Aidan was abruptly awakened by a rough hand shaking his shoulder. Before fully comprehending what was happening, he was yanked out of bed and onto his feet. The room was still dark, the early morning light barely filtering through the small window.
“Get up!” a gruff voice commanded. “Training starts now.”
Aidan blinked, trying to shake off the remnants of sleep. A male elf with a severe expression and cold, steely eyes stood before him. He had a solid muscular build, and his demeanour exuded an air of ruthless efficiency.
“Move it!” the elf barked, shoving Aidan towards the door.
The elf led Aidan down in a different direction than the previous day, opening a door and pushing Aidan through. Outside, the morning air was crisp and filled with the sounds of the village waking up. Aidan stumbled as he was pushed towards a large open field. The grass was damp with dew, and a faint mist hung in the air. The field was dotted with various obstacles: wooden walls to climb, ropes to swing from, and muddy trenches.
“I’m Eryndor,” the elf said curtly. “Your new trainer. And this,” he gestured to the field, “is where you’ll learn how to survive.”
Aidan barely had time to nod before Eryndor began shouting instructions. “Climb that wall! Now!”
Aidan obeyed, his body protesting with every movement. The wall was tall and slick with moisture, but he gritted his teeth and pulled himself up. His muscles strained, and his ribs ached, but he refused to give up.
“Faster!” Eryndor yelled. “An enemy won’t wait for you to catch your breath!”
Aidan’s arms burned as he hauled himself over and dropped to the other side. He landed awkwardly, pain shooting through his side, but he quickly pushed himself to his feet and kept moving. Eryndor’s voice was relentless, driving him from one obstacle to the next.
After what felt like hours, Aidan’s body was covered in mud and sweat, his breaths coming in ragged gasps. He was exhausted, but Eryndor wasn’t done with him yet.
“Pick up that sword,” Eryndor ordered, tossing a wooden practice sword at Aidan’s feet.
Aidan picked it up, his hands trembling from fatigue. Eryndor drew his wooden sword and assumed a fighting stance. “Defend yourself,” he said, his voice a low growl.
Aidan barely had time to raise his sword before Eryndor attacked. The elf moved with incredible speed and precision, each strike landing with enough force to send shocks of pain through Aidan’s already battered body. He did his best to parry the blows, but Eryndor’s skill was overwhelming.
A sharp pain exploded in Aidan’s leg as Eryndor’s sword connected, causing him to stumble and fall to one knee. He tried to rise, but Eryndor’s foot came down hard on his chest, pinning him to the ground.
“Get up!” Eryndor snarled. “An enemy won’t show you mercy. They will exploit your weaknesses and kill you without hesitation. Push through the pain!”
Aidan’s vision blurred with tears of pain and frustration. As he forced himself to stand, Eryndor immediately resumed his assault. Aidan could do little more than endure the onslaught. Each strike, each new wave of pain, was a lesson in how little he knew.
Rage built inside Aidan. No one on earth used swords, let alone practised like this. Aidan channelled the rage into his movements, refusing to let it control him. He met each new hurdle with determination. His mind focused on surviving the brutal training.
Finally, Eryndor stepped back, lowering his sword. “That’s enough for today,” he said, his voice cold and unyielding. “But remember this: pain is inevitable. It’s how you respond to it that matters. If you want to find your brother and survive this world, you must become stronger than you ever thought possible.”
Aidan could only nod, his body trembling with exhaustion and pain. He knew Eryndor was right. His path ahead seemed to grow with new challenges every day, but he was unsure if the brutal training was practical in helping him or just a new form of torture.
Eryndor stared at Aidan for a moment longer, his expression unreadable. Then, without another word, he turned and walked away, his footsteps crunching softly on the damp grass. Aidan watched as Eryndor’s form receded into the morning mist, his rigid posture fading into the haze until he was completely out of sight.
Left alone, Aidan stood in the empty field, the silence pressing down on him like a physical weight. Once filled with the sound of his gruelling efforts and Eryndor’s relentless commands, the field was now eerily quiet. The dew-covered grass glistened in the faint light, and a chill breeze swept across the open space, making Aidan shiver.
He scanned the area, hoping for some clue as to where he should go next, but there was nothing—no sign of Eryndor or anyone else. The solitude was unsettling, a stark contrast to the intensity of the training. Aidan took a deep breath, trying to steady his racing heart. The ache in his muscles and the sting of fresh bruises reminded him of the harsh reality of his situation.
