182 - Catching Up

Because Balrum was built directly into the mountainside, it was no surprise that its agricultural tradition involved a significant portion of high-altitude grazing. Bovines, sheep, and goats shared the vast pastures above the tree line, providing meat, milk, and wool to the town.

Alexandra climbed up one of the many paths leading up the mountain and soon located a small farm nestled between a stream and a pasture. Small, hairy cows were munching on grass, watched over by none other than Willow, who sat on a wide, old tree stump.

“You’re back,” she said as Alexandra approached. “They found Zeynep.”

“I know. I looked in the wrong direction.”

Alexandra sat next to her friend.

“What took you so long?” Willow asked.

“Troubles, as always.” She hesitated. “And it's not over.”

Willow rubbed her eyebrows. “Let’s hear it.”

“So I was looking for Zeynep in Oldwater when I heard about the pass,” Alexandra started, explaining her reasoning. “In hindsight, I should have waited and gone with the team Torak was hiring.”

“Yes.”

“But,” Alexandra raised a finger. “I did find something interesting. Well, maybe interesting is not the right word. Let’s say concerning.”

She told her about her meeting with the Paladins and the Architects.

“So the Legate and the Vanguard both know where you are,” Willow said. “That was quicker than we anticipated.”

“Yes, but the good news is that the entire Architect squad was killed.”

“And the Paladins?” Willow asked.

“I’ve hired the survivors for our guild.”

Willow stared at her. “Okay…”

“What?”

“Don’t you think it's a little reckless?”

Alexandra shrugged. “I have you, a prospective Keeper. It’s not that different.”

Willow raised an eyebrow. “Oh? Is it?” she asked, her voice glacial.

“Ugh… well… it’s different because we’re friends. But the Paladins have been helpful, and I can’t reject their help considering what happened next.”

Alexandra went on to explain her encounter with the cult of desire and the information the Paladins gave regarding the cult of rot.

“In that case, it’s good you went there. Even if it wasn’t your intention,” Willow said. “Our focus should be on the cult of desire. We need to do everything we can to protect Nara and Kam from those maniacs.”

“Speaking of Nara, how is she doing?”

Willow’s expression soured. “Not great. She’s trying to hide from me, but I can tell the malediction is taking a toll on her. Kam is trying, but he’s not much older than Nara. I don’t know if he’ll find a cure in time.”

Alexandra put a hand on her shoulder. “If Kam doesn’t make it, I will. We have at least a year. I’ll be quite far along the Silver rank by then.”

“You know,” Willow said as she looked at her. “It’s hard to picture where you’ll be in a year. You’re not the most stable person.”

Alexandra froze. “Ah? Well, it’s true that I’ve moved a lot since I was summoned, but the circumstances…”

“I, Kam, and now those Paladins you told me about decided to follow you. For Kam and me, part of it is because, despite everything, we like you. For the Paladins, they’re only here because of what you represent.” She paused. “Nara hasn’t chosen anything. Stop acting as if she isn’t there.”

“I’m not—” Alexandra started, only for Willow to interrupt her.

“When’s the last time you talked to her?”

“Sometime before I left to look for Zeynep,” Alexandra answered with a shrug.

“When exactly? What did you talk about?”

“I… don’t know. I don’t remember. Nothing special, I guess.” She looked away at the cows grazing on fresh mountain grass. Their small size and long hair made them all fuzzy and cute.

“Well, isn’t that exactly the issue?” Willow asked. “Get yourself together, Alex. I know it's not easy for you, but we need you, and you need this too.”

The author shares this story where it was originally posted — this site copied it without so much as asking.

For a moment, Alexandra didn’t answer. She clutched her fist, the one away from Willow so that she wouldn’t see it.

Don’t lash out. She deserves better.

She took a deep breath, counted to three, and exhaled slowly.

It pained her to admit it, but Willow was right. She had been avoiding Nara. It wasn’t even a conscious decision, just the path of least resistance. It was easier to let Willow handle it, so she did.

It wasn’t fair to Nara. It wasn’t fair to Kam. And, more importantly, it wasn’t fair to Willow.

“I’ll try to be better,” Alexandra said, her voice so soft that she was afraid Willow wouldn’t hear her.

“Good. That’s all I’m asking,” Willow said, standing up. “Now let me show you what I’ve been up to.”

The two of them walked to the farm. The owner wasn’t there, but Willow assured Alexandra that it was fine.

