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12. Semi-pro Tagonist II

12. Semi-pro Tagonist II

12

Semi-Pro Tagonist II

The days after receiving his Class were a bit of a blur for Hiro. When he told his father that he had received a special class the large man looked disappointed, but not surprised. The next morning Jeremiah had helped Hiro knock out the morning chores quickly, something he hadn't done in years. The reason for the change was revealed when they returned to the house, and Jeremiah told him to clean up and meet him in the cellar.

As Hiro descended the stairs into the dark he noticed a single candle lighting a corner of the damp room. There he found his father seated on the cold stone floor, surrounded by boxes with a large bundle in his lap.

“What's that?” Hiro asked, half in curiosity, half to break the unnerving silence.

Jeremiah jumped and looked up at his son. The giant man's eyes glistened with unshed tears and the creases and wrinkles of his face seemed to catch the light. Jeremiah looked twice his age at that moment. Only two other times in Hiro's life could he remember seeing a look like that on his father’s face, both times he was deep in his cups, and Hiro or someone else had asked about Julia, Hiro's mother.

Jeremiah hadn't answered on either previous occasion.

He answered this time, “This… this was your mother’s sword.”

There was no way whatever was in that bundle was a sword. Not unless the wrapping was fifty layers thick. The bundle was about five feet long and three wide, not to mention as thick as his father's tree trunk sized biceps.

Hiro didn't know anything about his mother aside from the fact that she had died before his birth. That didn't make any sense to Hiro when he heard it, so he asked the only other person he knew that had known Julia. Aunt Layla said she had been there that day.

Julia and aunt Layla were both part of some sort of delving party that made a living fighting in dungeons. Something went bad that day, and Layla wouldn't elaborate, but his mother had been killed while pregnant with him. The party's cleric acted quickly, and used his mother’s own blade to cut open her belly, and pull Hiro from her warm corpse.

It took that cleric, the entire healing potion stock of the party, a priest from the nearby church, and a rare Druid classer to save Hiro.

Even the small pieces of the story he had received were impressive, but Hiro felt none of it. It was just a story to him, and the people around him had lived the terrible tragedy, so he didn't pry.

Jeremiah kept talking, but the haunted look in his eyes didn't fade, “This is all of her old gear… a lot of it is too small for you, she was so short…”

The moisture finally collected enough to break free and trail down his face, and he wiped it away with the heel of his hand before clearing his throat and continuing in a colder, more measured tone.

“You should take whatever you can use… everything is still in good condition, and should be useful to you.”

Hiro looked around and noticed the contents of the boxes. A dagger, amulets, rings, various pieces of armor he couldn’t identify, and other things he wouldn't have thought about bringing on a journey, a pack with a small pot tied to it, a canteen, a device he had seen adventurers use to light fires, even a bedroll.

Jeremiah took one last look at the large bundle he had called a sword, took a deep breath, and held it up to Hiro.

Hiro carefully reached out and tried taking the bundle. For a moment he thought his father was gripping the bundle to keep him from taking it, but a quick glance showed his hands were open. Hiro hadn't budged the thing, and that was just it's natural weight.

Jeremiah chuckled softly, which eased Hiro's concern, “Your mother was strong, you will be too, in time. Square up your feet and lift.”

The second attempt went better, and Hiro marveled at the bulky thing. Someone had been able to swing this around? Jeremiah smiled sadly, clapped Hiro on the shoulder, and left the cellar.

Hiro took everything except the armor, his father was right, it all looked child sized next to him. Once he was out of the cellar, and he had better light he unwrapped the bundle. The cloth was some sort of thick canvas with one waxy side. Inside the single layer of wrapping was a slab of metal with one sharpened edge. Whoever called this a sword had never seen one before, it looked like it would be better used as a plow.

When Hiro took his inheritance to show Dianne, he found the shop closed and windows shuttered. No amount of knocking brought any response, and eventually he gave up. The day passed quickly and quietly with everyone his age meeting with or looking for their new mentors.

