Karul and his cronies are the first to leave not much later, since complaining obviously won''t do them any good. Just as well. The place is actually a little nicer without them around, now that the sun is in the process of evaporating the spooky morning mist. The gallows and the bare bones, unmarked graves still don''t sit well with me though.


    Justyna, her brother and his squire leave not much later. The captain of the night watch probably has better things to do, like getting some sleep, and he really doesn''t seem to be at ease around Wiktor. The captain doesn''t leave without exchanging a few last words though.


    “I''m glad that things worked out as they did. It might not have been the most elegant solution, but I''ll admit that you went for a clever strike. In hindsight, I should not have expected any less from a disciple of Wiktor. You better watch your back though. I doubt the young Karul will just forget about this.”


    With that said, he turns and leaves, his squire hot on his heels. Justyna shoots us one last curious glance before she too follows him. She seems to suspect that there might be more going on than meets the eye. And she might be right in more than one way.


    Will she figure out that she was just a pawn in Sylwia''s scheme? Or rather a cow to be milked? Or does she know and simply not care? And then there is still the other thing. What is up with her brother and Wiktor? Well, maybe I should just ask?


    The man in question steps up to my side just as I turn. I don''t get a chance to get in a word though, as he beats me to the punch.


    “Yes, a clever strike indeed. And maybe, since it seems that you are a disciple of mine now, I should provide you some more guidance?”


    I raise an eyebrow.


    “I don''t know. Should you?”


    He pats my back.


    “Oh, for sure. For sure! Lets head back to town though. It''s better with the sun up, but the place still gives me the shivers.”


    He turns to the others and they are quick to nod and mutter in agreement. I won''t disagree either, thus I hurry to catch up with Wiktor, once he gets going back down from hangman''s hill and towards the city.


    For a little while we walk in silence. Well, relative silence anyway, as Matylda and the bard are happily chattering a few steps behind us.


    I don''t pay much attention to their conversation though. It seems to be a summary of the last night for the better part anyway. I just hope the bard doesn''t turn this into an epic. Although never mind. The events of last night probably are just good enough for a little cautionary tale at best anyway. Eventually I refocus my attention on Wiktor once more.


    It seems he has only been waiting for this moment. Before I even have a chance to clear my throat, he starts talking in a carefree manner.


    “Well, lets talk shop. You realize, that you owe me for helping you out. Not much, since I essentially just had to stand around and look good, but still.”


    He chuckles, and as I don''t have anything to say to that, he continues.


    “I helped you out with those skills for a reason too. A reason beyond the fact that the ability to properly block or parry could come in handy during a duel.”


    Once again I only nod, as I walk alongside him, as I don''t want to interrupt him. Judging by his mischievous grin he seems to appreciate that.


    “Those skills, blades, parry, block and dodge, together with another more general or more specialized weapon skill are the foundation for the duelist class. Get those skills high enough and you''ll unlock it. And once you have done that, you can improve it further by learning other more esoteric weapon skills or in some cases spells.”


    I tilt my head slightly as I ponder the information provided. As I do that he keeps going on.


    “And even if you decide not to take this path, the trinity of block, parry and dodge are sure to boost your defense considerably. I, of course, can''t know for sure, but you probably are already pretty close to a point where you could just shrug off a halfhearted attack by someone like this Karul lad.”


    I nod as he finishes, although am not quite convinced that I really could have just shrugged off a proper attack from my opponent. This time I don''t stay silent either.Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.


    “Improve further and learn esoteric techniques? You mean like, take dodge to a whole different level and learn something like air step?”


    He blinks in surprise and looks over at me. He doesn''t stop though.


    “Air step? Can''t say I have heard of that one. I certainly can imagine what it might be like though. Usually you should avoid jumps like the plague, as dodging in mid air is near impossible. If you can push off invisible, immaterial steps in the air though … that would change everything. Ha, yes, I might just have to look into that a little more. It sounds a little like a combination with shadow step. That one I have heard of already.”


    I think about that suggestion too. It sounds a little like the path an assassin might take. Step into one shadow and out of another, not just to dodge incoming attacks, but to strike at the enemy as well. Damn, decisions! Except, do I even have to decide? I decide to ask right away, since Wiktor is already in the right mood to act as my mentor.


    “How many classes can I even have? Do I have to decide on one path and forgo another?”


    He eyes me for a moment, then he breaks into laughter.


