Sixteen days until the duel with Edbert

Now that the spar was over and I had increased my stats, we were almost ready to begin the next stage of training, according to Alec’s remarks. I was not sold on spending experience on getting the Shepherd class. However, now that I had my skill points in the right range and I could unlock it with no extra effort after Guard got to the right level? I had to consider it at least. As part of that consideration, I willed the system into opening up a window for my character sheet, and then a window for the ‘Skills’ section alone. As soon as it came up, I read over it.

[[ Skills:

Analysis – 8 points | Elemental Association Artifice, Primal, and [Unknown] elemental associated |

Carpentry – 5 points | Nature, Earth, and [Unknown] elemental associated skill |

Throwing – 5 points | Wind, Earth, and [Unknown] elemental associated Skill |

Short Blades – 5 Points | Nature, Wind, and [Unknown] elemental associated skill |

Cooking – 3 Points | Artifice, Fire, and [Unknown] elemental associated skill |

Gardening – 1 Point | Nature, Earth, and [Unknown] elemental associated skill |

Blunt Weapons – 11 Points | Nature, Earth, and [Unknown] Elemental associated skill | ]]

With the fact that a skill I had never practiced or even considered investing in before this week, I then took the time to focus on the words ‘Blunt Weapons’ while the skill window was open, and was treated to a more detailed explanation of the skill.

“A wide variety of weapons ranging from staves to clubs, batons, maces, shovels, flails, hammers and even shields. The blunt weapons skill is for when you are trying to use a weapon that will do bludgeoning damage. A wide-reaching skill, it is among the most common fighting skills. Some traits allow you to add a percentage of your blunt weapons skill to your monster partners’ techniques that qualify. Techniques that qualify for this increase will be marked with the notification ‘bludgeoning’ when examined.”

It would be useful to know and made me feel the need to check the description of the other skills. Before I did it, it was time to find out the next step; and to begin I focused on the class list. Once again, the choices I had unlocked hovered in my field of vision. Rogue, Apprentice, Guard, and Outsider.

As Alec departed to go discuss things with the eldest shepherds I flicked through the class choices and once again brought up the Guard class description. Surprising me not at all; it had expanded with my increased mental stats and analysis skills.

[[ Guard – This is the basic warrior class, capable of magnifying their weapon feats and wearing basic armor. Capable of using any weapon type with its abilities, Guards primarily are defenders and watchmen. Guards gain shield proficiency automatically. Their effective shield skill is considered to be that of their highest guard-keyed skill.

Unlock Method: Martial Training for at least three months. In addition, level 5 skill in at least two weapon skills or level 10 skill in one weapon skill or at least six battles won with one weapon skill.

Experience to the next level? 10

]]

Focusing on the word guard, I murmured. “Change class to guard.” I hoped in time, I would find another method of changing classes, as it would be more tactically advantageous if I could. For now, I just used the method I had been taught to change classes. It would have to do. I didn’t want to ask anyone about it, these were things that even children my physical age in Hekatondrona intrinsically understood.

Which is why I nearly had a heart attack when I suddenly found myself awash in a blaze of white. Suddenly the black trousers, black boots, and green and yellow checked tunic I was wearing under the letterman jacket transformed upon me.

In their place, I found myself wearing black boots without laces; a pair of dark gray trousers, and a padded black gambeson with square quilting. The letterman jacket was still upon me but had transformed – becoming a cuirass made of leather-like material with a grey fur trim on its collar. My hat meanwhile seemed to have transformed into a padded cap that covered my ears and much of my head; but still holding the bright orange bill of the hat. It was tied to my head like that of a medieval peasant cap, and I could not mistake the orange W on the cuirass’ center point.

As soon as I thought it looked ridiculous there was a shimmer on the cuirass and the edge of the bill and suddenly they transformed back to their original form. I was not sure that I looked any less weird now - and the fur fringe still existed on the collar of the letterman jacket, even. However, it struck me as less existentially weird than my letterman jacket suddenly trying to transform into a leather cuirass.

