Morning came, and unsurprisingly it was a copy of the previous one. The Instructors arrived and ordered everyone to wash and eat.
I had been so tired from the new skills that I had used and the changes that I had experienced across my river system and its place in the landscape of my mind, That I had slept heavily and yet did not feel well rested.
As we moved into the mess hall, I realized that I had never attempted to identify the instructors since arrival, they had previously been somehow off-limits. That curse was more subtle than I thought. I thought that I was successfully resisting its effects, but while I was less affected by the commands being issued, I was still being impacted. It was hard to ensure that I was eating right. I was giving undue power to the instructors. I quickly parsed “identify” across them, with the least amount of power that I could and still get a result. Name, Level, and their Pillars. Looking at them now they were not that powerful, yet only the previous day I had felt intimidated by them.
Physically it was clear that I could not beat them in combat, I would be lucky to be able to survive. But they had low mental skills, and while I expected James to have significantly more spirit, I could see none of the four instructors that were in the hall that had more than a handful of spiritual attributes.
In fact, when I added all of their Pillar values together it was less than my individual values added together. Somehow I was a lot more powerful or at least had more potential.
The next step was to gain control of the team’s training from Steven. He couldn't be allowed to run our training anymore. His view that a focus only on the body pillar may have made sense for their training when they are so limited but clearly as outsiders, as travelers, as summoned we had different potential we didn't need to wait until we had reached the last third of our life to develop spirit. Even as I had these thoughts, they did make that much sense.
Simple observation of the people that were at the ritual that summoned us, meant that either he was misleading us deliberately, or he had been taught things that were not true and was therefore teaching us things that are untrue while believing them to be true.
It was not time now to try and influence the instructors. So I and my friends behaved as we had all week, a quick visit to the necessary, a quicker wash, and off to the dining hall. All three of us were more aware that we had been burning huge amounts of energy that required us to eat. Therefore we filled our plates and rushed through the food. Dashing back for seconds. It was clear that all the teams were doing the same now. Some were eating in line, rather than waiting until then to head back to the tables.
We were called by the Instructors before we were truly ready. None of us I suspected had eaten to sufficiency but for the first time since that first morning, I no longer had that hunger, that made every moment a waking nightmare.
During the walk to the training arena, I was paying little attention to my surroundings, I had to decide what my goals for the day were. As I thought about things I realized that the people in the stands were more of a danger than Steven. I really did not know what to do about that.
I was still confused when we suddenly arrived and were marched over to the training circles. The changes that had happened overnight in my river system meant that I was able to pick out that things had changed. Almost all of the monster minds had left. The only mind that mattered was a laser-like focus on me. Even as we entered the Red 1 training circle. My knees want to buckle at the pressure that I felt. All I could tell for sure was that it was a woman that was examining. Most of my secrets were exposed: my titles, and my skills, the only things that did not seem to have been exposed were my race and my hidden skills. I had never felt so naked and open.
A message appeared in my mind “You are mine, Get rid of the trainer! Expand your skill as fast as you can. There are no limits to what you can achieve. “
At that instance all of the other minds that had been observing disappeared behind a wall of mist. I could tell that they were there, but it was also clear that they no longer were able to get a true understanding of what was happening within this training circle. Yet at the same time, the group of people that surrounded the woman was observable. Most were women although there were some men. The outer circle were warriors of some kind and were scanning the environment. These were largely male, but there were about 20% female, and 20% something that did not seem to have the taste of sexual nature.
Then there were a large number of people that were powerful, reminding me of those that I sense around the arena before the mist wall appeared. But the inner grouping was blinding when I allowed my sight to rest on them.
I turned to Steven and said “We need more food. I need you to return at midday with sufficient food. You need to change the quality of the food as well. I will no longer accept the low-grade food that we have been receiving. Arrange food that is good for our growth.
Leave”
I tried to infuse the last part of the command with a clear intent and some power. It was not the same as when he commanded us. But his eyes bulged, his body snapped to attention and turned before I think he realized what he was doing. There was a slight hesitation in his step to start with but as he reached the circle wall, he had regained his firm crisp step.
A somewhat weaker power from that inner circle was clearly attempting to gain knowledge about me. I summoned my will and rejected her. I would not like to encounter them face to face, but over the distance and through the two shield walls, even if the mist had a passage between them and us, I was able to at least protect myself from her inquiry. It then switched its attention to Fanny. Before I could react it switched back with a much more powerful attack on me. I knew that I had resisted somewhat. I had no idea what information it had gained.
