As the crowd at the adventurers' guild office dissipates again, well it mostly dissipates, I'm left with the better part of a day until the declared time of departure and pretty much no idea how to pass it.

Oh, I could find some trouble for sure. Last night has proven beyond doubt that I can. That isn't what I want to do though. I just delegated the last spot of trouble I stumbled across to Jerzy and the others and I don't want to start anything else right now. Trouble tends to be so unpredictable after all. And whatever I do, I need to be done with it by tomorrow morning.

In the end I don't have to think too hard on it. Turns out I don't have to find ways to spend the next few hours at all. Rami, Aila and Núira take care of that for me. The warrior first and foremost among them.

"I have been wanting to ask ever since you helped us out in the forest and now we have time and opportunity … would you mind a little practice match? The guild hall has a pretty nice fencing hall up in the attic. There are even practice weapons we can use."

I blink once, only mildly surprised at best. Then I nod. That actually sounds like a pretty good idea. And having access to a fencing hall with practice weapons free of any additional charge sounds nice too. I guess joining the adventurers' guild comes with some benefits after all. I nod again for emphasis.

"Sure. Lead the way."

Rami, and possibly the others too, want to be able to better gauge my abilities. Of that I'm pretty certain. Well, I don't really mind. They already know I can use my sword. Thus I'm not giving away any grand secrets like that. And who knows, maybe I can level up another skill or two due to this opportunity. I can't let an opportunity like this pass by!

The warrior does, as I asked and leads me up the stairs, past several floors with as of yet unknown purpose, all the way to the mentioned attic. Aila and Núira follow right behind me. They aren't the only ones either. A few others tag along as well. Maybe they want to learn something about my fighting style too. Or maybe this is just cheap entertainment to them. In the end, to be honest, it doesn't really matter.

I take a moment to marvel at the fencing hall instead. The attic is quite spacious and the dormer windows are considerably larger than any other I have seen so far. This is all still quite new to me, as I have steered clear of this place up until now in my nightly explorations of the city's rooftops.

Racks along the walls in between the windows hold numerous practice weapons, both the kind made of wood and others made of steel but not sharpened. There are some mannequins with various simple but functional suits of armor too. The place really is quite well equipped.

I put my own gear, including my weapon, down on a table to the side. Before I can even begin to look around for a training weapon that will suit me, Rami hands me a sword as plain as it is dull. I give it a few practice swings and nod. Everything considered, it is a pretty good replacement for my actual weapon.

The warrior gets a practice sword for himself too. The rest of his gear, especially his armor, stay unchanged though. Well, the armor available here probably isn't any better than what he is already wearing anyway.

Thus it's understandable enough. I don't change into one of the suits of padded armor which the mannequins sport either after all. It wouldn't really benefit me. After all I'm not used to heavier armor and I wouldn't be able to afford any right now anyway.

Maybe after some quests with the adventurers' guild? I guess we'll see. Come to think of it, I never even inquired about the reward for this emergency quest. Ah well, later. Maybe.

All the others who have come to spectate move back to give Rami and me some room. The warrior in fact is already waiting for me, his more massive sword raised in a casual ready stance.

I flash him a grin. It's not a cocky grin though. No, it's an expression of my insecurity. I'm really not sure how I'll measure up against him. The only thing I'm moderately sure about is, that this will be very different from my sparring match with Wiktor or even the duel with Karul.

I assume a stance of my own too, mimicking Wiktor in the process. I can't help but add a little banter as well.

"Try not to trash me too hard, please. I don't want to miss out on this emergency quest because I end up wrapped in bandages like a mummy after our bout."

That earns me a few laughs from the crowd at least. And Rami doesn't seem to mind either. Not in a bad way at least.

"Sure, I'll try not to slice and dice you. I think Aila can see to everything else though."

Oh, good. I won't be put through the grinder. The crowd seems pleased though, possibly with the exception of the priestess mentioned, thus I won't protest either. I'll just have to do my best. That of course doesn't mean that I'm not a little nervous about this.

I decide not to let him strike first. It's how I would approach a fight like this out there too. From my ready stance I feint low only to turn the low thrust into an upwards strike at the last moment. That seems good enough to make my [Bluff] skill improve some. It'll still be quite a while before that skill levels up again though.

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Rami still is the more experienced fighter by far though. The only real advantage I have over him is my raw speed. I'm faster by far and the feint initially catches him by surprise too. He still manages to partially deflect the blow anyway.

[*Ding!* Hit! Rami's Health reduced by 0!]

My sword connects with him in the end, but it only scrapes across his armor, utterly ineffective. And not just because it's a dull training weapon either. His defense is overall too solid. His armor is probably one of the main reasons. At least my [Blades] and [Melee Weapon] skills tick a little closer to the next level up.

