Having skill book knowledge did not automatically turn someone into a savant with a weapon, or whatever ability the skill book taught, but it did make gaining additional experience easier.
Consider learning a new trade, such as building houses. Attempting to learn carpentry with zero knowledge or ability turns everything into a cycle of trial and error. Engaging in the same endeavor after reading books by leading experts would be much easier.
You still wouldn't be a natural at hammering in a nail, but you would know the proper way to do it. Therefore, you wouldn't need to waste time learning the basics through that same trial and error.
A similar principle applied to weapons training after reading a skill book, especially a high-level book like Travis did. He had mostly fought inferior beings with his sword, so that was the area where he was improving. It was quite impressive to see him in action vs lower level enemies.
The zombies were not fast, smart, or tough, but their sheer numbers and lack of fear or concern for their own safety made them unpredictable. In situations where you could predict a person's actions based on normal fight or flight responses, certain things could be forseen. Fighting zombies was nothing of the sort.
This didn't hinder our main character though. With his speed, reflexes, skill book ability, and now decent experience, he was a man on a mission, cutting through zombies like Michonne high on Walter White's best batch.
It was almost like a choreographed dance, taking him from the back part of the driveway almost out to the street with a few maneuvers. A couple of times, the remaining Wargs attempted to sneak attack him, but one of the two mages would hit them with a bolt from their wands.
Clyde wanted to go out and help his fearless leader (only Clyde could think that unironically without it being cringe by the way), but he got a strong urge that his job was to stay back and conserve his energy unless needed.
During the many times that Clyde and Travis had been walking or driving when that was a thing, they would just talk. Neither really liked to discuss the past, so Clyde would mostly tell Travis about how games worked, or Travis would talk to Clyde about tactics and strategy.
This meant that Clyde knew Travis had something in store for him. Not so much as a glass cannon, but more like how you protect your finisher for when he is needed.
A few zombies leaked through, but Anthony dealt with them without issue. He knew how to handle his weapon from the hand-to-hand training he had received in the army. These weren't early Walking Dead zombies, but they also weren't like the 28 Days Later variant. They shambled but had strength behind their limbs due to the magic flowing through them. A person with no training couldn't just stand behind a low wall and methodically hit them with blunt instrument headshots.
Headshots weren't the surefire way to kill these zombies either. It could put them down, but a sword stroke through the heart could as well. It was based on life energy and ambient magic, very complex stuff.
The one positive was that they didn't really crawl around trying to bite people's legs and such. They weren't driven by a drive to eat people; they were compelled to attack the enemies of their master's because of magic. So, once they couldn't attack, that fire died. You still didn't want to walk over them without caution, but this was a different type than anyone was used to—any human versed in popular zombie mythology, that is.
As Travis got closer to the demon, he could feel its presence, and it seemed like it was praying—or an evil god equivalent to praying. Maybe invocation would be a better word. It was actually very strange; he got the feeling that this God was more focused on him than his devotee.
Usually, Travis could act, think, and use his perception all at once and with no problem. But as he sliced the last zombie in the line, which brought him out to the street, he felt his ability to perceive things naturally and automatically faltering a little bit.
The last zombie hadn't hit the floor yet when Travis squared up about 20 feet from the demon, surrounded by its skeleton warrior bodyguards. Travis tried to reach out and get a sense of how powerful they were, but his ability to multitask was hindered and he had to defend himself. What looked like the last Warg jumped up to turn him into a quick lunch, so his focus understandably had other things to concentrate on.
For what seemed like forever his typical reaction to this would have been to instinctively dodge and follow up with a swipe from his sword. He ended up with a last-second tumble under the wolf-like monster with no counter whatsoever. His thoughts were dulling, as were his perceptions. Was this some power from the demon or its dark god?
*
“So, human, you are not a complete dullard. I had to see what the fuss was about, and unsurprisingly, I am underwhelmed.” Travis heard that in his head, but not in the same way with the wolf mage. No, this was more internal. As if the voice knew the number to Travis's soul.
Lucian looked on, fully aware that he was pushing the limits of his authority to interact with mortals directly. He did not appreciate the fact that this man was chosen and picked out as special, but not by himself or one of his so-called peers.
Besides, all he was doing was tapping into this planet's spirit magic to dampen the senses of a being that should not have access to spirit magic at all. That was the realm of the gods and tier 5 entities. Let's see how he reacts without his unfair advantage. Before he unlocked his abilities, the man was a shell of what he is now anyway. Lucian predicted he would revert right back to that state.
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*
Travis hadn't felt like this since that day in Syria before he retired. Not emotionally but physically, because he was so close to the explosion that killed so many—the pressure from the air being sucked out around him caused his head to feel like it was going to explode. He couldn't hear or smell, and his head just felt like it had been put in a blender then poured back into his brain.
That was the closest thing he experienced to what was going on now. Still, he did have his innate level 8 abilities combined with his class boosts. The Warg flew over him as he barely ducked, but instinct kicked in, and he pulled his gun, putting 5 or 6 bullets in its stomach and backside. The ferocious beast stopped moving.
