Having gotten a particular [Squire]-Class, Oscar could only conclude that he must have finished the hidden objective somehow, that’s what surprised him the most really.

His sleep had been dreamless, but he felt as just refreshed as Kalle had talked about feeling after leveling, his muscles barely ached despite the way he had pushed them for close to fifty hours in the end. Already feeling the benefits of being Classy, hah.

Oscar had on a big smile as he thought back on his new Class.

[Class granted: Sentinel Squire]

The memory was surprisingly crisp, and he understood fully now why people never forgot the details. If it stayed this way over time then it must clearly be the System at work, having etched the memory into the front of your mind somehow.

Oscar was happy to see a lot of his Skills be seemingly simple enough to appear self-explanatory, but still with room for growth. Like [Recall Blade]–sure it would start out as a simple way to pull a lost piece of equipment back. But over time he could easily imagine taking full control of it and making the weapon spin for an attack on the way back as well, without missing to grab hold of the handle for his next swing.

But the Skill he tried out first was [Rear Vision]. Wow. This feels crazy.

It was really freaky. Like his eyes had literally moved to the back of his head. He could even move them to focus around, like he had eyes to roll, but also by moving his neck like usual. Returning to his normal vision took a couple of seconds and he had to blink repeatedly to clear his confused mind; but he was sure he’d get used to it.

But the sensation of his burgeoning mana pool emptying was even stranger. It felt almost like having a second sense of fatigue, but that sounded detrimental so it was a lousy way to paint the whole picture. What was missing was how the two seemed to feed into each other, he could tell that his lack of physical exhaustion was helping him recover the spent energies faster, but he could also easily imagine how that might drain him over time.

There was so much to learn. He could not wait to get started on evolving his sparring game, as soon as they had time for some real training again. I’ll have to work out what I can start practicing on right now first though.

It was rare for Kalle to feel the kind of intense emotion that was blasting out from Oscar right now for longer than brief flashes–very rare. It was like heat coming off a furnace.

When the kid–now a man–finally woke up late the next morning they had all gathered around to make sure he was alright and to hear the story of what had caused yesterday’s delay.

While Oscar obviously had some very curious questions in return, about what had happened with all their carts–especially with Redd still being there. He had not even noticed them being gone last night, when he approached the abruptly down-sized camp in his daze.

The old man was towering over the rest of them, supported as usual by his hefty weapon, but right now he was beaming at the rest of the group.

Of course they let Oscar get his share of the breakfast after that, and gave him a few minutes to properly wake up, but it was clear that he was trying out some Skill by the way he got distracted mid-meal, and obviously they were all super-curious.

When his eyes suddenly went dead like a doll’s in the middle of his twisting his head around, Kalle couldn’t help but use the moment to wave a hand in front of Oscar’s face. Not even a reflex, hm. He should probably close his eyes before he does that.

The excitement had finally started to fade from him, but it was replaced by a near equally steady curiosity and fascination.

When the food was done with to where he could at last dedicate his mouth to the task fully–[Squire] Oscar finally shared his full list of Skills–they were all [Guild] members here after all.

Sten had heard of two of them, [Thick Skin] and [Arrow Guard], but they were out of luck with the rest. Right until Redd recalled a vague memory of an old veteran from his first tour who’d been rumored to use something like Oscar’s [Guarded Position].

He was rubbing his unshaved shin thoughtfully. “But unless my brain is rotting it was called [Reinforced Position] rather. Could be an upgrade, or else your Skills are just similar.”

That one Sten had heard of.

As Oscar got them explained to him, the first was simply a Passive that made your skin as tough as hardened leather, while the second was an aid to the very advanced move of nudging arrows out of their trajectory midflight–with you being the target.

Oscar actually gulped. Alright, not looking forward to practicing that one.

[Reinforced Position] was the tricky one. As Redd recalled it, the man had used that Skill to make an already strong position–something like a street barrier–even stronger. His understanding was that it reformed the materials to produce spikes, edges and all kinds of strengthening formations.

Basically repacking things for you. If you, for example, threw a bunch of broken barrels over a wagon you were standing on to block a road–and that was just one of the recollection's Redd’s searching mind was providing.

Livia suggested that [Guarded Position] might be more in the ‘building from scratch’-batch of Skills.

And with that established, of course Oscar had to try it.

He went to stand in between two trees, eerily similar to the position where they had first been attacked by mosswolves, in Kalle’s mind.

And then he stood there looking focused, and [Esper’s Balm] certainly agreed, he was committed to the task–mind and soul.

Nothing happened for over a minute, but something must be happening because Oscar was looking more and more intense.

Then, as sudden as magic, the two trees suddenly grew robust spikes all over, creating branch-like protrusions where none had been before, and they were even halfway large enough to being useful.

The level 1 [Sentinel Squire] had his eyes roll back into his head, right before he collapsed to the ground–fully drained.

