Joe landed on the mat again for the twentieth time in the last few minutes. He could feel Hah’roo flicking her rope, untangling it from his ankle.
“You have to stop just standing there, Joe. Your [Parry] skill is never going to advance unless you start using it. And I don’t just mean your staff. Forearms. Feet. Hands. All of these can deflect attacks. With your healing abilities, you can even use them in ways others would never consider. But you have to move and anticipate attacks.”
They were in a large training hall in the Adventurer’s Guild that Joe thought of as a cross between a dojo, an armory, and a gym. The floors were covered by thick, woven reed mats. Hanging on the walls were all manner of weapons. Swords, axes, spears, and clubs were the most common but Joe could see dozens of other weapons he recognized and a few that were new to him too.
People were lifting weights, practicing forms, or striking target dummies all around them. Quite a few had stopped at the edge of their fighting area to watch them as well. Joe had no illusion that it was Hah’roo they were watching, not him. The galeling was lithe and pretty but what caught one's eye was far more than that. Hah’roo did not walk; she glided, always seeming to be slipping across the ground instead of stepping on it. Her body twisted and turned with a dancer’s grace. The white tresses and long coat fluttered about her, caught in a small gale that extended no further than herself. Even her rope dart flew about in almost hypnotic patterns. It coiled and spun, defying gravity by riding on small currents of air she controlled.
Those little gusts, Joe had found, she also employed in her fighting. They would tickle the back of his neck, causing him to react to attacks that were not there. They would puff into his face causing his eyes to water and blink. No matter how hard Joe tried, she had too many tricks to her fighting. He could not stop her from dumping him onto the reeds every couple of seconds.
“You are too fast, Hah’roo. And too unpredictable. I am trying to watch out for your attacks but they are coming from everywhere.”
“I’m not sure if I can slow down any more than I already am. We are going after a serious enemy, Joe,” she sighed. “You have to be able to react faster.”
Joe could see her frustration. Her desire to protect him had to be connected to the cultural castes she had told him about. She was a gale and he was whatever a zephyr was. That connection seemed to drive her actions regarding him. She had helped him with his injuries on the ship. She had found Elzzbeez to defend him. Now she was earnestly trying to help him train his painfully poor combat skills.
This time though he was not sure how helpful she was turning out to be. Joe’s [Parry] and [Staff Expertise] had gone up a couple of points each at first. After that, he just spent all his time getting up back on his feet or retrieving his newly replaced staff after she yanked it out of his hands. Both of them were becoming discouraged.
“Why don’t we call it a day? I don’t think I am going to be able to keep up with you,” a disheartened Joe uttered.
“No! You cannot go into battle as you are,” she snapped abruptly but then her voice softened. “You need to know at least the basics of fighting or you are just going to get yourself killed. If we had more time I could go slower but we have but hours and before we set off you will need to rest and recover.”
“Eh. Probably not, Hah’roo. Shaking off pain and exhaustion is the one thing I am good at. That gives us more time," Joe countered. "So if we don't stop, how about we make a couple of changes? Any chance we could try a different weapon? I can’t track the rope. Could you use a staff?”
“Yes. Good. Finally. You are beginning to assess the fight and see how you must flow to meet the challenge or alter it. Against my reach and mobility, you had no chance. A closer-ranged weapon will improve your odds.”
Hah’roo walked to the walk and plucked a quarterstaff from a rack of polearms. As she turned back to him she limbered up by whirling the staff around herself. She spun it around her wrist and arms, switching hands to whirl it around her waist both front and back.
Joe watched the display and sighed. “I still think you are going to keep knocking me on my ass but at least now I might see it coming.”
A smirk lit the corners of her mouth as she flowed back into the mat-covered ring, the stave a propeller blade in her hands.
Joe realized this was about to get more painful, being hit with wood instead of rope, but he was determined to try and stay upright for at least a couple of seconds.
