With the first rays of dawn attempting to burst through the dark clouds overhead, the village, which had been awake all night, began to settle into a restful silence. Sera led Zayzal back to the hut while Gunnar went his separate way.
The two were a little tipsy from all the mead, but because of her stronger body and Zayzal’s talent, they were able to stay somewhat sober. By now, all of Zayzal’s injuries were patched up, and he was slowly healing.
As they reached the doorway, Sera turned to Zayzal. "I want to thank you," she began, her voice full of sincerity. “Without you, I don’t know how many more of us would’ve died today. The others might not know just how important your contribution was today, but I do. So, on behalf of Skyrstun Village, I thank you.”
Zayzal waved his hand dismissively. “What are you talking about? You guys did all the work. I just acted as the support. If anything, I should be thanking you for trusting me enough and allowing me to test my talent on you.”
Sera jabbed him in the shoulder, which sent a jolt of pain down his arm before she snorted. “Hmph. No need to be humble. We both know I wasn’t killing that black wolf without a power-up. If that thing got out, who knows just how much devastation it could’ve caused. Take pride in your actions and own up to your achievements because no one else will.”
Zayzal rubbed his arm with a bitter expression but nodded nonetheless. “You’re right. I really saved your ass back there, didn’t I?” He said with a slight smirk.
“As if!” She scoffed. “Did you see how many monsters I killed? At least double the amount you did! I can’t even count the number of times you almost died, with me having to step in and protect you!”
The two chuckled for a while as they played around.
After a while, things fell silent, and Zayzal took that as his cue to head inside. But before he entered the hut, he turned around to Sera and chuckled, “Now that I think about it, I originally came to this village in hopes of finding a safe place to sleep and to get a bandage or something. Who knew I’d be joining a battle against monsters? It was probably safer out there in the backcountry than it is here.”
Sera just kicked him in the butt, shoving him into the hut. “I can always send you back out there if you’d like. Then, we can see if your words hold any truth.”
“No, no, no.” Zayzal shook his head, immediately regaining his balance. “I’ll take my bed and blanket, thank you.”
“Good. Now, rest.” Sera said while turning around to leave.
“You too!” He called out and shut the door, not wanting any more of the cold to get in.
Now that he was alone, he walked over to his bed. As soon as his back touched the soft wool, he was out like a light.
It wasn’t until the morning of the next day, almost 24 hours later, that he woke back up.
Zayzal’s eyelids fluttered open, the room around him still dark and cold.
The events from the previous day felt like a distant dream, and for a moment he wondered if they had been. He sat up, stretching his limbs and wincing as he felt the sting from his wounds.
‘No, it wasn't a dream.’ He thought. The soreness of his body was a painful testament to that.
Throwing his legs over the edge of the bed, he paused. He could hear the murmurs of voices from outside.
Curiosity piqued, Zayzal fixed his ripped clothes and ventured out, greeted by the hum of activity.
Villagers were busy repairing damaged huts, tending to the injured, and recounting tales of bravery. Children ran about, laughing and playing amidst the chaos, seemingly unfazed by the previous day’s events.
He made his way to the center of the village, where a makeshift table was set up. It was filled with food: bread, meat, vegetables, and fruits. A sign that the community was trying to regain some sense of normalcy.
"Slept well, did you?" A familiar voice called out.
Turning, Zayzal saw Gunnar approaching with a smirk on his face. "A full day’s worth," Zayzal replied with a grin.
"Thought you might’ve left without saying goodbye," Gunnar jested, patting Zayzal on the back.
"Just gathering energy for the road ahead. I wasn't planning on staying here, after all," Zayzal remarked.
Gunnar's face grew more serious. "You're leaving?"
"Eventually," Zayzal said, hesitating. “I need to return home and make sure my family is okay. I only came out here for a little bit of hiking, after all.”
Gunnar nodded in understanding, as he would’ve done the same.
“But first, I’d like to test my talents out a bit more while I’m here.” Zayzal continued, causing Gunnar’s expression to brighten.
“Oh! Do you think you can make me strong like Sera?!” He grabbed Zayzal’s shoulders and exclaimed.
Zayzal swatted off his hands and shook his head. “I don’t know. If you’re willing to be my second test subject, we can find out.”
“Good! Then, what are we waiting for?” Gunnar grabbed Zayzal’s arm and dragged him over to a secluded area around the backside of his house under a large tree covered in snow.
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Sitting down behind him, Zayzal closed his eyes and took a deep breath, opening them again when he was ready.
“Just follow my lead.” He said, placing his hands on the young Viking’s back, to which Gunnar nodded.
Zayzal’s eyes glowed a faint silver as he stared at the man’s body. He quickly spotted the red orb, which wasn’t quite as bright as it was when they were in the dungeon but still easily noticeable.
Inside Gunnar, he saw all kinds of illusory pathways moving throughout his body. He could instinctively tell that they weren’t real, not yet at least, and that these pathways were a part of his talent.
They looked somewhat similar to what he saw in Sera, but a few spots were very different. For instance, Gunnar’s legs and feet had way more pathways than the rest of his body.
‘Considering his talent is [Augmented Speed], I suppose it makes sense. That is if one’s talent affects one’s overall strength.’ Zayzal noted. This would still require more testing, but he figured he was on the right track.
