It’s hard to describe what I’m feeling. Was it relief—Some, but no. Maybe I was feeling excited about seeing Spotted Creek Village and my fa
It’s hard to describe what I’m feeling. Was it relief—Some, but no.
Maybe I was feeling excited about seeing Spotted Creek Village and my family again after so long—that, too, but there was something else, a different feeling I couldn’t shake….
"Why do I feel so naked?" I complain loudly while pulling our sled through The Endless Forest's everyday part. I wanted to flop to the forest floor and throw a good old proper tantrum, but Tabitha wouldn’t let me—Told me to act my age. If only she knew.
“I heard you the first time. Constantly complaining about it won’t make the feeling go away any sooner,” my griping finally made Tabitha snap.
“I know, but tell me again why I feel this way?” I continue to whine.
If Tabitha could sigh any harder, she would uproot the closest tree, but she knows I’ll keep asking if she doesn’t—So— “It’s because we stayed too long in the magic-dense region,” she tells me for the fourth time since we left the magic saturated part of the forest. We were walking amongst normal-sized trees again after what felt like forever, and I was miserable the entire time.
“I know that, but why? And when will it stop?” I grumble, feeling exposed for all the world to see. “We’ve been out of the magic-dense region for almost two days now, and the sensation only feels worse," I bristle like an angry cat that doesn't know why it's angry.
“You’ll get used to it,” Tabitha tells me tiredly. “It’ll just take time.”
“Boooo,” I blow a raspberry childishly. “You don’t seem that affected,” I note bitterly.
"Because I'm used to it," Tabitha casually shrugs off my accusation. “You feel like this because your body got used to being surrounded by high levels of mana, and now that it's gone, it needs to process that the mana is no longer there."
“Okay, that makes sense, but when does it go away?” I ask tartly, sensing she is about to drop some bad news on me.
“Depends.” Tabitha doesn’t miss a step. “It could take three or four days or over a week," she informs me casually.
“A week!?” I ask in disbelief.
“It’s possible," she nods to my horror. "It's generally worse for mages, while physical fighters are known to recover quicker.”
“And me?” I moan.
Tabitha finally stops walking to look at me, and I see a glimmer of pity behind her stone-like demeanor. “I’m not sure,” she tells me honestly. “You’re in this rare in-between. You focus primarily on physical stats but simultaneously use many magical skills.”
“You make it sound like that is bad,” I pout.
“I wouldn’t go that far.” Tabitha continues walking and talking. "It's just that I've seen others attempt something similar, but none ever amounted to anything significant like you have.”
"Are magic swordsmen not a thing?" I ask in a bid to distract myself and kill some time.
“Yes and no,” Tabitha says cryptically, leaving me to question if she was being intentionally vague to get back at me for acting like a child earlier. Thankfully for my sanity, she doesn't see fit to leave me hanging and elaborates further.
“I’m sure you are aware of this, but people change how they fight as they level.” Tabitha pauses, probably waiting for me to make a sarcastic comment, and I usually would, but I was interested in seeing where she was going with this. When it became apparent that I wouldn't interrupt her, she continued from where she had left off as if she had never stopped.
“And I’m not talking about incorporating new skills into their fighting styles," she stresses.
“Then what do you mean?” I engage, fully sucked in.
“Always be cautious as there are always exceptions to every rule, much like yourself, but generally, this is how a person grows as a warrior,” Tabitha explains patiently. “First, a person around level 30 will pick up a weapon for the first time. If lucky, they'll learn a few basic combat skills, but their immediate growth is primarily level-based now that they’re earning extra experience from fighting.”
“At lower levels, the winner of a fight is often the person with a higher level; it's simple— easy. However, leveling speed slows down drastically once a person reaches level 60. Suddenly, people can't depend on raising their stats as often for sustainable growth. Can you guess what they do?” Tabitha turns her head and asks me.
“They switch to improving their skills.”
