“Let go of that stupid club, we have more,” Astrid growled.

  “I need it,” Rook responded between heaving breaths.

  “Reina, buff him,” Astrid said, grabbing hold of him in a clinch.

  He felt his stamina return. “I take it you’re mad,” Rook grunted and punched out with the broken club, connecting his fist with her impacted ribs.

  “Why would you say that?” She asked, drawing in a shallow breath, stumbling, then falling to the ground, holding her right side.

  His arms felt bruised, and his wrists were potentially fractured. They throbbed with intense waves of pain, and as the adrenaline faded, he lay down on his back and slowly breathed until the pain really came. There in the dirt, he grit his teeth.

  “Lass, what the hell were you thinking?!” Gerald said, walking over to Astrid and pouring the contents of a health potion into her mouth.

  Reina helped to pour a health potion of her own into Rook’s mouth. His pain slowly faded, but he could tell that there were deeper wounds that possibly needed the healing quarter.

  Blunt and block skill raised

  Blunt 250 of 250 (Unlock next tier with Bronze)

  Block 80 of 250

  300 experience gained

  570 experience of 750 until level 13

  Unlock next tier with bronze? He stared at the notification. For all he knew, the rank would increase until he was a diamond rank. Feeling immediately better after the potion, he sighed as his bones healed from the trauma. He looked down at his shirt and frowned, messing with the loose rip of fabric. This, on the other hand, is done for.

  “You held out for a long time,” Reina said. “Consider me impressed.”

  Rook smiled. “I try.”

  “We have a little while longer until the next group,” Gerald said, with a smile. “I think Astrid did enough damage to you. Let’s train your mind,” he said, clapping Rook on the shoulder. “You’ll train with her for the remainder of the session.”

  “As for you, Reina, I know it was shocking at first, but I want you to hone that skill. It’s going to be one of your best moves, I can tell,” Gerald said, fist-bumping the enhancer.

  They broke off into their respective groups, Reina giving him a small smile as she left.

  “Alright, Rook, let’s get to it,” Astrid said, leading him to a small ring with a wooden dummy standing in the middle. “This is your opponent for the rest of the session. Call him what you will.”

  “Gerald,” Rook quickly said, with a smile.

  Astrid burst out in a laugh. “Gerald the dummy it is, I like the sound of that.” She placed a small bucket over his head as a makeshift helmet. “Do you see any rocks lying around?”

  Rook paused. “Uh, yeah, they’re literally everywhere,” he said, not fully getting the question.

  Astrid smiled. “It was a joke, loosen up.”

  Rook chuckled. “Yes, now what?”

  “Grab a handful.” Astrid walked over to the helmet and turned it, revealing a circle that was drawn in red on the other side. “This is your target. Use your Attramancy to kiss the circle, if the helmet moves you do it again,” Astrid said, crossing her arms. “Begin.”

  Rook shifted, focusing on the red circle, then surged his Attramancy. “Red circle, red circle.” Lifting a thumbnail-sized rock, he brought it forward towards the target. The small rock caused a huge drain on his mana. “Come on,” he said, with a groan as he fought with all his might not to fire the rock like a cannonball.

  “Lass, how’s it going over there?” Gerald called, causing the trainer to turn away.

  “Can’t hold it any longer,” Rook grunted, finding it near impossible to hold it any longer, and the rock shot straight towards the red circle. The rock crashed into the helmet, and the dummy was thrown backward. Rook fell to a knee, heaving as beads of sweat rolled off his forehead.

  “Maker’s hell!” Astrid exclaimed, whirling towards Rook. “What happened?”

  “I hit the helmet harder than expected.”

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  Attramancy increased 87/500

  4 experience gained

  574 experience of 750 until level 13

  “Let’s try this again, another time,” Astrid said, holding up the remnants of the helmet. “You destroyed the helmet. Why don’t we try to focus on mana and not your atramancy?” Astrid walked up to him, holding the piece of the helmet. “Engage your mana and dodge.”

  “What am I dodging?” Rook asked and was swiftly smacked in the face by the helmet. “Shit, that hurt!” Rook exclaimed, his face was on fire. Throwing his hands in a guard, he focused on his mana; the drain fluctuated with his dodging. The drains too quick.

  “Focus,” Astrid swiped at his head and followed with a jab.

  His command presence needed a focal point, so he focused on the mana bar, all while dodging. Astrid’s quick barrage. The rest of the training continued with an emphasis on mana consumption. Following the rounds, he met Reina, and as they went to exit, they were met by Jody, who stood at the front gates of the dome.

  “There they are!” Jody exclaimed, clapping both hands on the shoulder. “I trust you’ve enjoyed your short time off. Good, now we have another quest,” he said, pulling at his beard. “Boy, you both look like you went through hell.”

  Rook held a thumbs-up. “Tell me about it,” Rook said.

  Reina gave a grunt of acknowledgment. “I’m exhausted.”

  They held a short, half-hearted conversation until they reached the Stumbling Ogre. After a quick and uneventful night of getting cleaned up and having dinner, they went to sleep.

  * * *

  The next morning, Jody was waiting at the bar, sipping an ale. “Here you go, Sentinel quest right from our bulletin board,” he said, handing Rook a parchment.

  Cattle, cattle, cattle. The alliteration caught Rook’s attention as he scanned it. Reina sat beside him and read over his shoulder.

  Rook rubbed the back of his head. I’m still tired as hell from last night.