It was no big deal. Just a simple faint from having forgotten to breathe while internally searching for one more inkling of magic. They splashed some water on him and had him up and feeling groggy within the minute he fell.

“Wow, so that’s how that feels. You’re a nutjob Harold,” He looked at his brother with a goofy smile on his face, finally stepping in the same steps that had taken his older sibling so far.

They left the Skill-testing at that, since Oscar still needed to preserve some energy for the five hour walk to the village, where the rest of the expedition was hopefully busy getting settled in.

It was time to get packed up for the road.

That was when Oscar finally remembered his shiny, new shield–and the words that Livia had whispered to him before handing it right back.

He walked like in a trance to pick the thing up, and then he headed over to a nearby creek to wash it off.

What emerged looked like it was straight out of the forge, it was a simple kite-shield. Except it had on a heraldry that still looked like it had been painted on yesterday. What the actual fuck did I dig up.

Livia later told him that the eye in the center looked Egyptian, which was not helpful. At all.

But the strong lines exuding from it, and the rune-like decorations lining the frame… To Oscar it looked something like a ritual circle, reminiscent of the Mantis’ creation. Just in a different style.

It was clearly a powerful item, there was no telling for how long it had been buried there, it might possibly be greater than his sword. I must be the luckiest bastard in the world.

Now it just needed some fitted straps.

They headed out for Solhem, right after Oscar made a simple guige to carry his latest favorite possession.

With the [Quest] having worked out, and with the memories of the massive battle of the previous weeks slowly fading, the mood was back at an all-time high. Dormata felt just days away, and they were certainly back in completely, relatively safe lands.

That was why the sight that met them at Solhem was so surprising to them.

Right outside the log walls and to the side of the gate, waiting there was their expedition with the carts, and a little camp just like they’d had on the road, set up next to it.

Redd’s brows immediately furrowed at the sight, the grip on his weapon tightening. What in the bleeding hels has happened, it’s been over a day since they should have arrived.

He could see Ronia arguing in the front, and his daughter was towering over a man who seemed to be representing a group set up to block the gate.

As they approached their words could finally be heard. “I’ve already told you we’ll pay the toll, you sound like someone who has no business being in charge of these gates,”

Redd knew that she knew that was the wrong thing to say, but judging by the tired looks on the faces of the strange group this was not their first go-around.

“And I’ve told you how the toll has changed, since your last visit, if you’ve even been here before. I have no Ronia the Captain on my list, you will pay with first rights on the cargo or you will not be entering,”

That was when the man spotted the new group arriving, looking just as travel-worn as this lot. A golden opportunity in other words, if not of the magnitude that could be smelled coming off those carts.

Not that they were not perfectly proof kegs, some people just had a Nose for opportunity.

He entered what seemed like a familiar spiel. “Hello there, newcomers. Travellers should know the toll to enter Solhem is 36 silver, you will pay up or sleep outside tonight and then go around on the morrow.”

It was not a huge amount for an expedition to enter a town, security needed to be afforded after all. However, it was clear he was talking about per head.

When they got closer and the man got a better sense for the size of the one-legged fellow approaching him at the head of a group of motley travellers, he started to look a bit worried.

And when Redd ignored him completely to go exchange words with his daughter, the group behind him started looking worried too.

A minute later, once Redd had gotten the full picture, he turned back around to address the obstacle in their path. Brows furrowed even more, which the watchers would not have believed possible earlier, and with an expression as grim as the grave.

“First rights on wares for the entering of Solhem, did I hear that right?”

The man suppressed his urge to gulp, barely. But he could not avoid looking behind him to gather strength from the group backing him up. The assuring nods, and the reassuring hands grasping the handles of weapons, prepared him to turn back and let these strangers know what was what.

But Redd took the opportunity to step one length closer, and suddenly he was towering over the man. “Does Solhem no longer honour the rights of veterans then, has its people begun to tread on even the oldest of tradition?”

The unscrupulous man could not help it, like he was a puppet and someone was pulling the string, his eyes were slowly drawn down to the missing leg–and the words blurted out his mouth before he could stop them. “Did you lose that in the war?”

The war had ended over a decade ago, but its heroes were still the highest level people around.

“I did.”

The large weapon steadying his gait suddenly drew their attention. It was large, sure. But many weapons were in a population powered by Skills. It did not look enchanted, but it did look pristine. And the man looked old.

Suddenly his worn out farmer’s wear felt like an entirely unfair misdirection.

“No. No, of course veterans remain honoured.” He felt utterly incapable of meeting Redd’s eyes.

Redd’s expression softened slightly, but the eyes remained fixed on the man's tiny head.

“And of course your caravan may enter freely, as it should,” The man tried to finish with an ingratiating simper, but Redd’s look was making it impossible.

“Then you may proceed to scarce,”

And like that their expedition once again got rolling and they all finally entered back into civilization.

Livia was smirking, but the lilting voices behind her still had her worried. I don’t think we should be sticking around here for too long.

Luckily only villages and towns dotted the landscape in front of them from now on.