Chapter 034 - Morning

Out of all the things they had discovered while exploring the precinct. The barracks was Anna’s favorite part. A proper bed, even if it was a cheap government-issued mattress, was the best sleep she’d had in a long time. It was a dreamless sleep, glorious and comfortable, she wasn’t sure what it said about her that she didn’t have nightmares that night. On the other hand, she really didn’t care. The only downside was how tragically short it was. 

“Get up.”

Catherine’s commanding voice snapped Anna awake. Adrenaline pumping through her veins as her first instinct was to go for her inventory. She reached forward and instead caught a clump of cloth that was thrown at her. She rubbed her eyes and groggily looked down at what she was holding. A tank-top and a pair of gray cargo pants that looked to be just about her size. She stared at the clothing for a moment before looking up in confusion at the woman standing at the end of her bed.

“...where did you get these?” she asked.

“I found the storage room,” Catherine said, reaching up to tug on a strap slung over her shoulder. Anna rubbed a bit more sleep away from her eyes and noted the barrel of a rifle pointing up and over the woman’s shoulder.  “And the actual armory.”

Catherine was decked out in the same outfit that Anna was holding and had even gone as far as to put on one of the patrol officer’s belts with all the pouches. Her long black hair was tied back in a severe ponytail. She was built, well, like a goddamn soldier. An imposing frame that went with her sharp eyes and solid demeanor. Jet black tattoos on her dark skin stood out against the faint glow of the glowstone in her hand. It looked like lines of text and various archaic symbols.

Anna shook her head and pulled herself out of bed, there was no point in complaining. “What time is it?” she asked before rolling her eyes. There was no real way to tell besides setting her days against the integration clock. She pulled it up.

Days left until integration of Earth: 347 Days, 19 hours, 57 minutes.

“Get changed and meet me in the lobby, I found some boots for you too, they’re here.” Catherine said, pointing at the ground before she stalked out.

Anna scowled at her back, getting ordered around like that rankled her and every instinct told her to disobey. The fire in her blood roared to life and for a brief moment she considered tossing the clothes at the back of the woman’s head. She closed her eyes and took a deep, steadying breath before exhaling and letting the heat die down. The last time she’d given in to the fury of her heritage she’d nearly gotten herself killed. Rage and overconfidence seemed to be a hallmark trait. Her lips twitched when she remembered the boss of the Tainted Halls.

Stupid.

The heat died down and she pulled off her robes and looked down at what remained of the clothing she had brought with her into this madness. Cuts and bloodstains were everywhere. It took a bit of effort to peel it all off, tossing the stinking shreds of fabric on the ground before examining her skin. Pale scars marked her lightly muscled arms and shoulders. She flexed her fingers and admired the sense of strength in them. Nice… she frowned as her thoughts started to scamper away from her. Damn it, letting my ego get away from me again.

She pulled on the clothes provided, finding the boots and tugging them on as well. They weren’t a terrible fit but they weren’t great either. She gathered herself and made her way out of the barracks, through the ruined open office, and into the lobby where Catherine was waiting. She was standing in front of the door to the outside where light poured in.

Light? Weren’t we snowed in? Anna spotted the shovel leaning against the doorframe and pressed her lips together. I don’t like where this is going.

“Do you have an ability or item that protects you in harsh conditions?” Catherine asked, her arms crossed.

Anna shut her mouth and narrowed her eyes.

“No point in hiding it, you handled the run here far too well for someone with your experience,” Catherine said flatly. “If it is an ability, that’s fine. If it is gear, put it away.”

Tsk

Anna pulled the ring off her finger and opened her inventory, tossing it in and crossing her arms as well. “Next?”

“You run, outside, to the first flag. You should see it when you step out. Run there and back. What is your current max stamina?”

Flag? When the hell did she have time to shovel and put out a goddamn flag? Did she even sleep at all? Anna glanced at her stats and hesitated before answering, “It’s 188,” she grumbled.

Catherine’s eyes narrowed. “Understood. Go.”

“What about you?” Anna asked, walking past her to the door and bracing herself for the chill.

“I will sit here, watch you, and gather essence to refine,” she said flatly. Then, without ceremony, she sat down right where she was standing and turned to face the doors. “Go.”

