I jerked awake, accidentally throwing Aron’s head off my shoulder as I adrenaline spiked before I realised the half-hearted cheer wasn’t an attack. Blinking, Aron sat up next to be rubbing his eyes as the dishevelled village [Chief] stood at the front, blood smeared across her outfit giving a speech about how the Orcs had been driven out.

I didn’t listen to the details, but the undertone of the message was clear, we’d won but at a cost. 29 dead. Somehow I’d expected the death toll to be in the hundreds given the overpowering nature of the Orcs, but maybe the Orcs weren’t so strong; maybe I was just that weak.

My trembling tail curled around my legs as I hugged my knees, resting my forehead on them. I was weak. And no matter what I thought of doing, I just couldn’t see myself having the strength to beat the Orc. I flashed back to the roof and tried to imagine launching myself at the Orc, claws and teeth ready to rip and rend, but somehow the closer I got to the Orc, the larger he seemed as he laughed, becoming an undefeatable monstrosity.

Aron’s arm came around to pat my shoulder sleepily as he yawned, “It’s ok, they’re gone now”

I stilled lifting my head; eyes dry as I looked around the village hall. Groups of people were huddled around sitting and standing, crowding in the large hall. They were all watching the [Chief] give her speech at the entrance before they all started standing up and moving about. I had missed what the [Chief] had said, but Aron was also standing up and stretching his arms above him, Bandu rising to follow him.

“Come on, we can go help in the kitchens while the other do damage control. Hopefully the Orcs didn’t loot too much”

Silently I got up and followed Aron, he seemed surprisingly ok, we’d just been attacked and people had died. Clenching my fists I looked around at some people crying as others offered condolences but overall, people were moving on. No one was panicking or shocked. They were used to this. I felt like a gaping chasm opened up between us as Aron walking in front of me. This was normal for him, people dying was part of life here.

I couldn’t get the image of the dead boy out of my head, his empty eyes with the cleaved skull and blood running through his hair, I lifted my head looking up, taking deep long breaths through my nostrils trying to think of something else. This was not normal for me, I’d never seen someone die before or even any serious violence outside of TV.

A sponge was shoved into my hand and I looked down realising we’d arrived in a cafeteria area at the other end of the village hall. Large pots of stew were cooking as Hitch was ladling some into bowls for people lined up while Jak and a few people I didn’t recognise were tending to the pots and baking bread. Aron dragged me to where a few other kids were already busy washing dishes in water buckets while others were drying the bowls and cups.

Grabbing a bucket of water and soap I joined them and started to vigorously clean bowls, handing them to Aron to dry. Aron chatted a bit while Bandu laid down to snore next to us but mostly I just focused on trying to forget the Orc and the dead boy.

Hours later, most people had left, going back to their homes, the Orcs had been rooted from the village and some [Hunters] had assured us that they had seen them moving off north east. Mostly food had been looted, apparently some Orcs had carried off an entire squealing goat from its pen, but they’d also taken tools and clothes and basically anything else they could carry.

Luckily the Inn was near the centre of the village, so no Orcs had made it that far, but even so, when Jak unlocked the front door, I shivered looking into the dark room, expecting an Orc to jump out. Clicking his fingers, the enchanted stones lit up the deserted room, revealing empty tables and chairs, just as they’d been left with partly eaten food as people had rushed out when the alarm rang.

Grunting, Jak started picking up plates and cutlery to take to the kitchen, Aron jumped to do the same, so I copied them and we cleaned up the room. The uneaten meat was fed to Bandu and the rest of the food was thrown and would be given to one of the [Farmers] tomorrow to feed to his pigs.

Finally in bed, I lay there staring at the ceiling while Aron fell asleep in seconds, apparently unperturbed by todays events. I pulled the thin blanket up higher wondering what would happen if Orcs attacked again or maybe Trolls or Dragons or whatever else might be out there. I couldn’t fight those things, if a spear couldn’t get through an Orc’s skin, what could my claws do? But the archer had destroyed the Orc with one shot. Breathing unsteadily I looked at the notifications I’d received.

