The next morning, I awake before the alarm went off. Just a few minutes before, so it isn’t worth going back to sleep. This is the first time I didn’t wake fully refreshed. My stats indicate I am, but mentally I don’t feel that way. I would stay in bed, but I am not sure what the Captain would do to me if I didn’t show up promptly. I drag myself out of bed and after splashing some water on my face I head down to get some breakfast.

As I slide onto a stool at the bar while mumbling a hello and asking for a meal, John looks at me and says. “Why so glum?”

I fill him in on my training with the Captain yesterday, as I stare at the sandwich he put in front of me.

John gives a low whistle, as he states. “You must have really impressed him. He has never trained anyone else before and only a Master can perform that kind of training. Usually it runs five gold a day. In another day or two, your endurance will break the fifty mark and then you can really start to learn some interesting skills.”

I perk up a little at that but say. “I gathered as much, but it really sucks.”

John nods as he gives me a thoughtful look. “I can help you out, but it will cost you two silvers, because I can’t give this to you for free.”

I look up at him, but he has a great poker face. “Ok I am willing to try almost anything.” I say and put two silvers on the counter.

John scoops the silvers off the counter making it disappear in his inventory.

“Be right back.” He says over his shoulder while jogging back into the kitchen.

He returns in a minute with a brown ceramic mug full of some steaming and bubbling liquid. He hands it to me and says. “Hurry up and drink that.”

I bring it up to my mouth to take a sip so I don’t burn myself when the smell hits me. I nearly vomit the sandwich I have been eating.

“Just hold your nose and drink it before it loses its potency. Just gulp it down, it’s not hot.”

I pinch my nose and take a gulp of the muddy brown bubbling concoction. The taste is like a combination of a strong bitter tea and flat diet soda, but at least I choke it down even though it continues to bubble in my mouth as I swallow it. I finish the mug and say. “What the hell was that?” Then I give a monstrous burp and clutch my stomach as it seems to flip around in my chest.

John asks. “How do you feel?”

“What? How could you ask after I swallowed that? It feels like my stomach is going to jump out of my body.”

“That will stop in a minute but check your logs. What does it say?”

Bringing up my logs the last two lines appear to be relevant.

You have consumed an Iron Will potion.

For the next twelve hours you are under the effect of Iron Will. Your intelligence is double with respect to mental fortitude checks for the next twelve hours.

I realize the funk I was in has lifted as my stomach starts to settle down.

“Ok, that seems to help. What is it?”

“I can’t say because that is not part of the normally available items here, but I happened to have a few of my own and before you ask two silvers is cheap. However, this type of potion is only useful in certain situations, this being one of them. Now finish your breakfast and get over to the Captain before he makes you regret keeping him waiting.”

I gulp down the remainder of my sandwich as John hands me food for lunch and dinner with a large skin full of weak ale. I wave as I jog over to the barrack where the Captain is watching his men stretch before starting their training for the day. He wordlessly leads me to the back of the barrack while his lieutenant takes over. He looks me over in my starter gear.

He says. “I wasn’t sure if you would make it over here today, but I see you are early with fire in your eyes. Shall we focus on getting your endurance above fifty before moving on to other training?”

“I am ready.” I say as I draw my sword. “But I have a question. I had a notification yesterday that I was looking at on my way over here”. I describe it to him.”

You have successfully Dodged your first attack.

You have learned the skill Dodge, 5 XP awarded. Basic 1.

He says. “That makes sense, you have not been in much combat yet. You will see that your Agility attribute indicates your base dodge, which is your chance to dodge part of the damage. If you successfully dodge an attack it indicates the amount the damage reduction. If you succeed in dodging your Dodge skill will increase by one percent per every two levels you gain in the skill.”

“I see, thanks.”

“Very well, cast when you are ready.”

We begin the grueling routine again and I start casting steadily to deplete my mana as the Captain cast the regeneration spells on me, so that I am unconscious the minimum amount of time possible.

My clock says it was only four hours, but even with the Iron Will potion, I opened my mouth several times to say I need a break, only to have the Captain raise an eyebrow each time. I just clinch my mouth shut and push through.

As I lay there recovering from my latest near-death experience, the Captain says. “A good start to the day. Let’s have some lunch before we continue.”

I groan as I sit up and feel twinges in my chest. The Captain assures me my mind is just playing tricks on me. I relax in the shade and devour my lunch with the Captain in companionable silence.

“Captain?” I say as he turns to look at me. “I am very happy that you are training me, but why are you?”

The Captain looks away and I get the feeling he is gazing at something much further away than the practice dummies in front of us.

He begins to speak softly. “You may not know that most of the shop keepers and myself are all volunteers who the System places here to help new adventurers. We have standard quests we can offer, but we also have some leeway in training and quests we offer. I volunteered to get a resurrection for my son. The Imperial Guard selected him and I couldn’t be prouder. One day an assassin made his way into the grounds. My son took a dagger intended for the daughter of the Empress. This was a soul cursed dagger that imprisons the soul to prevent it from respawning. The guard recovered the blade from the assassin’s body, but only a God or the System can free a soul from such a blade. So, I bargained with the System for fifty years of service here for my son’s release. I have twenty more years to go. You remind me of him with your determination. I offered to train him, but he did it on his own. Training you now helps reaffirm my commitment to freeing him.”

“Wow. I don’t know what to say, other than thank you.”

He looks at me and says gruffly. “Finish your meal. If you have the energy to talk you have the energy to train.”

I grin and scarf down the remainder of my sandwich and ale. I stand up, dust off my clothes, and draw my sword. I feel full of renewed vigor as I realize how much the Captain has invested in my training. The next six hours suck, but I don’t feel tempted to even suggest quitting this time.

By the time we took a break for dinner he says. “You are close. If you can keep up this pace tomorrow morning, you will break fifty. If you do that, I will spend the afternoon teaching you some advanced skills that you can only learn once your endurance is above fifty.”

“I will be ready.”

“Good, I will see you in the morning.”

I head back to the tavern feeling exhausted, but also a great sense of accomplishment. I am going to practice minor healing tonight. With the increase in endurance, I am feeling a decrease in the pain associated with my mana headaches. It still sucks, just not as bad. I take a seat at the bar, hold up a copper, and ask for some ale. John makes the copper disappear as he brings me a foaming mug. I take a deep pull from the mug and smack my lips in satisfaction.

John asks. “How did it go?”

“It went great. The potion really helped. Would you have another one for tomorrow?”

“You are a glutton for punishment. Sure, I will have one ready for you. It will be two more silvers.”

“It was worth it. I am going to head up early, it has been a long day.”

“If I may suggest a bath might be in order before heading up. Frankly you could use one.”

I take a sniff under one arm and jerk back. I blush in embarrassment as I realize I reek. “Thanks, I will do that.” I say as I finish my ale.

I head over to the bathhouse and, after a long soak, head back to the tavern. I wave to John as I climb up the stairs and plop down on my bed. It about 8PM, so I will spend the next two hours casting Minor Healing. With each blackout, I am getting closer to my goal of breaking the endurance barrier. After two hours of casting, I get up and wash my face before going to sleep.