The next morning Hiro rose earlier than ever before, and made his way to town one last time. His father walked with him most of the way, resting a hand on his shoulder but not saying anything. As they reached the edge of town Jeremiah stopped short and Hiro looked back at him.

“It's finally time son… I want you to remember something… Home, Home is always here waiting.”

Hiro didn't really get it, but the moment seemed to be important, so he nodded solemnly.

The caravan was being loaded by servants when he arrived, a couple guards in the Solomon family uniform stood at the side, and nodded as he approached. With nothing to do and excitement bubbling in his chest, Hiro decided to help the servants load their cargo to burn off some energy .

Dianne did show up eventually, neither of her parents did though. She immediately found an empty carriage, and spoke to the guards. Somehow she talked her way into riding like a noble for the trip.

He saw very little of Dianne over the next few days as they traveled. When they stopped for the nights he would help the servants with their duties, setting up fires for cooking and staking out the horses. Dianne remained cooped up in the carriage, only leaving to get food and relieve herself.

Eventually, the Capital rose over the horizon. The city was massive, Hiro supposed if you stood their entire town on its side it wouldn't reach as high as the tallest buildings in the capital, and who could even say how long it would take to cross from one side to the other. Everything seemed to be made of grey stone.

Maybe rather than build this place, someone had carved it out of a mountain. The amount of work involved would probably be similar. The idea wasn't so crazy as it sounded. Towns folk didn't get to hear much about it, but apparently the largest, strongest dungeons could communicate with people. Humans and Dungeons would make agreements, and work together to build incredible feats of engineering and architecture that would otherwise be impossible.

The famous Royal Gauntlet dungeon was one such dungeon that could communicate, and had several standing arrangements with the Royals. Hiro wondered if he would run that dungeon soon, it was supposed to be in the Capital after all. No one had discussed his Class with him any further, but Classes that were considered ‘special' were usually adventure type Classes.

Once they reached the walls of the city, massive things that stretched higher than seemed possible, the caravan veered off the main road into a staging area of sorts. Miranda left her own carriage and spoke to a guard, who fetched Hiro and Dianne.

Once they had both gathered, Dianne making only brief eye contact and nothing else, Miranda spoke to them, “Welcome to Bansolow, capital city of the Kingdom of Bansolow. Yes the name is repetitive, Yes the Royal family is no longer named Basolow, No they aren't going to change it any time soon.

Now, I would like to give you the tour, but that would take a week and Mr. Grand Paladin here informs me that something is going on in the frontier, and two potentially powerful new Classers might need to be rushed through training in order to handle the threat.”

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As she spoke she gestured to a man who stood nearby at attention. The ‘Grand Paladin' looked anything but grand. The man was thin and short, looking like a half sized scarecrow, he looked like a stiff breeze might carry him away. Wire rimmed glasses sat on the end of his nose, far too low to be of much use, and ink stains on the sleeves his plain looking robes gave the skinny man the look of a scholar more than a paladin.

The paladin bowed and spoke to the ground, “Thank you Ms. Solomon, again I apologize for the inconvenience. I wouldn't have bothered you if not for the Seer’s prophecy.”

Melinda waved the apology away, “No, of course, we cannot ignore such dire portents. And please stand up straight, I'm not my uncle, speak normally.”

The man wore a frown as he stood back up, “Then I would ask you to please call me by my given name… I would, but I know you would agree and then ignore the request.”

Melinda smirked at him, “It would be improper, and even more importantly, disrespectful of me to call you by anything but your Class name Grand Paladin, think of the image that would present. And call me Melinda”

“Yes Ms. Solomon, of course. Now… the new Classers?”

Melinda hummed as if weighing the idea of taunting the paladin further, but she eventually acquiesced, presenting Dianne and Hiro like cattle at an auction, “Here they are, this is Mr. Semi-pro Tagonist, and Ms. Tagonist.”