With no clear direction, Aidan picked a path and began to walk, each step a struggle as exhaustion threatened to overwhelm him. His legs felt like lead, and his vision swam as he navigated the unfamiliar surroundings.
The village slowly came to life around him, villagers going about their daily routines, barely giving him a second glance. He didn’t blame them; the amount of mud caked on and in his clothes would be enough to turn anyone away.
After stumbling around, Aidan found himself at the edge of a river; looking around, he discovered it was at the village’s edge. The sound of flowing water was soothing, and he made his way to the riverbank, eager to wash off the grime of his brutal training.
After stumbling around, Aidan found himself at the edge of a river; looking around, he discovered it was at the village’s edge. The sound of flowing water was soothing, and he made his way to the riverbank, eager to wash off the grime of his brutal training.
Stripping off his muddy clothes, Aidan screwed his face up at the way they smelled. Stepping into the cool water and sighed with relief as it washed over him. He submerged himself, letting the current carry away the sweat and dirt. As he scrubbed his skin, he heard a soft chuckle.
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Startled, he turned to see Kaelira standing at the river’s edge, her amber eyes sparkling with amusement. She watched him with a knowing smile, her gaze lingering on his naked form. Aidan felt embarrassment creep up his neck as he realized she was openly admiring him.
“You look like you’ve been through a war,” Kaelira said teasingly. She licked her lips, making no effort to hide her interest.
Aidan blushed deeply, feeling an involuntary reaction as her gaze continued to roam over him. He quickly tried to cover himself, but Kaelira’s smile only widened.
“Don’t be shy,” she said, stepping closer to the water’s edge. “You’ve nothing to be embarrassed about.”
Aidan’s face burned with embarrassment and mixed emotions he couldn’t quite place. He couldn’t help but feel a stirring of arousal under her intense scrutiny. “I didn’t expect anyone to be here,” he stammered.
Kaelira’s eyes twinkled with mischief. “I came to find you. The Elder wants you to start practising your magic. But there’s a problem.”
Aidan frowned, trying to focus despite the distraction. “What problem?”
Kaelira’s expression grew more serious. “The Elder can’t scry you. None of us can. We don’t know what kind of magic you possess or your class. It’s unusual, to say the least.”
Aidan looked puzzled. “Scry me?”
“Scrying is a way to see into someone’s class, magic, and stats,” Kaelira explained. “It allows us to understand their abilities. But with you, we get a warning; something about you is protected. It would seem a goddess has some interest in you. We can’t see anything.”
Aidan’s mind whirled with this new information. This was the same as the adventure’s guide again. Only this time, they didn’t seem to be all too worried. Aidan knew he was different from that incident, but this was something entirely new; Aidan hoped that he might get answers this time. “So what does that mean?”
Kaelira shrugged, her tail flicking behind her. “It means we must figure it out the old-fashioned way: trial and error. Or you can bring up your stats and tell me. But first, you need to rest and recover. Training can wait until you’re ready.”
Aidan nodded, feeling a wave of fatigue wash over him. “I appreciate your help, Kaelira.”
She smiled, her earlier teasing replaced with genuine warmth. “I’ll always be here to help you, Aidan. Now, finish cleaning up and come back to the village. We have a lot of work to do.”
Aidan watched her as she turned and walked back towards the village, her movements graceful and assured. He couldn’t shake the feeling that there was more to her interest in him than just professional curiosity. He took a deep breath and washed himself, his muscles aching and his mind buzzing with the conversation he had just had with Kaelira.
He dressed quickly, feeling the exhaustion seeping into his bones, and returned to the village. Kaelira stood waiting before gesturing for him to follow as she guided him to a small, plain room where he could rest. She stood in the doorway, her presence a comforting contrast to Eryndor’s harshness.
“This is your room,” she said, her voice soft. “I’m just down the hall if you need anything. Oh. Here, I was told this was yours.” She winked at him as she passed Aidan his pen before leaving.
Aidan nodded, too tired to respond verbally, as he tightly held his brother’s pen. He entered the room, barely registering its simplicity, and collapsed onto the bed. As he lay there, he brought up his status card, needing to see his progress and understand more about himself.