"Exactly," Tabitha nods in approval. "Combat goes from being about who has the higher level to who has the best skills. Stat points are still important, but not as important as they first were. People who develop their skills continue to grow stronger, while the rest stagnate and fall into obscurity.”
“Now that I’ve told you that, can you tell me why there aren’t more magic-warrior hybrids? Take your time and think about it,” she tells me.
I think long and hard about Tabitha’s question until it hits me. Skills build off one another, but not all of them. “It’s because people have to master two forms of combat for them to become exceptional, isn’t it?”
“Correct again,” Tabitha praises in her monotone voice. “Your average warrior starts with a weapon skill, then unlocks the art’s version of said skill. They then branch out into complementary skills. Mages do the same, though not everyone has the talent to sense magic. Ignoring stat distribution and how it helps warriors and mages improve their skills, they need entirely different foundations to grow. People only have so much time in the day."
So, being a mage or a warrior was like having different skill trees in a video game. You could play as both, but you had to divide your time without guaranteeing it would pay off. Plus, people weren't generally willing to gamble when it was their lives on the line and not a game.
“But you know some magic?” I send a confused look in Tabitha’s direction.
“I do,” Tabitha nods again. “That leads us into the third phase of a warrior’s journey, breaking past the level 80 bottleneck and becoming something more.”
“Almost everyone who reaches level 80 has put significant time behind their primary skills. By this point, having a weapon mastery or being close to obtaining one is almost a requirement. But leveling such skills is difficult, so what do you do?”
"You—" I start, but Tabitha cuts me off.
“You branch out even further,” she tells me. “You augment your fighting style with something unique. It could be adding a touch of magic, or it can just as well be a love for dancing,” Tabitha surprises me with a playful wink.
“I always thought Master’s style of dancing during combat was beautiful in its own way, so I did my best to emulate it from the beginning of my training. Later on, I also learned a few spells but ultimately decided to use enchanted armor, which I can charge myself. A touch of magic enhances my fighting style, not define it.”
“And people who make it to level 100?” I ask with a dry throat.
“They’re the ones who do all the above seamlessly,” Tabitha smiles like she does when we’re sparring. “They’re the best of the best. Their stat points, skills, and unique qualities complement each other, turning them into masters of their own right.”
“Some say stat points become irrelevant as we level, but that isn't true. Proper distribution is paramount to any great warrior and becomes more noticeable as it’s taken to the extreme, like Master Pacore, for example,” Tabitha explains.
Suddenly, I was feeling a lot weaker than I felt a minute ago.
I didn’t have a mastery skill; hell, I wasn't even that close, and here I was, a few levels away from reaching level 100.
Tabitha must see the worried look on my face because she's quick to console me. “Relax, if you were anyone else, I’d be worried, but you've only just turned 15. You have time for your skills to catch up to your level. Until then, be careful picking fights with people near or around your level. You’ll still need to work twice as hard if you want to continue to rely on magic as much as you have, but I’m confident you are up to the challenge.”
"Really, that means a lot coming from you.” My frown is replaced with a tentative smile as I bask in Tabitha’s praise.
“Yeah, well— don’t let it go to your head,” she warns me with a faint blush, making me grin even more. “You and I are in the same boat after all,” she reminds me.
“Then we’ll just have to work even harder,” I proclaim loudly. If I weren't pulling the sled behind me, I'd start skipping, but oh well.
“That’s a good attitude to have,” Tabitha nods approvingly…. “So, what was your question again?”
Wait, did I ask a question?
What were we talking about before this?
Oh yeah, I struggle to snap my fingers and hold onto the ropes of the sled at the same time. “How long until I stop feeling like I’m naked?”
“Oh, yes, that,” I watch Tabitha ponder my earliest question. “Probably in a few more days,” she tells me with little confidence.
“Great, so I’ll feel this way the entire time I’m hugging my family,” I whimper.
“Want to wait in the forest until it passes?”
