Tyler Kimball - Lessgently
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Pallesia: Chapter 107 - Numb.
🕑 Added 2024-02-07 08:24:36 +0000 UTCIn the surrounding forest of Lopus, Lee sat in a small secluded grove, ‘training.’ He wasn’t sure if it was because of shame, the blood, or secrecy for his class quest, but he didn’t want others to see him in the act—Stabbing himself over and over again, only for it to heal in seconds.
When he woke up this afternoon, Jeremy and the others had left for their delve. Doubts and ‘what if’s’ wracked his brain as he went through the monotonous motions of his training. He could have gone along with them; it wouldn’t have been too big of an issue for him, but he couldn’t always be there for everyone. Wherever he went, there would be people who needed help, and his help was of a very specific brand—healing.
It sounded exciting and daring to go out and about on fanciful adventures, but this was his life now, and stories were just that, stories. He had stared death in the face several times already in this new world, and he learned quickly that everything here is not all fun and games. Hearing the heroics of slaying a dragon and actually slaying a dragon are completely different things. All of the blood, sweat, fear, death, and exhaustion are left out of the stories, and he didn’t want any part of that. Not when this was his second chance to live.
And live, he will.
Lee hissed as he stabbed his forearm once again. This time, he felt pain as his Anesthesilosurge spell timed out. While what he was doing was gruesome and morally gray, at least to him, it was monotonous and boring. Several times already, his thoughts had drifted away, and he’d lost track on the duration of his spell.
Initially, he’d just stabbed and healed as fast as he could. That quickly changed the first time he accidentally stabbed through his own arm and felt the searing, mind-numbing pain. Now, he slid the knife through, just in case he needed to abort.
He had all the time in the world and no time at all. He hadn’t had many opportunities to be alone in days and could only train like this in solitude. He needed to use this time to progress in his levels, as his spells could be worked on in the presence of his companions.
But, it was slow going.
Healer.
Heal 5000 HP.
3548/5000HP.
Reward: 500XP.
He hadn’t completed his quest yet, but he was getting closer. It would only five percent of a level once completed, but this would be one of the most straightforward five percent’s he had ever gotten. No need to hunt and slaughter and no need to put yourself in danger. It was safe. Just, not harmless.
Lee brought up his total XP and tried to think back on his previous total.
XP: 5048/10000
Quickly, he did some mental math and discovered that he had been passively gaining XP since he’d been in Thexis. The last time he’d killed anything was during his trek here. The only explanation was his profession, Otherworldly Academic.
Otherworldly Academic: You to gain experience by traveling to new places and by learning about things that are different from your home world.
You have an increased chance of learning skills.
Lee gave a minor snort as he re-read his profession. That would definitely explain a lot about where his XP came from. If most other professions were like his own, then he could see how people could stall out around level thirty or forty during their lives. It was a slow method of gaining XP, but it was free, at least for him.
The shifting and snapping of branches from behind him interrupted his training. Lee stood, stored his knife, kicked around some of the nearby fallen leaves around to cover up the bloody forest floor, and then called out to whoever was approaching. “Can I help you?”
There was silence for only a second before the sounds of snapping branches continued towards him. Soon, a frustrated Em was seen angrily snapping branches and stomping down on top of small shrubs and bits of foliage that dared block her path.
Em entered the small open clearing, a frown overtaking her frustrated snarl as she could finally move unhindered. “We need to talk.”
While slowly closing his eyes, Lee took a deep breath. The bad news was coming. “Tell me what happened.”
Em took a moment to think about which words to choose, Lee could see her face twitching and her frown deepening. She shifted her eyes toward him, then bluntly stated facts. “Adventures are not as fun as I was led to believe. Belgrate is dead.”
Lee reeled back, eyes blinking rapidly as he took in the shocking information. Before he could internalize it, Em carried on. “The members from the wall are useless, Lee. They are a hindrance to all those near. People rely on them, but they’re unreliable. Jeremy is the only redeeming quality of their squad, and that’s saying a lot.”
Lee’s jaw dropped to the floor as Em spoke faster and faster, growing more animated as she released all of her pent-up frustration by rambling. “Meriah attacked me down there. It was ineffectual, but she gave it her best try. She has a skill that changes your emotions when struck—very unsettling. I cut off her hands to stop her, but didn’t bother to heal them. The little bird did not act. I got a wiff of fear from her when I took action…”
Em heaved for breath and rapidly clenched and unclenched her fists. She shifted her blood-rimmed eyes to Lee, then quickly averted her gaze down to the forest floor. Her quivering voice was clear as day in the silent grove. “It was supposed to be a fun adventure. Why does everything turn to shit when I’m involved?”