You have reached [Tactician Lvl 3] You have reached [Battle sense Lvl 6] You have unlocked the Class: [Healthcare assistant]

Even if I couldn’t fight, I could help those who were fighting; I could level [Tactician] until I got useful skills that could help people fighting to protect the village. I could indirectly help protect the village, the Inn, and everyone else if anything attacked again. I looked over at Aron sleeping peacefully, mouth open, drooling lightly with an arm flung out over him.

Unbidden the image of the dead boy flashed through my mind again, but this time it was Aron’s dead eyes staring up at me. Swallowing the acid that threatened to come up again I looked back at the ceiling. I would make sure that that image never became real. I wasn’t strong, I couldn’t fight, I didn’t have a combat class, the only thing I had was [Tactician] so I’d level that to help the people protect the village.

I selected [Tactician Lvl 3]

[Tactician Lvl 3] Skill points: 20 Skills: [Battle sense Lvl 6] Skills available:

[Motivational speech] – 10 Skill points

[Convenient environment] – 10 Skill points

[Formation] – 20 Skill points

[Talent seeker] – 30 Skill points

None of those Skills looked like they’d boost defences or increase someone’s ability to attack and the last one cost more than I could afford. I probably got 10 Skill points per level. Was that a normal amount? Did different Classes give different amount of points? Also did all [Tacticians] get the same Skills available as me?

I really knew nothing about this world, so should I pick a new Skill now or wait? Logically I knew waiting was better, I couldn’t change my Skills and I didn’t know what any of the Skills did, but I was scared. What if an Orc climbed through the window now and if I picked a Skill, it could save my life. Not pausing to overthink that logic I selected [Convenient environment]

Error: Skill requires the Base stat: Luck to work

Blinking, anger surged, I’d unlocked the class, levelled it and today I’d almost died. What unfair bullshit was this and what did it mean I needed the Base stat: Luck. Checking my status I realised that I did in fact not have a stat called Luck, did that mean I could unlock other stats? Calming slightly I noticed something else on my status, the Available Stat % now read 20. Fuck it; Perception was my highest stat at 9 so I tried dumping it all into perception.

Are you sure you want to add Available Stats %: 20 to Perception? Yes/No?

Note: Stats cannot be redistributed at a later date

Wavering slightly, I agreed.

Name: Sasha Lanncaster Species: Drake Gender: Female Age: 9 Class 1: [Tactician Lvl 3] Class 1 Skill points: 20 Class 2: [None] Class 2 Skill points: 0 Health: 100% (0.05%/hr) Inventory (max=6Kg) Contacts Stamina: 62% (0.2%/min) Available Classes Messages (0) Mana: 100% (0.5%/min) Base Stats: Augmented stats: Bonus stats: Vitality: 8 8 +/-0 Agility: 9 9 +/-0 Strength: 6 6 +/-0 Scales: 5 5 +/-0 Perception: 9 10.8 +/-0 Efficiency: 8 8 +/-0 Wisdom: 6 6 +/-0 Available stat %: 0

My base stat was the same but the augmented one had increased by 1.8, exactly 20% of 9. Curious, I looked around the room; it wasn’t that my vision had improved or anything, it was just that I was just a bit more aware of details like the crack in the paint in the doorframe or the tiny freckles on Aron’s face where the moonlight shone on him. He looked so peaceful and unaffected by toady, I tore my gaze away and back to my status.

My Base stats hadn't changed, but my augmented stats increased by percentage increments of my base stats. The higher my base stats, the more of a difference each added percent made, so basically, if I didn’t have good base stats, I would never excel in that area. Compared to someone who had a Strength Base stat of 20, with added 10%, that person would gain +2 in Augmented stats, whereas I would gain +0.6.