The Paladin finally broke from the weird skit they had been playing out, shock etched on his weathered face.

“Semi-pro… Tagonist… are you two related?” He asked.

“No!” Hiro and Diane answered in unison.

Hiro couldn't sort out how he felt about the speed Dianne had snapped that answer out. The situation was too complicated. Hiro didn't like complicated.

“Well… Alright then, I am Theodore Grand Paladin, perhaps you've heard of me?”

Hiro looked at Dianne who looked back with an equally clueless expression.

Melinda cut in, unable to keep quiet any longer, “Theodore was a top adventurer about… thirty years ago? He used to be famous for his… diminutive stature.”

Theodore looked about to die of embarrassment, but Melinda didn't relent, snorting as she continued, “Everyone wanted him on their team. Many fair maiden's hearts were broken when ‘The-O-Dore able Grand Paladin retired'"

She lost it then, barking out with laughter.

“I think we should move along. If the Seer is correct, and she always is, then we haven't nearly enough time to bring you two up to speed. Come, this way. We can get you properly scanned at the Guild Headquarters.”

Without a look at the hysterical Melinda, Theodore hurried the Tagonists along away from the caravan. Theodore guided them through a gate, skipping the long main queue and nodding to a guard. Apparently Grand Paladins got special treatment.

As they entered the city proper the scale of the place again struck Hiro and Dianne both. It really did seem like a mountain made of buildings. From the gate at the edge of the city one could see all the way to the center. The outermost ring of buildings were ‘only' about twice as tall as Hiro's house back in the town, but the closer to the center a building was, the taller it was. The effect was such that you could almost always see hundreds of buildings, each rising a bit higher than the one in front of it.

The city was too large to get a good picture of the shape just from looking, but the gate they had entered led directly to a wide cobble street that seemingly led straight to the center of the city. At the center of the city stood The Citadel. The Citadel was almost as famous as the Royal Gauntlet dungeon. Even Hiro knew all about The Citadel.

The massive building rose twice as tall as the buildings around it. A shade of grey a bit darker than most of the stone in the city gave it the appearance of a looming shadow. From the stories, Hiro knew that you could fit the entirety of his town within The Citadel and still have room to spare.

That was where the Royal Family lived, as well as a small army of servants. It also housed the Royal Guard. The kingdom had an army, and the city had the city guard, but the Royal Guard was something else. Top adventurers would often be recruited to the Royal Guard. The offer that the Royals made was just too good to refuse, so most accepted.

The ex adventurers didn't handle anything but the security of the Royals, that left the rest of their time for training. Sun up to sun down, every single day they trained. It was said that if you wanted to take the Citadel, you would first need to turn every single soldier, guard, and adventurer in the kingdom. Even then you would have a hard time.

They didn't go to the Citadel, instead they made their way to a building that was actually set into the city wall itself. When they entered the wall Theodore explained that it would be impractical to use the entire massive structure only for defense, so the middle floors were used for important infrastructure, like the adventurers guild, the guard house, the builders union, trade offices, and much, much more.

Soon they entered the Adventurers Guild indicated as such by a sign. Hiro noted that the sign, and all the others he had seen within the city, was written out rather than displaying pictures. Did everyone in the city have their letters?

Inside the guild was a scene similar to those he had seen in the town guild branch back home. People milled about a bulletin board displaying contracts, or sat at tables eating, or lined up to speak with a clerk. That seemed odd, this city was enormous, surely they had more adventurers than they could fit in this place. The room was crowded but it was just too small, there couldn’t be a hundred people in there.

Theodore brushed past the packed room and into a back room. Within the office was a grey weathered man sitting at a desk, head deep in paperwork of some type. Theodore cleared his throat.

The man didn't respond.

He tried again.

“I hear you, I’m just ignoring you. I'm busy, go away.”

“Randall."

The old man, Randall, startled and tried to stand. His chair didn't move though and he just floundered in his chair a moment.

