Too often clarity, though eagerly sort, departs when we need it most. - Brian Grandtham

With a scream Hank jerked up as fire lanced through his side. He wasn’t sure how he had ended up face down in the mud but it seemed a wise and sensible thing to do to just lay there.

“Quiet and stop moving or I can't stitch you up,” a feminine voice said.

Hank struggled to turn over. The sun was blinding. “How long was I out?”

“Not long, now hold still. This is going to hurt more.”

“Focus, need to focus.” he told himself. “Can’t lose consciousness yet. This is not the place to black out again. Have to stay focused. But on what? Anything will do. Game logs. They should be interesting.”

“What are you mumbling?”

“Nothing just trying to stay awake.” Hank mentally commanded his log to open. The first notice was rather bland but unexpected. In bold text the word ‘congratulations' headlined a brief message. “By your actions you have accepted and completed a quest.”

Not having any idea what quest he had completed Hank opened the attached window.

Quest : Damsel in Distress

Part :

1 - Rescue a damsel in distress

Description :

You have rescued the person crying out for help on the other side of the hill and discovered that she is a young lady.

Status :

Completed

Reward :

50 xp

Access to parts 2 & 3

Oh goody, 50 measly XP. He closed the window in dissatisfaction. Doesn’t this game ever reward actions? He looked at the next notice. It started with a rejected heading be fore stating. ‘By you actions you have rejected the quest. Sentence the slave: Part 1 - shut the slave up.’ What I rejected a multipart quest. Damn. Well I suppose that I couldn’t do two competing quests at the same time.

“Ow. That hurt!” Hank was pulled out of his musings by a sharp pain

“Stop moving you big baby.” The lady continued to poke his side.

“Baby? You don’t look like you’re much past that yourself.” He quipped in response.

“I’ll be 16 next month. Now be still,” She pouted.

Fire lanced through his side again but, determined not to cry out, Hank gritted his teeth and tried to focus on reading his logs. He read the next item in the quest log.

Quest : Damsel in Distress

Part :

2 - Report this to the Authorities

Description :

Hand the captured brigands over to the authorities in Perison for interrogation

Status :

Open

Reward :

1 Tsuki per brigand

5 xp

Penalties :

Suspected of Murder

He might not have earned a lot of XP in part 1 but there was a part two. Perhaps there were a few parts and he could earn decent XP. Or if not a Tsuki was a decent amount of coin. Not huge but worth pursing anyway.

A particularly intense spike of pain prompted a response. “Ow that really hurt.” Hank was seeing stars and his health bar was shrinking again. “Please be careful. I need to live through your treatment you know.”

“You’ll be fine. I always fix my dad up after a brawl in the bar. Though he doesn’t normally get sliced down to the bone.” She peered at the wound more closely biting her lip slightly in concentration.

She was completely indifferent to his suffering Hank was convinced. “Ow, ow, ow.” Tears were leaking down Hank’s face. He could not help it. “Water”

“Yes, yes, after I’ve finished stitching.” She didn’t look up from the needle and thread.

“Please. I’m not going to survive much longer.” Hank whined.

“Yes you will, I have a few levels to my nursing and know exactly how much health you have. You’ll be fine. Now hold still or I’ll skewer your gizzards.” She pushed the needle into Hanks side again.

Perfect, Hank knew a number of nurses, they were all the same. Torturers in disguise all of them. Zero compassion and a bloodthirsty desire to extract the most amount of pain whilst smiling and telling you it’s for your own good. Oh today was going to be just peachy.“Gizzards? What kind of nurse are you?” He couldn't help but ask.

“I was just being dramatic. Now be quiet your whining is tugging the stitches.” She didn’t look up.

Ow, logs, look at the logs. She was a torturer in disguise. Look at the logs, Hank told himself as he pulled up the combat logs.

Log (Combat)

Actors

Result

Level

XP Gain

Hank

1 brigand captured

6

32

Hank

1 brigand captured

7

40

It wasn’t long enough to distract him fully but finally some XP. Hank moved on to the skills and techniques logs.

Log (Skills and Techniques)

Sneak Attack has advanced to level 1, no bonuses at this time, 10 XP awarded

Bartitsu has advanced to level 1, no bonuses at this time, 50 XP awarded

Deflect with staves has advanced, chance to block increased by 0.01% for staves

Lunge with staves has advanced, combat aggression increased by 0.01% for staves

Overhead strike with staves has advanced, chance to strike increased by 0.01% for staves

Footwork with staves has advanced, combat movement increased by 0.01% for staves

As soon as Hank finished reading those a box appeared.

Unique Skill : Bartitsu

Level :

1

Description :

This is a unique type skill focused on the used of walking aids in self defence. Generally considered to contain aspects of many other fighting forms its use of uncommon weapons has resulted in unique combat forms.

Though this skill has never been common in Indlu its use is even less common currently. Finding more advanced proponents of this skill is regarded as very hard.

Techniques :

Current knowledge indicates the following techniques are applicable to this skill;

All stave related techniques

Other techniques unknown

Bonuses :

No bonuses at this time

Notes :

None that you have recored

What are unique skills Hank wondered. As always there were no useful hints or comments. He was just going to have to find out Hank decided. He moved on.

A quick glance at the medical log showed Hank that he had gained a negligible amount of XP for treating himself, the only real benefit to the pages of ‘You are bleeding’ warnings that he had to read to find this out.

He was interrupted from his introspection by a voice he hadn’t heard for a long time. “Well you actually seem to be good at whacking people with sticks. That’s the most XP you’ve earned in the last 4 years. One short fight and you earned 136 XP. Gained some techniques too. Wow, it’s almost like you decided to try again.”

Yay. All he needed right now was comments from a sarcastic AI. Hank still didn’t understand why the AI was so sarcastic. It was almost like he had personally offended the thing. That being said he had just… “Ow, that hurt.” Hank reacted to a sharp tug on the stitches.

“Almost done and then you can pass out again, you big sook.” The lady patted him gently on the chest.

“Sook?” Hank’s eyes watered.

She glanced at him. “You’re crying aren’t you?” She asked ignoring his question.

“Only because a sadistic nurse wants her needles to skewer my soul and not just my skin.” Hank mumbled under his breath.

“I heard that. I’m not trying to hurt you but you keep moving. Stay still or I really will stick you.” She prodded the wound again.

Hank concluded that the whole world hated him. He closed his eyes trying not to pass out again as the girl continued to stitch. He reached the next notice a nice gold congratulations indicating a level increase. He hurriedly opened it hoping for some tangible benefits.

Level Increase

Congratulations: Your efforts have earned you enough XP to advance to level 5

Reward :

None that you can tell, apart from a small feeling of accomplishment