Trajectory (1)

"I can't believe you actually showed up today."

"I swear we've had this exact same conversation before," I respond to Jezabel with a smirk. It's been three days since I first tried out my new skill, and I'm standing in the guild hall about an hour before class with the kids.

"So, should I kill you now or torture you for a while?" Jezabel grins as she threatens me.

"We both know you're just going to kick my ass, so can we get that over with? I've got shit to do today." A smug grin spreads up the side of my face as I respond. I brace myself as she approaches, still smiling. She runs her hands through my hair, and I clench my eyes shut, expecting the worst.

'Crack!'

Jezabel smashes my head through the table beside us. I can feel blood running down my face from the sharp splinters of wood.

"Meet me outside, now."

"Okay," I respond with my head protruding through the table's surface. After a few moments, the world returns to focus, and I pull myself out. I look around and see the entire room staring at me. The tension is palpable. I cough to clear the air a bit and turn to Shelly, standing wide-eyed right beside me.

"So anyway, here's a few Denarii. That should cover the cost of the table." I grab her wrist and place the coins in her hand before following after Jezabel. I shuffle out the back door and find the guild master standing in the yard. She's staring in my direction with her arms crossed.

"How strong is it?" The lack of context in her question tells me she's probing for information. I could easily give away too much by asking her to clarify, so I just play along.

"It's likely the strongest creature in the woods."

"Then why would it rely on the fairies to intervene?" I hold a straight expression and remain silent. Jezabel narrows her eyes and glides toward me. "You really think you're safe in that forest?"

"No. That's why I need to get stronger." I hold her gaze while keeping a passive posture. I don't want her to think that I'm challenging her, and looking away will just make my responses seem insincere.

"How do I know you're not in league with it?"

"That's a really dumb question. You know as well as I do that it would set me at odds with not only the guild but the entire country. What could I possibly gain from working together with a monster."

"I'll make you pay for that little remark."

"I wouldn't have it any other way." I smile a little as I respond, which makes her chuckle. She looks at me for a moment before dropping all the emotion from her face and grabbing the scruff of my collar. I feel my feet leave the ground as she tosses me into the air like a wet sack. In hindsight, it was a stupid response on my part as Jezabel spent the next few hours beating the shit out of me. She allowed the newlyweds to go to class but had me stay behind for some one-on-one tutoring.

"I don't understand why you keep coming back; you know I'm going to put you through hell, yet you dare to smile at me." Jezabel raises her questions as I put on heavier weights. I pause to catch my breath for a moment before responding. I've been thinking about how I would respond to this question as I knew she'd ask.

"Julius Caesar was one of the greatest conquerors the world had ever seen. He managed to take over most of the known world, and he did it largely by moving faster than his peers. I heard a story that he could dictate seven letters simultaneously while reading a book. He just outpaced everyone."

"I've never heard of someone by that name," she responds quizzically.

"Everyone has a trajectory that they follow, and that pretty much decides their capability. I'm sure your trajectory was quite high before you ended here." Jezabel's brow furrows at my accusation.

"What's your point?"

"What would you say my trajectory is?" I stand up and look her square in the eyes.

"…"

"Were you pushing yourself this hard when you were my age? How old were you when your stats got to where mine is now?"

"I was probably about seventeen."

"So I'm six to seven years ahead of the prodigy herself? Where will I be in a year? How about ten?" Jezabel pauses and thinks over my words. A sullen expression falls onto her face as she begins speaking.

"When I was sixteen, my parents died, and I had to provide for my siblings. I became an adventurer to feed them. I got stronger to protect them and live more comfortably. You're already making more than enough money for your family; why get stronger?"

"Same reason as you; I have those I need to protect." I intentionally avoid using the word "people" to hint that I'm referring to the fairies. I want to push the conversation in a very particular direction, but only if she asks the right questions.

"You already have protection. What are you afraid of?"

"There's something in the forest, something much stronger than anything we've seen before. I don't know what it is or what it wants, but it's a danger to everything I care about, and I have to prepare for the worst." I'm implying that there is a monster stronger than the combined force of the fairies. I just have to hope she picks up on it. Unexpectedly, she smiles.

"I'll tell you what, you know how to get my blood pumping. Keep running; I need to check on something." I grab a couple of weights to hold and make my way to the tree at the other end of the courtyard. I'm carrying somewhere around one hundred pounds, so I can only maintain a light jog at best. Jezabel says the best way to increase your endurance is to keep pushing yourself even after your Stamina Points have reached zero, so that's my goal for today. As the endurance stat determines your max SP, increasing my endurance will allow me to use my skills more in battle. I figure this is the best way to get stronger at the moment. All physical exertion relies on SP, so I could potentially lift for longer as well if this plan succeeds.

I gather up what little energy I have and make my way back from the tree. A quick glance at my status shows that my stamina has just reached zero. A wave of exhaustion sweeps over me; I can barely keep my eyes open. I turn around and prepare for one last lap before I pass out. In my delirium, the sound of my brother shouting passes through my mind.

'You're never going to get stronger if you don't push your limits!'

'Aye, sir!'

'Every minute, your enemies are training to get stronger. If you aren't working harder than them, then you're just asking to be killed.'

'Aye, sir!'

'What are you going to say to your friends' families when you bring home their corpses?!'

'…"

'Answer me!'

'Aye, sir!'

I've reduced myself to an object. I no longer think or feel. I run to the tree, and when I get there, I run back. My vision blurs as I cross the finish line, and I collapse. A blanket of warmth sweeps over me as I gasp for breath one last time before passing out.

A familiar face in my dreams comes into focus. A woman with dark hair and violet eyes is looking down on me. She sports a calm smile as she leans in closer. I don't feel any malintent, so I relax and observe her movements. She reaches out and caresses my cheek.

"You're doing fine. Try not to be too hard on yourself."

She speaks to me without moving her lips.

"Who are you?"

Before she can answer, her face is replaced by another. With her signature blue hair and turquoise eyes, Jezabel's sharp features come into focus. She's looking down at me with one hand on my face.

'Smack!'

"Wake up." My vision shifts as she slaps my head to the side. I'm too tired to complain, so I just remain motionless. For some reason, I feel overwhelmingly calm, and the sting of her palm is hardly noticeable. In fact, I don't feel much of anything. It's as if I'm floating in an unfeeling vacuum. "Are you going to get up or just lay there?"