“Lord Theodore! My apologies, what can I do for you sir?”

“Easy Randall, I need to scan these two, your branch is the closest to the gate they arrived at.”

“Oh, this is just one branch, there are more like… it…in” Hiro trailed off as everyone stared at him. Great, now they all thought he was an idiot.

Randall shook off the outburst, and looked at Hiro and Dianne through squinted eyes, “Hmm, yes. New Classers then. Summer already is it? Alright then, over here you two, come on.”

The pair approached and suddenly Randall held up a palm to stop them when they got to the desk, as if they would climb it to get closer if he didn't.

Then Randall closed his eyes, and shout chanted while gesturing wildly around, “Powers that surround us! I implore you, heed my call! Grant us the knowledge forbidden to us lowly mortals! Allow us to peel back the veil of reality and peer into the depths, to glimpse fate! Bestow your insights into the nature of all that is! Show us, Show us his soul!”

With a flourish Randall flung his arms toward Hiro… all while still seated.

Name: Hiro

Class: Semi-pro Tagonist

Race: Human

Level: 1

Stats:

Body: 10

Magic: 10

Leadership: 10

Primary Weapon: Buster Sword

Fate: Savior of humanity

The words appeared before everyone in the room. Dianne was the only one among them who didn't have her letters, and so as everyone read, she nudged Hiro and whispered.

“What does it say?"

Since the day of the Classing Hiro could count the words she had said to him on one hand, so he jumped at the question, hurriedly reading it for her. When he finished she whistled softly.

“Savior of humanity huh? So… I guess we got our wish, that is definitely an adventurer class. A big important one…”

Hiro nodded. He didn't want to say it out loud for fear of jinxing it, but her class was similar. They would be important adventurers together. They would be adventurers, like Dianne wanted, and they would be together, like Hiro wanted.

He couldn't help the grin that split his face.

As they finished reading, Theodore nodded like the result was expected, then prompted Randall again, “Now the other one?”

Randall nodded and raised his arms dramatically again, calling out once more, “Powers that surround us! ... Her too please.”

And he pointed at Dianne.

Really?

Name: Dianne

Class: Tagonist

Race: Human

Level: 1

Stats:

Body: 2

Magic: 20

Leadership: 50

Primary Weapon: Crown

Fate: Edgy monologue followed by defeat at the hands of childhood friend

Dianne nudged Hiro again, “What does mine say?”

Hiro's heart stopped, and he could only answer with one word, “Umm…”

Theodore and Randall looked pityingly at Dianne.

Dianne grew frustrated, “What does it say?”

Theodore coughed and spoke over Dianne, pretending he couldn't hear her, “SO… the prophecy. The Seer had a vision that told her of a growing threat in the frontier. And, that a new Classer would be arriving who would be necessary to combat the threat.”

Hiro noted the man had said ‘A new Classer' singular.

“Would someone please answer me, what did the weird floaty words say?!”

Theodore spoke louder, “So we need to rush your training, unfortunately. But, that does mean you get special attention, I will be mentoring you personally. Today and tomorrow you will train with the Royal Guard, then we will clear a beginner dungeon. I won't be aiding you in the dungeon run, so you must take the training seriously. First though, we need to visit the armory, Randall have you ever heard of a buster sword?”

Hiro raised a hand, “Ah sir? I think, I already have one.”

He pointed at the massive thing strapped to his back.

“That? I thought you were delivering stock metal to the foundry… Where did you get that thing?”

“It was my mother's sword.”

Randal was the one who spoke up next, “I think I’ve seen that sword before… You wouldn't be Julia Colossus’s boy would you?”

It was the first time he had heard that second name, but Julia was indeed his mother. Hiro nodded.

Theodore seemed to know the name, if not the sword, and blew out a breath at the confirmation, “Well… if you have half her talent boy, then we should be fine.”

Dianne had placed herself in the middle of the room, and was waving her arms in front of their faces, “Seriously, what did my scan say?”