If I was weak, stats would make me a bit stronger, but it would make strong people a lot stronger.

Eyes watering, I really was weak and any fleeting ideas of becoming insanely strong by using the system and gaining high stats so I was untouchable slowly vanished when faced with reality. My tail curled around my legs and I rolled onto my side hugging my legs.

But that was ok, I wasn’t planning on fighting anyway, I’d already accepted I was weak. It was still a bit depressing to see though; maybe there was a way to increase base stats?

Ignoring that thought for now I turned back to the Skill options for [Tactician], I had 2 possible options left, but I had no interest in [Motivational speech] so I just selected [Formation], at least that sounded military like.

[Tactician Lvl 3] Skill points: 0 Skills:

[Battle sense Lvl 6]

[Formation Lvl 1]

Skills available:

[Motivational speech] – 10 Skill points

[Convenient environment] – 10 Skill points

[Talent seeker] – 30 Skill points

Hoping for something good, I selected [Formation].

[Formation]

Urge Allies into your chosen battle formations and positions

Note: Skill can be resisted

Well I needed someone to test that out on, but it seemed like a communication Skill for battle. It wasn’t something that boosted defence or made people faster or stronger or anything, but I could imagine that I would be a useful Skill in battle. Not that I had an army to give orders to.

Closing all the windows I lay back and relaxed, slowly becoming aware of how tired I was now that most of the adrenaline had left me.

“Rise and shine” Aron started pulling the blanket off me and instinctively I grabbed it, yanking back to cover my head. Grumbling as he pulled even harder, half dragging me off the mattress into the air with the blanket “Ok ok I’m up” I scowled “Now let go”

Grinning he dropped the blanket and I dropped to the floor, almost hitting my head but catching myself on my hands in the last second. Glaring at him, he grinned unrepentantly “Come on, can’t be late for school” he started trotting off towards the door.

“We have school today?” I asked surprised that life would go back to normal so quickly after an Orc attack.

“Sure, the school wasn’t damaged”

“Oh” I said as if that made sense. Kneeling, I yawned; I guess it was better to leave village repair and everything else to the adults.

Stretching my wings I got up and started getting ready for school. Breakfast was surprisingly normal, Jak was his usual grumpy self, tending the flowers while we grabbed our lunches and went on our way.

“Do you still want to come to the adventurer’s guild with me later? We never got the chance yesterday since the Orcs and everything, but there should be a lot of repairs jobs and easy errands to run now”

“Sure, I can check it out with you” I was still curious about the guild, and making some money wasn’t a bad idea. I currently had zero funds or any idea of how much things cost here, except that a discount broken lute was 4 silvers, but that didn’t really tell me much.

Walking along the street, we turned into the alley that Carston had bullied Aron on, but he didn’t hesitate in the slightest. I swallowed briefly, almost missing my step, remembering the other alley I’d seen Carston in, but followed Aron without slowing down.

The walls seemed to grow taller and darker, closing in on me as I struggled to keep my breathing even as my heart rate accelerated. Suddenly we were out of the alley and back in the sunlight, shaken I shivered slightly, looking behind me; the alley was empty and shaded, harmless.

Aron kept walking, unaware and I jogged after him deciding to ignore that for now. We chatted a bit and arrived in class on time. I noticed 3 empty chairs, Jen was missing, but Carston was sitting at the back, arm in a sling but otherwise fine. The rest of the kids seemed healthy and most of them were socialising like usual, even if they were a quieter. I noticed they were avoiding one of the empty chairs with some children mutedly sad. It was probably the dead boy’s chair; I tried to push the images of him out of my head and focused on the teacher as she came in.

It was harder to concentrate and the class was subdued as we had a moment of silence in remembrance of Tomak, the boy who had died fighting Orcs. I wouldn’t really say he had fought; he’d died before he had the chance to, but I wasn’t going to add that minor correction, it would be a nasty thing to do and none of the other kids who’d been there disagreed either.