“May I make a suggestion?” a crisp voice interjected.
Joe and Hah’roo turned to see a man dressed in functional clothing one would expect in a gym but his attire appeared to be of the highest quality. It was cut to perfectly fit his wiry but muscular physique. He had a broad chin and noble features but, most notably, he sported a thick dashing mustache. Joe usually did not think a solo mustache was very complimentary but this man more than pulled it off. He looked like he had just stepped out of an Errol Flynn movie. He currently had no weapons on him but he had a fluid stance and looseness that gave off the air of someone who would be comfortable in combat.
“Your style is too unconventional for a novice, madam. Maybe a more straightforward approach might be better. My name is Count Valloc Randeau. As we are to become allies today, it would be in our best interest to learn a bit about each other's fighting styles and capabilities. Yes?”
“As for fighting styles, he doesn’t have one yet. No offense intended Joe, but it’s bad,” Hah’roo lamented, throwing Joe an apologetic look.
“None taken. I really have not had a chance to learn to fight yet. I have been on the move since I arrived. I have not had an opportunity to find a trainer or time to practice or anything of the sort.”
“Then we have an opportunity here,” the man said with a bright and welcoming smile. “Rather than having to break you of bad habits, we can start fresh and teach you some solid fundamentals.”
Turning his attention to Hah’roo, he added, "It also may be an opportunity for you, my lady, to learn some training techniques. You are an instinctual fighter but, to teach, it is often best to begin more formulaically.”
Hah’roo nodded her head and stilled the staff. She waved a graceful arm with a gesture that suggested the Count should go ahead.
Joe had been worried that the champion provided by the snobbish and unpleasant Gauldus Meend would be another thorn in his side but Count Radeau seemed to be an amicable man, earnestly offering his help. He watched as the monster hunter selected a practice saber from the wall and stepped onto the mat with him. Hah’roo glided backward to the edge, watching. Valloc swished the blade through the air, feeling its weight. Seemingly satisfied, he turned to Joe.
“Let’s start with the seven foundational pillars to melee combat,” the man stated, sounding just like a professor instead of a renowned monster hunter. “Distance, speed, leverage, footwork, timing, feints, and defense. Now the first two should have been the easiest to start with but your initial sparring partner made for a poor choice, I mean no offense as well, madam. Your style would have baffled me when I too first began,” he noted with a gentle voice.
“All gales are taught to find their own wind. You either find it or don’t and you join the breezes," the galeing said with a shrug. "We did not have pillars. Please, keep going.”
He looked back to Joe. “Let us consider a more standard distance. Look at the length of my blade, my arm, and where my feet are placed. That will give you an idea of where you are in danger of being reached by my blade. Yes.”
Joe nodded as this made far more sense than the chaos of Hah’roo’s ‘stop falling down’ directives.
The Count quickly went through the concepts and then started to display them practically. He moved slowly at first with Joe. Every few passes he would incrementally increase his speed until he found the upper edge of Joe’s fighting skills.
Hah’roo folded down to the floor in a lotus position and watched the pair with a focused look. Joe got the impression she was learning how to teach while Joe was learning how to fight. He did not have much time to ponder that thought as Count Valloc rapped his hands any time Joe allowed his attention to wander. Which turned out to be quite often.
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“Sir, if you cannot keep your mind on what I am teaching you, then I have better things to do,” the man scolded, showing the first hints of displeasure since he had joined them.
“I am sorry, Count. I really do want to learn. I have a bad habit of living in my own head too much. Please, keep going. I will stay focused,” Joe apologized.
Joe could not deny that the lessons were proving effective. His skills were advancing in leaps and bounds under the monster hunter’s tutelage. His [Staff Expertise] had doubled, bringing it to 16. His [Parry] had started higher but was also gaining ranks faster than it had ever done so before. Suddenly a warm feeling began to grow in Joe’s chest. Joe tried to ignore it but the harder the Count pressed him the larger that tingling giddiness grew. When it burst throughout him, Joe lost focus again, earning him another knuckle wrap but the Count disengaged and Hah’roo joined them.