“Shields Up!” I yelled
“We need to shield Focus on your shields,
Treat each and every attack as a chance to make the shields better.
Fanny your shield should not only resist but deflect attacks.
Robert with each attack fire should hurt putting your mind into a fire that you control should burn.”
I focus my efforts on the skills ‘Understand’, ‘Identify’, ‘Perception’, ‘Mental Awareness’. Also, I thought about how the attributes of Will, and Vision affected these skills. While the defenses that Fanny and Robert were honing were useful and necessary.
I still wanted a skill that allowed me to do self-reflection, a Status skill, that would come. I had to focus on what was in front of us as a team.
During the morning I could see that both Fanny and Robert were clearly making progress with the shields, but so was the person attacking them. It was a stalemate, each time one made a gain the other would counter. I came to recognize each time that my team had an upgrade. I could sense that they were ignoring the notifications they had previously learned during the time we spent improving our body attributes.
I was so focused on examining the skills and attributes of myself, Fanny, and Robert that I missed Steven approaching. He had recovered since this morning, He glared at us, and commanded
“What do you think you are doing? You should be only focused on building up your combat skills. It will not be long before you are sent to the front lines.”
“Shut Up! You do not question me. You will do as I say.” My response was quick and said without any thought. I may not be able to control everything in my life but this fool will control me no longer.
He looked as if he was about to respond angrily, but something happened. His eyes glazed over, and he quietly said “yes master”.
I had felt the flicker of another’s thought, skate across my mind and strike Steven. Steven stood there waiting. “Find a trainer to teach Fanny how to heal, I expect someone tomorrow morning. If you don’t know where to find someone, talk to who is over there. “
While pointing to the stands. Fear crossed his face, but he nodded.
“ Return when it is time to return to the hall”
Once we had eaten we took turns describing the changes that had occurred.
Attribute improved - Control - +3
Attribute improved - Focus - +1
Skill improved - Identify - 6/10
Skill Improved - Basic Understanding - 6/10
Skill Improved - Basic Perception - 6/10
Skill Improved - Unusual Mental Awareness - 3/40
New Skill - Common Command - 1 / 20
Skill Improved - Common Command - 3/20
Attribute improved - Belief - +1
Attribute improved - Vision - +1
Robert was excited by his changes for the first time. It was clear that he actually felt more like the Fire mage that he wanted to be.
Attribute improve - Focus - +4
Attribute improve - Intellect - +2
New Skill - Basic Shield - 10/10
New Skill - Common Shield - 13/20
New Skill - Basic Fire Shield - 3/10
New Attribute - Mental Speed - +3
New Attribute - Efficiency - +5
New Alignment - Fire
Attribute Improved - Mind +2
Fanny was less excited, she had many changes but most were just changes that made her more powerful, without speaking to her purpose.
Attribute improve - Intellect - +4
New Skill - Basic Anticipation - 3 / 10
New Skill- Basic Shield - 10/10
New Skill - Common Shield - 17 / 20
New Skill - Basic Improved Senses - 2 / 10
New Skill - Basic Deflecting Shield - 1 / 10
New Attribute - Belief - +3
New Skill - Basic Static Shield - 7/10
New Skill - Basic Reflecting Shield - 8 / 10
New Attribute - Power Efficiency - +7
Attribute improve - Spirit - +3
Attribute improved - Body - +1
It was not clear why she gained the Alignment to life as none of the skills that she had acquired and exercised seemed it in particular. It seemed likely that it was just a straight desire.
“Fanny, your work with the shield has been impressive, but I suspect that it does not make you happy. Can you tell me what makes you happy?”
“I don’t like harming anyone or anything. My family was pacifists back before we were summoned. While I was less strict, I understand why violence is needed sometimes. It hurts me when I cause harm. The reflecting shield is just at the edges of what seems right. But when I used “Understanding” on it there is a suggestion that as I have leveled it, it returns more and more damage to the person that attacks the shield. I worry that it will start causing more damage to the attacker than it would have caused to me. It feels so wrong to me”.
My reply was simple “Then stop using it. I will think about alternatives, and you do the same. I am sure that we can find something that works for you and does not cause you such conflict”
“But don’t we need to be able to defend ourselves, I thought that is what you wanted.”
“It was, but I will try to never deliberately ask you to do something that conflicts so much with your spirit. and beliefs. I am sorry that I did.”
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“Really?”
