This skill was truly beginning to look good. Of course the increases in stats weren’t shown in his avatar window and wouldn’t help him with item restrictions, but Alex could truly feel his body moving faster and being stronger.

Alex thanked the giant blacksmith and quickly went to meet Etourdix once more. Upon entering the library, he was stopped by a young girl of approximately 10 years of age.

- Sorry Mister! Do you know where to find book of magic?

- Why don’t you ask the clerk, asked Alex by showing Etourdix who was lost between the pages of a two person tall volume?

- No! ... He’s too frightening with his glasses and his strange gaze!

Alex was flabbergasted by the statement. The girl was finding this kind, friendly and unable to lie middle-aged man too frightening but was asking him, the Dark Lord, for help. But he then realized that nothing on him could connect to the coldhearted blood-soaked murderer he was, and he let himself answer the pledge of the maiden.

- What kind of magic?

- Summoning! I want to make lot of spirit friends and go to the world together.

Alex just smiled at this statement, but for once his smile was forced and quite sad. But he soon dispelled his heavy thought and activated the Seeker of Truth by focusing on summoning techniques. He found different glows in the Library, all coming from the same bookshelf, but one in particular was stronger. He just took the concerned books and read the title: “FengShui Summons”.

- Information!

FengShui Summons

This book contains technique for summoning the Five Great Guardians of a great fallen Empire.

Requirements:

Link with Tao or FengShui

Seeker of Truth skill

Interest in Summoning techniques

Those requirements are for finding the book. If the book is the offered, anybody can learn of the techniques inside.

- Whoa! I didn’t think it could turn that good! I haven’t even got the first clue for the class and it already gives something like that!

Then Alex turned toward the girl.

- This book is special. Use it and you’ll gain a special summoning class. Or if you prefer, just use any other book in this shelf!

He then left the girl without waiting to hear her murmuring words of thanks and went back to Etourdix who had closed his tome.

- So you are now guiding people in the library?

- I wouldn’t have to if someone wasn’t so frightening, retorted Alex with a smile?

- Who are you calling frightening? I’m nowhere frightening comparing me to a madman able to finish the power test in 3 days!

- Not my words, Etou’! Not mine!

Alex kindly let Etourdix pout for some seconds before coming back to the subject.

- I’m ready for the last test! But can it be done in 3 days? I went to try to do it in one go!

- I wouldn’t have thought it was possible to do the Power test in 3 days, so I can really say! Just come with me and judge by yourself!

- Fine.

***

Alex had talked to the instructor thanks to Etourdix help. This one told him that the first challenge was impossible without at least 4 days. Great warriors could accomplish it in less time, but it was obvious Alex did not have enough agility or dexterity to do it. So Alex just decided to take a nap. When he woke up, he then went to visit the city.

He was looking around the stores, in his beginner attire, and with no money when he stumbled on a scene: a man in a shiny armor was holding a woman arms, visibly hurting her, and had his right fist ready to hit at any time. Just as it began to descend, Alex stepped in and deflected the attack and used his momentum to make his opponent fall.

- Who do you think you are, began to shout the warrior? I’m…

At the very moment his eyes caught a glimpse of the one who had stopped him; he paled and began to sweat. He then stepped back and bowed to the one who made him fall.

- I… I’m so sorry! Whatever I’ve done was by no mean to upset you, he told with a breaking voice!

All the audience, who were simply looking at the dispute, began to wonder. Who was this noob able to make such a warrior fall on his knee crying of fright? At this time, the woman chose to thank her savior by taking what was inside his pockets. And that was what one could call a bad idea. Two of her fingers were instantly caught and twisted in a way that made her twirl in the air before falling on the ground.

Alex was using such techniques because he didn’t need to use much strength or speed to make them work; just a lot of experience and a good timing were required.

- So you were a thief! I’m sorry of my misunderstanding, apologized Alec to the warrior. I’ll let you deal with her. Hope you won’t resent me!

- No! No! It’s fine! No problem, quickly shouted the other guy. It was my fault! No trouble! It’s fine! Thanks! You’re welcome! Fine! Bye.

