A chilly morning mist hung over Millhaven as Aki and Ren emerged from The Wayfarer's Rest, each of them carrying an unadorned wooden practice sword provided by Jorren. Dew sparkled on the grass alongside the courtyard of the inn, where a handful of early-rising townspeople had formed to observe the new recruits.
"Ready for our first lesson?" Ren asked, twirling his wooden sword on his fingers with a smile.
Aki shifted his grip, eyes steady and keen. "Let's do this."
They walked over to a tall man standing next to the ancient well—a retired adventurer named Garron, whose salt-and-pepper beard and leather armor worn to a soft sheen told of battles too numerous to count. He nodded once in their direction, then extended a parchment scroll.
"Your character sheets," he explained. "You won't see them on paper. Instead, you'll sense your strengths and weaknesses in your mind's eye. We'll call them 'ability scores.' Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma."
Ren raised his eyebrows. "Like stats in a game?"
"Right," Garron answered. "But here, you sense them. Aki, you'll probably get a high in Intelligence and Dexterity. Ren, you'll be very Charisma- and Wisdom-oriented." He nodded toward two wooden mannequins placed in the courtyard. "First drill: get past your dummy. No killing—all training. Strike the weak spots on the dummy to earn points."
Aki shut his eyes for an instant, sensing the soft hum of power in his head—keen acuity as he accessed the joints of the dummy. He nodded, and then charged forward, aiming exactly at the elbow and knee of the mannequin. Each blow rang out with a satisfying snap through the wood.
Ren danced around his dummy, loose and fluid. He tickled its shoulders and ribs, laughing when a tiny ribbon dropped off the shoulder pad of the dummy. "Gotcha!"
Garron nodded in approval. "Well done. You two both got ten points. Now, fight each other—no holds barred save for lethal blows."
Ren bowed dramatically. "May the best friend win."
Aki smiled nastily. "Don't get too cocky."
They circled each other. Aki's strikes were calculated, seeking efficiency; Ren's flourishes were unpredictable, relying on speed and showmanship. The first exchange was a blur—wood against wood, soft thuds echoing. Ren feinted low, then arced his sword upward, grazing Aki's shoulder. Aki countered by sweeping low, catching Ren's ankle and sending him stumbling.
Ren laughed as he regained his footing. "Okay, okay! Not bad."
Aki's chest moved up and down in a steady rhythm. "Your technique is flashy. I must master some feints."
They exchanged advice—Aki instructing Ren in how to focus on points of weakness, Ren demonstrating a basic footwork dodge to Aki. Both could feel their hearts racing, not out of fear but out of excitement. Garron shouted time, and they dropped their swords, panting.
Perfect," Garron stated. "You've mastered the fundamentals of attack and defense. Now: health and stamina management. You both begin with full strength, but every strike and parry takes away from that. Sleep or small portions replace it." He gave them each a small leather bag. "Stock these with trail rations—bread, cheese, jerky. Conserve them.
As Garron departed to tend to an early errand, Aki and Ren examined the pouches. Ren slipped a chunk of smoked meat inside. "First supplies."
Aki frowned thoughtfully. "We need to test how much a ration restores. Tomorrow, let's note our stamina before and after eating."
Ren grinned. "Data collection—just like in your engineering labs."
They ran through some more drills until their muscles throbbed pleasantly. The sun rose higher, and townspeople started drifting into the courtyard to observe the lively spectacle. Aki understood they were no longer strangers here; they were learners, cutting their niche in this world one swing at a time.
As they walked back to The Wayfarer's Rest, wooden swords slung over their shoulders, Ren nudged Aki. "Not bad for two rookies."
Aki smiled, warmth in his chest. "Yeah. Together, we'll be pros in no time."
With that, they stepped through the inn's door, ready to rest—and eager for what the next lesson would bring. Is this human written