“Yes, We need to think about finding a solution around your weapon as well. That I think is going to be harder
So this afternoon, we still need to work on the shields, So go back to the Deflecting rather than reflecting option. Hopefully, Tomorrow one of us will come up with some ideas.”
Robert quietly whispered, “Are you from the peaceful clans, or the quiet ones?” There was a sense of real respect, near worship in his voice.
“My family was of the outer line from the peaceful clans, We were the defenders of the faith. I always struggled with the idea of causing no harm to those that wished to cause harm. But since arriving here I can see that the principals are more correct than not”
Robert had been admiring Fanny before this. It was a rather lustful admiration but she was a beautiful woman so it was understandable. But in moments the lust disappeared, and it moved to a worshiping look.
For the rest of the afternoon, Fanny and Robert worked on their shields varying the power that they were spending, focusing on the internal visualization of the shields rather than the actual representation in the physical world.
As the day passed I kept changing things up. To start with they sat passively in a meditation poise, then I had them stand, walk, and move about. All while holding the shields. They had to look for thoughts that would make those shields harder and tougher.
Robert moved from a fire shield to a shield that consumed the attacks, then back again, using the path of the attacks to direct bolts of flame.
Fanny stopped reflecting on the attacks and went back to deflecting them. Then she had the idea to consume them and use the attacks to power the shields. At this point the strain that she had been struggling with to power the shield faded.
Once they had started to move and were able to hold the shields. I started to throw small stones at them, I started just flicking them slowly at Fanny and Robert. Once they got to the point of being able to hold the shields with those distractions and they stopped leaking the information that represented them. I said that you need to build another layer of shields, personnel shields. While it is my job as the group tank to block and focus the attacks on me, there will be times that you will get hit. It is unavoidable from what I can see. To that end start another layer of shield. Both of you have reached the point that you need to maintain the privacy shield and body shields.
I had been working off and on all morning while I could with the concept of armour skill. I had considered the “enhance damage” skill that I had used so that we had been able to prevent Steven from causing more damage than he did to Fanny or Robert. At this point, all I had was a bracer / shield and some lightweight armour that was more like stiff fabric. The point of being a tank is not so much delivering damage but to hold the focus of attackers and absorb damage in such a way that the tank is not truly harmed.
Fantasy armour had big shoulder pads, Spikes and just overall craziness. I did not care that I wanted something that had a chance to work. That meant Chain Mail, Plate Armour, or Scale Armour from the medieval period. Modern Soldier and riot police used a combination of protective plates linked together with stab-cut-proof cloth. All in all, it reminded me of the concept of brigandine armour of the late 1500 and early 1600 when guns were first appearing. Mobility and Flexibility were important. The armour needs to be able to be worn all the time.
I had been wondering how I could enhance the fabric that I had received during the transition. While considering the armour that I had seen the guards wear, and that trainers had as well.
Largely it was chain mail. Worn over, an arming doublet, with heavy scale skirts / kilts protecting the upper legs with leather high boots covered in light plates. There was a wide array of helmet styles. I suspect that this was used to indicate something.
But at this point, I could see no way to achieve my objectives. I thought about the shields that Fanny and Robert had developed. In particular, Fanny’s Deflecting and Reflecting shields. Both of them were creating similar effects that surrounded them in a sphere or hemisphere; at this point, they had difficulty in maintaining the outer privacy shields while also maintaining the inner physical shielding.
I had been trying to strengthen my will so that while the privacy attack might be able to see me it would not be able to attack my mind and spirit to strip me of my status.
Rather than build a shield wall, I tried to enhance my bracer and small shield combination. Expand the size of the shield with the power from the river that now flowed through me. It should be able to deflect attacks outside just the physical size of the shield. I was using the physical nature of the small shield as an anchor for an energy shield that had a razor-sharp edge.
As either of the others started to struggle to hold their shield I had them start to lightly attack me. Allow me to practise using and enhancing the shield.
By late afternoon we had made a lot of progress. I could flick attacks either mental by casting “Identity” or physical attacks at either the outer or inner shields of both other members of my party. Whoever was attacking us, rather than just bypassing the shielding as the monster powers that seemed amused at our efforts were doing; did not seem to be aware that we had made so much progress.
As I could sense the return of Steven, I told the team that
“We will drop the outer shields and I would attack the person that had been trying to rape our minds.”
Whoever it was was going to pay.
“So as soon as Steven crosses the boundary. Drop the shields and push what power you can into my probe.”