After a preliminary examination, Zayzal concentrated on those pathways, directing his intent to illuminate them for Gunnar.
At that moment, he felt a stream of energy leave his body and flow into Gunnar’s, rushing around to highlight those pathways around his skeletal structure.
“Alright, Gunnar. Do you feel anything?” Zayzal asked.
The man nodded, “I do! I feel a cooling sensation tingling inside my body!”
“Okay, I want you to try to direct the energy inside you into those points.”
“Ummm…” Gunnar paused, turning to look at Zayzal as if he were speaking an alien language. “How do I do that?”
“...”
‘How am I supposed to know?’ Zayzal almost asked aloud. He was in the same situation as everybody else.
Still, Zayzal didn’t want to disappoint the man who he put his life on the line with and began looking for a solution.
Suddenly, his eyes widened as an idea came to him.
‘I don’t know if this’ll work, but it’s worth a try,’ he thought.
“So, you know how you found your talent?”
Gunnar nodded.
“Well, do what you did back then. Focus on your talent. Search within your consciousness for it if you have to.”
Believing in Zayzal, Gunnar shut his eyes closed so hard his brows creased. The energy within him stirred slightly as he called upon his talent, [Augmented Speed].
A few moments later, the image of a pair of legs with the words [Augmented Speed] above it appeared in his mind.
“Got it!” Gunnar exclaimed.
Zayzal nodded before he continued, “Good. Now, try to activate your talent. I don’t know exactly how you’re supposed to use it, or even if you can, but it’s worth a shot.”
Sera’s seemed more passive, similar to his [Adaptability], but Zayzal theorized that he should be able to control it like his [Pathfinder] talent. Or, at least, have some degree of input.
“Understood!” Gunnar shouted before forcing his eyes closed shut, trying as hard as he could to complete the task.
He gritted his teeth and squeezed his butt cheeks, trying to get it. He swung his legs around, attempting to create the mind-muscle connection between the two, hoping for better results. He didn’t even think there was a possibility that he couldn’t do it. He KNEW he could. He just needed to work for it.
It took almost 15 minutes with Zayzal trying to continuously illuminate Gunnar’s talent and pathways until the man eventually felt a stream of energy flow through his legs.
“I think I did it!” Gunnar shot up to his feet and began running around. “Hahaha! Amazing! This feels amazing! I’m so fast! Hahahaha!”
Even though Gunnar was darting around in the snow, Zayzal watched in shock at how fast he was moving.
‘Isn’t this basically Olympic-level speed?! Amazing!’ His eyes shined like a kid in a candy shop watching the man run around.
After a few minutes, Gunnar calmed down and sat in front of Zayzal again.
“Sorry about that,” he said sheepishly. “I just didn’t know someone could run that fast and couldn’t stop myself.”
Zayzal smiled and replied with a chuckle, “All good. I would do the same exact thing.”
Not wanting to waste any time, Zayzal put his hand on Gunnar’s back and repeated what he had done earlier.
“Now, while I show you the pathways, I want you to try and direct that energy you felt through them. Just follow my lead and don’t do anything unnecessary.”
“Understood!”
Gunnar focused, feeling the flow of energy Zayzal was transferring into him. His brows furrowed as he attempted to guide it, tracing the pathways that had been revealed. It felt like trying to coax water through a series of tiny channels – slow and deliberate.
Zayzal watched Gunnar's progress, mentally cheering him on. His hands warmed from the energy he was channeling, and he hoped that Gunnar was benefiting from their session.
Minutes passed, and just when Zayzal felt he was reaching his limits, Gunnar's face lit up in understanding.
“I can feel it!” Gunnar exclaimed. “The pathways...they're like veins, aren't they? I can feel my bones getting stronger!”
He continued to circulate the energy in his body according to what Zayzal showed. The ambient energy around them became attracted to their position, converging on Gunnar.
Energy spread throughout his skeletal structure, wrapping around all his bones before it infused into them.
Every few seconds, they’d hear his bones creak and pop until a tiny explosion went off in his body, and a surge of power like no other rushed through him like a tidal wave.
“Woah! Amazing!” Gunnar flexed his arms, feeling a newfound vigor and strength coursing through his veins. “It feels like I’m walking on air! There's this lightness, this power. It's indescribable!”
Zayzal contemplated the process he had just initiated. “It seems that by understanding and unlocking these pathways, you can refine and boost your body. I don’t know if it affects your talent yet, but regardless, I’m assuming you became even stronger.”
Gunnar laughed heartily. “So basically, you’re saying I got an upgrade?”
“Pretty much,” Zayzal replied with a chuckle. “Although I can’t say for sure if the effect is permanent or if it needs regular sessions.”
The Viking warrior stood up, moving with a speed that surprised even himself. "Regardless of how long it lasts, I feel like I've been reborn. Thank you, Zayzal.”
“Mmhm. No problem.” Zayzal nodded. “Thanks for going along with my experiments.”
The two shared a moment of mutual respect. Neither one had any negative thoughts toward the other, merely appreciating each other’s goodwill and company.
However, a loud, sharp whistle interrupted their moment. Looking in the direction of the sound, they saw Sera waving them over.
“Come on, Zayzal! Stop playing around with that idiot! My Mother and Father would like to speak to you!” she shouted, looking exasperated but with a glint of amusement in her eyes.