🎵: Dash of the Daring, Rise of the Iron Will, Babel's Harmony, Whispers of the Unseen

"Ready for round two?" Jay asked, a mischievous glint in his eye as he hummed to himself, already arranging an alarming number of locks and suspicious-looking devices on the kitchen counter. He moved with confident precision, his hands deftly setting each piece in place like an artist preparing his tools. "I figured since you're so fond of property damage, we might as well channel that energy into something productive."

I eyed the setup warily. "Those better not be more spring-loaded knives," I thought, remembering last time's chaos. I could still feel the phantom sting in my arm where one had nearly gotten me. Jay always had a way of making training sessions feel more like survival exercises, incorporating elaborate traps, unexpected twists, and gruelling endurance challenges that pushed me to my limits.

"Of course not!" Jay looked offended. "I would never repeat the same trap twice. These are spring-loaded forks." He grinned at my expression. "Joking, lad. Mostly. Though that gives me ideas for tomorrow..."

The evening started with the remaining moderate lock from yesterday. Jay had mounted it on what looked suspiciously like a miniature version of the Beastmover.

"Um, Jay? Why is the lock spinning?"

"Obviously, because you need to learn to pick locks in all situations. What if you need to break into a rotating house? Or a windmill? Or perhaps," he raised his eyebrows meaningfully, "you spin uncontrollably through the air again?"

"That was ONE TIME!"

"One time too many, if you ask Captain Reed." He adjusted something on the device. "Now focus. This lock won't pick itself, though that would be an interesting invention..." I sighed internally, wondering if Jay ever ran out of creative ways to make my life difficult. His enthusiasm for complicated scenarios was unmatched, and I couldn't decide if it was impressive or just exhausting.

After three failed attempts, two bouts of dizziness, and one instance of nearly stabbing myself with my lock pick, I finally heard the satisfying click.

"Ha! Got it!"

"Excellent!" Jay clapped. "Now do it again, but this time with your eyes closed."

"You're joking."

"Am I?" His innocent smile was anything but. "Think of it as preparation for working in the dark or for when you're unconscious, which, based on recent evidence, seems to be a recurring state for you."

Two more successful picks later (though I refused to close my eyes):

Lock-picking Reached (Common 3)

Lock-picking (Common 3)

Effects:

* Success Rate: 60% on simple locks, 35% on moderate locks

* Detection: 15% chance of being detected

Requirements for Uncommon 4:

* EXP Requirement: Gain 300 EXP in lock-picking.

* Skill Usage Requirements:

* Successfully pick 3 complex locks.

* Use lock-picking skills to disarm a simple trap.

* Pick a lock while under the effects of a debuff (e.g., poisoned, fatigued).

"Well done!" Jay exclaimed. "Though I wish you'd screamed less during the attempts. My ears are still ringing from that last 'IT BURNED ME!' outburst."

"It burned me! What kind of lock doubles as a branding iron?" "A very effective one," Jay replied cheerfully. "Now, ready for some trap detection? I've set up a lovely training surprise in the pantry. Don't worry about the scorch marks on the floor - they're from last week's trainee."

The pantry had been transformed into what Jay cheerfully called his "Gallery of Gentle Surprises." I called it something else entirely, but Jay insisted that kind of language wasn't appropriate in a kitchen.

"Now then," Jay said, gesturing to the dimly lit space between shelves of preserved foods, "somewhere in here is your final moderately complex trap to detect. Find it without triggering it, and we can move on to the really fun stuff."

"Define 'really fun stuff'?"

"Oh, you know, the usual. Trapped corridors, complex mechanisms, possibly some light maiming..." He waved his hand dismissively. "But first, detect this one. And try not to disturb the preserved lemons - they're for a special recipe."

I manoeuvred through the pantry, checking each step. Jay had taught me the basics: look for tension in ropes, unusual patterns in dust, slight depressions in floorboards. Unfortunately, he'd also taught me that sometimes the obvious signs were decoys, and the true threat was...

"YAAAARGH!"

"Ah," Jay said calmly as I dangled upside down from an ankle snare, "you found the decoy trigger. The actual danger was the tripwire just to your left. Though I must say, your aerial pirouette was quite impressive. Still not quite up to your building-crashing standards, but we're getting there."

"Get. Me. Down."

"Are you sure? The blood rushing to your head might improve your thinking. This angle also gives you a unique perspective on trap detection. Notice anything interesting about that shelf below you?"

I squinted at the shelf he indicated. Now that he mentioned it, there was something odd about how the jars were arranged...

"The preserves," I gasped. "They're arranged in a pattern. And that loose lid... it's connected to something!"

"Very good!" Jay beamed. "See? Sometimes you need to look at things from a different angle. Though usually people figure that out with no involuntary acrobatics."

After being let down (Jay took his time, claiming the rope had a "very complex knot"), I carefully examined the shelf setup. The jars were indeed part of an intricate mechanism - move the wrong one, and...

"Got it!" I announced triumphantly. "The trigger's connected to the third jar from the left. If someone tried to take it without disabling the wire behind it, all the jars would..."