  “Drink, you both,” Brianna’s words broke his concentration and the silence within the tavern. She handed them an herbal tea of some sort. “My treat, a special recovery blend.”

  “Thank you,” Reina said, inhaling the vapors deeply. “You sure you don’t want us to pay?”

  “Of course, not many people treat the place so nicely, or are as good company, so it’s the least I can do.” She straightened up the stools in front of the bar.

  Rook looked at the bulletin board and chuckled. There were hundreds of tacks holding the torn edges of parchment. Like the Soldiers he was used to, people in austere lines of work tend to treat little things like tacks and torn edges with care. Bet it’s the same for adventurers.

  “Cattle, cattle, cattle?” Reina asked aloud.

  “It’s an extermination request,” Jody said, with a grin.

  “Nothing’s ever that simple, with you, Jody,” Rook said, reading the description.

  To whom this may concern, my name is Edith, the matriarch of West Goldwheat Farm. My late husband, Mack, and I ran into an issue with our cattle disappearing. My husband went to investigate instead of letting the guard take care of it, and hasn’t returned. The city guard said they found tracks left behind belonging to goblins, and I suspect they are hiding out in a nearby cave in the Ollar Forest. Please investigate the cave and exterminate the goblins inside, and bring my husband home.

  Quest rewards

  500 experience

  Ollar reputation boosted.

  Armor random for party.

  Rook tapped the counter, sold that this was his quest. Looking over at the steely-eyed Reina, he assumed she was game.

  “We ready? The rewards are pretty sweet,” he said, to which she nodded in agreement.

  Do you want to accept quest Cattle, Cattle, Cattle?

  Y/N

  With a mental choice, the quest was started. Brianna glanced at the paper. “East Goldwheat eh?” She wiped her hands and grabbed the paper to get a closer look. “I have something I’d like you to bring for me to Edith.” She disappeared into a back room, then returned after a few moments carrying a barrel of ale similar to the ones lining the back wall of the bar, as well as a bag full of rolls that were spilling out the top. “She and Mack do a lot for Ollar and—”

  “Done,” Rook interjected. “I’m happy to do it.” He placed a silver down on the bartop.

  “You don’t have to tip so much,” She said.

  “Save the room until we get back, please.”

  She smiled. “You’ve paid more than enough for the room,” she chuckled. “I’m beginning to like you two more and more each day. Consider it done.” She slid over two mugs of water. “Drink, then go.”

  Jody watched them and nodded in appreciation. “Well, drink up, we’ve got time at the moment.”

  Reina drank the water with steel in her eyes. Good, we’re probably going to need that. After the water, Rook and Reina followed Jody out into Ollar City. They were in the prime time of the trade district.

  “So vendors?” Rook asked, checking his inventory. “We could use some stamina potions and a few health potions, just in case.”

  “Yes, first let’s grab a meat bun,” she said, walking towards the east side of Ollar. “There’s a vendor with curry buns to die for.”

  They arrived at the small wooden cart, similar looking to a hot dog stand, essentially a warming container on wheels with a sign that says Haskern’s. The man standing behind the cart wore a sun hat. He was middle aged olive skinned man with bushy black eyebrows, piercing green eyes, and a black goatee. As they approached, the man dusted imaginary dirt free of himself.

  “Good morning, Sentinel,” the vendor said, with a cheesy smile.

  Jody gave a polite nod. They bought three buns and walked the street towards the west gate. It does look pretty damned good. He excitedly took the leaf-wrapped bun. If Reina says it’s good, then it must be. At any rate, at least it’s a warm breakfast. Following Reina’s lead, he peeled one side of the leaf open and was hit by the aroma. The savory curry smell pulled at his senses, immediately making his mouth water. When he took a bite, the flavors of Japanese-style curry were a treat. The bun was one of the best things he’s ever eaten, and he couldn’t help but smile.

  The guards at the west gate played the same song and dance as before. Rook knew the dance well; when the higher-ups came around to check on the formation, his Soldiers would pretend to be the hardworking recruiting commercial types. Then, when they left, the slouching, cursing, and cigarettes came back out. In reality, the job gets done, whether you’re smoking and joking or if you are being straight-edge with your tasks. As they approached the two guards standing watch at the gate straightened up, staring at the Sentinel Sergeant, and preparing for a salute. One of them a younger man with intense blue eyes stood at attention, his eyes fixated on Jody. There was a look of deep admiration, while the other, a middle-aged woman with midnight curls tied into a ponytail and green eyes, stood proudly with her halberd firmly against her shoulder. The guard up top, who appeared to be sunbathing like a sea turtle initially, stood at attention, scanning the perimeter with his crossbow, and Rook had to have a chuckle at that one.

  “Good morning, Sentinel and company,” the woman saluted. Then muttered something out of the corner of her lips, which urged the man beside her to quickly salute as well. “Forgive my young guard, he’s a fan of yours.”

  Jody saluted back. “Is this how you plan on guarding the perimeter, lad?” Jody asked the young man, with steel in his voice.

  Is he serious? Rook watched the young man shake like a brittle leaf and smiled. Been there before, grilled by a superior. But never shook like a dog.

  “I, er. Sentinel Iron Jody. I’ll guard my post with my life, and never leave it undefended,” the man answered, through stammering and a few unnatural pauses.

  There was a long moment of awkward silence. Okay, gotta break it.

  “I’m Rook, you probably know Reina,” Rook said, pointing at his friend. “We’re Sentinel candidates, going on a quest.”