The warrior quickly delivered those words while stepping back, barely keeping hold on his prisoner. He soon left, letting Alex and the whole audience taken aback in the streets. However, this situation soon began to disturb Alex. First, he was wondering when he had met the man and what he had done to him, and secondly, he remarked that he had obtained some Crowd control ability. Wherever he went, he was like Moses crossing the Red Sea.

Bothered, he went back to the training hall and log out from here.

***

During two he did not logged in. He created a fine house in his cyberspace with a living room, a bedroom, even a kitchen and a bathroom. He did not truly need the latter one, but it find it more pleasant this way. He even created a small garden with a pond, and a big dojo where he could train, or to allow himself to unwind if needed. And during these days it was needed.

When Nathalie Vercoss, his doctor and psychiatrist, came, she found him so focused in his work off that he did not even remarked her presence. She kept herself from calling for him and rapidly understood there was a problem. Then she took a chair and sat inside his new training hall to question him.

- What happened?

Alex turned quickly his guard already up, but he recognized the woman facing him and the tension left him. He then felt mortified of having not sense her before.

- Can’t believe I’ll lose myself that much! I’ve always managed to keep my head cool in every situation and now…

- Do you want to share?

- It’s nothing! Not really anything important…

- It is important if I can affect you that much!

- It’s just that… I’ve met a guy in the game. He was so terrified! Like he had seen a ghost, or a monster, or even the boogeyman! Perhaps even the three at the same time. I didn’t know him, could not remember anything I could have done to have earned such…

- You’ve met other people before. No one acted frightened?

- Of course! I was terrifying! But I was in the Hell Ring! There were criminals, fighters, martial artists or others, but all were ready to die and had conviction! And from my former “employer”, I could only met gangsters and truants. They were afraid of me. But I never saw so much horror in the eyes of anybody.

- Even after?

- My sister was never shocked! She’s really strong. As for the Special Forces, the lawyers, the judges, the doctors, the jailers and my fellow prisoners, none of them showed much emotion. It would seem I wasn’t the worse they had seen!

- Was it the first?

- The first… no… but I always knew why they were so afraid of me, or why they hated me so much.

- So what upset you is that you don’t know the reason is afraid of you?

Alex just pondered a little on what Nathalie told him, and finally saw the true in those words.

- Yes. I think it’s that Doc.

- You know your fight were filmed and sold in the black market…

- Yes, but what…

- Just think! If anybody were to find such a video, wouldn’t they be afraid of you? I know you made sure your sister never saw those! That’s because you know the effect it can have on an innocent soul. And if you’re afraid of the reaction of the sister you care for and looked after, you should understand the reaction of someone who know you only by those!

- Are you sure it’s that? Couldn’t it be something else?

- If you’re sure you never met or wronged him, I’m quite sure he saw one of your fights. And the VIP in the arena knew what was going on, so it probably because of a video!

Alex sat on the floor and his shoulders dropped slightly.

- I don’t know if I have to be happy to know why or be sad of this truth! All my adversaries were ready for death, but for someone to… You can believe me or not, he continued looking at his hands, but never before I have been so painfully aware that my fists could truly hurt! I think I never scarred anybody as much as this man, or this boy I don’t know! After all he seemed quite young!

Nathalie sat next to him and patted him on the shoulder. During some long minutes, a kind silence floated in the room, letting Alex’s soul heal itself and helping him recover. One thing was sure: after is heavy confession, Miss Vercoss could not have imagined the following words to be pronounced:

- I was wondering, Doc…

- What?

- You’ve adopted my sister, right?

- Yes, as we agreed! And she’ll probably connect to the game in a little more than one week.

- One week?

- I wanted to make sure she was adapting to her new life before, so I made some conditions!

- Ah! Good, said Alex, surprised! I… Hum…

- So, what were you thinking about?

- Oh, I’m not sure I should tell you. It would be better left untold!

- What? Just say it!

Upon seeing the hesitant and yet playful smile on Alex face, Nathalie wasn’t so sure anymore she wanted to know. But she didn’t stop him, and he used the chance:

- As I am my sister’s brother, I was wondering if I should call you ‘Mom’!

