Bane stood in the middle of his room, suffocating from the silence.
[ Ember Flame ] flickered dimly on his finger, sputtering as if it were about to extinguish
The notification window for [ Battle Sense ] was still flickering in the corner of his eye, a pale blue contrasting from the darkness. He looked down at his hands. He was shaking; but not from the cold, but from a newly developed vibration that seemed to be burrowing into his bones.
It hummed. A high pitched, invisible pressure that made even the air feel heavy.
He raised his sword again.
*Twitch*
A hum pierced his skull, like a sharp needle prick that instantly made him pivot. Nothing was there but instead a gust of wind coming from the outside.
Bane exhaled shakily. [ Battle Sense ] wasn't a gift but more like a curse - making him paranoid of anything that moves slightly.
But he couldn't stop, if the notes from the Index were true. He would eventually adapt. And that was good enough for him.
By the time the light of dawn sneaked its way into the cave; Bane was already a mess. He was covered in sweat, his eyes bloodshot and on edge. The hum in his head didn't stop either and instead felt like it was getting louder.
Then, the hum in his head didn't spike but it screamed.
*DANGER.*
The vibration in his head detonated at his head. Bane's body jerked, almost bringing him to his knees.
Before he knew it, his sword was raised. Even before he saw the door move.
Kael stood at the entrance. His silhouette blocked the dazzling light.
His eyes narrowed, tracing Bane.
"Have you slept at all?", Kael said flatly. "You've been up all night, haven't you…"
Bane dryly swallowed, tasting his own sweat. He didn't answer - the persistence of the hum was too relentless.
"Good. You're focused." Kael said, perceptive of Bane's determination. He continued, "Today, I will teach you how to riposte. As you parry my strike, use my momentum against me and aim to kill.",
Kael lunged. It was slow but deliberate.
Bane's vision stuttered. But the hum in his skull once again culminated.
His sword slid against Kael's and flicked his wrist
*CLINK*
The tip of his blade tapped Kael's chest, clumsy but the timing was perfect.
Kael pulled back, his eyes dilating slightly as he watched Bane.
"Again," Kael commanded.
He lunged again, but faster this time. And then again.
Every single time, the hum guided Bane's hand with eerie precision. His body was a passenger to his own reflexes.
The sound of steel clashing became frantic, uneven.
*CLINK* *CLINK* *CLINK*
Bane's vision started vignetting - the vibration in his head becoming unbearable.
"Faster," Kael said calmly.
However, to Bane, Kael started to blur.
Bane felt the intent but his body could not follow. He tried to pivot, to sustain the weight of the attack but his muscles failed him.
*CRASH*
Bane didn't even see the strike land. He only felt the impact of Kael's wooden blade against his shoulder.
Hitting the dirt, the world exploded. Laying on the dirt with his face pressed into the dust; gasping for air, still twitching from the inexorable hum.
Kael stood over him, sheathing his practice blade with a loud click.
"You've improved", Kael said, his voice returning back to its usual rasp, "This is the results of your training, Bane."
Bane retched, still laying on the floor. He tried to speak but his throat was too dry. His heart hammering the floor against his bruised ribs.
Kael looked at the scuff of his own trousers, the mark where Bane landed his ripostes.
"I was going to give you two more days," Kael continued. "But you've exceeded my expectations. We would only be wasting more time. Time we don't have."
Kael marched towards the door. "Rest. This will be our last night here. The Sigil will celebrate tonight, if you're feeling it, feel free to come."
Bane didn't even have the strength to crawl to his bed, and just let the darkness consume him whilst he laid on the stone floor.
─────────────────────────────
[ NOTIFICATION ]
─────────────────────────────
Adaptation has inaugurated
─────────────────────────────
[ Strength ]: [F+] → [E]
[ Defense ]: [E] → [E+]
[ Speed ]: [F] → [F+]
[ Endurance ]: [F] → [F+]
─────────────────────────────
…
Bane jolted awake to the smell of roasting fat.
He groaned, forcing himself up - his body felt heavy. His muscles were tighter and knotted but since he leveled up, the pain was almost gone.
Yet, the hum in his skull was still there, louder since the camp was fully awake.
"Oh yeah, they should be celebrating right now…", Bane thought to himself
Bane stepped outside, [ Ember Flame ] flickering slightly, clutching his practice sword. The cave's mouth was an amalgamation of orange and gold, against the deep dark night. The Sigil was gathered in a wide circle, their laughter echoing into the distance.
"There he is!" Griz exclaimed, sitting on a log with a flask in one hand, "Fire-fingers! I was just wondering where you were"
"Took me a while to convince my legs they weren't broken" Bane replied with a slight smirk. He limped over to the log, "Is there anything left, or did you finish the whole thing"
Griz let out a cackle, scooting over to make more room on the log. "Haha! I'm big, but even I have my limits, Bane".
He shoved a hunk of roasted meat towards Bane, the fat hissing. The smell making Bane's stomach growl.
"Eat up," Griz said, "you earned it today. I've seen Kael break men twice your size, but you actually managed to keep up."
Bane grabbed the meat, grease staining his calloused fingers. For a second, he just stared at the fire, watching the embers vaporize in the night. Only two weeks ago, he was homeless…
"Thanks, Griz", Bane said softly, before taking a mighty bite of the pork.
"Finally, something other than fish", he cried.
Bane opened his mouth, ready for another bite but…
The hum he almost forgot about came back, stabbing him in his head.
"Looking solid, Bane. Better than that twitching mess I left on the floor this morning anyway" Kael chuckled.
"Thanks, the sleep definitely helped.", Bane said, the hum still buzzing in his skull.
Griz let out a bark of laughter, nudging bane with his elbow. "He's only being modest, Boss! He's been eating like he's never seen food before!"
