Reiss' blood ran cold.

"I'm sorry, what was that sir?

"Well, if you just have to die, we can accomplish that, can't we?

He looked around the crowd for support. Many were looking at him oddly but a few seemed to be on board. The [Watch Captain] was confused as to why the Mayor would suggest that.

"Once you are close to death we can see if the skill activates. If so, your wounds will heal when rewinding time. If it fails, then we know. We can have the local [Cleric] heal your wounds in that case."

Reiss gulped.

"Sir, I don't think I want to try that."

The [Mayor] waved his hand dismissing Reiss' opinion.

"Nonsense. There is never any reward without risk. I have some levels in [Mage], myself. It has taken years of studying, labor, and coin to fund my experiments. I nearly blew up the town hall, twice."

Worth's disposition changed drastically while the crowd seemed to back up a step.

"[Watch Captain], could you remove Leo from the pillory?"

"Sir?"

The word came out like a question, and it was, but Captain Worth moved to free Leo without hearing an answer first. The pillory clacked open and Leo wormed his way out. Reed walked to Reiss, putting his hands on the younger man's shoulders. Reiss was summarily guided over to the now-empty pillory.

"This way. We'll set you back up here for now. We can think of better ways if this fails."

"Sir, I uh, really don't think this is a good idea. I mean-"

"Nonsense. I told you, we have to experiment with new classes."

Reed put pressure on Reiss' shoulders, forcing his frame into position,

"Mayor-"

Reed cut off the words with a clack as the pillory slammed closed.

"There. Now, we don't have all day, but we don't want to accidentally kill you either. The best way would be to flog you until you fall unconscious or are near death, then you can try activating your skill!"

Reiss realized too late. Mayor Reed was insane.

"Sir! You can't do this without his permission."

"What are you talking about Captain? The boy already gave it. Didn't you?"

"..."

Words were forming in his throat but they wouldn't come out.

"..."

He tried again, but the words never left his mouth.

Is the Mayor using a Skill on me?

Reed's smile broadened. It looked evil. Gesticulating his next words, Reed spoke.

"Great! He agrees. Richard, go grab me the flail from the jailhouse. Captain Worth, I suggest you remove the children and those who are afraid of blood.

"But, sir."

"That is an order [Watch Captain]."

Worth bit his lip seeming to wrestle with something. After a moment, his posture relaxed and he turned on his heel.

"You heard the [Mayor], bring the children inside and anyone who doesn't want to watch should leave."

With that, the crowd began to disperse. Almost half stayed to watch.

=

Reiss was panicking. He tried to remove the latch but he couldn't reach it. This was what his prison was made for. The iron bands made the entire wood frame unmovable as he jostled around.

"Now, now, relax. We'll start in a second. Don't worry, I'll try to achieve the results quickly."

Damn your results! Let. Me. Out!

He tried to scream but he was still under some sort of Skill's effect. Reiss thrashed and wiggled his mightiest. Richard came back all too soon, almost mournfully. Reiss pleaded with his eyes but Richard just shook his head. He started cursing Richard but noticed his white knuckles clenched around the flail. He seemed to be shaking.

Is... Is he under a skill too?

Who the hell was this [Mayor]? Is it simple rank that dictates if the others follow his commands? Was life so unfair?

"We'll begin immediately."

The remaining crowd watched silently. The Watch Captain returned just in time to hear the first whip crack against Reiss' flesh.

His mouth opened in agony but it was a silent scream filled with searing pain. He was still silent as the second strike cleaved a chunk of flesh from his back. His knees crumpled, causing him to hang in confinement. A third strike struck, tears blinding his vision.

"Sir."

A fourth strike and Reiss could hear ringing in his ears once again.

"Sir!"

A fifth strike caused Reiss to bite through his lip. Blood dripping from his mouth.

"SIR!"

"What? Can't you see we need to finish this quickly? The faster I finish, the less amount of time he has to spend in pain?"

Through a grey haze, Reiss could see Captain Worth shaking violently, trying to overcome some unseen force. He was looking at Reiss with worry and at Mayor Reed in true fear. The Captain took one final glance at Reiss and nodded to him.

"Sir. I believe he was lying about gaining a new class."

"Impossible, he told me himself. You stated you believed it earlier."

"Sir, I have reasonable doubt. How does a [Florist] gain the ability to time travel? A weak individual who has to run from horned-rabbits. Someone who can barely hold his job and afford rent."

Worth looked at Reiss apologetically.

"A man like that could never gain the ability to control time."

Mayor Reed was silent for a long time. Leo and Richard white-knuckled their spears, shaking at-attention. The crowd was looking on, none of them moving to interrupt the show.