“I know that look. Congratulations, Joe Healer,” the Count exclaimed, thumping him on the back.
“Level eight will also give you an ability. That could be a big help for tonight,” Hah’roo added with a clap of her hands.
“Just be aware, son,” Count Radeau remarked, “advancements will often appear in combat. There is an art to absorbing them while remaining alert. I understand that is something you are not ready for yet. At your stage, I would suggest you wait to incorporate boons until you are no longer actively engaged.”
“You want me to wait?” Joe asked a bit disappointed.
“No, no, no. Of course not now. But in actual combat, you cannot afford to be making choices with the One Above while you have enemies about you.”
“Yeah, of course. That makes sense," Joe agreed. "Ok. One sec. Let me look and see what I got.”
You have reached level 8 in your Healer Class. You have gained 1 unassigned attribute point and the following trait and skill.
[Centered] +1 to Spirit. You have gained 1 common spirit-based skill.
[Healing Wave]: Your healing skills can affect as many creatures as you choose within close range. The amount healed is equal to 30% of the skill’s healing amount plus 1% for each skill rank you have with this skill. Your mana expenditure is equal to the skill’s mana cost times the number of creatures affected minus 1% for each skill rank you have with this skill.
Being able to heal at range and multiple targets was a big plus, though the amount of effectiveness he lost, at least until he level the skill up, was a bit disappointing. Besides the basic skill rank-ups, there was another window as well. This was one Joe had not seen before.
Skill Evolution: Your improvement of multiple martial skills through conscientious training, as well as advancing your [Parry] to rank 25 has resulted in the opportunity to evolve the skill. You may evolve your [Parry] skill to [Melee Defense].
“What is the difference between [Parry] and [Melee Defense]?” Joe asked both the two people next to him and in his head Hawking as well.
Hah’roo answered first. “[Parry] is deflecting an attack with a weapon or body part. [Melee Defense] includes parrying but also incorporates blocking, evading, dodging, using cover, pinning or trapping weapons. Much more than just parrying. It is a more well-rounded skill.”
“It is also the most frequent evolution for common defensive skills,” the Count added.
“So there is no reason not to evolve [Parry] is there?”
“None at all, Joe. As a matter of fact, I would highly recommend it.”
When Hah’roo nodded as well, Joe said “Thanks” and then gave the screen his assent.
You have evolved [Parry] into the common skill: [Melee Defense]. This determines your ability to avoid, block, or deflect attacks, decreasing or negating the amount of damage from those attacks. The higher your [Melee Defense] Skill, the more often it will activate. Cost: Minor Stamina.
Joe had been expecting to have to spend his skill point but it turned out that [Melee Defense] was also a common skill. Just a better common skill it seems. Another window, slid into view as he closed the last one.
Achievement: You have evolved your first skill. This action has awarded you the following choice of Traits:
[Evolved]: Two for One Special. Evolve another evolvable skill of your choice.
[Bulwark]: You can never be too safe. +5% to defensive skills.
'Wait a minute Hawking. Didn’t I already evolve my [Healer’s Ward]?'
Advancing a skill and evolving a skill are not the same things. Advancing a skill is moving that skill to a higher rarity. This improves the skill's efficiency but does not alter its basic functionality. Evolving a skill means changing the skill's functionality while staying true to the skill’s core purpose.
You advanced [Healer’s Ward]. You evolved [Parry] into [Melee Defense].
“Cool,” Joe said out loud and then noticed the raised eyebrows of Valloc and Hah’roo. “That was my first evolution. I got an advancement for it. Either a general plus five percent to defense or I can evolve another one.”
“Evolve another one,” they both stated in unison. They smiled at each other and the Count nodded his head for Hah’roo to continue.