"Rumours have spread. They want to see the rookie who put a mark on my armour…"
"Come on! Don't leave us hanging! Show us if the Boss is losing his edge or if you've got teeth"
…
"How did I put myself in this situation", Bane groaned, the wooden sword feeling lighter than usual.
Kael stepped in the center of the ring made by the Sigil, his silhouette sharp against the golden firelight. He had that look again.
"Show them", Kael said.
"FIGHT!", someone screamed.
Kael moved without warning. It was his [ Veteran's Strike ], aimed to end a fight in a single breath.
Bane's vision vignetted, the edges of the world turning into an orange blur. The hum reaching a deafening apex. Louder than any thought.
"No way…", someone muttered, "He actually used that against him?"
Bane barely met the strike, the shockwave through his arms making his teeth grind as his damned curse sent agony down his nerves. But he didn't collapse.
Kael adjusted instantly, stepping back, as he stamped deep into a lunge. The sword whistled through the air, aimed straight at Bane's chest.
It was the exact move that Kael had shown him in the room.
*RINGGG*
Bane braced as their swords clashed, catching his blade and angling it downward. He leaned into the momentum, letting it revolve back into his own strike.
*THUD*
The flat of Bane's blade slapped hard against Kael's shoulder, the sound echoing sharply off the cave walls.
The silence that followed was impenetrable.
Even the fire was silenced, sparks drifting into the dark. Griz stood frozen, his jaw hanging wide open. Myra leaned forward from the shadows, her chartreuse eyes wide open with shock and something that looked horribly like hope.
Kael looked fulfilled. He looked like a man who had seen exactly what he wanted to.
"He... he actually landed it," Griz whispered, a grin slowly spreading across his bearded face. "Fire-fingers actually landed a riposte on the Boss!"
Then, the silence shattered.
A roar of approval came from the Sigil. People who were sitting in the dark with dread were now shouting, banging their cups against crates and whistling.
Kael sheathed his blade with a loud click. He gave Bane a sharp nod, acknowledging the hit.
"Better," Kael said, his voice carrying over the din. "Eat. You'll need the strength for the climb."
Griz was the first to reach him, nearly knocking Bane over with a massive slap on the back.
"I'll be damned! You have fangs on you kid!"
Griz laughed, dragging Bane back to the log where his half eaten slab of meat laid. "Get some more food in you!"
"I know Kael's been on your ass for the past week, but nobody picks up those kinds of instincts in a week. Not even in a fancy Ironspire training hall…", Griz stated
Griz leaned in, his eyes narrowing with curiosity "You move like you've had death riding you all your life. Where'd you really come from, Fire fingers?"
Cipher was leaning against a wall nearby, his gold armour looking battered. He looked at Bane with a gaze, his earlier arrogance replaced by a weird kind of recognition.
"The kid's got a spine, I'll admit that." Cipher droned, "But answer the man, kid. You definitely aren't a city boy…"
"Kid? Aren't we the same age??", he thought to himself, but decided to ignore it.
"I'm from the Sinks", Bane said hesitantly. "Ironspire Sinks".
Griz let out a low, groan, "The Sinks? God damn. No wonder you're so twitchy", he cackled and then continued, "I spent a week there once for a supply run. Scariest job of my life."
Cipher let out a short dry laugh, he looked at Bane,
"The Sinks, huh?" Cipher muttered. "Figures… Scrawny, desperate and fetid…"
"Fine. Sinks". He exclaimed. "Better than that stupid 'fire fingers' name Griz gave you".
Bane chuckled, giving them a small nod. He was finally being accepted.
"So, Fire fingers", Griz said, "I know it's not very well mannered to ask another challenger but…"
"What'd the Index drop in your lap for the Initiation Gift? Something sword related right? Must be.", Griz said as he leaned closer to Bane.
Bane blinked, a piece of pork halfway to his mouth. "An Initiation gift? What the hell are you talking about"
The camp went quiet. "Yeah," Griz gestured to himself. "The blessing kid, I got [ Ironclad ]. It makes me very durable basically. The Index always gives challengers a starter gift. It's the only mercy the gods have had on us."
Bane's heart skipped a beat. "I didn't get any damn gift.", he said, his voice rising in disbelief "I thought you had to earn them, that's what that lady said anyway."
"What?" Myra said from the shadows, "Everyone gets an Initiation Gift, Bane", she said.
"Status", he willed and then looked for a gift tab.
─────────────────────────────
Gifts
─────────────────────────────
Empty
─────────────────────────────
*DING*
─────────────────────────────
[ SYSTEM MESSAGE ]
Initiation Gift slot absorbed by: Curse - Pain Amplification
─────────────────────────────
Bane's blood went cold.
"I didn't get any Gift…", Bane whispered, "The Index, it absorbed it. I got a curse instead.
The campfire went dead silent. Griz's smile vanished. Cipher's smirk was replaced by a look of sympathy.
"That's... that shouldn't be possible," Myra whispered.
Kael, who had been watching, stepped forward. He reached behind his seat and pulled out a blade. It was heavy, the scabbard made of dark leather; handing it to Bane.
"You lost your blade to the Abyssal".
Bane took it, his fingers tracing the cold blade.
─────────────────────────────
[ NOTIFICATION ]
─────────────────────────────
A new asset has been bound
─────────────────────────────
[Vanguard Longsword] [D-]
A sword from the Ironspire Peacekeepers.
─────────────────────────────
"Don't thank me", Kael interrupted. "A curse given by the Index means the gods are scared of you. Get stronger. Look for a way to break it.
…
Bane laid on his bedding later that night, clutching the hilt of his new sword. The mountain wind howled through the Hollow Reach, sounding like whispers
He was being targetted…
As his eyes began to close, a voice, cold, ancient and deep echoed in the void of his skull
"...Endure."