Not knowing what to say, Lee sat there in silence while gathering his whirling thoughts. Eventually, he spoke with a voice full of understanding. “It’s not you, Em. It’s the world in general… How did he die?”
Em wiped her shimmering eyes as she responded, not uncaring, but bluntly with frustration. “Petrification. There is something down there, Lee. It’s not a statue either. There was a deep reverberation… call? It wasn’t a roar, but something called out. When I gazed around, he was standing in the middle of a road. He was sent to us—a warning. I broke him to end any potential suffering he might have been going through… his face...” She stopped there, leaving him to his imagination.
When thinking of Belgrate, Lee’s mind kept replaying all the times the man had asked for his precious fur, asked questions about magic, and made the evening meals for everyone to enjoy around a fire. All of that would never happen again, and Lee was still in a state of shock as he thought about a future that would never be.
Surprisingly, he didn’t cry. With dry eyes, Lee withdrew his knife again, cast Anesthesilosurge, and continued his training. He spoke to Em as he continued to hurt himself. “What do you think we should do? Should we separate from them and go to the capital instead? Do you want to go our separate ways once we’re finished in Felispar? You were there in that cave, speak your mind.”
Em watched as Lee repeatedly stabbed himself. Lee could hear the surprise in her voice. “We?”
Lee paused, then met her eyes with a small amount of shocked confusion. “Well, yeah? I’m pretty sure we’re in this together…? Unless you want to leave?”
For the first time since entering the grove, Em smiled. She huffed out a shaky laugh as she tilted her head curiously at Lee. “Lee, you realize that you’re in charge right?”
“In charge of my own decisions, yes. You’re your own person, though. You chose to tag along with me, delve the depths, and steal my magic. I didn’t make you do any of that. You’re living your own life, making your own choices.” Lee set the knife to the side as he turned to give her his full attention. “So, what do you want to do?”
“I want that bitch to suffer!” Em instantly spat out, venom dripping in her words. “Do not heal her hands. She is mentally unstable, and a liability. Her skill is dastardly. The little bird will complain, but I want this. I want this badly.” Em finished, her voice menacing and slightly echoing, giving Lee the feeling of spiders crawling on his skin.
As he was obviously not going to make any more progress in his class quest, Lee stored his knife once more, then spoke a single word after a moment of silence. “Okay.”
Em leaned forward, surprise highlighting her face as she spoke in a slightly higher pitch. “You agree?”
Lee nonchalantly shrugged. “I wasn’t there, but I’ve seen what she is like. I’ll take your word on it. I’ll speak to the others about everything else, but for now, she can ‘suffer.’” Lee used air quotes, gently mocking her descriptor.
He wouldn’t let Meriah die. He would at least partially heal her hands, but it was time to take a stand. She would be dead already if she acted like she did in front of any other high level person, but she attacked Em because of her appearance and/or race? No. That would not go on. In this specific case, hands were a privilege. She could live without them until she learned her lesson.
“I will kill her if she attacks me again.” Em said, voice calm and steady—Conviction apparent.
Lee sighed. He didn’t like that… but Em was her own person, she could make her own choices. “If that’s what you feel is right. Now, tell me everything, from beginning to end…”
—----------------------------
Lee exited the forest and leaned against a nearby tree to wait for Em. She wasn’t far behind, as he could hear her stomping, snapping, and hissing at everything that got in her way. In a flat open space, she was frighteningly quick, but when surrounded by all the trees nearby, her massive form became a hindrance. During his short stroll, he had seen her rip a smaller tree straight out of the ground in frustration. He noted that down for later.
Once she was out, she turned around and ripped the bark straight off whatever tree was closest to her—with ease.
“Was that necessary?” Lee asked while gesturing to the now barkless tree.
Em hissed as she stormed off toward their camp, which was still a minute or two away. “It will die a slow and painful death.”
Not knowing much about how a tree’s bark worked, he took her at her word and followed along.
He felt… numb.
Comments
James Faulkner
Tftc!
Tyler Kimball
When it came to attraction to the Dark Elves, it was more along the lines of "Yeah, that's not ever going to happen." to such a high degree that he wasn't (At the time) capable of attraction towards them. Now that he's more healthy and more knowledgeable about this world, perhaps he would react differently, now.
Winterharmony
Thanks for the Chapter
jean
i can understand why he feels numb after all the things he has gone through lost a family and after the elves he has been keeping everyone at arms length either by aware choice or not and now he is protecting himself by not getting to near people he will out live and that is a good thing but the numb part is not the best maybe :P but its more healthy kinda??? some people like em though who is not after him for anything really other than good company and magic a real friend like the elves girl not what everybody else is after holding fear or trying to find a way to use him :P but gotta ask why isn't he feeling any kind of lust or atraction to other races that is kinda mega weird just saying :P or is lee a racist on that front XD
