"So Buttercup, what is your real name?"

  We'd been travelling for the better part of two hours now since our delightful first meeting. It had taken a bit of time to sort through everything that was loot able but I couldn't carry anything on my back so I had to make do with the oversized coin pouch and a sword that I'd been able to find the scabbard for each one tied to my hips with the same rope I was using as a belt.

  Buttercup was in a much better position in that regard as she'd thrown on a bnket style skirt over her equine half both to protect her modesty and so that her bags didn't cause any chafing. The bags themselves were two backpacks connected with a piece of leather that was pced over her equine front effectively giving her two pces to store things just behind her hips. She'd filled these with everything that would fit comfortably and we'd set off her her vilge.

  The sun was starting to kiss the horizon so we would need to set up camp somewhere soon.

  "It still doesn't feel right that you want to eat me, but my name is Arath no herd name. And yourself stranger?"

  "Don't know. I've been called so much over my life that nothing quite fits." A small cave came into view just off the path and I made my way towards it. "I was named Tim where I originally came from but so was another boy around my age and it didn't stick. Then when I was forcefully moved I called myself Shadow. I regret my teenage years."

  We reached the cave entrance and could hear a faint growl from a creature inside. "I'll tell you what, since I don't trust my naming skills Buttercup. How about you think of a name for me while I clear out this cave?"

  I didn't let her give me a response before I was inside already drawing my sword. The growl turned out to be from a panther type creature but with green fur instead of the usual bck I'm use to. It didn't give me a chance to just scare it away and pounced. It's front cws ready to rend my flesh.

  I sidestepped to the left bringing the bde as a shield between us. The panther either didn't know what a sword was or didn't care and it made a satisfying slice through the front paw. It let a howl of pain as it nded the limb buckling unable to support its weight.

  I moved quickly in that split second driving my bde through its neck hoping I hit something vital. Luck was on my side today it seemed as the panther colpsed without any fir a pool of blood beginning to form. "That was slightly anticlimactic for my first monster." I mumbled slightly disappointed but gd it wasn't a bear or something.

  "Arath you're good." I called freeing my sword and cleaning the bde as best I could on the fur of the green panther.

  The centaur came in with a huff. "You are wounded, you can't just go around fighting a batu." She didn't even stop moving as she berated me taking hold of the panther that was apparently called a batu and dragging it to the entrance.

  I came to give her a hand but she lightly spped me to get me to stop. "No. Go sit down." I complied finding a pce on the opposite side of the cave that was filled with bones of the creatures kills. For a single night it wasn't worth cleaning the whole cave. At least I could put up with the smell I just hope Arath can.

  "Turn around I need to make sure you didn't reopen anything." Speak of the devil and it will appear I suppose.

  "Can I put the bnkets down first?" I asked. We'd put some in her backpack and I'd rather kneel on that than the stone. Still in her huff she reluctantly agreed pulling the bnket out of the bag. Again she pced it down herself daring me to help with her eyes. I'd had enough experience to know I'd lost this one. "Now turn around." She demanded.

  I complied kneeling down the same as I had when we first did this. This time however Arath didn't press her chest against me as she began to unravel the bandages. Interesting so she was doing it on purpose st time. I let the silence continue for a bit hoping she would say something but I seemed to be getting the silent treatment. This is when I should apologize isen't it.

  "I'm sorry. Before I appeared by you today I had everything striped away my name, my power, my past, my friends. I needed to prove I can still do something. So I'm sorry if I overstepped some boundaries I'm not use to having help." There was a bit more silence before she responded.

  "You are human correct?"

  "Yes."

  "Then you need to be more careful. Your kind are thought to be extinct."

  That was an interesting fact. "There's a lot of questions that sparks I hope you know that." She nodded taking a rge breath.

  "Humans have the ability to breed with every species and the resulting child would always be that of the non-human, it was a problem than many took advantage of to spread their numbers. Goblins and ogres would invade human vilges kidnap those they could then make territory grabs with the army bred from the wombs of human woman. I use them as an example as a lot of creatures did this. It was agreed that humanity was a problem so the gods created a solution that was kind in their eyes. A spell effecting them all by making them all barren."

  I've heard a lot worse ways of wiping out a species. But making them all barren. Dam that's cold but it could be worse no mass murder just a final generation that couldn't have children.