“You only get so many skills. Skill evolutions are one of the best ways to gain new abilities without needing to spend as many points on them. If the evolution stays the same rarity, you don’t have to spend any points at all.”
“How can I tell what skills can be evolved?”
“Just focus on them with the thought of evolving them,” she replied. “You will see what evolutions are available for each skill.”
Joe did so, and one by one, additional bullets appeared under many of his skills. [Steadfast] could become [Roots of the Mountain], which looked like it would be strong enough to defeat Hah’roo’s trip attacks. It also gave him some resistances but he could not move while it was active. [Melee Defense] could upgrade further into [Defensive Mastery]. [Stealth] had a cloaking ability but it looked like it would be very hard for Joe to maintain at his current skills. [Assess Creature] could become [Assessment] which covered items and effects as well. [Heart Fire] was especially tempting, as it could become [Vital Ground]. The skill would cover a larger area, have a better healing rate and could remove some additional afflictions.
The only downside to all of these was they would eat up his one new skill point since they would upgrade a common skill to uncommon. Joe quickly looked over his uncommons to see if he could get a new uncommon for free. [Efferous Endurance], [Purge], and [Stun Block] could be advanced but they did not show any evolutions. [Deaden Flesh], on the other hand, could evolve into [Necrosis]. Joe read the description and blanched. It could cause the skin to die painfully instead of just becoming numb. While Joe wanted an offensive ability, that did not sit well with him.
He then looked at the list for any common skills with common evolutions and he found two. He could evolve his [Staff Expertise] to [Polearm Expertise]. The other one was his [Coin Catcher] could gain the [Helpful Hand] ability. [Helpful Hand] was a minor telekinetic ability. The skill created a magical hand that could lift and manipulate small objects, but it had the potential to get stronger. Joe noted that evolving the skill did not remove the old ability. The [Helpful Hand] would automatically pick up loot the way [Coin Catcher] had.
He ran through the list with Hah’roo and Count Randeau. The Count liked [Defensive Mastery] and [Vital Ground]. Hah’roo like the [Shadow Cloak] and [Helping Hand]. Joe's two favorites matched one of each of their’s; [Vital Ground] and [Helping Hand].
They bantered back and forth and the argument was moving toward [Vital Ground] until Hah’roo reminded them that the skill would also heal and remove afflictions from the enemies. With the expanded area, it would be very difficult for Joe to use it in combat, unless the enemy were undead, without removing various effects placed by his allies. This did diminish the skill’s worth, so Joe pushed for his other choice.
Hah’roo enthusiastically suggested that her ability to manipulate things from afar was a huge advantage. She often wished she could use her winds with a greater degree of control. She could move things, but not easily manipulate them or even pick them up.
While the Count was dubious, he did state that it was highly recommended in the early stages of a person’s development to keep an unspent skill point. Everyone agreed [Polearm Mastery] would be a waste and both of the trainers affirmed many parties would not be comfortable working with someone who used the [Necrosis] ability.
Joe felt that he had enough support to pick the honest-to-goodness super-power he wanted. It was not really a combat ability, but who wouldn't want the power to be able to move things with their mind?
You have learned the common skill: [Helping Hand]. This skill allows you to manifest a spectral semi-transparent hand, equal in size to your own, within short range of you. The hand can lift up to 5 pounds of material per point of Perception plus an additional 0.5 pounds for each skill rank you have with this skill. The hand is agile enough to make simple manipulations of objects or creatures. Cost: Moderate Mana.
Loot rewards will still be automatically gathered. Cost: No Mana.
Joe grinned and pushed his mana into the skill, causing a translucent blue hand to spring into existence. He waved his third hand at his two instructors, to which he received indulgent smirks back.
Joe sighed ruefully. “As much I want to play around with this, now is not the time.”
He walked back into the ring before using the hand to grab his staff and launch it into his grip. Joe settled himself into the stance the Count had taught him.
“Ok, let’s go again.”