“What, that’s silly,” I turn to tell Tabitha that was a horrible idea, only to realize that she was joking in her usual dry demeanor.
“Ha, ha, you got me,” I roll my eyes.
“Indeed,” Tabitha states plainly¸ struggling not to smile.
It was a good thing for her that I felt generous, so I didn't escalate what could have been a glorious prank war. I’m such a magnanimous person.
We were only a few hours out from the village, thanks to her killing time. I was practically already home, and not even feeling exposed to the world could dampen my mood.
It's then that the universe decides to throw me a curveball like it so often likes to do.
“What is it?” Tabitha notices my back straighten a fraction.
“I sense a person running towards us," I tell Tabitha, with a look of surprise on my face.
“You sure it’s a person and not a goblin?” Tabitha asks me.
“Yeah, it’s definitely a person,” I tell her. “Only—”
“Only what?”
“Only it isn’t anybody I know,” I inform her, even more confused than I was a moment ago. Judging by their presence, they're in their mid-60s, definitely not anyone I know," I state confidently.
"Hmm," Tabitha hums thoughtfully, her hand resting on her sword. They can only be here for us. Let's see what they want. " She starts strolling forward like she is about to meet a friend and not a stranger in the woods.
Actually— I don’t even know what I’m worried about. Even if I didn’t have Tabitha by my side, I would have thirty levels on the guy. And it was a guy, I could tell by his bulkier frame and how he moved.
Then I hear it, a faint cry on the wind. “Lady L%#$%!”
“Did you hear that?” I ask Tabitha.
“Not completely,” she frowns back.
Then we hear it again, this time louder. “Lady Leres, you’re back!”
Why does that name sound familiar?
“Hay, Tabs, you know who he’s calling for?” I turn to Tabitha only to see her looking like she bit into something bitter.
I want to ask her what’s wrong, but our mystery man decides now is a good time to appear out of the trees in the distance.
“Lady Leres! Lady Leres! Thank goodness you have returned!” The knight in scuffed armor rushes toward us— specifically Tabitha— like a monster is chasing him. And it suddenly clicks where I’ve heard the name Leres before. It was only once during the New Year's festival, but Tabitha told everyone that her last name was Leres.
The man happily shouting Tabitha’s last name looked like he was having a bad time. His armor and clothing were covered in fresh dirt and grime, looking completely out of place in the forest. The only thing that wasn't a mess was the bright orange feather hanging from his hip by a similarly colored string.
I could tell from a glance that he wasn’t used to wearing his armor outside of a city setting and never wore it in a real fight. It lacked any of the markings metal gets when it sees combat, meaning this guy was a long way from home.
“You know this guy?”
"No," Tabitha answers me flatly, which the man takes as an invitation to introduce himself.
“Escort Knight, Stevenson, Lady Leres,” the man introduces himself with a deep bow while struggling to catch his breath.
Escort Knight, why did that sound like a title, and why was Tabitha looking at him like he was an annoying fly?
“And what is an Escort Knight doing out here?” Tabitha asked tartly.
"Orders, Milady." Stevenson either didn’t notice Tabitha’s bad mood or purposely ignored it.
“Who’s orders?” Tabitha’s eyes narrow threateningly, like if Stevenson said the wrong name, she might cut him down and leave his body in the woods. I instinctively held my breath, wondering if I was about to bear witness to a murder.
In all his cheerful glory, the knight missed all of this and answered without a care in the world. "Why, Master Pacore, of course."
Even in my head, I hated comparing Tabitha to a dog because it was rude, and I held a lot of respect for her. But it's the only comparison I can make when she goes from looking like she wanted to bite the man in front of her one minute to looking like a puppy told their owner was coming home from work soon.
Tabitha's sour expression instantly melted away, replaced by a humongous smile that sent shivers down my spine. "Master Pacore is here?"
