I quirked an eyebrow at him. “How did you know I had a protection detail?” I asked, confused.
“You’ll find out soon enough. Now, less talking, more training,” Theron responded.
I went to ask for more clarification, but the look in his eyes told me there was no chance of that happening. He pointed at a mace lying next to the door. “Okay, for your strength training, we’ll start with swinging that mace ten times per hand for the next hour.”
I walked over to the mace and chuckled. “Well, this doesn’t sound too bad after wielding that shield all morning,” I said, shrugging as I reached down to pick it up. Yeah, you read that right… ‘attempt.’ The mace didn’t even budge. I looked back at Theron, seeing a gleam of amusement in his eyes. “Okay, smartass, how am I supposed to swing it around if it weighs more than a train?” I blurted out, annoyed.
“Oh, I thought this was going to be easy?” he responded, amused, then noticed the annoyance written on my face. “That’s my mace. I can change its weight due to an ability I have,” he explained. I raised a finger, but before I could get the question out, he quickly added, “And no, I’m not explaining the ability. It’s rude to even think about asking.”
“Now, grab the handle and pull on it. I’ll lower the weight until you can wield it with a struggle.”
I did as he asked, and the mace surprisingly got light enough that I could barely hold it up, but he didn’t make it any lighter. He explained that I needed to swing the mace with an overhead motion downward and stop the swing midway down my body. If I didn’t stop the swing, it wouldn’t count. My disdain for this man continued to grow as I fought for the next hour, barely succeeding at the task. He had me switch the swing style to a more diagonal motion; same rules applied. After that, he changed the type of swings every hour until my arms felt like they were detaching from my body.
“Now, hold the mace in one hand and my shield in the other. This will be a mixture of lower body strength training and dexterity training. You’ll run this course over and over for the next two hours, avoiding attacks from various dummies placed within the course,” he said, pointing at an arrangement he must have created while I was focused on the mace swings.
I grabbed the shield that was leaning against the wall next to where he was sitting. The weight was exactly the same as the mace in my other hand. “Oh, cool… you can do it with your shield too…” I complained out loud. He just smirked at me in response and gestured at the course, urging me to get a move on.
“Right then, guess I’ll just go get beat up by some dummies… super exciting!” I said sarcastically with fake enthusiasm.
Little did I know how true my sarcasm would turn out to be. Theron barked orders at me to block or dodge as I ran the course. I felt like I was being tossed around like a ragdoll in a dryer set to ‘extra spin.’ Each swing and jab from those dummies seemed to have it out for me personally, and by the end, I was sure my muscles had signed up for a marathon without telling me.
I collapsed to the ground in exhaustion when he finally told me it was over; or at least, that part was over.
“Now we go work on blacksmithing until bedtime. I’ve set up a cot in my shop. You’ll be staying here with me until the end of the week. I’ll provide your food and bed; I need you focused. I also don’t need you accidentally sleeping in because your muscles are tired,” Theron explained. As I was getting ready to complain, he added, “You don’t have to, though. However, keep in mind, our training ends here if you decide to go back to the inn.”
Determined to get stronger, I held my back straight… well, as straight as I could with the muscle pain I felt. Did I mention that my spine felt like it was twisted like a rag you wring the water out of? Because that’s what it felt like after the abuse I just went through, and the twisting attempts to dodge the aggressive dummies.
“May I at least explain to my…”
“I already spoke with her last night; she’s staying with her tailoring master,” he responded, then added after a quick thought, “In fact, all of your friends are staying with their respective trainers for the next week. They’re not training physically; well, at least not to my knowledge. As far as I’m aware, they’re hard-focused on their professions.”
I nodded in response, my body fully exhausted, but my determination was stronger. I followed him into the shop, and the smithing training began. In a way, the smithing even added to my strength training. He had me switch hands every so often to equally increase my strength and ensure I could strike with precision regardless of which hand I used. He explained that learning to switch hands in smithing helps to hit at different angles, creating more precise edges and surfaces.
He showed me how to properly fold steel when crafting weapons, to increase their durability and strength. Then, he taught me the techniques of shaping and hardening steel sheets, which I hammered out for plate armor. I fell into that strangely beautiful rhythm of swinging the hammer, quenching, and heating the metals as I worked, carefully following the instructions Theron was giving me.