There are some noises of awe and approval coming from the spectators too, but I can't pay that too much heed. Instead I quickly distance myself from my opponent again to prepare for his counter. I realize that this is the wrong decision the moment I get about a good step worth of distance in between us. My eyes grow wide, as realization downs upon me and [Danger Sense] triggers. An ice cold shiver runs down my back.

Then Rami's counter hits me. I try to dodge, but despite my superior speed I fail. I'm too committed to my current move. If he is holding back I can't really tell. The strike drives the air from my lungs for sure. It makes me stumble back a little further too.

[*Ding!* You have been wounded! Health reduced by 2!]

It's not the worst hit I have taken, not by far, but it'll probably leave a bruise anyway. At least my [Dodge] skill improves a little despite my failure to actually dodge. I guess I can still learn from my mistakes. The best thing to come from this so far though is the divine whisper tickling my consciousness right after.

[*Ding!* Your skill Clothes has leveled up to level 6!]

Now that puts a smile on my face. A pained smile, but a smile nonetheless.

Rami looks a little worried and his words reflect that.

"You alright?"

I straighten back out and raise my borrowed sword again. My pained smile turns into a cocky grin.

"Alright? I can do this all day."

Curiously enough this little play of words, that is only a slight exaggeration, helps me progress not only my [Bluff] skill but my [Syld] language skill too.

Judging by the cheering and the hollering the audience seems to enjoy the banter too. Rami laughs out loud too, before he resumes his ready stance.

"I like your spirit! Here I thought you were going for a fencer or duelist class, judging by your first attack. I might have been a little mistaken. Seems like you have learned to roll with a hit since the last time we met."

I don't waste any breath on a reply right away. Instead I go on the offensive again. I move as if to feint again. Except this time my initial strike comes in high. Again I'm faster than Rami. And this time around his experience, or rather his expectations work against him. He expects me to adjust my angle mid attack again and moves in accordance, except, this time I don't.

This time I follow through with the initial attack, because one thing I have learned for sure is, to never try the same trick twice. Unless, of course, your opponent expects you to do something different. As a result I land a solid hit. Again my [Melee Weapons] and [Blades] skills improve a little. Again it isn't enough for a level up though. And, despite my best efforts, it's still not good enough to deal any damage.

[*Ding!* Hit! Rami's Health reduced by 0!]

The important difference is another. This time I don't let up. And I most certainly don't try to gain any distance this time around, as distance would favor him with his longer weapon. Instead I get up right in his face, close and personal.

I don't expect it to have any more effect on the stalwart warrior, than the two blows before, but I smash the sword's crossguard into his face anyway.

[*Ding!* Hit! Rami's Health reduced by 0!]

Well, as expected. The only real benefit I reap is that my [Brawling] skill gets a little closer to the next level up.

Rami is barely even staggered by the surprising blow. At least he doesn't hold it against me. No, quite the opposite might be true. The excited look on his face suggests that he is enjoying this a little more than I should be comfortable with. Oh yes, I definitely should worry! He proves as much before I can decide on my next move. Again the air is driven from my lungs as he demonstrates that two can play this game by bringing up his knee in between my legs.

It's a good thing that Rami is not a seasoned brawler, like Sylwia. That is probably the only reason why I don't end up on the floor crying and gasping for air.

[*Ding!* You have been wounded! Critical hit! Health reduced by 1!]

Yes, if he were a more experienced brawler with a few more levels in that skill, I'd be really in a whole different world of suffering and pain right now. At least my [Clothes] skill keeps improving like this, one little bit after the other.

We'd both probably continue for a little while longer, I'm certainly up for it, but Aila the priestess of Simja, the favored daughter of the woods, intervenes at this point.

"Wonderful. You have both shown us that you know how to use a sword and that you know to defend yourself even without one. Let's stop there before anyone gets hurt any worse."

Neither of us is willing to protest. She doesn't give us the chance to anyway. Instead she drags me off, back down the stairs the moment I return my borrowed sword in exchange for my own discarded gear. We don't head all the way back down though. Instead we stop on the floor above the ground floor, where she drags me into what I come to realize is a treatment room of sorts. Once the door closes behind us the priestess bides me to sit on a bed by the wall.

I follow her instruction and sit down.

Without delay she starts to prod and check me for injuries, head to toe. She doesn't do so silently though.

"Sorry about that. The bonehead can get a little excited at times. Even more so if someone exhibits considerable growth and potential to keep growing. It seems you really impressed him. You certainly seem to be learning quick."

I nod and wait for a moment before I answer, as to not interrupt her.

"Thanks, I guess. I try."

Finally she seems satisfied with the results of her examination.

"Bruises. Not all of them fresh though. It seems you are living an interesting life. I'll not use any magic this time around. Just get a good night of sleep and try to get another once we head out and you should be mostly fine."

She stops me before I can get up.

"By the way. You can sleep here. The guild has a dormitory with bunk beds. They aren't anything special, but they are clean. You don't snore, right?"

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