Danny who now was commonly known to all as Deitric, was seriously finding that the price one had to pay for strength might be too much for him or his friends to ever afford. He had heard before that the best way to gain levels as an adventurer was to fight and if possible, kill monsters and beasts that were stronger than oneself.

Just like the heroes of yore.

But the problem with that was that everything wanted to live; from the weakest tin-ranked rain-mice all the way to the almighty dragonkin-king Gahennan, whose rank and level was beyond anybody’s guess.

Deitric really wanted himself and his friends to do well. He wanted to earn his way in life with nought but a trusty blade and his friends by his side, but adventuring was just so fucking damned hard. Being bronze-ranked just meant that there was even more of a disparity between him and his friends versus the monsters they were now barely able to fight. It was simply the way of life that beasts and monsters would be stronger than any humanoid if matched level for level.

Before today he was wracked with worry and guilt every night whenever he tried to sleep, as another hopeless and sad day joined the growing pile of shitty days. The stress and shame of being the frontman that lead the band of his friends, who trusted him wholly, from one failure to another bore down on his shoulders every single day.

But he always kept on smiling and spoke merry words, even if he didn’t really feel so hopeful inside. That’s because his friends and bandmates needed it.

But last night, he cried all the way home from the headman’s house. This was because after he had signed the contract, he knew that he had finally caught a break and that the fate of his band was finally taking a turn for the better.

Obviously he had wiped away his weak little tears and steadied his breathing before going back to the lodge to delivery the news to his friends.

For in his books, good news should always be delivered with a smiling and happy face. Even if the recipient was busy emptying their bowels.

…..

Yet here he was, presented with the opportunity to train whilst overseen by a Master-defender who had breached the hundred level mark. Which apparently entailed a “light jog” and getting the living shit kicked out of him to within an inch of passing out.

He was well aware that adversity and tribulation were the forges, of which true characters of renown and worth are made.

What in the fuck is going on? He wondered to himself as he looked on at the pile of his friend’s unconscious bodies that lay in the courtyard. Never mind the fact that we will never be able to afford the healing… but is this pain really worth the stats and the levels?

He shook his head in disbelief as he listlessly walked into the courtyard as Methilda started to stir awake. The orc then grimaced with visible anguish even if hir eyes were still shut as she still remained in a state that was beyond lucidity but not far enough to be touched by the pain of having both of her shins cracked.

Not knowing how he could help, Deitric walked over before crouching down and laying a gentle hand on his prone friend’s arm.

“Sleep Melky, you know it’s going to hurt worse if you wake,” he whispered.

Methilda then seemed to settle back into unconsciousness. But instead of giving him any measure of comfort, the sight of his childhood friend brought to a state so low only brought up a well of anger inside of him.

“Are you going to train boy? Or will you play nurse all day?” purred the woman who was the source of all of his friend’s pain, barring Jexnog.

“Why?” Deitric whispered with barely controlled anger.

“Why what?” asked back the Leonid with notable amusement in her voice. She still kept her eyes trained on the absurd Chitpulka that seethed away on the opposite side of the courtyard.

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“Why do all this? You could’ve clearly worked out that this fight was way beyond our means.. especially since after you had sent the first silver-ranker in, why did you let my friends go in?” he asked with every word forced out through clenched jaws as he stood up to stare directly at side of the woman’s head.

It was one thing to be hurt by a monster like the Vampiric goat, that was their own fault for being ill-prepared. But what was happening here, it was just plain sadism to Deitric.

The Master then turned back to look at the halfling youth, only to find pure venom being directed at her from underneath his dirty golden locks of hair.

She didn’t seem to mind the look she was given at all, in fact she seemed to find it amusing as a small smile tugged at the corner of her mouth along with a single arched brow.

“You don’t get it do you little boy?” she asked in a mocking purr.

“The point of all this was never for you to win.. which If I wanted to happen, I would’ve just let you all arm up and then gang up to murder Lem’s poor Mood over there,” she answered whilst gesturing over her shoulder with a thumb pointing back at the Elite.

“I’m got you all beaten up, simply to see if you would listen to my commands… and if you kids were to gain some Vit or levels out of it, then that would be your own little bonus,” the Leonid continued in a voice that was now deadpanned and devoid of all humour.

Hearing this answer left Deitric aghast, for he had never heard of such a barbaric method of training before.

Realms I’d never heard of any real kind of training to be honest.. but this was too much.

“Oh don’t go looking like a mewling babe now. If Delm wants you to be part of this town and you have nothing to offer other than your pathetic little classes, then you better get into shape as soon as you can,” continued the Leonid who seemed like she was starting to lose her patience. Gone was her merry mood only to be replaced with brutal frankness.

“I don’t know any of you and I literally have zero interest in your wellbeing, but thankfully Delm’s already got your healing fees covered. Now you can step in there and do as I say, or you can choose not to and I won’t have to bother training you anymore and focus on the kids that actually want to grow,” the Leonid added whilst folding her arms as she tilted up her head to look down upon Deitric.

With Deitric now starting to realise that his little outburst might have been slightly foolish.

“Oh and please be aware.. that there will be many more fights with this Chitpulka and there will be more broken bones in the future. Now.. get.. in.. the.. ring.. or leave,” concluded Master with her dark humour creeping back into her voice.

Deitric now was fully in the grips of dread and shame. He was wracked with the fear of having to face the monster alone and he was ashamed of not being able to do what all of his friends had been able to do before him. A small part of him was still festering with hate for the Leonid who was imposing this cruel training on his band, but the chance to learn from her outweighed his petty feelings.

So with his head now hanging low, he took small steps whilst filled with self-contempt towards the ring.

I’m so weak.. for being scared, he thought to himself as he tried his best to ignore the Leonid as he walked past her.

Then seeing the line in the sand below his feet, Deitric realised that he had now entered the ring and was to face the same fate as his friends.

He clenched his fists and tensed up his muscles before letting go of all of his tension with a few breaths.

Whilst slowly looking up, Deitric tried his best to put his own thoughts aside as he beheld his foe.

The menacing midnight coat the creature wore was now covered in grime and dust, with a few quills having fallen out at its feet. The creature was barely up to his knee and breathing raggedly, as it was without doubt worn out after all of the fighting it had been through.

But what really struck out to Deitric was the look in the creature’s eyes.

Those tiny little beady black eyes glittered with the unmistakable spark of awareness and shined with an unwavering will, which bore into his and shamed the halfling boy even further.

It’s just a Chitpulka who’s on its last legs… yet it still won’t give up, he realized. It then dawned on Deitric that this whole thing must’ve been a whole lot worse for the monster, who was undoubtedly just was simply minding it’s own business before being put through an absolutely horrific experience.

With his opponent full of resolve, Deitric put his own childish thoughts aside as he raised his own fists. He had now fully realized that there was no need for fear today, if anything he should be respecting the bravery shown by the Monster that was more of a true warrior than he would ever be.

….

Why is the Grub looking at me like that? Does it want to fight or is it just going to wait and watch until I drop some waste right here? The great and Mighty Chopeck thought angrily. He was tired and he was scared, but by the flock was he still rearing to go.

Since becoming the flock-leader he knew that the rule was to fight and win when challenged by anyone, because losing to another meant you disappeared by the hands of the Big-Hairy-Egg-Thief.

Gone was his ability to express himself with hisses and slurps as he was simply too tired.

Oh grubs, it just put it’s upper-legs up… would’ve been nice if it just ran away. Well then, let this Mighty Chopeck show you who’s the head of the flock round these parts! He thought wearily before shooting forwards on tired legs.