Over the next few days of training, smithing, eating, and sleeping, I ignored the notifications that popped up. I was too exhausted, and there wasn’t even time to read them. By the time I laid down, I was already falling asleep. The moment I woke up, it was back to training, with the only reprieve being when I ate or finally passed out from exhaustion.
Finally, as the week came to an end and I was getting ready for sleep, Theron said, “Today was the last day of training. Tomorrow, you’ll meet up with Kaelvorn and begin your quest.”
“I’m sure you’ve ignored your notifications for the past week. Now is the time to check them. I’d like to know the progress you’ve made in my teachings.”
I didn’t argue or even respond; I just opened my notifications while sitting on the edge of my cot.
CONGRATULATIONS! You have been accepted by [Guild Master] Theron into the crafters guild! Here you can greatly increase your profession!
NEW QUEST! Craft 100 swords!
Self-explanatory…
REWARDS: 200xp, crafting xp, and 200 gold. (completed)
NEW QUEST! Craft 50 sets of plate armor!
Self-explanatory…
REWARDS: 200xp, crafting xp, and 150 gold. (completed)
HIDDEN QUEST! Raise your stats through hard work instead of levels!
You may raise your stats through dedication rather than mindlessly killing beasts or completing quests. The work is hard, the payout is great!
REWARDS: 50,000xp, x2 to any stats earned in the next 48 hrs. (completed – you earned a total of 7x2 strength and 5x2 dexterity)
My eyes grew wide as I saw the notifications. I looked at Theron, who was smiling, clearly enjoying the realization that must have been written all over my face.
“Continue checking your gains; questions later,” he urged me to go on.
STATS
LEVEL – 28, TRAVELER
STRENGTH – 77
DEXTERITY – 63
INTELLECT – 61
WISDOM – 34
LUCK – 20
ARMOR – 24 (Physical damage reduction= 19%)
I spent the six stat points I had received from the two levels, distributing two each into strength, dexterity, and intellect. I noticed that I had gained a total of fifty-six strength, thanks to the extra seven from the hidden quest, and forty dexterity, with the extra five. The five percent bonuses from Star brought the numbers even higher.
Now paying attention to my body, I realized my mass had grown significantly, and the strength I gained was noticeable. “Did you ever change the mace and shield’s weight during training?” I asked, curious.
“Yes, I did. In fact, I made them about a hundred pounds heavier every twenty minutes,” Theron responded nonchalantly.
If my eyes grew any wider, they would have simply rolled from their sockets. I just shook off the shock and went back to inspecting my menu, first looking at my experience.
Exp – 103,821 / 472,371
“Holy crap! I gained a ton of experience during all of this!” I exclaimed excitedly.
“Well, yeah, you made a lot of items in the last week. Also, the chest next to you is all the gold earned from selling those items,” Theron explained.
“Wait, when did you have time to sell anything? Did you even sleep?” I asked, confused.
“The higher level you get, the less sleep you need,” he stated simply. “Now, what gains did you make?” he asked.
I wanted to check my smithing level before answering, so I held up a finger, halting his question for a moment.
PROFESSION – BLACKSMITHING, JOURNEYMAN 278/700
I went on to tell him the changes made in my progression; he was more than pleased with the significant growth.
“That was much more than I was expecting, it will slow down immensely from here on, usually when you reach around seventy to eighty stats in anything gaining them manually is much harder. I did not expect us to get you above fifty, but I will not argue the results.” Theron said.
I reached over to the chest near my cot to retrieve the gold within, and just when I thought the shock factor was over. The number popped up in my view as I placed the gold into my inventory.
GOLD: 58,362
I whistled in shock at the sheer amount of gold now sitting in my inventory.
“Damn, my items made that much gold? I knew it was a lot, but I wasn’t expecting that outcome,” I said, pausing for a moment. Exhaustion weighed heavy on me, and all I wanted was to sleep. “So, you’re the [Guild Master], huh?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.
A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
Theron nodded in response. “I was kind of expecting an NPC to fill that role, not a player,” I trailed off, speaking more to myself than to him.
Theron chuckled, his eyes glinting with amusement. “I actually created this guild after I hit level one-hundred. I figured that new players who could make it this far would benefit greatly from someone to help them raise their professions.”
“There are three types of players in this world: the crafters and the seekers,” he said, his gaze drifting to the night sky outside the nearby window.
Puzzled, I followed his gaze out the window, then looked back at him. “What’s the third type?”