"Excellent! That's your third moderate trap detected. Though I notice you didn't actually try to disarm it."

"After what happened with the simple trap earlier? No thanks."

"Wise choice. That one's actually rigged to launch every jar of preserved lemons in a fifteen-foot radius. Took me ages to set up. Would have been quite spectacular to watch, though. Maybe next time?"

Find/Create Reached (Common 3)

Find/Create Trap (Common 3)

This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

Effects:

* Detection Range: 10 metres

* Success Rate: 60% for simple traps, 35% for moderately complex traps

Requirements for Uncommon 4:

* EXP Requirement Gain: 300 EXP in trap detection.

* Skill Usage Requirements:

* Successfully create a complex mechanical trap.

* Use trap detection skills to safely navigate a trapped corridor or room.

"Does this mean I'm ready for more advanced training?" I asked, trying to sound casual while internally celebrating the achievement notifications.

Jay let out a long, theatrical sigh. "I suppose you are," he said, with the same tone someone might use to announce a beloved pet had just chewed through their favourite boots. "The gods help us all. I'll have to warn the carpenter to reinforce the ceiling. And probably the walls. And maybe invest in some fireproofing..." He started counting potential disasters off on his fingers.

"I wasn't that bad!"

"Need I remind you about the Spring-Loaded Incident? Or the Great Lock Explosion? Or that time you somehow turned a simple trap detection exercise into an impromptu circus performance?"

"Those were... learning experiences?"

"Is that what we're calling property damage these days?" Jay shook his head, but I could see the proud gleam in his eyes. "Well, come on then. Let's start your training before you find some new way to defy the laws of physics."

First, he produced what looked like a normal door lock, except it had three keyholes and what appeared to be a small sundial attached to it.

"This beauty," Jay said, patting it lovingly, "was allegedly designed by a paranoid nobleman who was convinced his servants were stealing his cheese collection. The time-based mechanism means you have to pick all three locks in the correct sequence within specific time windows. Get it wrong, and..." He trailed off ominously.

"And what?"

"Let's just say his cheese remained very safe. And several potential thieves developed a sudden aversion to dairy products."

The next hour was a blur of clicking pins, muttered curses, and Jay's increasingly unhelpful advice ("Listen to the lock's heart!" and "Become one with the mechanism!" were particularly lowlights). Finally, after what felt like my hundredth attempt, all three sections clicked into place just as the tiny sundial's shadow hit the right mark.

"Let's move on to the corridor," I said quickly, before he got any ideas about demonstrating.

Jay's eyes lit up in a way that made me instantly regret my suggestion. "Ah yes, the corridor! I set up something special in the hallway between the kitchen and the storeroom. Think of it as a practical test of everything you've learned. Plus some things you haven't. And possibly a few things I just invented this morning."

He led me to the hallway entrance, which now featured an ominous array of ropes, pulleys, and what looked suspiciously like several more jars of preserved lemons.

"Your task is simple," Jay explained. "Make it to the other end without setting off any traps. Every trigger you avoid is experience earned. Every trap you set off is..." He grinned. "Well, let's just say you'll learn valuable lessons about pain, humiliation, and the surprising versatility of citrus fruits."

Looking down the dimly lit corridor, I could already spot at least three obvious triggers. Which meant there were probably six more I couldn't see.

"Ready?" Jay asked cheerfully.

"No."

"Perfect! Begin whenever you're ready. Oh, and try to keep the screaming to a minimum this time - we don't want to disturb the evening kitchen staff. Again."

The first few steps into the corridor were deceptively simple. Too simple.

"Jay," I said, freezing mid-step, "why is there a single clean spot on this dusty floor?"

"Nice, you noticed that!" Jay's voice came from somewhere behind me. "Most people just step right on it. The last fellow spent three hours getting the honey out of his hair. Though the feathers eventually fell out on their own."

I carefully stepped around the suspicious clean spot, only to hear a faint click beneath my other foot.

"That's the sound of poor life choices," Jay commented helpfully.

I had just enough time to drop and roll as something whooshed over my head. Looking back, I saw several wooden spoons swinging through the space where my head had been.

"Kitchen implements as weapons? Really?"

"Waste not, want not! Besides, those needed replacing anyway. The scorch marks from your last 'cooking lesson' never quite came out."

Pushing myself up, I noticed a telltale glint of wire at ankle height. "Trip wire at knee level," I muttered, "which means Jay's real masterpiece is, probably..."

"ARGH!" A cascade of dried beans rained down from above, triggered by the nearly invisible wire at shoulder height that I'd missed.

"Interesting strategy," Jay mused, scribbling in his notebook. "Using your face to detect traps is certainly innovative, if not efficient."

"I thought... you said... to avoid... the screaming," I managed between sneezes. How had he even rigged beans to fall so precisely?

"Oh, that wasn't screaming," Jay assured me. "That was more of a surprised yelp. I have a very detailed classification system for trainee distress sounds. Would you like to hear it?"

"I'd like to finish this corridor sometime tonight."

"Spoilsport. Well, carry on then. Mind the next bit - it's one of my favourites."