“Gather?” Anna demanded but the woman just stared at her. Anna groaned, she wasn’t going to get any answers without doing what she was told. Again the heat in her blood flared up and her jaw clenched as she fought it back down. It was even harder than before. She squeezed her eyes shut and nodded, already feeling breathless from the mental energy expended. Without another word she pushed the doors open and gasped as the icy air bit into her skin.

“F-fuck!” she stammered, forcing her legs forwards as she squinted against the snow. There, just far enough away to be a barely visible flutter, was what looked like a yellow saftey vest tied to a rod or something. How fucking far is that? I have to run there? She spat on the ground. Fine, if it means getting stronger than what the hell? I’ve got stamina for days. If she’s okay after going out there then I’ll be fine.

Anna was not okay, fortunately she didn’t see a monster even with her Wraithsight. Not that she had the wherewithal to do anything about it as she ran through cold and knee deep snow.

By the time she reached the flag her entire body was trembling and her lungs burned. She’d run the entire way, and could barely feel her face. I’m gonna get fucking frostbite, she thought as she leaned on her knees and looked out towards the distance past the flag. There, just again within eyeshot was another of the damn flags. Her knees buckled. What the hell? She stood up and threw her head back, groaning in frustration before turning back. She almost started running  but paused when she saw a dark shape in the distance. It looked like a building. I should check that out sometime, when Catherine’s not trying to kill me.

The return run was worse. Her entire body ached even as the heat beneath her skin from her boiling blood and the exertion chased off the worst of the cold. When she arrived at the doors she found Catherine sitting cross-legged on the floor with her hands in her lap. Anna’s eye twitched and she almost opened her mouth when the woman spoke first. “Your current stamina?”

Anna shut the door behind her and scowled before glancing angrily at her stats.

“Thirty-fucking-three.”

“Then the first flag is your limit for now,” Catherine said with a nod, getting to her feet.

Anna glared at her. “How many of those goddamn things are out there?” she demanded.

“Six,” Catherine said without blinking.

“How?” Anna demanded, “You’re level one!”

“There were not any monsters along the path,” Catherine said flatly and started walking towards the front desk. “And I have conditioning training. I may have lost all of my levels and progress on my skills, abilities, and proficiencies but my body is mine. I know how to use my stamina.”

Anna stared at her, wide eyed, before exhaling hard. She shook her head and couldn’t help a rueful smile as jealousy coiled in her stomach. “Can I get like that?”

Catherine looked back at her as she stopped at the front desk. Anna immediately noticed that the chairs and couches had been moved out of the way. The ex-paladin crossed her arms. “Yes, but that’s up to you.”

Anna let the frustration pour out with a breath and pop of her neck. “Fine, what next?”

Catherine reached back and plucked a notepad off the desk along with a pen. She fiddled with it for a moment before speaking. “What are your current proficiencies and their levels?”

Easy enough questions and none of them are a secret, Anna thought. “One-Handed Bludgeoning Weapons, base level. Arcane Magic, base level.”

Catherine wrote it down and nodded. “You must be close to advancing your weapon skill. Arcane Magic was my focus so that works,” she said. “Is that all?”

“Yes.”

“Then we will add to that list. There is an armor proficiency but acquiring it requires more than wearing the armor. I saw you with that hand-cannon yesterday. We will work on firearms as well as hand to hand combat. Basic proficiencies for now.” Catherine said thoughtfully. “I will set your foundations for more advanced proficiencies.”

Anna crossed her arms to hide the small thrill of excitement. Now she’s caught my interest.

“Your skills?” Catherine continued.

“Stealth, base level, First Aid, base level, Athletics, base level.”

Catherine raised an eyebrow before writing it down. “A lot of work to do there,” she said with a nod before absently adding, “I was not aware a stealth skill could affect one’s presence.”

Anna froze and her mind quickly worked back. Shit, I adjusted my presence during the skeleton fight. I even blasted her back when we first met. Stupid. Did I give too much away?

“You have a presence manipulation ability?” Catherine asked.

“Something like that,” Anna replied with a shrug.