After that, the doctor logged out, flustered, and Alex just kept massaging his injured left cheek, impressed by the very effective wrist movement of her slap.

***

After a short break, Alex was finally ready to go back to the world of “Edge of Magic”. Until know he had considered the whole thing as a game he could play with no worry, just in order to have fun, for the first time in his life. But now he understood the importance of the word “Reality” in VRMMO. People could get hurt in here, even if not physically, and people could truly live in. His whole life he was fighting, searching a place to live in, and he was now ready to fight for this new world, this world who would be his for at least twelve other years in game time.

When he logged in, the instructor was already here and instructed him to come. He followed in a place where 4 scarecrow where standing. As instructed, he went in the center, having each of them looking to him: one was facing him, another was in his back, one was at his left and the last was at his right. Each had five blue stones: one in the stomach, one in the chest, one in the head and the two other in each hand.

- When you’ll begin, one stone will light. Hit it. If you take too long, the lit will go to another one. The same happens if you hit it. 200 000! It’s the number of successful hits you need to pass this test. If you hit a wrong one, you’ll need one more successful attack. All stats gain will be delayed until the end of the test. Call for me if you want to abandon.

- I’m ready! You can begin, Master!

Hearing this, the instructor just arched a brow, and launched the session. And during hours, Alex just kept hitting the stone when they lit. At first nobody cared for him, but soon enough, all in the hall were looking at him. Then people began to come in the hall just to look at the one ‘who was dancing among the scarecrows’.

In fact, Alex was far from fast and precise because of his low agility and dexterity attributes, but the way he reached at each glowing stone, with well-timed movements and no hesitation, was quite fascinating. When a stone was lighting, his hand or feet was coming from it. He was always balanced and ready to change his movement to meet his needs. No movement was wasted. No strength was lost.

But if after the second day, even the fascinated crowd began to tire, and they all soon left, except for some rare people. It took him nearly 60 hours, 60 unending and exhausting hours, but after those 60 hours he received the following messages:

You have finished the Novice Courage Test

You’ve gained:

20 AGI

20 DEX

Achievement: Fast Hitter

You’ve finished the Courage test in one go, without sleeping or logging out.

You’ve gained:

10 VIT

10 WIL

10 FOC

10 PER

10 ASC

Achievement: Perfect Hitter

You’ve finished the Courage test without missing a single hit.

You’ve gained:

10 AGI

10 DEX

20 FOC

10 WIL

- Incredible! I’ve never seen anyone finishing it this fast! No wonder Etourdix thinks of showing you this book! Just go to him and he will give you your reward!

Alex was glad. He had now finished the last of the Novice tests, he had gained a lot of stats, and his skill proficiency for the Seikuken had grown a lot. But he was also quite tired this time, and he fell asleep on the floor of the training hall.

Here's his avatar window at the end of chapter 3. Thank you all for your kind words!

NameAlex SandersRaceNephilimLevel1TitleØHealth (HP)790/790Stamina (SP)395/395Mana (MP)282/282Fame0Infamy0

Class 1ØNovice lvl 0Class 2ØNovice lvl 0Class 3ØNovice lvl 0

Profession 1ØNovice lvl 0Profession 2ØNovice lvl 0

Primary AttributesStrength (STR)25Agility (AGI)35Dexterity (DEX)36Vitality (VIT)35Intellect (INT)25Wisdom (WIS)25

Secondary AttributesReading (REA)28Focus (FOC)73Willpower (WIL)57Asceticism (ASC)34Perseverance (PER)31

Magic Affinity/ResistanceEarth0Wind0Fire0Water0Light10Dark-10Nature0Lightning0Gravity0

Soul's SkillsUkemi Mastery (Passive)Novice lvl 1 12%Inner Control (Passive&Active)Novice lvl 8 67%Seikuken (Passive)Novice lvl 7 23%Seeker of Truth (Active)Novice lvl 3 46%Tsuuhaiken (Active)Novice lvl 1 50%