134 Chapter 7.21 - Clash of the Titans

Swing, strike, parry, slash.

Sigil and Milian had trained endlessly. Yuna, their teacher, was a monster.

Sigil and Milian were told that they would train in the Training Dungeon 'for your safety'. This might have been the reason that Shurik was told, but in reality, their teacher Yuna the forest elf, was a Sadist. And within the training dungeon, she was not limited in her torture. Parry wrong? Stab. Ejected from the training ground. Drop your shield? Stab. Ejected. Late for training? Stab. Ejected. Talk back? Stab. Ejected. Side-eye? Stab. Ejected. In the months of training, sure Milian and Sigil had improved their skills and teamwork, but they had each had thousands of brief moments of death before ejection. Eventually, it had stopped phasing Sigil. 'Death' no longer made him wince. So Yuna changed tactics.

A broken femur wouldn't cause immediate ejection, neither would a gouged eye. After a few minutes of flopping in pain, the dungeon would eject them. But now they had to suffer first. Try to take a 'sick day' from training? Dragged to dungeon, stabbed, ejected.

But Yuna's madness had a method. Sigil and Milian had a single minded devotion to finish their training

So it was with great pleasure for Sigil and Milian that at their next golem benchmark test, they were given a passing grade by Shurik.

Their endless toil under their skilled sword instructor had caused their skills to translate into better control in a golem with the sword and shield. It was quite the feat. Sigil and Milian were just relieved that their training under Yuna was over. The countless moments of agony under the smiling face of their teacher would haunt them. They were resolved to never go back.

Shurik, a few weeks after their completion of their torturous montage came to Sigil and Milian practicing in the foundry region, inside their golem. "I am glad to see that you are ready to fight, and just in time too."

***

Sigil and Milian had their first mission. Meandering towards their neighboring region of Haven's vassal The Collective, a giant was walking. Giants were omnivorous humanoid monsters. They were usually best avoided, however when they were moving towards a civilization, it was always cause for worry. They stood above most castle walls. Normal weapons, bullets, and arrows, could not harm them. It took siege weapons, high magic, or a unit to sacrifice itself to lead the giant away.

Now, if you had asked Shurik, he definitely did not send a few of Thanatos' armada to lead the giant towards Haven and its allies in an effort to watch a clash between a titan and his newest toy. But the coincidence was uncanny.

So now, Sigil and Milian stood outside The Collective, eye to eye with a Giant in the distance.

Sigil spoke to Milian, "Milian, get it's attention."

Several bicep mounted mortars fired off. What would have scattered squads of soldiers in its fragmentary explosions were little more than nuisances to this giant, but it worked to provoke their foe. The giant saw their golem and ran.

***

Sword clashed against the giant's club. Shurik, watching the fight from a floating airship, stood in awe. Kira Marquest, the leader of The Collective stood with him.

"Are you sure they won't be defeated? Per our agreement with Haven, we have your protection."

Shurik lazily motioned towards the HAS Monarch sitting with its main cannon primed, pointed at the giant. "If they lose to a simple giant, i will just have to wipe the experiment and go back to the drawing board."

"Those are people down there too, you know." But Shurik ignored Kira, instead focusing on the fight.

Each time the giant fought against Sigil and Milian as if it was another giant, it learned its lesson. The first time, it tried to lock weapons, a flamethrower lit its miniscule loincloth on fire, scorching its hair.

After a few more swings another lock happened, and a shoulder mounted autocannon fired, destroying the giant's left eye.

The giant massive size did not mean it had a proportionally large brain, or it would have realized that Sigil and Milian were toying with it. And after testing their various combat systems, Milian called it. "Sigil, I'm bored."

Sigil smiled. "Alright. Drop shield."

The golem dropped the shield, which landed on the giant's foot. Instead Sigil blocked the club with his forearm, locking with the giant's forearm. "Activate Ripper"

In a few seconds, the gian lost an arm. As it bent to pick up its dropped sword, Sigil brought their blade down in a two handed strike, severing the Giant's head.

Sigil looked at the mess. "Think Yuna would be proud?"

"I think Yuna would be proud. She would still have broken your left ankle for missing that one parry."

"Fair enough."

***

Elsewhere in Haven, Serin was sitting with Allister.

Allister looked completely different from when they first met. He no longer looked like the sickly malnourished caster he once was. He had overcome his stat limitations, with no small help from donations, so when his intelligence had hit 300, he became like Serin. Except Allister's hair had turned white, and in lieu of blue markings, Allister's were purple.

Today though they sat enjoying tea at Allister's lab. Allister had been doing research into becoming a Shade, as it was what was required to break his limit on level 100. He did this research in secret, because it was dangerous. If someone's soul could still be corrupted by dark magic, it would kill them.

Serin met with Allister today to discuss a very specific skill. [Sacrifice].

"To be Honest Serin, I think you should forget you have it."

"My [precognition] skill made it seem it was imperative that I have it though."

"Or maybe that no one else got it. Serin, using souls as power cannot be good. If it is inherently dark like most necrotic or blood magic, you have to realize it will taint your soul. You don't have my class' protections."

"I know, but the day may come when I may need its power."

"Then my suggestion is to ask the Divines, because I asked around for you. Both Lord Koni and Lord Rezzi have no idea what souls could be used for. They each had exchanged their own soul for the power of an elder lich. We convert the souls of POWs into forged. I can agree its powerful. But I don't know how it would be used."

"How would I even go about asking them?"

"Well you can always petition Gideon to answer, but it is hit or miss he will tell you. Our Patron has his own agenda and 'knows best'. How about asking the attendants at the adventurer's guild?"

Serin nodded. It seemed it would be worth a shot.

***

The answer that he received from the adventurer's guild both piqued his curiosity and frightened him to the core.

"I am sorry Lord Serin, but that is not a currency we can exchange, nor comment on."