Reed's feet appeared in front of Reiss. He hadn't heard nor seen the approach.

"Is this true?

Reiss' head lolled, his vision starry. Reed grabbed a tuft brown hair and shook Reiss' head roughly.

"I said, is this true? Did you lie about your class!"

Desperately, Reiss bobbed his head up and down. Then faster, to get his point across, until his vision swam. There seemed to be genuine hurt in the [Mayor]'s eyes.

The irony as Reiss threw up on Reed's pristine shoes was not lost on him. Backing up, the [Mayor] spoke.

"Ugh! Despicable. To think I believed even for a second."

"Sir-"

"Silence! This is your fault too. We will be having words you and I."

The pain from retching through his wounded mouth caused Reiss to momentarily forget the pain coming from the slashes on his back. He was lost in a sea of suffering as his blood dripped crimson petals onto the cobblestone plaza. Lastly, he heard the [Mayor]'s verdict.

"For lying about gaining a brand new class, you will not be healed. You will never work in this town again. You will be forgotten. From here on, I, Mayor Thomas Reed, hereby [Exile] you."

=

Reiss was dropped at the Eastern gate by Richard and Leo. They set him down gently and carefully. Much in contrast to how the day started.

"The Mayor went too far."

"This wasn't what I planned."

Reiss could hear the emotion in Leo's voice and the distance Richard spoke with. As if he was somewhere else. Hearing approaching footsteps on the dirt road, he looked up to see Captain Worth. When they met, the [Watch Captain] needed to crouch to look at Reiss in the eye.

"Here. I brought you supplies. Food and water to make the journey to the next town over. If you show the Captain this note, he may be able to help get you on your feet."

Captain Worth pulled another object from his own pouch. Twirling a small red vial in his hands, he brought it to Reiss' mouth.

"Drink. This is a healing potion. It won't fix you, but it will give you the strength to walk."

Reiss couldn't muster the strength to refuse if he wanted to. The liquid poured down his throat mixing with blood and vomit.

It tasted like walnuts.

Magic coursed through his veins and healed his injured lip.. The wounds on his back stopped bleeding but didn't shrink or even close. Reiss felt that the Captain's words strike true. There were no miracles.

"Thank you."

Worth nodded.

"I am sorry for what I said earlier. It was the only way I could think to stop it."

Daire tried to laugh but the pain killed that action. Instead, he smiled gloomily.

"Everything you said was true. And it stopped him. So, I hold no grudge."

Reiss was quiet as he looked at the ground. A thought occurred to him that made his gut wrench.

"Mayor Reed, he never spoke my name even once."

The Captain was silent. Reiss' voice was barely audible.

"He doesn't even know who I am, does he?"

Reiss could sense that the Captain suppressing a wince.

"It is most likely. A [Mayor] has many duties and..."

"And he doesn't have the time or the need to remember a [Florist]."

The wince was visible now but Worth continued.

"What the [Mayor] did was wrong. The guards know it, and the townsfolk saw it. He won't be reelected come next Spring. He will lose his class, and you may return."

"No."

Reiss was surprised by the vehemence in his voice.

"No. I won't be coming back. Ever."

Reiss was shaking as much in pain as in righteous fury.

"A town filled with people who never appreciated or knew my existence. Guards who'd rather beat me than believe my word.

Richard and Leo both staggered. Neither truly understanding how their own actions led to this.

"The whole town watched in silence as I was tortured. You can't fix something like that retroactively."

"But you do have the class. I know that wasn't a lie. I know you wouldn't lie about something like that, Reiss."

A hesitant smile appeared on his face this time. The Captain was a kind man. The only good in this town. He was the one who set aside the "finder's fee" for bringing back horned rabbits. He made sure Reiss didn't go hungry and always had work.

The smile turned soured as Reiss thought about how Worth did that for all the citizens. Making sure they were fed, had jobs, were always safe... He was a good man and Reiss was glad that Worth was the [Watch Captain] of all people. He deserved it.

But Reiss couldn't help but lament as he knew there was no one special for him. No kindly old grandmother. No doting parents. No teasing little sibling. Reiss had survived off the general kindness of strangers and was still doing so.

Looking up into the Captain's green eyes, he felt tears threaten in his own.

"It was a lie. All of it. I made it up. I wanted to be special. That was all. I couldn't use a skill I didn't have, so I said I needed to die to activate it. I never had a unique class to turn back time. If I did, I would have done it. No... I am just a low Level 4 [Florist]."

Worth looked at Reiss long and hard. Reiss didn't know if Worth believe his words or not. In the end, all he said was this.

"You are not as weak as you think you are, Reiss."

That was it. Captain Worth picked Reiss up to his feet, then unceremoniously turned around walked back into town.