I stared at the Dancer’s guild confused. Why would someone who works at the dancer’s guild be able to give me a rapier? Shrugging it off I enter the building.

The building is full of the sounds of music and instructors calling out directions. Many people, mostly female are dancing in various styles. There are people doing various styles of ballroom dancing in pairs, people doing solo dances like belly dancing, and groups dancing together. The atmosphere of the room is cheerful, everyone is smiling and chatting happily whilst they prance around the room.

Looking around the room I can’t see Cassandra anywhere so I head to the front counter. A young girl about 16 years of age with medium length brown hair and a radiant smile welcomes me. “Welcome to the Dancer’s guild, is there anything I can help you with?”

The girl was friendly and welcoming. A breath of fresh air after all the other shop keepers I have previously talked to. “Yes, I’m looking for Cassandra. I have a book for her.”

Shocked the girl replies “you mean someone completed the trial? Cassandra will be thrilled. Come with me I will take you to her.”

I follow the girl up the stairs to the second floor. The room is more like a house than part of the guild. The walls are a regal purple and the furnishing are all polished red wood timber. Sitting at a table drinking coffee is Cassandra.

“Lady Cassandra, you have a visitor. She brought you a book.” stated the girl.

“Come over her and sit down.” Cassandra ordered.

I walk over and sit across from her at the table. The girl comes over and pours me a cup of tea. The herbal aroma wafts around the room calming me down.

“So you completed my request to get the book?” replied Cassandra

I pulled out the book and passed it to her. Overjoyed Cassandra started telling me about the book. The book was nothing special, it was just placed on the pedestal 10 years prior. Cassandra was getting older and could not find anyone to pass her skills and so she devised a test. The person who collected the book would be able to become her apprentice and eventually successor. In order to complete the test, one would need to be able to be balanced, understand the rhythm of the music, and follow its flow in order to bypass the traps. Many people tried to reach the pedestal only to run headlong into a trap.

“Congratulations you passed.” said a beaming Cassandra. Cassandra walked over to a cupboard and pulled out a rapier. The rapier was thin with a light green glow radiating from it. The blade was slightly longer than a standard 1 handed sword at 1 metre long with a width of approximately 2.5 centimetres tapering to a sharp point. The blade was designed purely for stabbing rather than slashing. The hilt was designed with a series of sweeping rings designed to protect the hand. The overall design was quite ornate, yet designed for offense over defence.

Cassandra handed me the blade and said “here is the rapier as promised, please take good care of it.”

I accept the rapier from Cassandra bowing “I will take good care of the blade.”

Cassandra’s RapierCassandra’s first rapier, she used this during her training as a young girl. This blade radiates a green glow which causes enemies to be dazzled and focus on you.

Attack: 12

Requirements: 25 strength

Weapons in Wing’s to Tomorrow all have a fixed attack stat. Depending on how and where you strike an enemy affects the damage you deal. if you attack with more speed or hit a weak point, damage will be increased. On the reverse if you attack slowly with poor technique on a solid carapace, the damage can be negligible. Personal ability is favoured more than actual stats.

“The second part of the reward is to become my apprentice.” said Cassandra with a smile

*triiing*

quest completed: find the book for CassandraYou have braved the trial set by Cassandra and completed it. Completing the quest has impressed Cassandra and she has offered you become her apprentice.

Reward: Cassandra’s Rapier

Cassandra’s Apprentice

You have unlocked secret class: Blade dancerA blade dancer allows you to distract enemies with your dances whilst wielding a blade. A master blade dancer will be able to feel the flow of enemy attacks and avoid them to reach the enemies weak spots.

Do you accept the class blade dancer?

I was offered the secret class blade dancer. In Wing’s to tomorrow, there are many types of classes. These classes break down into 4 groups, common such as mage, warrior, farmer, and merchant. Secret, which is a specialised type of class which requires finding an NPC to apprentice you. Hidden, which are difficult classes to find, usually hidden in a dungeon. Unique, there is only one of each of these unique classes in the game at any one time. Blade dancer being a secret class means it is a more specialised class of dancer which allows the use of a weapon.

Deciding that it will allow the use of my rapier in a unique style I decide to try out the class. “I accept.”

*triing

You have become a Blade DancerNew stat unlocked Charm

New stat unlocked Attractiveness

+10 to charm and attractiveness

Able to learn all dancing skills

Removes fencing penalties

Usually a new class will provide +10 to all stats and more to its main stat. Blade dancer instead unlocked 2 new stats. I felt a bit depressed that I received less than normal. I instead decided to learn about my new stats. “Display Attractiveness and Charm” I said loudly.

*triing*

AttractivenessAttractiveness affects your appearance to others. The more points in attractiveness the better you will look.

