Chapter 14 Infusion Fire
Rohan put down his stuff in a slightly secluded sleeping place in the eastern room, he didn't have a lot of stuff with him anyways. Settling down he thought back to Follin's advice, as he didn't know what kind of skill everyone else had, but at least he knew there was some more potential in his skill. Cause it had been almost useless to him most of the time.
'I'll have to try out different things, like Follin said after using it many, many times you can influence its outcome or how it is activated.' To save mana, Rohan started activating his skill very briefly and turning it off directly, it seemed to just warm up his hand, or whatever he was holding. It wasn't that interesting, except for the fire resistance it gave him. 'Turning it on and off for not even a second decreases the amount of mana used, it is 1 mana for 1 second, but if I activate it for half a second my mana doesn't even visibly drop' and even testing how he didn't get burned surprised him a bit.
Testing the fire resistance, he noticed that his hands were completely resistant and his arms would have decreasing resistance until he didn't have any resistance anymore close to his shoulders. He wouldn't survive a volcano blast with his skill. But that wasn't his goal either.
'It's a bit disappointing but it is what it is.' Rohan sighed as he continued using his skill on and off.
Once, twice, three times, five times, 10, 20, 30, 40. 'I managed to get out 40 skill activation in a minute, this is a crazy amount. How many times should Follin be able to use it before being drained of mana? Maybe 20 times, I'll have to remember to ask him next time.' Rohan kept activating his skill and within 5 minutes he drained his mana almost completely.
'I activated Fire Infusion at least 250 times, but I'm not really noticing much change, I only feel more familiar activating it both when I'm holding nothing and when I hold the short sword.'
Rohan squeezed both his hands multiple times, he was feeling some tiredness in both of them, but he managed to start separating the activation of the skill, focusing on his hands separately. Only activating the skill in one hand cut the mana cost in half.
Rohan waited before his mana was close to its maximum again when he started practicing again. Activating his skill automatically on and off, Rohan sank into his thoughts.
He was conflicted in his feelings, not having thought about all the people that had vanished scared him a bit. 'Why didn't I think of it, am I that selfish? And why didn't I go to my apartment in the northern area, it would have been closer and more practical.' But even that wouldn't explain all of the weird things happening, Follin said that most survivors they met all talked about the same thing. People disappeared from one moment to the other, and almost none had died during that time.
'It was too confusing, why would everyone disappear, and why was everyone so calm. No one broke down, no panic and chaos or anything at all. Did they all get kidnapped? No that would be too difficult to pull off, but maybe not with magic. Follin told him that there had been no clues yet, except that there were no bodies, no bloodshed nothing of that sort found. Which could be both positive and negative sign, either no one was killed, or the enemies had methods to make almost everyone disappear.'
Rohan got lost in his tracks for a while until he felt his mana get low. Feeling the heat in his hands he became more familiar every time. He could feel it wasn't just warming up his hands, but just the area in front of it or the item he was holding. Like a coating of thin mana would cover his skin when he activated the skill, preventing burning himself to a crisp.
The only other thing that changed was the place were he could activate the skill, managing to heat up the knuckles of his fist. 'This might come handy if I ever get into a fist fight, or maybe a bar fight… but that would be cheating I guess.'
Rohan spent some time practicing his skill, until he fell asleep and had the best rest ever, and the best he would have in a while, as his next few days would start to ramp up.
lWaking up to his name being called wasn't ideal.
"Rohan wake up, Follin has some use for you, or more useful for yourself."
I heard a slightly deep voice call out as I rubbed my eyes. I still had my clothes on from yesterday, not even changing I got up and walked to the person shouting my name. I didn't recognize their face.
"Rohan, Follin wants me to train you somewhat in basic skills so you have 20 minutes to get ready and come to the training hall. Put on light clothes, and bring your shortsword. No need for anything else except energy. When you get there call for Oswald"
Waking up disoriented I quickly ate some rations I had received from Follin, they were just standard canned stuff. Moving quickly I moved out of the sleeping area and walked to the training ground where I called for Oswald.
"Is Oswald here?"
From the corner of the room a 40 year old looking man approached, he had a perfectly combed moustache that was starting to become grey in a similar fashion to his hair that was partially grey on the side. His hair was perfectly styled and had a shine to it from the amount of gel used. His facial features were al honed to perfection, not too chubby and not too skinny. He was a man that placed high importance on his looks, and his silver oval glasses finished his "higher standing" aesthetic.
He was a person focused on style as he was wearing expensive looking shoes, matching his black tech pants and styled black polo. On the left side of his waist a very thin but elegant sheath visible, giving a saber or rapier.
"Well here you are, just in time. I was supposed to give you some tips on using a sword, but the thing you are holding is a lump cross between a dagger and club. It doesn't take much to swing that thing around. I recommend something with more finesse and elegance, a rapier, like I possess, or a similar kind." Oswald said becoming more cocky the longer he was talking, and started standing more straight up, looking down on Rohan.
Rohan was double checking if this was supposed to be the guy that should give him advice, as he was critiquing the short sword. Although it looked a little bit odd, it was still working perfectly, slightly copper colored and not longer than his forearm it had its limitations yes, but it would do perfectly fine. It did hurt when Oswald called it a cross between a dagger and a club, although Rohan had to agree as the short sword blad got a bit thicker at the end before forming a tip.
"Are you supposed to help me out today? Cause this has been a waste of time for now."
Looking offended Oswald responded "No I'll will help you, how could someone not help out a straggler."
'sigh' "Now take your clagger and follow my lead." Oswald signed to Rohan to get in the center.
5 seconds, that was how long Rohan lasted before he was on his butt on the ground. And it didn't improve after an hour of practicing. Oswald wasn't a kind teacher at al. His expression changed completely when he gave training, becoming merciless and having less emotion than a rock.
After 2 hours of training Rohan was allowed a break to recover his sore muscles, eat and drink, but he also took that time to hone his skill further. Oswald taught him a proper stance, balance, movements that allowed for defense and offense after each other. But also rolling and ducking and some hand to hand tips. It was all very basic but Rohan didn't have any experience so he took everything Oswald said and used it all to practice.
Drenched in sweat Rohan managed to last through the training Oswald had given him.
Oswald looked at him disappointingly and sighed.
"I expected more of someone wo managed to survive in the mountains and got here all alone. We continue tomorrow morning at 8."
He walked away with elegant strides, his hair still perfectly combed and no sweat drop had fallen, or nothing that Rohan noticed.