The Escort Knight nodded proudly, finally having caught his breath. “He is Milady. A handful of other Escort Knights and I were tasked to patrol the area and send word as soon as we saw you. I’m so happy you’re back,” he started to get a little misty-eyed. I was curious why, when I heard him mumble something he thought we wouldn’t hear. “We can finally leave this shitty forest.”
I wasn’t sure if I should feel insulted or agree with him. On the one hand, this was my home, but on the other, I was tired of camping out.
“I see,” Tabitha nodded seriously. “I take it Master came to pick us up while we were gone. Have we been keeping him long?”
Wait, what!?
“I’m afraid so, Milady,” Stevenson hung his head sadly. “We arrived nearly two weeks ago to relieve you from your duty. Master Pacore told us how he assigned you here to investigate reports of a goblin horde. I take it’s that why you and your ward ventured into the magic-dense region?”
Goblin horde? Ward?
Tabitha neither confirmed nor denied the man's story; she simply stood there stoically, letting him believe whatever made-up story he wanted.
Meanwhile, I stood off to the side, silently trying to process everything without my head exploding. Was the old man really here waiting for us? Did that mean I was going to see my parents only to be dragged away to Scholl immediately after?
“If I may ask, Lady Leres, what happened? Surly a group of goblins didn't give you that much trouble?" Stevenson's eyes sparkled brightly like a child about to be told a bedtime story, which was weird because he looked significantly older than Tabitha.
“We were held up, but we’re back now," Tabitha said plainly, gesturing to the sled behind me and the massive winged serpent head on top of it.
I thought the Escort Knight was already aware of it, but apparently, he only had eyes for Tabitha when he was rushing toward us based on how quickly the color drained from his face when he finally turned and looked at our trophy.
“Warriors above!” He flinched back. “What is?” He stammered.
“The reason for our late return,” Tabitha sighed disappointingly at his reaction.
“I see,” Stevenson gulped loudly before trying to wipe the scared look from his face—He didn't succeed.
Tabitha's excitement over Pacore must be fading because she was slowly reverting to her previous predisposition towards the Escort Knight. “Aren’t you forgetting to report our return? It was Master’s orders, after all?” If Tabitha’s looks could kill, Stevenson would be in pieces, but again, the man didn't notice or pretended not to.
"I couldn't possibly do that, Mam! How could I leave the two of you alone now that I’ve found you?” He states grandiosely. “Please, allow me to pull your sled instead of your ward. I'm sure I could do it much faster. That way, you may return to Master Pacore quicker."
The man didn’t even wait for Tabitha’s response before walking over to me with his hand outstretched as if he had expected me to hand over the rope without a single thought. I couldn't help but look at Tabitha for guidance, and that’s when I saw the vindictive smirk on her face. One look and I knew exactly what she wanted me to do.
"Alright, here," I smiled as I handed the Escort Knight the reins. "Be careful; it's heavy," I warned him with faux sympathy.
"I'm sure it is," Stevenson says patronizingly while I step back.
“Let’s go,” he says proudly before trying to pull the sled and immediately begin grunting fiercely.
I’ll give it to the man; he was technically pulling it. Stevenson managed to drag the sled loaded to the brim with materials five whole feet before collapsing to the forest floor. "How did?" He wheezed, which was my cue to step in.
"I think it's best I continue to pull it," I say. I walk over, grab the ropes he dropped, and start pulling the sled like I have been.
The Escort Knight’s eyes then threatened to pop out his skull as soon as I pulled the sled like it was nothing. He was so focused on me that he didn't even notice Tabitha approaching him until she stood directly over him.
“I think you have kept Master waiting long enough," she says hotly, and for once, Stevenson has the self-awareness to look embarrassed.
"You're right." He jumps to his feet and bows respectfully again to Tabitha. “I’ll apprise Master Pacore of your return immediately,” and with that, he takes off.
"Who or what was that?" I ask Tabitha in disbelief once he's out of sight, making her sigh again.