“I suppose you’ll find that out for yourself. Just know that you and your friends seem to be falling into that category.” He paused, rising from his seat to head toward his cot. “Now, get some rest. You’ve got a lot of work to do tomorrow.”
I nodded knowingly, my body eager for sleep. Rolling over, I closed my eyes and drifted into well-deserved rest.
When I awoke, Theron was already outside, probably busy with something. I grabbed my gear and equipped it, realizing my shield was missing. I stepped outside to look for Theron, I found all of my friends waiting.
Mel, the giant Orc, stood with an imposing presence, her massive hammer resting casually against her shoulder as if it weighed nothing. Her chainmail armor, a formidable piece in its own right, had been expertly modified to accommodate the jagged spikes that jutted from her powerful shoulders. The armor’s metallic links glimmered with a subtle red hue, as if it had absorbed the very essence of her fiery spirit, resonating with the same intensity as her fearsome weapon. Each movement she made sent a ripple of energy through the armor, enhancing her already formidable aura and making it clear that she was a force to be reckoned with.
Max stood tall and slim, his entire form cloaked in black leather that seemed to swallow the light around him, making him fade in and out of existence like a living shadow. But what caught my attention most was the hood; a piece of legendary craftsmanship that shrouded his face in darkness, even to my keen eyes. The fabric of the hood seemed to drink in the light, its edges softly rippling as if it were alive, creating an aura of impenetrable mystery. His Drow heritage was all but hidden beneath its depths, leaving only the barest hint of his presence visible. A new bow was strapped to his back, its details elusive in the gloom, but even without seeing it clearly, I could tell it was something extraordinary.
Leo, his skin still ever-glowing with an otherworldly radiance, was clad in a robe of deep azure, accented with intricate patterns of red and green that seemed to shift and shimmer like living flames. The gold trimming along the edges caught the light, creating a regal frame around him. His hood, pulled up over his head, cast a shadow over his face, but it couldn’t dim the brilliance of the gem encrusted at its center. The gem radiated a bright, prismatic light that danced with every movement, casting a kaleidoscope of colors around him, making him appear both mysterious and powerful.
Trish, as beautiful as ever, wore a simple yet highly elegant dress that seemed to dance with every movement. The fabric, woven from enchanted threads, shimmered like moonlight on water, catching the light with every step she took. Delicate arcane patterns subtly glowed along the hem and bodice, their soft light pulsing in time with her heartbeat. The gown's flowing skirt flared slightly as she moved, revealing flashes of intricately embroidered protective runes that hinted at the dress’s hidden strength. Despite its ethereal appearance, the dress clung to her form in a way that suggested it was ready to respond to any sudden shift; a perfect blend of beauty and battle-readiness.
“Man, Trish really made those robes you got look badass!” I said to Leo, still blown away by the armor they were all wearing. My eyes finally settled on the robes Leo had donned, the legendary hood Max had received, and the sheer skill Trish had already displayed with the dress she wore. Her craftsmanship was on another level.
“I’m already an [Artisan]!” she responded, overly excited. Then her eyes grew wide at the sight of me. “Holy… Babe, you’re huge now!” she exclaimed in shock, then added mockingly, “Are you taking drugs!?”
I rolled my eyes. “Yeah, sure, if you call Theron abusing me daily for a week drugs…” I replied with a smirk.
“I think we’re all artisans now,” Leo chimed in.
I looked down at the ground, embarrassed that I was only halfway to Artisan.
“Bro, you’ll get there. You were obviously busy working on more than your craft,” Max said, offering reassurance.
“Mate, I reckon you could probably toss me a mile away now. Ain’t nothing to be ashamed of,” Mel added with a grin.
They were right; they had been crafting day and night, while I only worked at night. But the progress I had made was more than worth it.
“Theron didn’t tell us much about what you were up to,” Leo said. “Just that the testing grounds were off-limits, and he closed off the entire area. We had to go to the other side of the city for our training the next day.”
“Damn, I didn’t know all that. Then again, I didn’t pay attention to anything outside of this area. I was so focused on becoming a better tank,” I replied, then added, “I don’t really like the idea of getting that close to death again if I can help it.”
Trish walked up and gave me a peck on the cheek. “You weren’t the only one training, actually. I was also working on my dexterity at night. We all know cardio isn’t my thing, so I upped that and started practicing parkour with some of the other guild members. Now I can maneuver around the field better.”