I had hoped that the monster minds would not object or assist the person that had been probing us. Fanny and Robert had suffered the most from this, but I suspected that their shields had become impressive due to the constant attacks, Which had varied from sustained pressure, to blunt strikes, and pinpoint stabs.
The time arrived and we were ready. I had enhanced I hoped to identify skill with aspects of Will, Soul power. Vision, Belief, and the sense of Presence that radiated from the monsters in the stands
As the outer shields dropped, I pushed all my available power into my Identify skill. That I had narrowed and the new improved abstraction that I held. Rather than my normal habit of using the triple command in my mind, I yelled “Identify, Identify, Identify”
I worked rather better than I expected. She had not expected at this point that we would attack back, and so was unready. It only took moments but in that time I gained knowledge of her name, class, level, attributes, and skills. I was sure that both the attribute and skill information was incomplete but before her personnel shield could bounce back I could sense her anger and shame. I made a conscious decision not to review what I had learned during the day but wait until we had returned to the barracks.
As we entered the barracks I experienced a new shield, or at least I had not noticed it before. The shield seemed to protect the inhabitants from exposure. It also blocked my vision from looking out.
Once we had returned and eaten, we left the common room to go over the gains of the afternoon.
Details
Lara Sphinx; Sept Dark Wing;
Sword Master 33 / Elemental Enchanter 21
Common Weapon Smith
Ice / Water / Metal
Attributes
* Body 3?
* Endurance 3?
* Agility 3?
* Strength 2?
* Dexterity 2?
* ? ?
* Mind 4?
* Control 4?
* Awareness 3?
* Intellect 3?
* Mental Speed 2?
* ? ?
* Spirit 3?
* Presence 3?
* Vision 2?
* Focus 1?
* Belief 1?
* ? ?
Skills
Unusual Student 3/40
Uncommon Saber 17/30
Uncommon Edge Mastery 3/30
Common Mental Awareness 19/20
Common Understanding ??/20
Common mental Resistance ??/20
Common Slice ??/20
??? ??? ??/??
??? ?
?
.
.
It looked like the information that I had gained had been cut off, rather than the skill achieving its functional ability, Her shields must have worked in the end. It had been nice that the Monster mind and the lesser monsters had not interfered. I bet Lara was pissed off. I don’t think she is going to be too happy.
Skill improved - Basic Skill Trainer - 10/10
New Skill - Common Skill Trainer - 1/20
New Skill - Basic Shield - 2/10
New Skill - Basic Sharp Shield - 1/10
Attribute improved - Focus - +1
Skill improved - Identify - 6/10
Skill Improved - Basic Understanding - 6/10
Skill Improved - Basic Perception - 6/10
Skill Improved - Unusual Mental Awareness - 3/40
New Skill - Common Command - 1 / 20
Skill Improved - Common Command - 3/20
Attribute improved - Belief - +1
Attribute improved - Vision - +1
Robert was pleased as he continued to make gains
Attribute improve - Focus - +4
Attribute improve - Intellect - +2
New Skill - Basic Shield - 10/10
New Skill - Common Shield - 13/20
New Skill - Basic Damaging Shield - 3/10
New Attribute - Mental Speed - +3
New Attribute - Power Efficiency - +5
New Alignment - Fire
Attribute Improved - Mind +2
Fanny was much more satisfied with these result compared to the morning session
Attribute improve - Intellect - +4
New Skill - Basic Anticipation - 3 / 10
New Skill- Basic Shield - 10/10
New Skill - Common Shield - 17 / 20
New Skill - Basic Improved Senses - 2 / 10
New Skill - Basic Deflecting Shield - 1 / 10
New Attribute - Belief - +3
New Skill - Basic Stunning Shield - 7/10
New Skill - Basic Reflecting Shield - 8 / 10
New Attribute - Power Efficiency - +7
New Alignment - Life
Attribute improve - Spirit - +3
Attribute improved - Body - +1
I also reviewed the state of Steven
Details
Steven; True Blue Associate;
Sword Handler 12 / Body Trainer 11
Carver 2
Earth
Attributes
Body
13
Strength
26
Dexterity
18
Toughness
29
Endurance
34
Speed
13
Agility
3
Mind
6
Intellect
8
Mental Fortitude
15
Flexibility
3
Control
12
Mental Speed
4
Logic
0
Awareness
8
Spirit
5
Will
13
Wisdom
0
Power
4
Vision
5
Focus
11
Belief
10
Efficiency
1
Presence
3
Luck
0
Affinity Depth
0
Skills