Gahl parted ways with Yl as they walked to meet up with the group. Ana stood at the front, bleary eyed and looking confused.
‘Was that you shouting just there?’ Ana asked. ‘It sounded like your voice.’ Gahl turned to see people glaring at him.
‘Yes,’ he admitted.
‘Great. You always knew how to make good first impressions, and I have to say, waking everyone up earlier to whine about how someone’s not playing fairly is just another work of your genius.’ Ana groaned.
‘Well, what was I to do? Yl was quite obviously just trying to annoy me.’
‘I don’t care what in Hyuna you do, as long as you don’t wake up half the ship in the process. And seemingly other ships.’ Gahl turned, and saw the crowd staring at him was not exclusive to their ship.
‘SO! CHILDREN OF GLORY! THIS MARKS YOUR FIRST TRAINING DAY! YOU ARE GOING TO TRAIN UNDER ME FOR THE NEXT FEW MONTHS, UNTIL WE HAVE YOU LOOKING LIKE FOOLS NO MORE! AM I CLEAR?’
‘First, are we going to have breakfast.’
Isn’t that a poor soul? The first to die on voyage, I suppose.
‘THERE WILL BE NO BREAKFAST! GET USED TO THAT! WE WORK UNTIL LUNCH, WHERE YOU WILL GET SOME IF YOU ARE LUCKY! AM I UNDERSTOOD?’
‘Yes, Sir!’ screamed Yl for them all.
At least he was slightly bearable this morning. Why has he gone back to being so obnoxious?
Yl stood attentively, saluting.
‘WELL! ARE WE ALL GOING TO REPLICATE THIS FINE AND GLORIOUS CHILD AND SALUTE TO YOUR GENERAL?’
‘Yes, Sir…’ the murmur died out as soon as it had groaned to life.
‘THAT IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH, AND I HOPE YOU ALL KNOW THAT THIS IS NO WAY TO TREAT YOUR GENERAL. THIS IS NO WAY TO TREAT THE MAN WHO IS TO SAVE YOU YOUR LIVES - AS IF YOU HAD LIVES TO BEGIN WITH!’
‘Okay, Sir!’ Yl stood even straighter, though Gahl did not know how, and whipped his hand to a salute again.
‘Let’s see what some good old training will do for your appreciation of me, eh? Everybody, line up into your strikestones!’
Gahl hastily found more people with a piercing strikestone, using his seeing screen as guidance. They formed into an inexperienced rank, and were quickly supplied with oaken rods from yet another box.
‘Sir, I have training with a sword,’ asked Yl. ‘Am I allowed to use a sword?’
‘THAT IS A GOOD QUESTION!’ Sarembai boomed. ‘FROM THIS POINT FORWARD, THE WEAPON WE GIVE YOU IS THE WEAPON YOU WILL STICK WITH FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIVES IN THE ARMY!’
Or just the rest of my life.
‘ALL OTHER WEAPONS ARE BANNED, AND SHALL BE CONFISCATED SOON BY THE WARDENS AND I!’
‘Yes, sir.’ Yl looked crestfallen, but did not say a word after that. He handed his sword over to Sarembai.
You could take advice from him in holding your tongue.
***
The entire fleet formed into lines on the various decks, or at least it seemed to Gahl from where he was nestled. From this position they learned the basics of how to use the spear, and Gahl realised in only 10 minutes he had learned more than he had known previously with the sword.
Yl was a really bad trainer… also I really need to get my strength up.
‘Okay, I want all of you to now turn to the people on your right.’ Gahl turned to his right, and the person next to him - who faced the other way to begin with - turned to him.
Oh for Hyuna’s sake.
Yl faced him. His face contorted, a worry shooting across it as he saw Gahl. His staff stood almost on its own accord at his side, a lot more graceful than Gahl’s hard attempts to keep the staff from falling on the ground.
‘So, these will be your training partners. You will spar with them.’
‘I’m sorry,’ Yl said preemptively.
