NOVEL NEXT BCB Chapter 48
Several hours and three mana potions later Kopius had gained a solid grasp of how to use the new spell. At one point Yama had produced a yard stick of sorts and used it like some enraged school house nun dealing out punishment. She drew blood once or twice which she immediately healed but never apologized for. One particular instance drew her ire when Kopius had mimicked choking the dummy. Apparently she did not see the humor, when Kopius yelled "Why you little!" before enacting the spell.
Before they left, Kopius absorbed the spellbook for Push, increasing the spell up two levels to seven. The extra levels increased the radius of the spell and allowed for him to be less inclined to getting jettisoned like he had experienced with the rock golem. Though Yama had been wildly entertained by the story, she reminded him that steady footing was almost as important as a steady mind when casting.
Yamabu did manage to sell the two adventures some goods, mostly to Cici as she was interested in trading for his snickerleaf. Kopius purchased a few pills, five in total, that would regenerate his mana over the course of four hours as well as additional healing leaves to resupply the ones he and Cici had used over the course of their journey.
The last task at hand was for Kopius to review his Practice challenges. He knew what was needed to complete the first three for his Fighter Practice but needed to know the Communication one; especially now that he was in a place that had people to communicate with.
Having a seat while Cici continued to barter for the sake of bartering, Kopius opened his user interface and navigated to the Practice section. At first the list only consisted of three directives: Verbal, Non-verbal, and Written. It took him a moment to remember clicking the square on the top right to get more information but once he did, the blanks were filled in.
Verbal (III of III):
Negotiate terms (Completed)
Ease to the mind of a stranger (Completed)
Speak with Intention
Kopius was unsure of what to internally complain about first. Should he start with the first one, knowing the only terms he successfully negotiated was getting to call Yamabu Yama? Or maybe the third challenge that was vague enough he lacked a proper metaphor to compare it to. He ended up settling on the second one: When the hell did I ease the mind of a stranger?
He racked his memory for a few moments before recalling his bath house experience and the cat lady that had given him a fresh set of clothes. A notification had occurred but he had dismissed it and forgotten. I need to do a better job of remembering shit, Kopius thought, reprimanding himself.
Avoiding wallowing in his own memory lapses and complaints, Kopius managed to push his negativity to the side and read the other two challenges. At least then he would have all the information and nothing to interrupt his internal chastizing; except maybe Cici.
Non-Verbal (III of III):
Facial Expression (6 of 10)
Posture (2 of 5)
Appearance (2 of 5)
Written (III of III):
Vocabulary (0 of 5)
Clarity (0 of 5)
Tone (0 of 5)
"I need someone to explain all this shit to me," Kopius mumbled to himself as he shook his head. He tried to highlight each of the challenges hoping they would provide a more thorough explanation, but nothing appeared.
He settled on checking his vital levels, closed his interface seeing they were all full and got to his feet. After a brief stretch he thanked Yama for her lectures and told Cici he was ready for their next endeavor. Cici bid the witch a farewell and the two men left the sun-kissed hut.
***
Their next stop was to see Moko so that Kopius might find a better set of gloves and have her admire his cloak. He was open to other clothing options but was looking to find a pair of gloves that were closer to the skin tight versions he used while swinging a bat. There was also the lingering question as to whether his magic could be used while wearing a set, lest he catch his hands on fire while dealing. Kopius had a thing for gloves that probably bordered on a fetish so the idea of trying some on had elevated his mood.
"I guess she's not here this cycle," Cici mentioned as he looked through the dark windows of Moko's shop. Kopius did his own inspection only to find empty shelves. He was further disappointed when he could clearly make out hand models toward the back of the space. She obviously had a selection, though all seemed bare handed from his perspective.
Cici attempted to mollify Kopius by giving him some background on the shopkeeper. The big man insisted the Universe wasn't out to get him by explaining she didn't have the traditional residence like Yama, nor did she have a caravan to haul her inventory. When Moko was in town, she would always be accompanied by her two hulking sons who were both security guards and mule horses; mostly the latter.
There were other shops with other gloves they could peruse, the bard mentioned, it was just that the quality wasn't at the same level. Moko was known for crafting durable wears and optimal accessories that were functionally superior as well as fashionably exquisite. This new information did not help but Kopius allowed the big man to peel him off the window pane and towards an early lunch.
***
Not long after they had finished eating the two men made their way to the edge of the village in search of a place commonly referred to as The Circus. Overseen by the witch Salem, The Circus was a training ground of sorts; a larger version of what Kopius had experienced inside Yama's hut. It was a place to practice magic, learn fighting skills or demonstrate other magical activities in a relatively safe environment.
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The activities could be something as simple as testing the versatility of magical items and potions to supervised duels between friends; sometimes foes. Salem herself was a skilled fighter in both hand-to-hand combat and weapon proficiency. She specialized in teaching the advantages of self buffing magic. These were spells that generally enhanced or fortified some kind of bodily function. Examples ranged from amplified speed and boosted reaction times to increased clarity of the senses or reinforced vitals allowing the caster to fight longer or cast more frequently.
Due to the limited nature of buffing, most spells lasting only a few seconds, it was crucial to understand when to use the spell and when not to. It was dangerous enough to fight and a poorly timed buff was just as deadly as a well placed sword strike.
"Are we buying weapons from her or something?" Kopius asked as they walked through the village.
"She doesn't sell goods, lad." Cici answered casually.
"So you're going to get some training or are we just stopping by to say hi"?
"I could use a good sparring match," Cici admitted while popping his neck. "Keeps you sharp, keeps you steady. But ah, nah, this is for your benefit."
"Am I sparring?" Kopius asked with some confusion.
"If you're lucky you will be," Cici said with a short laugh.