With my confusion about suddenly having my body swallowed in light and my clothes transformed, I headed to ask Alec and the elder shepherds about it.

Given my confusion about it, I was about to punch someone when my approach caused the entire group of them to burst into laughter. I know it was childish to get mad about someone laughing at you, but it was also childish of them to laugh at me for my confusion.

“What in all that is holy was that?” I shouted, gesturing at them.

“First time changing your class instead of upgrading it, wasn’t it?” Alec said, while the older shepherds still laughed and slapped their knees. “It’s normal when you first change into a class, and you can control if it happens or not after that. Some people are superstitious about it being bad luck if you don’t use the costume change it provides for you with the class, but why would it be optional if that was the case?”

I shrugged, though I did have thoughts on why it would be optional. The system seemed to be all about choice, so free will was considered by it and mattered. Espionage could also be a reason, if I was dressed as a rogue and suddenly began to fight with the intensity of a swordsman then that would be an advantage against an opponent.

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“It’s nice to know I don’t have to worry about the system eating my clothes every time I decide to change a class.”

Alec grinned. “Sorry about not telling you, but I didn’t expect you to do a class change when I was in the middle of reporting the results of our plan, and your… meditation? With the elders.”

I looked at them, with each dressed in a long cloak, trousers, and a woolen shirt. Most of them looked like the image that a person back home would get when they thought of a livestock herder in the ancient era. Every one of them that was male wore their beard well kept, and their hair closely cut or pulled back. They wore long outer coats over their clothing, and everyone carried a walking staff. Some had swords or daggers at their sides, and others had strange devices at their belts that could be attached to the staff to use in battle as Alec and Craytipult did.

When he was done talking to me, Alec turned to the Shepherd elders. For once, instead of being one of the tallest kids in the room, and filled with confidence, he gave the impression of a preteen attempting to sell his parents on some plan he has for the summer and why summer camp would be a horrible investment.

“Anyways, masters, while I know we aren’t required to help just anyone who decides to be a shepherd, I really think that we should help out Wade Calhoun here. He’s not a member of the tribe, but I don’t think we should let him stumble into the secrets of Shepherd without help. If he has the potential to be a great ally it would be a waste for the tribe to miss out on that opportunity.”

He paused to allow a retort from them, clearly trying to show deference to those older than him.

Several of them did not so much as look at him and spoke among themselves. However, any real observation of them said clearly that they were discussing the merits of what he had said. Only two of the shepherd elders did not partake in listening to what Alec had to say or discussing what he said.

One of them was an old man with high cheekbones, a narrow hawk-like nose, thin lips, and eyes that moved around quickly. This elder kept his hair pulled back in a long braid of white hair and was wearing clothes that looked more than a bit more quality than the rest of the shepherds present. He showed he wasn’t listening by looking elsewhere and keeping his arms crossed. The other elder was likely his son or possibly his brother because he dressed similarly to the first with had similar features but with dark hair held in a braid.

When the discussions between the elders died down, Alec continued. “Surely you saw how quickly he went from knowing nothing of the blunt weapon’s skill to getting to the level of a novice.”

I was only a novice? Weapon skills must go far further than I expected. I tucked that info away as I stood there, and watched Alec. My instincts and the fact I had not been invited to state my case made it hard, my body had its own in-built tics at times, and given I did not have many allies I didn’t want to look at the ground as I would have as a child back on Earth.

I was an adult and a father - of age or older than many of these shepherds, if I was only in my real body. So I fought that urge to look down and instead stood up as straight as I could as they spoke but didn’t involve me. I held my tongue, but only a hot-headed youth would do otherwise. I wasn’t one, after all.

“Young Alec, even if you were right, the fact remains that he challenged the Baron of Tidewarren’s entire authority with his challenge; and you’ve already been endangering us by offering him access to the training we provide children. He very clearly does not have the ability to win the fight with Lord Edbert, simply look at him. He’s fighting the urge to mewl for succor.”

Alec kept a firmly controlled expression at those words but I didn’t focus on him. Instead, I stared at the man with the long white braid and the narrow face – he had been the one to insult me so. I clenched the staff that Alec had given me five days ago and I focused on the pain I felt as my hand tried to dig into the durable wood of the weapon.