Catherine narrowed her eyes, her lips turning down into a frown but she didn’t push it. Instead, she pivoted a little. “We will work on aura control. Your aura is incredibly distracting and-”

Anna cranked the volume down on her presence and Catherine blinked, her eyes going wide. In response, Anna cracked a grin and tilted her chin up. “I think I’ve got a handle on the basics.”

Catherine pursed her lips. “We will see. If you are this talented, that should definitely be a focus of ours.”

Anna wanted to scream. It was a fucking trap either way.

“Your abilities?” Catherine moved on, clearly pretending not to notice the growing frustration on the face of her ‘pupil’.

Anna clenched her teeth as her mind carefully went through the list. She refused to give away everything this time. “Wrathsight, base level. Got it from a token before you ask, miss ‘I kill undead like I brush my teeth’.” she bit out. “I got uncommon endurance, agility, and insight abilities from the dungeon. I have an offensive aura ability. Identify, obviously. Power Strike, and Warcaster. All base level.”

Catherine narrowed her eyes. “Your class is Warmage, then?”

“Yes.”

“What do you need for your next class ability?”

“Parries.”

Catherine nodded, “You are not giving me everything but I do not expect you to trust me completely yet. I will be honest, given what happened in the dungeon and what I have seen, I do not trust you completely either.”

Anna crossed her arms. Her feelings about the woman were complicated at best. She resented how they’d been forced together but she couldn’t argue with what she brought to the table. What she’d said the previous night had also struck a chord with her. “At least we’re agreed on something. I don’t hate you though, if it helps. You’re a bit of an ass but I don’t mind that.”

Catherine looked thoughtful for a moment before giving a small nod of respect. “The feeling is mutual, Annastasia.”

Anna cracked a grin. “Just Anna is fine, only my mother calls me that,”

The warrior smirked and held out her hand, one of the swords from the inheritance appearing in it. A short sword just about as long as her own club. “Well then, Anna, how is your stamina now?”

Anna glanced at it and opened her own inventory. “Good enough for a brawl.” She said and pulled out her club.

“Then we will start your first real lesson. Proficiencies provide a framework to learn a style of fighting or measure your progress along learning a particular set of skills and abilities, such as Arcane Magic. However, the true purpose of a proficiency is that it provides a very small bonus to damage when using skills and abilities associated with it,” she said and pointed her sword in Anna’s direction. “The problem is, if all you know is your proficiency, you will die quickly. You must set the foundation for a more advanced style as early as possible. You can know a style before you meet all the prerequisites to unlock its proficiency.”

“In short, you’re about to kick my ass.” Anna said grumpily.

“Yes.”

Anna set her jaw. “I won’t make it easy.”

The ex-paladin’s nostrils flared. “Good.”

Anna launched herself at Catherine, her club raised over her head. She brought it back down and up in a snap-fast swing. Every other time she did this, she caught her target on the chin or in the ribs. This time, though, metal met metal and before her very eyes she watched the blow slide off Catherine’s sword rather than the woman taking the full impact. Catherine’s off hand rested along the flat of her blade as she stepped to Anna’s left.

Anna tried to change direction to get out of the way but it was like she was being forced in one direction. Her uppercut sent her stumbling forward as something hard slammed against her lower back. She gasped and caught herself on the desk, spinning around and hastily blocking the chop aimed for her head. Metal clanged and she pushed forward only for that momentum to lead her into a punch to the stomach. What the hell? I killed all those fucking monsters and I can’t handle a-

Her feet came out from under her and she fell flat on her face. Before she knew what was happening a boot landed on her back.

“Kill.”

The single word rankled Anna so much she slammed her fist onto the floor, cursing up a storm until she was out of breath. When she was done she pushed herself up and onto her knees. “What-” she exhaled, “What did I do wrong?”

“The first attack was telegraphed too much,” Catherine said flatly. “You are obviously too used to fighting non-sentient monsters.”

I knew it, Anna grumbled and closed her eyes. “What else?” 

“You trust too much in your stats. There is a tyranny in levels, yes, but that gap can be closed with skill. You clearly fought a great number of stronger opponents. You should know this better than anyone,” Catherine said. “If you learn anything from today, it is this. In the multiverse, maximum force is the only answer. Never underestimate any opponent.”

Anna turned and looked up at Catherine, nodding slowly. “Lesson absolutely learned,” she growled and got to her feet. “Let’s go again.”