But then class moved on to maths and geography. Apparently there were only 4 subjects for this class. Maybe younger and older classes had different subjects like art, languages, religion or science, though I doubted that last one existed here given the lack of modern technology.

After class, I heaved myself up, frustrated that id have to go back to the blacksmith now. Picking up my lunch, a shadow fell over my desk and I looked up. Carston was standing there with his arm in a sling and his group watching him “Hey Gecko, I just wanted to say thank you for what you did with the Orc, you saved our lives- my life” he said meeting my eyes “Also I’m sorry for calling you a yellow belly” he added shuffling uncomfortably, pausing to look back at his friends “We’re going to the training grounds later if you want to join us?”

I heard Aron inhale sharply next to me, but I kept my eyes on Carston “Sorry I already have plans to go to the adventurer’s guild later” pausing stiffly “Is Jen ok?”

“Yeah she’ll be fine, the healer gave her a potion, she’s on bed rest and she should be back soon. But catch you another time then” he nodded at me, ginger hair falling in his eyes before he re-joined his group and they walked off.

I turned to Aron who was watching me eyes wide as saucers “You fought an Orc?” he gaped.

“What? No, I just ran away and made it follow me so an archer could kill it” I burst out, wanting to crush that embarrassing rumour before it started.

“Oh, but still, that really brave”

“Thanks I guess” I shifted uncomfortably, I had been useless, weak, completely unable to do anything while the Orc decimated Carston’s group, I didn’t want praise for running when they had fought head on.

“So does that mean you’re going to hang out with Carston from now on?” he tried to say it casually, but it came out forced and I could see his hand shaking as he picked up his lunch.

Thinking back to the Minotaur boy who’d ditched Aron for Carston I vehemently disagreed “No way, you’re my big brother, I can’t leave you alone, think of all the trouble you’d get into without me” he grinned at me and I could see the relief in his eyes “Besides, even if we’re not enemies, Carston is still a jerk”

We walked out the school and I waved goodbye as I headed to the blacksmith. When I got there, I could see [Guards] milling about and people repairing the wall. Blood had seeped into the ground in patches, but any bodies had been removed. I watched them work for a bit, insides going numb as I recalled that 29 people had died, not just Tomak.

Quietly I opened the door to the smithy and went to sit at my usual place, barely looking up as I started eating. The Orcs hadn’t made it past the wall here so even though the smithy was right next to the wall, it hadn’t been damaged. I ate my sandwich calmly, ignoring the clanging of metal and similarly the blacksmith ignored me.

Leaning against the wall I could see the same fat spider in the ceiling corner. Nothing had changed here. Even the ants were here, though now they had nowhere to hide since I’d cleaned up.

A thought struck me and I activated [Battle sense], the ants were still green, so I placed some crumbs into a pile and picked an ant. I tried using [Formation] to make it go to the pile. Something clicked, like a feeling that the Skill was working and the ant unerringly started heading in that direction. It wasn’t smooth run, the ant went in different directions a few times, but was definitely heading to the crumbs.

I leaned forward watching the ant, it wasn’t like I had given it a spoken command, more like I’d sent the intention of ‘go there’ to it and since it was exploring looking for food anyway, it hadn’t been difficult to persuade it to go there. Not that I had felt it resisting, I hadn’t felt anything from the ant; [Formation] was a one-way street.

I watched the ant bring back a few crumbs and pretty soon a couple of other ants had found the meagre pile and had taken it all back to their nest. Since the Skill could be resisted I doubted I could make them do anything they didn’t want to do, but maybe if they were fighting something like the millipede, I could make them attack in formations instead of randomly launching themselves at the enemy in hopes to simply overwhelm it with numbers.

Maybe I could level [Formation] like that, experiment with the limitations of the Skill, though it would be better to test it on someone who could give me feedback. I’d ask Aron later, I looked at the blacksmith; it was going to be a long few hours.