“He is an outsider, Elder Ronak, so don’t be deceived!” Alec tried to argue, but it was clear this old man was having none of it.

I spoke up. “Alec, it doesn’t matter if y’all help me or not, but I will keep it in my memory either way. I will...” and the will was said with all the certainty and steel I could muster from my not-yet-even preteen body. “... defeat Edbert. I will win my bet with Baron Charles Darville and when I’m done I will go on to win the tournament on the eve of the new Mooncrawl.”

I then focused my expression on the old man. “Would you do anything less for your children? If I fail to do what I aim to, I will be dooming my own.”

I got that same expression I normally got when making some claim like that towards a Hekatondronan, and it was clear the old man thought I was making a jest. His eyes burrowed into me showing his real thought that I was an annoyance.

But before he could say a word another man walked up. This man, tall and with sandy blonde hair that stood in stark contrast with his deeply tanned skin walked up. He was dressed largely like the others, but under he carried no staff with him directly. As he walked it was with a cane and I was not sure that it was for anything but style – he walked with the vigor of a man in his prime and looked it too.

“Ronak, don’t play the idiot. Any shepherd has eyes and we all are quite aware of your affection for and ties to the Baron. Just because he pays you more per head of livestock than you would get selling your sheep and cattle elsewhere doesn’t mean he is always right.”

The newcomer jerked one of his deeply tanned hands in my direction, pointing with a finger. “Just as we all saw the boy’s class change to guard for the first time, I know you also saw the earlier light. He’s an outworlder and most of them are much older than they are born into this world as. So if he has a plan, we’ll hear him out from his own mouth. If his plan has merit, we’ll provide him with all the aid that he needs because an ally who needs you is far more worth your time than an ally who doesn’t.”

And without even looking as he said that, his cane pointed in the direct direction where we could see Tidewarren Castle on the horizon within the innermost sections of Strongbridge. Without missing a beat, or acknowledging the murmurs of protest from Ronak that began with “But patriarch.” the man turned to me.

“I am Patriarch David Aleksandrovich of the Tidewarren Shepherds, young master Wade Calhoun. You have my attention. Please begin to state your case.”

“I’d be a fool to think I could beat Edbert on equal footing, he’s physically older than me and he’s got more direct tutelage. He’s the nephew of Baron Darville and has all the benefits a noble would have, but on top of that, he’s also got at least eight monster partners that he could potentially use. Ronak over there is not wrong that it would be a steep order for just anyone to win against a situation like that, but I am aware of the discrepancies in power and I also know that nobles were not always nobles.”

I looked to Ronak as if punctuating my point. “Both here in Hekatonadrona and on my homeworld, the nobility’s ancestors originally grabbed the power they enjoyed by the point of a sword and the promise of power to those that would follow them. So I’m going to equalize the power discrepancy, by increasing my skill ratings and by increasing my levels, but also by using a series of tools that should be done soon. As soon as they are, I’m heading to Dragon’s Fang Bog and I will be training my monsters and capturing more.”

David Alekasandrovich gave a nod at that, before gesturing for me to continue.

“So I have Shepherd unlocked and I have the experience points thanks to our adventure through the Tidewarren Dungeon, to get me all the way to level eight in Shepherd. The only reason why I even need you guys to help me is because according to Alec unlocking Shepherd alone will give me some entirely new aspect of the system which I have not seen before. I’d rather learn to use my new skill from experts than waste time I don’t have putzing around and trying to learn how to do it without guidance. But I will do so if you don’t offer the guidance, and I’ll come out mastering the skill.”

David gave a nod, before turning to the other elders.

“Alec, Wade, please give us some room to talk. We will call for you when we’ve come to a decision.”

This is when I learned something else about Alec, this man was his grandfather. As I flicked the systematic aspect of my senses over my shepherd friend, I saw his full name for the first time blossom in a prompt.

“Alek Alekasandrovich.”

We walked away to give them space.