‘It’s not your fault,’ Gahl sighed.
‘I will try not to annoy you.’
That is hardly a task, I feel as though you should be able to promise that without adding “try”.
***
They soon began sparring. Yl was nearly as awkward as Gahl was with the spear - a strange change from their practice earlier in the morning - but still managed to knock Gahl down first.
‘Are you okay?’ asked a voice. A cloaked figure stood over Gahl.
‘I’m alright,’ Gahl replied. This time, he managed to get himself up, however it was arduous. He looked at the man. He was tall, with olive skin and hazel hair that peeked from under his cloak- pure white, except for the shiny navy brooch. It matched his eyes.
Fallstone.
Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.
Siem of Tiyen Human (Faltren) Mage (Wizard) Force Strength 1 Dexterity 2 (+1 slim bonus) Vigour 1 Knowledge 5 Wisdom 5 Charismatic Charm 1 Luck 2
‘Do you know where you went wrong?’ Siem asked.
Is he a trainer?
‘No, not really,’ I admitted.
‘Well, do you know where he went wrong?’ Siem pointed to Yl.
‘Yes, he wasn’t on stable enough footing.’
‘Good, you know, because otherwise I would’ve had to go and ask someone.’ Siem chuckled to himself. ‘Well then, you try and improve on that, Gahl, and I’ll check on you soon to make sure you’re on stable enough footing next time.’
‘Thank you.’
What does this guy think he’s doing? How is just asking the person beside me going to help teach me at all?
Gahl kept his footwork sound throughout the next spar.
Yl was right in a sense, there’s a lot of transferrable skills from sword fighting to this - that’s why he’s still winning without giving me a chance.
Yl stepped forward, blocking the thrust Gahl attempted and knocking Gahl to the ground once more.
Gahl scrambled to his feet quickly, rejecting Yl’s help.
‘I think that time you just didn’t have the strength necessary to stop me, there wasn’t really anything wrong with what you did on your part.’
Oh, Hyuna.
Gahl glared at him, and did not respond. Instead he whispered within his mind.
Beckon.
Beckoned.
All-Knower, how am I supposed to fight against people with higher attributes than I?
The subject must train to beat opponents of higher attributes than them.
That makes no sense. No matter if I became the best spearman in all Halvanah I could still be defeated in a grappling contest.
To grapple in a spear fight is to incorrectly spear fight, however the subject may learn how to best opponents of higher attributes than them by practicing as by practicing, they shall become higher in the skill they are practicing. With higher skill levels, the attributes level up as well.
What?
The subject, when training a skill, will oftentimes find that their attribute levels up as well. At Strength Level I, you are required to level up THREE SKILLS in Strength before it levels up. I shall add this to your quest tab.
Gahl felt a surge in his forehead.
Objective: Level up THREE SKILLS in Strength: 0/3
“Even the Master Swordsman once drew a blade for the first time.”
View this Quest in the QUEST TAB of your Level Screen
Thank you. Exile.
Exiled.
‘Gahl?’
‘Yeah?’
‘You were staring at the floor for like five minutes now.’
‘Oh.’
‘Shall we start sparring again?’
‘Okay.’
I guess this is the only way I can get better at it. Oh Hyuna.
***
Gahl did not particularly enjoy being thrown to the ground over and over again, but his relief when lunch was announced made up for his pain somewhat. He sought to find Ana, but once again she found him first.
‘So how did your practice go?’ she asked.
‘It went fine enough.’
As if it could’ve gone any worse.
Ana gestured to the staff lain across Gahl’s lap. ‘So, you’re using spears then.’
‘What are you using?’
‘Staffs, though I am encouraged to make use of my lute, so I suppose I can just start playing songs in the middle of battle.’
‘You are a bard after all.’ Gahl took another bite of the Imperial handouts.
Does not taste good, but tastes a lot better than hunger I suppose.
‘Have you any ability with the spear, or are you just being knocked over more times than I can say in a minute.’