“I’m helping him enchant his storage and fermentation cuves,” she explained. “Letting me eat some cheese is the least he can do.”

Alexandra followed Willow into the farm's cellar, where the scent of aging cheese immediately filled the air. Rows of large wooden fermentation cuves lined the walls, faintly glowing with the intricate enchantments Willow had been infusing into them.

“It’s incredible,” Alexandra admitted, running a finger along the rim of the nearest vat as she felt the ambient mana agree with Willow’s intentions. “I need to practice more.”

Willow picked up a sharp knife from a wooden table. She sliced off a generous wedge of hard, aged cheese and handed it over. “Eat. Then, you go talk to Nara.”

Alexandra grabbed the cheese and stuffed it into her mouth. “Actually,” she said, mouth half-full, “I need to take a beating first.”

Willow sighed. “Do I want to know?”

“It’s not my fault if today’s quest is dumb!”

“I think you’re a bad influence on your journal.”

*

“Are you sure you want to do this?” Erik asked, his smile betraying that he was only asking out of politeness.

Alexandra grimaced—the things she would give to go back half an hour ago when all was bliss and cheese. Now she stood in the room the Paladin had rented at the inn, already regretting her choice.

No. Alicia would be worse. I know it.

“Let’s just get it over with,” she said. “It’s not a brawl. I just need you to punch me a hundred times. Don’t hold back, but don’t force it either.”

“As you wish.”

Erik stood with feet planted wide, rolling his shoulders to loosen up his muscles carved by years of training.

He grinned.

“Brace your core,” Erik advised.

Alexandra took a breath. There wasn’t much she could do but endure. The first fist that connected with her stomach drove the air straight from her lungs.

Damned quest.

Before she could stagger backward, Erik stepped closer. His fists were a blur. Jab to the front. Hook to the flank. Uppercut to the sternum. Each blow was precise—heavy enough to hurt, restrained just enough to keep her from being seriously injured.

If I don’t get a skill quest, I’m going on strike.

Blood welled from Alexandra’s lip. Her arms grew leaden as she tried to maintain a dignified posture, but Erik’s relentless assault didn’t stop. Every impact bruised her skin. Sometimes her knees buckled, but she refused to fall.

The Paladin was enjoying himself a little too much already. She wasn’t about to give him that satisfaction.

“One hundred,” Erik said, landing his final punch on her shoulder.

“It fucking sucks,” she muttered.

“Are we good? I can keep going.”

“No, we’re goo—”

Alexandra summoned her journal and flipped it open.

One of them didn’t register.

“One more,” she said, bracing herself.

Erik shrugged. “It’s not even fun anymore.”

“Just do it.”

She almost threw up when his fist landed on her guts, but the quest was completed.

Take a hundred punches from someone with more Strength than you (100/100) -> Quest Completed: +10 exp, +1 CON, Skill Quest Unlocked: Body Tempering.

Daily Quest Streak: 155 -> 156

She sat on a chair, trying to recover as she celebrated her new skill quest.

Body Tempering – Common:

Your body is a temple. Its foundations are pain.

Each level increases the effects of Constitution on your body.

Body Tempering: Reach one hundred Constitution (1/1)

She blinked. That was easy. Her Constitution attribute had already reached 111, more than enough to complete the quest.

Alexandra let her senses spread across her body, trying to feel the changes. She mostly felt pain from the hundred and one bruises left behind by Erik, but it was already getting mildly better. The skill wouldn’t do much at level one, but she already knew she would have to put energy into training it.

Constitution was the most important attribute to her survival. It made her sturdier, more enduring, and made her heal faster.

If only the training method didn’t involve so much pain.

She didn’t want to go through another beating, and the training quest wasn’t much better.

Body Tempering Training Quest: Experience a new method of body tempering (0/1)

It was deliberately vague, but Alexandra didn’t need more to understand that she would have to find ways to torture her body. Bathing in freezing water, lava, getting cut repeatedly, injecting herself with poisons—she already had a lot of bad ideas.

Regardless, now wasn’t the time to work on that. The day was already well advanced, and she wanted to stop by the Hands before she picked up Nara from school.

She couldn’t show up with her skin full of bruises. What would the teacher think?

Alexandra was ready to admit that she wasn’t the best at people, but she liked to think she wasn’t a lost cause either.

At least, I hope so.

“See you later, Erik. Thank you for your assistance.”

“Always happy to help,” Erik said with a smile as he opened the door for her.

She stepped out of the inn where the Paladins had taken residence and walked into the city.