David Lingard: Author
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Chapter 22 – Hidden Potential
🕑 Added 2024-02-16 17:00:04 +0000 UTC"Seriously, did you see how badass my Stiletto looks?" Petra gloated as the three left the Merchant Hall. Petra had tapped out after buying the Stiletto with her and Titus' coins, and Jordan had bought a small, round wooden shield and a steel sword for two silver coins. They each gave his constitution a boost of one point, which he told raised his health points from fifty to fifty-nine. It wasn't anything major, but it was a pretty big bump percentage-wise. Titus couldn't help bus wish he had something to increase his health pool, but was generally happy that his friends were protecting themselves well.
"I know, right!" Titus agreed. "Imagine just being able to poison a monster and run away to hide behind Jordan here until it dies!"
"Hey!" Jordan complained. "I'm not just a piece of meat."
"Hell yeah, you are!" Petra said. "And just remember what your job is out there meat man: punching bag. So get used to it; it's already been decided."
Jordan feigned looking hurt but couldn't hold it for long.
"Yeah!" He cried. "This is amazing! I can't believe the stuff back there too… I mean, did you see those shields?"
"I didn't see anything after that dagger," Petra said. "I think I went blind or got tunnel vision or something."
Then she looked at Titus, who was decidedly quiet about what he'd seen in the Merchant Hall.
"Hey," Petra said. "As soon as we get paid again, I'm paying you back. You have no idea how much this means to me."
"Ah, don't worry about it," Titus said. "There was nothing there I needed, or even really wanted. Until I know a bit more about this Class I don't want to rush into any mistakes."
"That's not the point, Titus," Petra said. "You didn't even hesitate. There could've been something in there designed specifically for you, but you didn't even care!"
"Yeah, if anything's badass around here, it's you," Jordan agreed.
Titus smiled, though he felt a little embarrassed. In truth, he'd seen how much good the weapon would be for his friend, so he'd just acted.
"Tell you what," Titus said. "You save my life a couple of times in the fights, and we'll call it even, right?"
Petra paused for a moment looking thoughtful, then nodded. "I guess that's only fair. But when you figure out what you're supposed to be doing out there, I want first dibs on any of those superpowers you're going to get."
"After me!" Jordan said. "If I'm standing there taking all the hits to keep you safe, the least you can do is return the favour somehow."
"Alright, alright, there's plenty of me to go around," Titus said with a grin. "Just... don't get in my way," he said the last part in a sinister tone, which again drew laughter from the other two.
Carrying their new gear seemed like an annoyance, but once they arrived at the training sands for the start of their second week of basic training, they saw that everyone else had the same problem. Swords, shields, leather and plate armour, and even an honest-to-god two-handed axe were on display for all to see, and the ten White-ranked Contestants all looked uncomfortable standing there with their new wares in hand like they were some kind of wild rabble. Titus wasn't among them, though, given that he had no new weapons or armour to speak of. Though he did put on the wooden ring that boosted his stamina by five points, given that he could say he bought it if the question was asked.
Once the White-rankers were all standing ready on the training sands, Theodore - the Combat Instructor - entered through the wooden doors. He looked at them in confusion for a moment, but then broke into a smile.
"You all came straight from the Merchant Hall, didn't you?" he asked knowingly.
Some of the Contestants looked at each other sheepishly, but some nodded back to Theodore in confirmation.
"Then I have a lesson for you, and one that should probably fall to someone else, but well, here we are." He paused for a moment as if deciding where to start.
"If you would have gone back to your dorms, you would've found a new item there. It's kind of like a small wooden chest... it, uh... looks like..." then he snapped his fingers as something came to him. "The merchants have them! When you buy something from a merchant, they retrieve the item from a wooden box, right?"
There were nods and some mutterings in return.
"Well, that's what you've now got. Each of you has one. Did you wonder how the merchants could fit all their wares inside such a tiny box?"
He paused again. Nobody replied, though Titus had thought exactly that.
"Well, it's called an 'anywhere box'. It's a bit of a misnomer really because there's nothing really 'anywhere' about them. So the way yours have been designed to work... is that when you place something in one anywhere box, it will be available for you to withdraw at any other 'anywhere box'."
Only silence greeted the Combat Instructor.
"OK, I can see it's a difficult one for you to grasp. So the main thing for you to remember is that let's say you put a sword in the box in your dorm. When you arrive in the prep area before you head out to fight, you can retrieve the sword from the box right there. You don't have to carry your weapons around with you." Then he remembered something else and gestured behind himself. "And look, there's an anywhere box right there! So you can just put all your things in there when we're done for the day and they'll be kept safe and, more importantly, accessible for when you need them next."
Reagan, the Rogue, raised her hand and although Titus was sure everyone except him had bought something from the merchants, whatever she'd purchased wasn't obvious. He wondered if she'd bought a small knife or blade like Petra had.
"Won't everything just get mixed up if we all put our things in the box?" she asked.