  "How long ago did this happen?"

  "Long before I was a foal. We are taught this as a warning. What we are warned about has been a debate for a long time. But I have finally found a name for you." She finished pcing the bandage back in pce. "Lazarus."

  "Lazarus." I mouthed the word feeling like it could work. "I like it. Thank you. Now take a nap I'll take first watch and before you try and argue I have a lot to think about so I doubt I'll sleep." I could see her trying to say something but to my surprise she gave up taking the bags to use as makeshift pillows.

  Sleep didn't come easy to her and I didn't want to risk a fire to cook anything but eventually her breathing came to a rexing rhythm. I hadn't been lying when I said everything had been taken away, the power of the hero was a gift I was given and one it turns out can be taken back quite easily. No more super strength or elemental bdes anymore for me. But I still had the demon lords power freely given by the former lord to spite the church and their circle of violence.

  Internally focusing I felt the mass of bck energy remaining dormant the type of energy it fed off not being prominent in this world it seems. Just as I was going to give up a small box of dialogue fshed in front of my eyes.

  Pick a css: Bard, primordial, spell bde.

  Interesting. Yet another question I'd need to ask Arath about but if this world acted like a video game... The thought brought a smile to my face.

  Ok think this through. Bard is the typical sleep with everyone and sing css, primordial I don't know anything about and spell bde is a mage that uses a bde. I instantly discarded bard because I have a voice like a banshee when I sing so it's between the other two. Spell bde is very simir to what I was before so do I go with that or gamble on what I don't know. Decisions like this make me really appreciate the internet where I could look up what was the best. Let's gamble and try something new.

  Primordial selected. Please pick a job: Paragon, farmer, smith.

  Well that choice is easy.

  Paragon selected. 5 Skill points remaining.

  A list of skills started to appear and fade out just as quickly. I briefly dismissed them with a thought to make sure we were still alone before I begin to read in ernest. A lot were basic but there were a few that caught my eye. I mentally started to create a list of ones I thought might be good. This sted until I came across one I had to buy instantly.

  Regeneration 1: Stitch wounds and flesh back together, mend broken bones.

  Regeneration 1 selected.

  Regeneration 2 now avaible: 2 skill points required.

  Ok that answers a few questions I have. So skills take skill points to level up, simple enough just need to find out how to get more. Let's hope Arath knows. With 4 points remaining I brought up my list.

  Paragon strength 1: Bigger, faster, stronger, smarter than your fellow species.

  Paragon luck: A small chance to unlock a skill without skill points when you complete it's requirements.

  Sword mastery 1: Be the master of the bde.

  Pain resistance 1: Tis just a scratch.

  Presence detection 1: The shadows do not let them hide from you.

  Dodge 1: The subtle art of not getting hit.

  Primordial limit: Mortals believe there is one.

  Primordial 1: Do not underestimate me, I have been here far longer than you.

  This concludes the ones that took my fancy although with the descriptions of some I could just as easily skipped over some good ones. But the Primordial and Paragon ones seemed to be both good and really unhelpful in what they do. Like this small chance to gain skills for free sounds great but how low is the chance? 10% and 1% could both be considered low yet make the world of difference in this decision. It is also one of two skills that don't have a level attached what ever that means. Both the Primordial skills seem cocky in some way but oh so tempting. Ok decision time let's take a gamble and hope it pays off if not I'll just ask Arath how to get more skill points.

  Primordial limit gained.

  Primordial 1 gained.

  Paragon luck gained.

  Presence detection 1 gained. Presence detection 2 avaible.

  And there go all my skill points. Interesting that there was no option for Primordial 2. So much I need to learn. My hope is that Paragon luck gives me some skills as time goes on even one or two just to pay back the single skill point it took.

  Presence detection seemed like a good one to have although now that I have it I'm realising a fw. It fed a steady stream of information into my head of all the living creatures within about half a metre. Getting information that half a centaur is to my left isent that helpful. It was also the only normal sounding one I received so let's hope it's better or at least a bigger range as I level it up.

  Primordial just sounded so cool and it being my css felt like I should have it's skills. I swear I do not have a gambling issue it's just... So tempting.

  And now to actually do my job and keep watch.