We all turned to her in shock. “Babe, you… ran?”
She sighed dramatically, then responded in a mocking tone. “Yes, babe, I… ran.”
We all burst out laughing at her exaggerated annoyance.
As we shared the moment, I noticed Kaelvorn and Theron walking down the path toward us, still standing in front of the blacksmith’s shop.
“I see you’re all ready to go, we have some things that still need to be gathered for the cart. But let’s head that way and I will fill you in on some more details.” Kaelvorn said with what looked like a grin on his face.
We nodded and began to walk towards him Theron stopped me, “He will catch up in a moment, I have something I’d like to give him.”
Kaelvorn shrugged and walked with the others, and they were all chatting along with him and berating him with questions.
“I took your shield, which I’m sure you realized. I wanted to make it stronger, a gift from me to you as a thank you for being one hell of a student.” Theron said pulling a shield from his inventory.
It held the same shape, though the designs on it were intricate now, as if the stars themselves had been etched into the metal. The surface of the shield was adorned with swirling constellations and celestial patterns, carved with meticulous precision. These designs shimmered faintly with a silvery light, reminiscent of moonlight reflecting off calm water. The deep forest green hue of the shield still glowed subtly, but now it seemed to pulse with the energy of the cosmos, with tiny flecks of light resembling distant stars twinkling within the metal. At the center of the shield, a radiant, crescent moon was emblazoned, surrounded by delicate rays that extended outward like the beams of the sun, adding a sense of divine protection and otherworldly power. I looked closer to inspect it.
[Celestial Duriron Sentinel] – Crafted by James (Modified by Theron)
BONUS STRENGTH – 11
BONUS DEXTERITY – 7
BONUS INTELLIGENCE – 8
BONUS ARMOR – 34
PHYSICAL DAMAGE REDUCTION FROM BLOCKING – 87%
MAGICAL DAMAGE REDUCTION FROM BLOCKING – 39%
ENCHANTMENT(Mel) – [RENEWAL]: Grants ability to heal self instantly in combat for 5% of health and 1% of health every 1 second for 10 seconds after. (Cooldown – 30 minutes)
BONUS EFFECT – [Gravity Well] Once per encounter, create a localized gravity well around the shield for 10 seconds, pulling in nearby enemies and reducing their movement speed by 50%. This effect also reduces the weight of the shield, increasing the bearer’s Dexterity by 5 for the duration.
My eyes grew wide. “This is amazing! Thank you so much!” I said, unable to contain my excitement.
“It’s not the best, but it’s far better than what you had,” Theron responded with a modest smile.
“This makes me excited to see what I can make when I hit [Grand Master]!” I exclaimed, still full of enthusiasm.
“[Grand Master], huh? I’m not even a [Grand Master] yet. Then again, I’m not traveling to other planets either,” he added with a chuckle.
“Wait, you have to leave this planet to reach [Grand Master]?” I asked as I started following him toward where the others were headed.
“Yeah, the materials you need will take you all over Aterios, not just on this planet,” Theron said, a hint of longing in his voice.
“You seem sad that you haven’t left here,” I observed.
Theron sighed, his expression darkening. “My little sister died here… I couldn’t save her because I was unprepared.” He hesitated before continuing, “If only I had stopped to buy some gear or made something better, I would have been strong enough to protect her.”
I remained silent, though internally, it all started to make sense. His dedication to helping others, his choice of a tank class; it all stemmed from that tragic experience. Rather than letting it turn him into something dark, it drove him to ensure others wouldn’t make the same mistake.
“Don’t think I didn’t go on a killing spree afterward,” Theron added with a grim smile. “It took a lot of blood, sweat, and tears to get here. Can’t forget Kaelvorn either; he saved me from myself, but that’s a story for another time.”
We walked silently for a while through the winding, busy streets of the city. More [Lepidomare] passed by, leading carts or carrying riders down the center of the roads. Children were running and playing, with parents chasing after them. The air was fresh and warm, with a gentle breeze washing through the city.
Finally breaking the silence, I asked, “So… what’s the name of this planet anyway?”
Theron let out a hearty, full-bodied laugh, wiping a tear from his eye. “Damn, boy, you’re just now asking that?”
By now, we all know I wasn’t exactly skilled at gathering certain types of information. I was embarrassed, and Theron could see it all over my face.