You cannot invest stat points into this stat, instead it raises spontaneously depending on your actions.

CharmCharm affects your interactions with others. Each point in charm will make others friendlier to you. Skills associated with charm will become stronger.

This stat is negated if you are of chaotic alignment.

You cannot invest stat points into this stat, instead it raises spontaneously depending on your actions.

“Good” Cassandra says after clapping her hands together. “I suppose we should start your training right away.”

“Well Elyssa, can you show me your status window”

“Display status window to Cassandra”

NameElyssaAlignmentNeutralLevel1ClassnoneRaceHigh ElfTitlenoneFame0Infamy0Health380Health Regen1.9Mana2760Mana Regen13.8Stamina148Stamina Regen0.9Strength26Agility73Dexterity20Vitality38Intelligence276Wisdom289Leadership0Luck10Resilience10Endurance19Attractiveness10 (+10)Charm10 (+10)+ increased skill exp 5%

+ NPC’s view as a noble

+10 to charm and attractiveness

+able to learn all dancing skills

+fencing penalties removed

“Pretty good. We just need to focus on your charm and attractiveness to increase the power of your dances.” Cassandra explained “do you know how to dance?”

“No I have never tried in my life”

“Not to worry. What you did in the crypt is dancing, I will teach you the basics.”

After a short lecture from Cassandra she sent me downstairs to join the people and choose any dance. I started off with the solo belly dancing because I was too embarrassed to dance with others.

*triiing*

Skill unlocked: Dance MasteryIncreases dance effects by 10%

I spend the next two weeks training with Cassandra and the other dancer’s in the dance guild. Doing so I unlock 5 separate dances.

Skill unlocked: Dance of the SylphIncreases evasion by 10%

Increases allies evasion by 5%

Skill unlocked: Dance of the FairyIncreases attack speed by 10%

Increases allies attack speed by 5%

Skill unlocked: Dance of the WarriorIncreases damage dealt by 10%

Increases allies damage dealt by 5%

Skill unlocked: Dance of the DragonCauses enemies with low willpower to fear you

Skill unlocked: Dance of the BerserkerIncreases enmity by 10%

Reduces allies enmity by 5%

Due to the dancing, my dance mastery had reached level 3 and Cassandra summoned me for my next step of training.

The next step of training was to take the dances I had learnt and incorporate my blade. “All dances can be done with a weapon as long as you are careful not to slice yourself. This is why we use a rapier designed for piercing.” Cassandra lectured.

I proceeded to try dancing with the blade incorporating thrusts. “You are concentrating too hard, feel the flow and create a rhythm with your dance.”

Cassandra ordered me to spend the day dancing with my rapier. Towards the end of the day I started getting more proficient although, my habit of concentrating from my time as a mage kept tripping me up. Literally, I tripped up more times than I can count.

Cassandra came up to me and said “good work, from now on we will train to raise your resilience. The biggest enemy of a dancer is movement restrictive magic. You will make sure you are under one of these effects whilst you train.”

Cassandra gave me weird herbs every time a status effect wore off. Sometimes I was poisoned, others paralysed, at one point I was so weakened I could barely stand yet, Cassandra made me dance through all of it. My resilience stat grew at an alarmingly fast rate and towards the end of the week, most of the effects from the herbs I was given barely made a difference.

My time spent dancing caused my attractiveness and charm to grow quickly, my skills and various dances grew to level 3 each and dance mastery to level 5.

“Ok you have learnt the basics, time for a little test.” Cassandra said. “But first, I have a present for you.”

Cassandra handed me some purple clothing. The clothing had gold embroidery and was designed to show of my curves. They were attention grabbing designed to improve my attractiveness and charm therefore increasing the effects of my dances.

Spidersilk Clothing of AttractivenessDefence: 25

Durability: 30/30

Clothes woven from spider silk designed to increase one's attractiveness

These clothes have been enchanted to increase defence even though it leaves much exposed.

Attractiveness +5

Charm +5

The clothes were gorgeous, I equipped them immediately and went to look in the mirror. I froze, the clothes covered a lot less than I realised, most of my stomach was exposed and my legs we visible. From the front it looked like I was wearing a miniskirt, from the back it was longer reaching the back of my knees. It was extremely embarrassing to think that I had to dance in front of monsters wearing almost nothing.

“It looks good on you” Cassandra snickered.

“Why don’t I believe you?”

“It doesn’t matter, you will get used to it in time. Let’s head to the adventurer guild.”

Please comment or give reviews, currently I have no idea where to improve or, if the story is actually any good, especially since my first rating was for half a star.

In the next chapter, we finally get to see Elyssa fight.