Status Card:
* Name: Aidan Thornheart
* Class: Battlemage
* Level: 5
* Experience Points (XP): 986
* Ability Points (AP): 4
* Health Points (HP): 30 / 30
* Mana Points (MP): 19 / 19
* Strength: 17
* Dexterity: 20
* Constitution: 15
* Intelligence: 15
* Wisdom: 13
* Charisma: 15
Skills:
* Combat Skills:
* Melee Combat - Club: Level 1
Magic:
* Arcane Strike: Empowers the next melee attack with magical energy, dealing bonus damage based on the character’s intelligence. Base damage of 18 points plus bonus damage calculated at 2x intelligence. Mana cost is 9 points.
* Mage Armor: Conjures a protective barrier of magical energy around the battlemage, increasing their armour class and providing resistance to incoming attacks. Base magical protection of 15 points plus bonus magical protection of 2x Wisdom. Mana cost of 12 points per 60 seconds.
Equipment:
* Pen (Mythic)
Abilities/Talents:
* Flee: Can only be used once per encounter. Gives a boost of 25% to strength and dexterity for 60 seconds.
* Resilient Endurance (Passive): Stackable - Adds increased resistance to damage multiplier of 15% for five minutes. Activates upon injury.
* Agile Strike (Passive): Imbues user with heightened agility and precision. Permanent +2 to dexterity.
Aidan sighed, feeling a mix of satisfaction and frustration. He had made some progress, but the path ahead seemed endless. His body ached from the brutal training, and his mind was overwhelmed by everything he had endured. He closed his eyes, hoping for a few moments of rest before the next challenge.
Aidan was in the middle of a pretty enjoyable dream when he was abruptly awakened by a rough hand shaking his shoulder. Before he could fully comprehend what was happening, a gruff voice spoke.
“Wake up! The Elder sent me to get you. Dinner’s ready.”
Aidan groaned, every muscle protesting as he was yanked out of bed. The room was dim, and the early evening light barely filtered through the small window.
“Alright, alright. I’m up,” he muttered, trying to shake off the remnants of sleep. His body was sore from the day’s training, and he moved slowly, each step a painful reminder of Eryndor’s relentless drills.
The messenger, a young elf with an impatient expression, waited for him at the door. “Hurry up. I don’t have all night.”
Aidan followed the messenger out of the room, wincing with every step. The hallway was quiet, the only sounds of their footsteps echoing off the stone walls. They turned a corner, and Aidan nearly jumped as he walked into the healer, Kaelira, who was coming from the opposite direction.
Her eyes lit up when she saw him and offered a playful smile. “Well, look who’s up and about.”
Aidan managed a weak smile in return. “Barely,” he replied, his voice strained.
Kaelira stepped closer, her tail flicking playfully. “If you ever need a personal healer, my services are always available. We can even work out a way for you to pay,” she said, her tone suggestive. She brushed a hand lightly against his arm, her touch lingering.
Aidan felt a flush of embarrassment and something else he couldn’t quite place. “Thanks, I’ll keep that in mind,” he stammered, trying to maintain his composure. The messenger cleared his throat impatiently, breaking the moment.
Kaelira leaned in, her breath warm against his ear. “Don’t let him rush you,” she whispered, her voice low and intimate. “You deserve someone pampering you after what you’ve been through.”
Aidan’s face burned as he tried to gather his thoughts. “Uh, yeah, maybe later,” he managed to say.
She gave him a knowing wink and stepped back, her eyes sparkling with amusement. “I’ll hold you to that,” she said before turning and walking away, her movements graceful and fluid.
Aidan watched her go, his heart pounding and his mind buzzing with the unexpected encounter. The messenger, now visibly annoyed, tugged at his arm. “Come on, let’s go. Dinner won’t wait.”
Aidan followed reluctantly, his thoughts still on Kaelira. They finally arrived at a large hall filled with villagers, the air thick with the smell of food and the sound of conversation. Aidan’s stomach growled as he realized just how hungry he was.
The messenger left him at the entrance, and Aidan took a deep breath, steeling himself for the social interaction ahead. He made his way through the crowd, nodding politely at those who greeted him, and finally found an empty seat at one of the long tables.
As he settled in, he couldn’t help but glance around the room, his mind still on Kaelira and her playful flirtation. He knew he needed to focus on the task at hand—finding his brother and mastering his abilities—but the healer’s words and her touch lingered in his thoughts. It had been a long time since he had spent real time with a woman.
Lost in his musings, Aidan barely noticed the plate of food as someone placed it in front of him. He took a bite, savouring the flavours and the brief respite from the day’s exhaustion. He allowed himself to relax for a moment, knowing that the challenges ahead would come soon enough.