    “Well, there are so many possible paths that you most certainly will have to forgo some of them. Probably plenty even. But yes, you can have more than two classes. I don''t think I have heard talk about a hard limit to the number you can take. There is a soft limit though.”


    Oh! Now we are getting to some of the interesting details! My [Gather Information] skill improving, even if just a little, seems like confirmation in that regard. Since he is already talking, I don''t interrupt.


    “So far you have only one class, right? And all your general skills improving helped level it so far.”


    That pretty much sums it up, thus I nod. And although I already suspect where this might be going I let Wiktor continue at his own pace anyway.


    “Well, as soon as you get another class that will change. Your class skills obviously only will level their own class and the contribution of your general skills will be evenly split in between all your classes.”


    I nod again. This time I decide to give voice to the conclusion I have come to though. It probably is what my teacher expects.


    “Get too many classes and you will stall your progress. Is that it?”


    He flashes me a quick grin.


    “That is pretty much it. At least as far as most people are concerned. There is only so much you can see, say or do in one lifetime after all.”


    Oh! That is a most curious choice of words. Once again my [Gather Information] skill improves by a fraction of a level. I''m pretty sure that it''s getting close to another level up. For now though I decide to keep digging a little.


    “The way you said that suggests that some very long lived or near immortal individuals and species might have a different approach. Or am I mistaken?”


    That earns me another chuckle, as well as a nod.


    “Indeed. Dragons and to a lesser degree some elves don''t see it like that. It''s no big surprise really, considering they can live many human lifetimes. The same is true for some undead, like some restless spirits, if they can progress past the circumstances that turned them into undead anyway.”


    I can''t help but turn to gaze back into the direction of hangman''s hill at his last statement. I swallow hard. Are the people even aware that it might become the source of some big calamity eventually?


    No, actually most are probably not aware in the slightest. They are too busy living their own little lives, focused on their own immediate problems. Even people like Wiktor, who are capable of looking beyond their own plate in general, seem woefully unconcerned.


    I feel a shiver run down my back at the thought. I can''t help but remember Fox''s words. This might just be one of the lessons I''ll need to teach people around here. In a way it''s almost like that fungal infestation festering out there in the woods. Out of sight. Out of mind. I swallow hard. Hopefully I''ll be able to do something about it before it gets really bad.


    I scratch my head and decide to focus on the more immediate problems. I''ll have to do more growing before I can tackle big problems like that.


    “Say, can I improve my first class too? By developing the right skills?”


    Wiktor nods again. As we are nearing the city again his answer is much more brief this time around though.


    “Of course! I''ll not interfere with that though. Your first class is usually a very personal thing. It''s best if you figure out where to take it on your own.”


    That seems like a reasonable approach, especially given the company we seem to keep and the divine patron under whose watchful eyes we live.


    It certainly gets me thinking though. In which direction should I develop my class? I can see several paths open to me. Should I follow a path dominated by my physical skills? Or one determined by my manipulation and information gathering skills? Can I go for a balanced approach instead?


    Well, one way or another, I''ll have to figure it out on my own. A glimpse at the man walking at my side is enough to let me know that I won''t get any more information out of him. Not in this regard anyway.


    He flashes me another carefree smile.


    “Want to go have a drink? It''s what I usually do after an exciting morning like this one.”


    Is … is he seriously trying to ask me out? Again? Right now? I almost choke on the laugh bubbling up inside of me. In the end I give up on trying to hold it in, as we enter the maze of the district outside the walls. I shake my head to decline though.


    “No. Sorry. I''ll take care of my sword and then I''ll try to catch a little more sleep. I wonder how close I can cut it before the landlady decides to evict my ass out onto the street.”


    Now he is laughing too. A few people, none of them too pleased to be out and about this early in the morning by the looks of them, shoot us dirty looks. No one dares to approach us though.


    “Well, you do you. Don''t forget to drop by the tavern and talk with Jerzy, if you are ready for another little job. I''m sure he can line up something for you. Don''t make any plans for tonight though. There already is a little gig that I could use a little help with planned for tonight. You remember the mill? Meet me there again after sunset.”


    With a last cheerful wave he takes his leave and so do Matylda and the bard. Before long I''m alone again. As alone as one can be on the narrow alleyways of a street that is just waking up anyway. Well, I have no time to waste. Not if I really want to get in a little more shut eye.