‘I am “learning”.’
‘Well, that seems like a lot of fun.’
‘Yeah, have you gotten quests yet?’
‘No, you have?’
‘Yeah. I have to level up three skills in strength.’
‘Good luck with that.’
‘I’ll need it, I suppose.’
‘Yes, you really will.’
‘EVERYBODY BACK TO WORK!’
Haven’t even finished my food…
***
And so they returned to work, and Gahl once again braced himself for more meetings with the floor. And meet the floor he did.
At this point I hope I don’t leave a dent in the wood.
‘Again.’ Sarembai walked around the rows, making sure everyone was training optimally.
Or falling with the most style works.
Gahl got up.
At this point my dexterity will probably level up faster than my strength will.
Gahl ran at Yl this time, trying to brute force his opponent to the ground.
I hope this gives me more strength training, because this sure does hurt a lot.
Gahl slammed back into the ground.
‘Don’t lose your lunch, Child,’ commanded Sarembai. ‘You’re not getting another one.’
I’ll try not to.
And so Gahl barely grasped onto his food while he hurtled to the ground yet again.
Not even the wisest scholar in the lands could count how many times I’ve fallen over today. I wonder if I’ll die if I fall enough times.
‘That was actually a pretty good attempt,’ said Yl as Gahl met the ground once more. ‘I was almost panicking there.’
Almost panicking. I’ll take that.
‘Don’t panic during battle or you shall die,’ stated Sarembai as he walked past.
‘Yes, Sir!’
At this point I can’t panic. You can’t fear a result that’s already been imposed upon you. I’m such a philosopher. The falling philosopher. The only break-throughs I’ll be making are through these boards.
The sun crept away from the sky faster than Gahl expected, though whether that was due to the time passing fast or the blunt force trauma making him lose all his memory he did not know.
‘Everybody form up before supper!’ called Sarembai. They formed once again in the lines of their companies.
‘How are you doing?’ asked Ana.
‘Pretty fine, actually.’
‘Did you enjoy hitting the ground some more?’
‘It was pretty groundbreaking.’
‘I was watching you. It was pretty funny.’
‘Thank you, I am just a bit of a jester.’
‘So, you feel extra muscular?’
‘Actually, maybe.’
‘Don’t get your hopes up. Levels don’t come that easy.’
‘Oh really, because I could’ve sworn I just saw a message that said “ATHLETICS LEVEL UP”. Do you think that could be related to what we’re talking about?’
‘How…’
‘I am just very athletic, as you of course know.’
‘They won’t be as easy soon.’
‘Okay, right now I celebrate my wins while I have them.’
‘That’s one of three, or are there other secret level ups you haven’t given me the privilege of hearing?’
‘One of three, that’s still one more than you, though.’
‘Mhm.’
‘Before you all feast on your supper, prepared specially for you, by you, I have to say something. Looking through the ranks as I passed today, I noticed a very important thing, that I thought I would share with you. THIS IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH! WHO DO YOU GUYS THINK YOU ARE! ARE YOU PLANNING ON GETTING ANNIHILATED AS SOON AS WE LAND, TURNED INTO A BETTER STEW THAN THE ONE YOU ARE TO EAT TONIGHT? START WORKING HARDER! YOU ARE FIGHTING FOR THE GLORY OF ALL OF THE IMPERIUM! I WILL NOT HAVE OUR GREAT EMPIRE DESTROYED BY YOUR IDIOCY!’
‘Yes, Sir!’ cried Yl.
’NO ONE GETS ANY SUPPER TONIGHT! THE NEXT TIME YOU ARE TO EAT IS THE NEXT TIME YOU PROVE YOURSELF WORTHY OF MY FOOD!’ Sarembai cast a gust of wind to shoot at the pots at which dinner was being made, tossing them overboard. ‘NOW GO TO BED!’
The Glory of the Imperium… We are most certainly on the right side of this war.