"That's a great question!" Theodore answered. "And the answer is no. The box itself is designed so that if you put something in the box, only you can retrieve it."
"How far can the items travel?" someone else asked.
"I have no idea," Theodore answered. "But at least anywhere in the City."
"Can the things be stolen?" Jordan asked.
"No," Theodore said. "Nothing has ever been stolen from an anywhere box, as far as I am aware."
"What if the box is stolen, or damaged?" Petra asked.
"Then your items will be available at any other anywhere box. Theoretically if every single anywhere box in the City was destroyed all at once... then I don't know what would happen. But there are measures in place to stop that from happening."
There was a short pause as the Contestants tried to think of any other questions they might have had about the boxes, and then a thought occurred to Titus.
"How do they work?" he asked.
Theodore's smile wavered. "You place your item..."
"No, I don't mean how do they work," Titus said, emphasising his words. "I mean, how do they work."
"Well..." Theodore said. "Let's just accept that the boxes are magical in nature, but in essence, it is The God of Balance that oversees their function. This is why the boxes are infallible."
It was the end of the line for questioning because, as it was with so many other things, once it was deemed that 'The God of Balance did it', then there was no more explanation to be had.
With the new addition to the dorms and everyday life explained, Theodore then oversaw everyone placing their new gear in the anywhere box - which was empty every time a new student opened it to place in their own things - the basic combat class resumed as normal. Training resumed with the wooden training weapons, shields, swords, staffs, and spears, and that is how things went on for the rest of the week.
The days flew past, and Titus had almost forgotten about the ticking clock just above his head: the need to come clean with Miss Kane, but the instinctual desire not to had kept him well away from the Grandmaster's office.
Even better, though, was the fact that during the evenings and nights, he didn't receive any more visits from Spectral Harbingers, and the rest of the time all of the White-ranked Contestants were so exhausted from the step up in training, that Titus hadn't shared so much as a glance with Henderson.
Titus still didn't know why he was keeping his Class a secret from the Grandmaster, but something was telling him deep down that it wasn't something to be shared. It was always going to come out eventually, and Miss Kane had backed him into a corner: he would either tell her or not be promoted to Blue rank, leaving his friends to fight in the arena without him. And that was something he simply couldn't do.
What was bugging him the most, though, was that there was no mention of the Capacitor Class whenever paths were spoken of. Warrior, Defender, Rogue, and Spellcaster were all that anyone was given, and all that anyone seemed to care about. He'd made subtle inquiries as to the existence of differing Classes, but nobody seemed to stray from the standard set of responses.
'The Classes are there for a reason, and they're awarded to best suit the awakened in question' was the gist of that response.
But Titus had been awarded his Class so much earlier than the rest of the Contestants, and deep down, he still harboured the fear that he'd been given something that could've ruined his future. The worst that he supposed could come of it was that he'd be removed as a Contestant altogether, and although it wasn't his choice to become one in the first place, that's what he was. And now he knew he wanted it.
But therein lay the dilemma. Tell Miss Kane the truth and risk expulsion, or lie and remain a White-Ranker, presumably until he was expelled anyway.
On the last evening before his deadline was up, Titus knew he only had one choice, seeking out Miss Kane and eventually finding her in her office, sat at her desk watching the door like she'd been waiting for him to enter all along.
"Hello, Titus," she said as he stepped in. He'd gone alone, telling Jordan and Petra that he didn't want them present in case anything bad happened. They'd objected, but he stood his ground and they'd finally accepted the situation.
"Miss Kane… Grandmaster," Titus said.
"What can I do for you this evening?" She asked, smiling.
Titus stood just inside the door and shuffled his feet. "You said I needed to get my Class before I could become a Blue rank… before I can go out onto the sands to fight…"
"Yes, I did, didn't I?" Miss Kane responded. "And do you have something to tell me?"
Titus nodded. "I do. But before we talk, can I ask a question?"
"You may."
"Are any of the Classes better than the others? I mean, can you get a bad Class?"
The Grandmaster shook her head. "Classes are given by The God of Balance and are most suited to the individual. So technically the Class you are given is the best Class for you. But no, no Class is inherently better or worse than any other."
"Right…" Titus replied. "And are there just the four main Classes to begin with? I know they can adapt and evolve over time… but can someone receive a different Class altogether right from the start?"
Miss Kane stared at Titus, her eyes widening ever so slightly as she listened to the White-Ranker.
Then finally she spoke. "It has happened, but not for many, many decades… sometimes, if an individual does something of note that draws the eye of The God of Balance… they are bestowed with a Class unlike the others…" she spoke slowly, and watched Titus as she did so like she was trying to peer into his very soul.
Titus felt his pulse quicken and his palms began to moisten. Nobody had told him anything like that, and he wanted to know more.
"Like what?" He asked.
"Well, I can't say for certain because the records of such events were closely guarded. But if an Unclassed Awakened does something particularly bad, like murder someone for example, then their Class may be a reflection of that act, with negative consequences. Keep in mind I've not seen anything like that happen first-hand though, mind you."