Still chuckling, he said, “The planet’s name is on your map, under the realm name.”
My face had to be as red as a tomato at this point because he burst out laughing again. Ignoring him, I opened the map to search for what he was talking about, and sure enough, there it was:
ATERIOS
Planet – Achui
I laughed at the name. “It’s named after a sneeze. I like it.”
Theron looked me dead in the eyes. “How are you so quick at some things, yet so slow at others?” he asked mockingly. “It’s pronounced A-Cue-Ee, you oaf.”
I laughed at the insult. “Oh, come on, you can’t let me have that one?” I asked, exaggerating my disappointment.
He just laughed in response, and we continued walking in silence toward the main gate of the city.
Arriving at the gate, Theron halted our group and began handing out items with a mix of seriousness and humor.
“Trish, I had a friend of mine craft this scepter for you. It will enhance your healing abilities and help manage your energy consumption.” He handed her a wooden scepter adorned with a shimmering gem at the end.
“Leo, this staff belonged to an old friend of mine. I believe your class will put it to good use.” Theron passed a beautifully crafted spiraling staff of wood and metal to Leo. Its simple design belied the power it held.
“Mel, this belt will let you store your hammer and call it out instantly, so you don’t have to lug that thing around everywhere. Just summon it when you need it.” He handed her a simple leather belt with numerous pouches. “It also has a crap ton of storage space.”
“Max, this quiver holds what I’m pretty sure is an unlimited supply of arrows of any kind. Just think of the arrow you want, and it’ll provide it as long as you’ve stored it. Also, it creeps me out, so I don’t want it in my shop anymore,” Theron added hastily, thrusting the quiver at Max.
Max chuckled behind his mask. “I don’t think she wanted to be in your shop anymore. She said you stink, are messy, and mumble too much.”
Theron’s eyes widened. “I knew that blasted thing was soul forged. Creepy things,” he muttered, ignoring our laughter.
“Lastly, James,” Theron continued, turning to me. “I know a gem cutter I’d like to introduce you to when you get back. You’ve got a lot of work ahead to catch that one up.”
I couldn’t believe I had forgotten that I had that profession as well. It wasn’t even listed anywhere in my menu as a reminder. I briefly wondered if it was because I hadn’t done anything with it yet. Then I moved on; it wasn’t important right now.
“Well, this is the cart you’ll be escorting. Adil and Gix here will be your drivers, and the two [Lepidomare] pulling the cart are the finest in our stalls, Lix and Lox,” Kaelvorn said as he introduced us.
A voice you couldn’t forget came from the office as Tiddles walked out. “The trip will be three days there and three days back. You’ll likely be gone for two to three weeks. I appreciate you all doing this for us and for those villagers,” he said, pausing to look out through the open gate.
“I know you’ve already been offered rewards but allow me to add something extra. If you complete this journey without losing any grain and return with everyone and the cart intact, I’ll reward each of you with a mount of your choosing.”
“That sounds great, and it will really help with future travels,” I said, grateful for his offer. Everyone else nodded in agreement.
The two drivers were both of the Canithal race. Adil appeared to be a female bloodhound, and Gix a male rottweiler. Their levels were close to ours; both were just footmen.
“He don’t talk much,” Adil said in a raspy tone, jabbing a thumb at Gix. “But he’s good at soldierin’. Got a real good sniffer on him. Words? Not so much. Nope.” She added.
Gix just nodded at us, then gripped the reins in his hands and faced the road, ready for the trip.
“They’re both idiots, but damned loyal and fierce as hell,” Tiddles interrupted. Adil harrumphed at his insult, then leaned back on her bench, also facing the road.
“Listen, you all need to keep your edge out there. It’s dangerous, and I don’t want anyone caught off guard,” Kaelvorn said as he grasped my forearm in respect, then moved down the line to the rest of the party, offering the same respects.
“Don’t forget these packs of rations, Mel, if you keep these in your belt, it should keep the food fresh as long as it is not removed. Don’t ask how it works, it just does.” Theron said as he tossed them to her.
Mel quickly made them vanish from her hands after catching them. “On the verge of crackin’ that enchantment, mate. Maybe I’ll have an answer for ya down the track,” she responded with a cheeky grin.
We all waved goodbye as we started out the gate down the road towards Dael’Gry Village.