Path of the Pioneers

I laid on the ground with my back against the grass, trying to catch my breath after once again getting beaten down by Adeline. After four days of practice, I had gotten slightly better. I quickly realized that she wasn’t exactly giving it her all, though.

I nearly had her again. After dodging a slash by diving under it, I nearly was able to follow up with an attack. We had decided, almost as an unspoken rule, that if I managed to touch her with my hand in a way that wasn’t just brushing by, it would be my victory. After all, I couldn’t exactly cast my spells on her to win.

Not in a nonlethal spar, at least.

I was prepared for a follow-up, or so I thought. I cast a barrier up at my right side, I thought it would block her from being able to strike me while I attacked back. It did seem to stop that route. Instead, Adeline sweeped my legs out from under me with her sword.

Thus, my current situation.

“The barrier wasn’t bad. And I do think you’ve gotten better at positioning it..” She looked down at me from above. “Most monsters won’t do what I did, but my main intent is to show that your barrier can be worked around.” 

She blinked a few times, and then some sort of revelation came to her, made clear by her expression. “I don’t mean to say that it’s useless! The opposite, in fact. It’s an extraordinary skill. But it needs to be treated like a shield, not an invincible wall.”

I stood up, brushing the grass and dirt off of my pants. “I understand.”

“I think we can take a break from sparring for the evening.” She looked off into the distance. “There’s something important I should teach you about before we wind up in any more dangerous situations. Or at least, I should begin teaching you..” She looked back at me. “How in-tune are you with your senses, Sybil?”

I furrowed my brow just slightly, confused by the question. “Perhaps just the normal amount..?” Adeline smiled a little, nodding. She stepped behind me, putting a hand on my shoulder, something that very nearly evoked a startled reaction from me. “I want you to sit down. In whatever way feels most natural to you.” I, of course, did as she asked. I sat down on the grass, legs crossed.

Adeline seemed to lean down behind me, both hands now on my shoulders. “Close your eyes.” She was extraordinarily close. Perhaps something that couldn’t be helped given her hands on my shoulders. Nevertheless, I was trying very hard to avoid my cheeks going beet red. I closed my eyes. “I want you to focus on nothing but your breathing. Let everything else wash away.”

Her tone of voice was getting quieter, as if to not distract me. “Just.. Try not to fall asleep, alright?” She was right to bring that point up. After traveling for the whole day, and then sparring, I was ready to fall asleep. Doing breathing exercises certainly wasn’t helping.

“Slow your breathing as much as you can. Just, not so much that you pass out or something.” With the way she spoke, it felt as if she wasn’t exactly used to teaching others. Still.. I did as she asked. I breathed deliberately, and slowly. I focused on each and every feeling of air rolling in and out of my lungs, until it felt as if I was sinking into the ground.

“Now, I want you to reach out with every fiber of your being. Keep your eyes closed, but look.” I wasn’t certain what exactly she meant; the instructions seemed rather vague. Still, I tried to ‘reach out.’ I tried to see without seeing, to perceive the world around me without my eyes. As a result, all that happened was a slightly odd feeling in my body. Almost as if I could feel every part of it at once. Slightly strange, but within the realm of the ordinary, I’m sure.

After five or so minutes, Adeline spoke up again. “Anything happened yet?” I wasn’t sure whether or not to just open my eyes. After settling on keeping them closed, I replied. “Nothing quite yet.. I think?” Adeline sighed, “It’d be stranger if you had gotten results on your first try. Still, it was worth an attempt.” She patted my shoulders. “You can open your eyes now.”

I opened my eyes, only to immediately be surprised by the sound of my window activating.

[Instructor registered: Blademaster]

“H-huh?”

Adeline let out a quiet “Hm?” from behind me as I scrambled to get my status window open. I pressed on the ‘Class: Apprentice’ section, which pulled up the details of my class.

Apprentice

A crafty and skilled learner who readily absorbs the knowledge of their teacher. However, they are incapable of exceeding the capabilities of those that they learn from.

Instructors:

Sorceress

Blademaster

I had been under the impression that I was only able to have one instructor. After my master’s passing, I wrote the trait off as being entirely useless. Or.. Was I able to obtain another instructor because of her passing? No, it would be strange indeed for the panel to list my master as one of my instructors if that were the case.

Regardless, if Adeline was made to be an instructor for the purpose of my class..

Traits

Able Learner

You are able to learn from the tutelage of your {Instructors} with far greater ease.

Quick Study

Stat points acquired increased, skill growth increased.

Lowly Apprentice

As an Apprentice, you will never grow beyond Lv. 15.

For a while, I stared at the window, just thinking of the possibilities. I had regained one of the benefits of my class, just like that. Thanks to Adeline..

I was snapped out of it by Adeline gently tapping me on the shoulder. “Hey, what is it?” I turned back, still not sure how to broach the topic. “It’s.. A class thing..” She cocked her head to the side. “A class thing? You didn’t get a skill from that, did you? That would just be-” I cut in quickly, “No, no. I.. It’s not a skill. It’s.. Kind of hard to explain.”

The idea of explaining my class to her felt odd. Nobles were the only ones allowed to awaken in this kingdom, a practice that had even extended to the countries around Hyperion. Nearly all non-nobles were specifically prevented from awakening. Those that avoided the curse’s touch and awakened were usually conscripted or executed.

So, then. To her, I was either a traveler from a distant land, or someone who avoided the Slumbering.

The fact that I was neither meant there was all the more to explain.