When I finally left, I was bored out of my mind. It was the first time id stayed the whole day and it was mind numbing. Glad to be free, I breathed in the fresh air outside the smithy, enjoying the cool breeze. I looked to the wall and my tail dropped as my mood dampened slightly.

There had been progress, the wall was mostly cleaned up now, but the wood was shattered in parts and needed to be replaced. It would be while before the wall was in perfect shape like before and the dark patches on the ground weren’t going anywhere until the next rainfall.

Aron wasn’t here yet so I decided to head to Tycel’s to meet him there, but he came down the street just as I was leaving.

“Hey” he said breathlessly, eyes bright, he looked excited “You ready?”

“Sure, lets go”

We walked towards the village centre and then into a square I hadn’t been to before. There was a large circular fountain in the centre of the square, maybe a few good 3m across. Young children were laughing, climbing up the sides and jumping in, before climbing out only to dive in again. Pushing each other, some were standing on a platform in the middle of the fountain with a statue of smirking blindfolded woman riding a lion like creature holding a dagger in one hand and flipping a coin in the other.

Nearing the stone fountain I looked down and realised it was a decent 2m deep, but the children seemed happy to repeatedly dive to the bottom as some sort of game.

“What are they doing?”

“Diving for Luck, don’t drakes do that?”

“What do you mean?” I frowned confused, looking I could see the children were picking up copper coins off the floor of the fountain, but then just throwing them back into the fountain after each dive.

“Well they’re trying to unlock the Luck stat, didn’t you play that when you were little?” he looked a bit confused and unsure.

“I don’t know, did you?”

“Well yeah, I mean everyone plays as a kid, I mean almost no one actually unlocks it, but every few years someone finds a gold coin”

“Oh, so how many gold coins are in the fountain?”

“None” he looked at me strangely “How else would you unlock the Luck stat?”

We both looked at each other confused “What do you mean, how do you find a gold coin if there aren’t any in the fountain?”

“It’s a Lucky fountain, you dive in and pick up a coin, if you’re Lucky beyond what’s reasonably possible, you come up with a gold coin and unlock the Luck Base stat, didn’t you ever play diving for Luck?”

“No, I don’t think I did”

He frowned at me and his face cleared up a bit “Do you want to play now?”

“What about the adventurer’s guild?” I asked as he grabbed my wrist and dragged me to the fountain.

“We can go after, I'm your big brother, I can teach you how to dive for Luck, come on” he started taking his shoes off and reluctantly I copied him. I didn’t really want to get wet but I was also getting excited at the prospect of unlocking a new Base stat.

Standing at the edge of the fountain, we both looked at each other “You can swim right?”

“Of course I can swim” I snorted back, pride a bit ruffled, ridiculous; as if I couldn’t swim. Aron’s grin widened, "Lets go then, good luck!” he leapt forwards, diving into the fountain, kicking his legs to reach the bottom and I quickly followed him.

Cool water spread along my face and I shivered, kicking my legs hard, tail lashing the water as air bubbles surrounding me while I squinted to look.

Kicking down I could see the shimmer of countless copper coins at the bottom, reaching out I grabbed blindly and even thought I grabbed a handful, somehow only one stayed in my hand and I twisted around, lungs burning, pushing off the fountain floor with my feet, aiming for the sunlight playing on the water's surface. Bursting out the top I inhaled a breath of air, slinging my arm onto the side of the fountain and catching my breath as I clutched the coin.

Aron was next to me “Ready?” he asked, eyes sparkling as the hot sun shone down on his wet hair.

I nodded and lifted my hand out of the water at the same time he did, heart racing, hoping we looked at each other we opened our hands at the same time. Copper, disappointed I looked at Aron; his was copper too.

“Oh well” he threw his coin back in.

“Aren’t you keeping it?”

“Its not gold, I don’t want bad luck all day” he said as if it was obvious and started clambering out of the fountain. Frowning I let my coin sink into the clear water and hauled myself out after Aron.