“That was an Escort Knight,” Tabitha shakes her head disappointingly. “You know how I said a while ago that promising people who fail to reach level 80 due to their lack of skills fade into obscurity?”
“Yeah?” I nod.
“That’s the Escort Knights, or as a lot of us call them, The Keltel Brigade.”
“Am I supposed to know what that means?” I ask back.
“I suppose not,” Tabitha doesn’t look surprised by my confusion. "Maybe it will make sense when I tell you what a keltel is. A keltel is a bird favored as pets by Scholl nobility,” she explained. “They’re loud, brightly colored birds that are often too fat to fly. They puff up their feathers to attract mates or scare away predators, but are harmless.”
So Keltel’s are this world's version of peacocks, I nod in understanding. But— “Isn’t that a little rude?” I scrunch up my face. “Sure, he was a little insufferable, but he wasn’t that bad. Is it just because he didn't reach level 80?"
"No, it's not that," Tabitha shakes her head in denial. “It’s because he couldn’t and gave up,” she clarifies. “The Escort Knights are an optional unit people can transfer into once they reach level 60. They guard important individuals from common threats but otherwise stand around all day.”
“Scholl doesn’t fault people for being weak, but we do when they choose to stop improving. They worked hard to reach their levels but eventually decided to quit and take the easy way out. There are plenty of people in our army around level 60, but they haven’t given up on improving. They still train, hoping to be better than they were yesterday—The Escort Knights— Not so much.”
“Oh," I finally got what she was saying and started chuckling.
"What is it?" Tabitha asks me, confused.
“I’m just thinking about how Pacore must feel being surrounded by men like Stevenson,” I snicker. “Having a bunch of weak yes-men doing everything he says without a second thought; it’s got to be torture for a guy like that.”
Tabitha pauses, and I can see the dilemma she’s facing in her subtle facial expressions. On the one hand, she wanted to berate me for saying Pacore's name without his title, but on the other, she found the picture I painted hilarious. In the end, she just coughs awkwardly into her hand and continues walking while I have fun for both of us.
Still, though, I couldn’t get the fact that Pacore was here for me out of my head. I knew this day was coming, and I'd been mentally preparing for it, but now that it was here, I couldn’t help but feel a little reluctant.
“You don’t have to look so down,” Tabitha’s monotone voice says, pulling me from my brooding as it always does.
“I’m not sure if I’m ready to leave yet,” I tell her honestly.
"I know," Tabitha says, surprising me, but not as much as her next words. "Don't worry; I'll talk to Master about not leaving right away."
“You’d do that for me?” I ask disbelievingly. "You'd go against Pacore's wishes just like that?"
“Master Pacore,” Tabitha can’t help but reprimand me. “And yes, or did you think I followed him blindly?”
“Kinda yeah,” I admit without a second thought.
"Che," Tabitha clicked her teeth angrily, but I could tell she wasn't really mad, only disappointed that I thought so little of her.
“Sorry,” I apologize.
“It’s fine,” Tabitha says bluntly, if slightly sour.
“I said I’m sorry,” I repeat childishly, miming pulling her in for a hug.
“No,” she swiftly turns me down, but with a lot less heat than previously.
That’s how we end our trip together, shooting the breeze and cracking jokes, each in our own way. And then, I’m home, and a new chapter in my life begins—one that starts by coming face first with a wall.
Damn, things in the village have been busy in our absence. Now to find a way in and see what has changed.
**********
Author’s Notes:
Surprise, surprise, I couldn’t finish it in only two days. At least I’m not uploading this chapter at midnight like I usually am.
I know the beginning of this chapter repeats much of what I've tried to write about levels and skills in the past, but I hope this finally puts the debate to an end. Or maybe it makes things worse—I don't know. Everyone has their own opinion, and that's okay, too.
I just wanted to state how I view things. Are skills more important than stat points? A little bit, but a warrior needs everything to be truly strong.
I hope you guys like the chapter, I’ll see you all again next Wednesday. Please comment below, and as always, stay safe.