"That's what Quinn is for," Kopius pointed out. "I can just summon him for any training."
"True enough my friend," Cici stopped walking to face his friend. He looked him over before continuing. "Quinn has his own agenda for you and I am sure his skills are only matched by few; living or dead."
"So what's the problem?" Kopius insisted.
"It's your Practice lad. Quinn's lessons are all well and good but have you made any advances to complete your Fighter Practice?"
Kopius looked at the big man for a moment before he pulled up his interface and navigated back to the Practice section.
Stance- (I of I)
The Flow (0 of 18)
Movement- (I of I)
Complete a Speedrun (0 of 1)
Striking- (IV of IV)
Jab R(0 of 30) L(0 of 30)
Cross R(0 of 30) L(0 of 30)
Hook R(0 of 30) L(0 of 30)
Kick R(0 of 30) L(0 of 30)
Kopius was surprised to find that none of the three Practices had even started yet. He had expected to have made some kind progress in the Striking Practice at a minimum but it was nothing but zeros. Still, he had learned some techniques from Quinn, so Cici's concerns totally didn't add up.
"Ok, I mean, you're right," Kopius admitted, "but I still don't see the problem."
"When we get there, to the estate," Cici began, placing a hand on his friend's shoulder, "getting past Parolly will only be half the battle. While we crack that writhing, venomous hack her minions aren't just going to stand by idly. You'll need to tend to them while I tend to her."
"I guess I missed that part of the story," Kopius said as his spine shivered.
"Nothing two lads like us can't handle," Cici said with a reassuring smile and a wink. "Salem can get you up to speed on your Practice and refine the technique you've already learned from Quinn. Hell," Cici laughed, "you might even surprise the old boy next time you train." Kopius wasn't fully convinced this would all coalesce as simply as Cici stated but the pep talk worked in calming his over-stimulated nerves.
The Circus was an oval-shaped arena roughly the size of a professional basketball court. Surrounded by various pews and seating, the place had a strong resemblance to ancient Roman amphitheaters where gladiators fought for glory, freedom and-well- Jupiter's cock. Though the space was a miniature version of those old relics the arena had the same look and feel. Where the great Roman colosseums could house upwards of one-hundred thousand people, this small battle ground looked like it could seat about fifty to one hundred.
Inside the fighting area itself was where the differences stood out. Instead of a dusty dirt ground, the space had several types of flooring. There was dirt of course, but also a grassy section, followed by a sand pit and then cut stone as if a mason had laid a foundation. Fighting dummies were spaced throughout the area in no particular pattern, each looking as if they were freshly made that day; not a noticeable mark on one of them.
On the opposite side of where the two men stood, a single wall, fifteen feet in height, ran the length of the arena. There were no seats on that side, just a single door and several windows adorned the exterior. Clinks and clanks could be heard escaping the one window that was partly ajar. The sound had no particular rhythm to it but it brought a smile to Cici's face as he repeatedly elbowed Kopius in the shoulder.
"Oh," Cici hummed, "we are in luck my friend. She's tough, I'll have you know. Don't be shy with this one."
"Haven't they all been tough," Kopius clarified, thinking back on every woman Cici had introduced him to thus far. Not that he was against strong women, he just had a limit to his emasculation and it had been reached several times already.
Cici just laughed and gave Kopius a hefty pat on the back in agreement. The big man squeezed his friend's shoulder and then gave a head motion like someone encouraging someone else to do something exciting; or irresponsible. Kopius followed the bard across the small battle field and through the only door in the whole arena.
"CICI BEO," was shouted as the men entered the door without knocking, the voice carrying a familiar twang. Kopius had become accustomed to women yelling at Cici's entrance, this one sounded less threatening than the others.
"SALEM," Cici shouted in return, his voice engulfing the large room. "You're as stunning as the night sky and sculpted like the finest obsidian jewel."
"Surely you jest bard," Salem responded with a laugh, "but please continue, it's not every day I get complimented."
"That's a crime against the gods themselves," Cici continued as he approached the witch. They both laughed as though an inside joke had been continued and Cici was once again lifted off his feet when the two embraced.
"I was hoping you would stop by," Salem said as she looked past the bard at Kopius. "Aradi was particularly giddy this morning. Her food had some extra spice in it, I could only assume you were in town."
Her words were spoken to Cici but the lady kept a discerning stare locked on Kopius. She had an unmistakable southern drawl to her speech. It was so familiar that Kopius baulked at the sound as if she had been plucked straight out of some old western movie.
Salem wore a tight fitting white leather ensemble that was part armor, part everyday wear. It reminded Kopius of Dylana's but with more blemishes and less flair. The gear was practical and worn; flexible and protective. In contrast, beneath her attire was dark skin, not like Cici's but close to it. From her exposed areas Kopius could see that Cici wasn't just paying a compliment for compliments sake, the witch was a lean chiseled specimen; her muscles had muscles. She had high cheek bones, piercing light-brown eyes and sported a high and tight fade of a hair cut that rivaled the look of a hardened Zulu warrior.
"Does your friend have a name or is this the mute Dylana had warned me about?" Salem asked with a clever grin.
"This is my friend, love," Cici introduced with his bard-ish panache, "the shadow of the valley himself, a level three–"
"I'm Kopius," Kopius spat out, cutting off his friend. He stepped up to the witch with an extended hand. "I'm new here and looking for instruction. Cici said you're the best."
Salem looked at Cici with the same impressed expression as Cici was giving Kopius. It wasn't that Kopius had grown confident all of a sudden, the lady had an intimidating presence. His bravado was born more out of self preservation. Seeing how things had gone with training in the past, he was hoping a strong introduction would lead to softer instruction; less bleeding at a minimum.
"Well then," Salem said as she reexamined Kopius, "show me what you got."