"Right… so The God of Balance can pretty much do what he wants…" Titus said.
"That is correct," Miss Kane said. "But in all things, The God of Balance is justice and balance. You should always try to remember that."
Titus frowned. Had The God of Balance punished him with a weakened Class because he'd fought a monster before he was supposed to?
"Now, am I to understand that this line of questioning has something to do with your Class, or are you just stalling for time?" Miss Kane asked with a crooked smile.
"I… I have a Class," Titus said, deciding in that moment that he had no alternative than to tell the Grandmaster the truth, and that if he had any chance of making something useful of himself, he was going to need her help.
"Well, that's good news, Titus," Miss Kane replied.
"But it's not what you might think…" Titus added slowly. "I got it after the fight in the dungeon… with the Deadlands Boar?"
"You got your Class weeks ago?" Miss Kane asked with a frown. "And you are just choosing to tell me now?"
Titus nodded. "My Class. It isn't one of the main four."
If the Grandmaster had stood up any faster, she might've knocked over her desk.
"What!?" She exclaimed. “But… but… what‽”
"I don't know what to do… can you help me?" Titus asked.
"Just… open your information to me and let me see," Miss Kane commanded, and Titus could see that her hands had started shaking.
Titus felt like he'd made a mistake by the way the Grandmaster was acting. She seemed truly scared, and that terrified him.
But he did what she asked, imagining the keyhole view into his personal stats growing to allow Miss Kane to peer in and see everything he had to offer.
Miss Kane stared at Titus for a long moment, and then eventually she spoke.
"What did you do to earn this Class exactly?" She asked.
"I… I'm not sure," Titus said honestly. "One moment the boar was heading for Petra, and I knew it would kill her if it hit, so I didn't think, I just acted and pushed her out of the way. That's how I got hit pretty badly," Miss Kane looked thoughtful, but finally spoke under her breath. "A thoughtless act to reveal a true colour..."
"I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner, Grandmaster," Titus said. "Can you help me fix this?"
"Fix this?" Miss Kane asked. "This is not something that can be fixed, Titus. But I think you're looking at this the wrong way. I would say that from what you've said, your Class is a gift borne of something positive and not a punishment. I've never heard of a Capacitor before, but I would guess you have the potential to become something more powerful than most Contestants that grace the arena sands. You should thank The God of Balance for this gift, and do everything you can to honour the responsibility that now lies upon your shoulders."
"A gift?" Titus asked.
"Yes! In my experience, if The God of Balance hands out a punishment, it is an obvious one! A reduction of experience or statistics, but what you have been given is a unique path with skills that are yet to be revealed. My advice to you, Titus, is to train and do what you can to be the best Contestant you can be."
Titus smiled at that. The last thing he thought would happen during this conversation would be for him to walk away feeling like he stood on top of the world.
"Oh, but there is one thing," Miss Kane said. "Something like this... it's best kept between us, and I'm guessing Petra and Jordan? You all seem pretty close, right?"
Titus thought for a moment and then nodded. A passing thought reminded him that he'd only known his two new friends for a couple of weeks, but instinctually he still felt he could trust them.
"I know I can trust them both," Titus said confidently.
"Good, because you're going to need friends like that if you're going to make it here in the Arena."
She let that proclamation hang in the air for a moment, after which Titus spoke again.
"What am I going to do?" He asked in a very small voice.
"For now, we do nothing," Miss Kane said. "The next stage of your training is to move along to more specific instructors for your Class and rank. Obviously, the problem you have is that there aren't any Instructors for your Class, and to separate you and give you more specific training could be seen as an unfair advantage, and trust me, you don't want that. To keep things moving along like nothing out of the ordinary is happening, I'd say you should pick a Class that you think will best suit your fighting style and attempt those classes. Tell me, which of the four Classes do you think will suit you best?"
Titus didn't need to think very hard about that. He knew he had no desire to get up close and personal with any of the monsters he'd seen so far, and with Petra and Jordan already taking up the Rogue and Defender Classes, those were out. Being a Warrior was the last thing he wanted, and so he was left with only one option.
"Spellcaster," he said. "I… I think I'll be better with a bit of distance between me and whatever's trying to kill me."
"Not a bad deduction," Miss Kane said. "My advice would be to pick up a spell or two so people don't cotton on to your Class being somewhat different to the others. If you need advice on distributing your stat and ability points as you receive them, I and the other Instructors are here to aid you, as we are for any of the other Contestants here in the Arena. Please do not hesitate to ask for help, just know that we will always be fair to all."
Titus nodded, wondering what kind of spell he was going to be able to learn, but also what his Class had in store for him in terms of more abilities or skills as time went by. At least Miss Kane had said his Class was most likely a good thing, and not a punishment that could've got him expelled.
He wasn't entirely happy about having to keep his Class a secret for the long haul though.
