More Than A Game (Epic LitRPG adventure)

Chapter 6: Gringvort, part 5

"Let's get back to the hill," ordered Oygolinn. "We'll rest for a bit and distribute points."

Our formation turned and moved for the hill. There, we lay down on the grass and listened to Eilinn.

"You can rest as long as you want. We have an hour and 45 minutes left. Oygolinn, could I speak with you for a second?"

Our commander headed over, and for a second, I wondered what they could be talking about. I had other things to worry about, however, so I ignored them and set to distributing my points. In total, I'd leveled-up 13 times, earning 80 skill points.

I still wanted to go with a soldier—a simple class that doesn't do much thinking, is strong, and has lots of health. With that in mind, I added 40 points to my strength and 30 to my stamina. After some thinking, I finished up with six agility points and two each for wisdom and intellect. Why not? I ended up with:

Basic attributes:

Strength: 56

Intellect: 3

Agility: 9

Stamina: 41

Wisdom: 3

Yeah, not very balanced. Still, strong and healthy. And now, it would take more than one blow for the skeletons to kill me! Finally, I could go get a class-specific quest and earn some combat abilities.

Nothing really interesting happened during the rest of the hunt. We kept fighting the skeletons for another hour and a half, but still... Everyone else had leveled-up quite a bit as well, if not as many times as I did, and the skeleton trios that just about had us at the beginning of the raid were barely a challenge by the end. Our hunters took them out as soon as they got close enough to shoot at.

As things wound down, we were all relieved to hear Sergeant yell at us from the hill, "Fa-a-all back!"

After we went through the portal and found ourselves on the cobblestones outside the fortress, we were all set to thank Eilinn, Sergeant, and the other veterans and head offline. We were all pretty tired from the stress. However, before we could do so Eilinn said, "Not so fast; line up."

We followed his order, sensing that something was up.

"I'm happy to announce, Thunderbird volunteers, that most of you passed the challenge with flying colors. What we did today was less about leveling you up and more about seeing how you behave in extreme and social situations."

"Did everyone pass?" asked Oygolinn.

"Of course not," Eilinn answered easily. "That never happens. Though you did well—seven out of ten."

"Who didn't pass?" Again Oygolinn.

"Ronin, Kerv, and Aerinn."

"What?!!" bellowed the barbarian. "I was out there killing skeletons right and left!"

"Yes, you were," said Sergeant. "But your ability to wave a sword around isn't the only thing we look at."

"Exactly," confirmed Eilinn. "For starters, you constantly and pointlessly fought Oygolinn's leadership, which everyone else accepted. And then, you were insubordinate. We don't tolerate that in our clan."

"But why us?" asked Kerv, and the elf girl nodded in agreement.

"What items did you take during the game?"

"I got shoulder guards with +3 strength and greaves with +3 stamina and +2 strength," said Kerv.

"I have a mantle with +2 wisdom and +2 stamina and a wristlet with +3 agility," answered the elf.

"

And why would archers need any of that? Well, except for the wristlet. It's all for warriors and mages. You knew that, and you knew you had both of those classes in the group, but you took the items anyway. That isn't a huge deal, but it does show that you aren't yet ready to work as part of a team. And that isn't a good thing or a bad thing; it's just that you aren't right for our clan right now. Come back in a month and apply again if you want—except for you, Ronin. Don't bother, because we won't consider it."

The clan badge above the heads of three of our recent comrades blinked and disappeared.

That's why he asked to talk with Oygolinn when we were on the hill, I thought.

"Oh, I won't. Who needs you?"

The barbarian dramatically spat on the cobblestones and turned for the door.

"Listen, elf scum." Ronin turned at the gate and looked at Oygolinn. "We'll be seeing each other. Oh, and I'll have my eye out for you, too, little one." He jabbed a finger in my direction and left.

"Hey, life's more interesting when you have enemies," laughed Krolina. "That way you always have a goal."

"You can also go," Eilinn said, looking at Kerv and Aerinn. "I think the experience you got today will compensate you in full for the time you spent with us."

"Have a good one," said Kerv, and the girl just nodded. It looked to me like she was doing her best to keep from crying. I think she was just embarrassed.

"I think we'll meet again," Eilinn said gently.

"Well," he said when the other two were outside the gate. "And now the rewards for everyone who passed the test. Right this way."

And we followed him into the fortress.

****

Don't forget if you enjoy my story to please like my Facebook page: https://goo.gl/es7MbG