The next section looked completely innocent, which made it absolutely terrifying. I checked high and low, looking for any sign of Jay's twisted creativity. My eyes scanned every corner, every shadow, but there was nothing that stood out. It was almost suspiciously peaceful, as if the absence of a trap was, in itself, a trap. "Just remember," Jay called out cheerfully, "sometimes the best trap is the fear of a trap!"

I took another cautious step. Nothing happened. Another step. Still nothing. Maybe he was right about the fear being the real...

Click.

"Although," Jay added, "sometimes the best trap is just an elegantly brutal trap." The world spun as something caught my feet and yanked me skyward, leaving me rotating slowly like a chandelier of poor life choices. My vision blurred slightly as the blood rushed to my head, and I couldn't help but groan.

"You know," Jay said conversationally, "between this and your building entrance, you spend an awful lot of time airborne. Have you considered a career as a circus performer? I know some people..."

"Jay!"

"Ah yes, priorities. Learning experience first, career planning later." He consulted his notebook. "Well, you've successfully detected several corridor traps - though 'detected' might be generous sometimes. 'Encountered' might be more accurate. Or 'became intimately acquainted with'..."

"Can you let me down now?"

"In a moment. First, let's discuss your technique. Your facial expressions during the bean incident were educational. I've made some sketches..."

"Sketches?!" I stared at him, incredulous. The thought of Jay carefully documenting my terror for posterity made my stomach drop.

"Yes, yes. I think they could be very useful for future trainees." He flipped through his notebook, revealing hastily drawn expressions of wide-eyed horror. "A visual aid, if you will. You really captured the essence of 'pure panic' with exquisite detail."

After the corridor ordeal, Jay insisted we take a brief break for tea - though knowing him, even this was probably part of some elaborate lesson. He pulled out two cups from a nearby shelf, his movements deliberate and precise.

"You know," he said, carefully pouring the steaming liquid, "most trainees give up after their first spinning lock experience. Or at least request transfer to a different department." He slid one cup toward me, his eyes twinkling with that familiar mischievous light. "Yet here you are, still standing. Well, mostly standing. Slightly swaying, perhaps."

I accepted the cup cautiously, checking it for obvious triggers or traps. "Is this part of another test?"

"Brendan," Jay looked offended, "I would never tamper with tea." He paused, considering. "Though that gives me some interesting ideas for tomorrow..."

As we sat there in the mellowing kitchen, the evening light casting long shadows through the windows, Jay's expression grew more thoughtful. "You remind me of another trainee I had years ago. Same knack for finding trouble, same unexpected talent for surviving it. Though she never quite managed your level of architectural renovation."

"What happened to her?"

"Oh, she's making quite a name for herself." His smile turned enigmatic. "In fact, you see her every day."

I nearly choked on my tea. "Captain Reed?"

"Indeed. Though back then, she was just Lynne - a recruit with more determination than sense and a gift for surviving impossible situations." He chuckled at some private memory. "The incident with her office locks wasn't actually my doing, you know. It was her final test for trap mastery - she had to outsmart her own deadly creation."

"How long did it take her?"

"Three days." Jay's eyes sparkled. "It would have been two, but she insisted on adding that ridiculous musical trigger sequence. Which is why she understands more than you might think about certain... unconventional training methods."

I thought about my own chaotic journey, about the music that seemed to guide my movements in increasingly unpredictable ways. "Is that why she assigned me to train with you?"

"Partially." Jay set his cup down with a methodical precision that somehow seemed more dangerous than all his elaborate traps. "But mostly because she recognizes something in you she once saw in herself - the ability to turn chaos into advantage. "Though," he added with a grin, "she was significantly better at preserving fortress architecture." The conversation gave me a new perspective on both Jay's teaching methods and Captain Reed's tolerance of my... mishaps. It also made me wonder what other surprises my instructors had in store.

"Now then," Jay stood up, clapping his hands together, "break time's over. Those spinning locks won't pick themselves! Though wouldn't that be an interesting paradox..."

As we returned to training, I paid closer attention to the subtle lessons hidden within Jay's seemingly chaotic methods. Each trap, each lock, each ridiculous scenario wasn't just about developing skills - it was about learning to think differently, to see patterns in chaos, to find harmony in discord.

Though I still could have done with fewer beans.

The rest of the evening continued in much the same way - alternating between lock picking practice (now with Jay's "innovative" variations) and more corridor attempts. Jay seemed to delight in coming up with new challenges on the fly, each more convoluted and ridiculous than the last. Like the time he had me pick a lock while balancing on a wobbling board, surrounded by spring-loaded forks poised to launch if I lost my footing. By the time we finished, I had gained significant experience in both skills, though possibly at the cost of my dignity and several layers of skin.

Progress for Night 2

Lock-picking:

* Completed Common 3 requirements

* Started Uncommon training with first complex lock

* Lock-picking EXP: 120/300

Find/Create Trap:

* Completed Common 3 requirements

* Started corridor navigation training

* Trap Detection EXP: 45/300

Additional Notes:

* Dignity: Critically Low

* Bean-related Trauma: Significantly High

* Rope Suspension Experiences: Increasing

* Sketch-Related Embarrassment: Moderate