At this point, the demon was still in the same position. Right before the his perception went out, he could feel the demon trying to draw in something, not power or magic, but something. He had also sensed it trying to call out to its God through the invocation. Now, though, all he could sense was the pain in his back and head.
-
Clyde looked into the yard and had a decision to make. There were still some zombies, but Anthony seemed to be methodically cutting them down. Whichever ones got close to the house; Patrick would hit with his wand. Otherwise, there was not much happening in the yard.
He did know that Travis was in the street pretty close to the demon, plus there was a gaggle of skeleton warriors, all looking pretty badass if he was honest. The boss did tell him to stay put and get ready to leave if need be, but this fight looked to be going well. He should just get out there with maybe Cass and take down that damn demon.
The one strange thing is Clyde didn't feel any perception checks from Travis. Usually, he would experience things like the hair on the back of his neck standing up or a random chill like something passed through him. He learned that those were the power of his commander-in-chief, and they were reassuring. Not feeling any now gave him pause.
--
Lucian looked on in frustration. His former champion just could not seem to grasp the idea that he was no longer a living embodiment of his God's power on earth. Things had changed, and this brute needed to adapt.
Did he tell him the details of exactly what his new role was? Of course not. He had no responsibility to explain himself to the help. He had already given the demon all the power he should need to run through these puny humans, and now he was blocking the main weapon of his enemy. Anything else and one of the other Gods might step in. He didn't fear them; they dabbled in the arbitrary world of morals, but they were Gods, and their intervention wouldn't be insignificant.
-
The demon felt his enemies' perception go inert. That was the sign that his patron deity was going to help him turn the tide. He wondered if he just went at the humans with all of the necromancer's forces, could he have won the day. Of course, he could have, but he felt an intrinsic need to achieve victory through the auspices of his God and master.
The skeleton summons were being held back, and in their very limited capacity to use independent thought, they did not understand why. There was one enemy here; they should kill him like their Lich King master would want, but they were put under the command of this red being. He seemed so distracted though, a couple of them decided to attack.
**
Travis had only had his perception power for a short time, but it had become a part of him. Not having it now made him feel naked and helpless to alert his allies of the situation. It had become a form of comms and emotional support as well.
He looked up just in time to see two skeleton warriors come at him. They were faster and seemed to have more flexibility then the earlier version. It still wasn't that hard for Travis to dodge; he feinted to the right and swung his blade back across the shoulder of the enemy. It cut through, and its arm fell off. It still fought, just without a shield now.
He saw that the other skeletons were not attacking; they almost looked confused, even though they did not have faces to make expressions. The demon was still chanting when finally, Travis heard him scream out.
“My great lord and master, if you will not give me your strength to destroy this interloper, then bear witness as I slay him in your name. I damn the support of the Lich and seek to be reunited with you, my lord.”
Then the demon did something unexpected; he pulled out his axe and started lopping off the heads of the skeletons.
*
Lucian looked on incredulously. What was this mindless brute doing? He was supposed to kill the 'chosen' human, he didn't care if he did it with the help of four humanoid turtles skilled in the human martial arts!
The dark God marked out right in that moment that he would need to cultivate a cadre of priests, both human and otherwise.
Ironically Lucian had many of the same feelings about humans that the Abrahamic figure of Lucifer. This did not appear to be designed, but as with many things in this world, nothing was happening the way the designer intended.
*
Clyde yelled over to the two mages, "make sure nothing gets into the house, I'm going to help Travis."
Before they could respond he was running across the driveway, power flowing into his extremities. When he came out to the street, he saw Travis fighting the two skeletons while the demon finished off the last of the inert ones. Clyde saw a perfect opportunity and leaped into almost a Ryu from Street Fighter stance, then he poured Napalm out of his hands and all over the demon.
Once things settled down some Clyde would kick himself for not realizing that the crimson red demon would probably have a resistance to fire. It ended up that he not only could resist fire, but it gave him strength.
As Clyde's power surged though him and out of his hands onto the demon he started to feel a bit weaker. He stopped his magic and looked on in horror as the demon seemed to absorb the superheated liquid. There was a moment when it had some residual napalm swirling in front and Clyde knew he was in trouble. It mimics perfectly a scene where someone sees he is about to have a bad experience and he just says, "oh shit".
Clyde did not disappoint and said exactly that. It might have been "oh crap", but it was noisy out there. The demon spun whatever fire he didn't take in right in front of him before pushing out with his hands. The fire shot back in a whirlwind at Clyde. He did not yet have any resistances to his offensive spells, that came with a mage class.
The reason we can discuss Clyde kicking himself at some point in the future and as a charred cinder on the ground was about to show itself. As the hot liquid shot through the air Clyde started to feel a sense of contentment. It started out as that but then rose to feelings of joy and happiness. It only lasted a very brief time but the shimmering bubble that appeared around him right before the fire struck lasted a lot longer.
Lucian watching this unfold said with a sneer, "damn you Goddess".