Heavy (The Weight Of It All): A LitRPG Fantasy Adventure

by J. J. Thorn

  "The notifications"

  "Oh yes, those. So, I don't have your Skill, so I can't say for sure, but I can make a couple of guesses. You said you were able to change your notification?"

  "Ya, it was originally just showing a number. I thought it was weird that I had no idea what the number meant, that I understood weight as a form of pounds, and the notification started showing pounds from that point forward. I haven't been able to change it since"

  "Have you needed to change it since"

  "No, not really. I understand pounds, it's what Mom uses to weigh our produce when we buy it from the market."

  "Yes, that seems similar to what I've heard. You should still take the time to ask the Prep School's professors but it looks like the notification updated based on your needs. Your affinity, and all the associated Skills, are granted by the Goddess, but it is up to you to use them. The notification hasn't changed because you haven't needed it to."

  It felt so good to finally get some answers. My Dad seems like a perfect person to ask. It really makes me wonder why he ever stopped Dungeon diving!

  "I think that makes sense! You seem to know a lot of stuff, Dad! Did you experience similar things during your adventures?"

  Dad's eyes turned downward and a grimace started appearing on his face. At that moment he looked 15 years older.

  "Sorry Dad, I didn't mean to bring up anything sad."

  "Dad's sad? Why did you make Dad sad Terrence?" Elise came over and started to hug Dad. Her hug seemed to cheer him up slightly.

  "Terrence, Elise, my life before I met your mother was a sad existence. I hold nothing against other Dungeoneers. Their job helps move our economy, supplying goods and jobs for people in towns all across Terna. Even my METAL affinity is a gift that I would never want to lose. Despite all these wonderful things, my previous life is a shadow compared to the life I live now. I am the luckiest man alive, and that is all because I have a beautiful family to come home to."

  "I get it Dad"

  "Sorry son, but I don't think you do. I will never stop you from wanting to follow your dreams. They are important and should never be forgotten. Just remember that my dream, and that of your mother's, is for my family to be healthy and happy. Remember that as you pursue your dream.”

  My mother was now standing beside Dad and Elise. I moved around the table and joined them for a hug.

  I have a month left of these moments, and I plan to make the best of them.

  After a few moments, time resumed, and life went on again.

  "Ok family, I love you all so much, but I have to be getting to the Smithy. Elise, remember to be good to your Mother, you've got school later today. Terrence, Good Luck with your Uncle. My equipment is in the attic in the chest. You won't be able to use everything because your Rank isn't high enough, but there should be some padding and a simple iron sword to use. Who knows what else might be in there, so take a look."

  I knew exactly which chest he was referring to. He had never mentioned that there might be Rank requirements on the equipment! If I can't ask Dad about this stuff, I'll need to start writing some questions for when I get to Prep School.

  "Ok, thanks again Dad, Mom. I will make you proud and remember to run if things get too tough."

  "Terrence, you've already made us proud. Your only job now is to get stronger and to stay safe."

  "Boys and their need to always one-up each other. Scratch getting stronger, just stay safe." Mom said with a wink and smile as she gave us both a hug again.

  "Now finish your breakfast and go get dressed, both of you, you've got a long day ahead of you."

  Ya, today I'm killing my first monster.

  Chapter 6

  Arma-Hunting

  "Today you will not be killing any monsters" Uncle Tom started as we walked through the gates of Huag. It was now mid-day and I had spent the first part of his visit recounting the previous day's events. It was hard to believe this man had raised John, he was so full of life and always laughing.

  "I thought we were going to kill monsters. Why are we heading into the City?"

  Most of my Dad's equipment was beyond me. Pieces were either too heavy for me to use, like a huge slab of thin metal, probably a tower shield, or started to give me a headache as soon as I started to hold for too long. I have to assume this is the Rank requirements Dad spoke about briefly. I was lucky to find leather chest pieces that fit, along with some metal bracers and leggings. They didn't protect my whole body but they would provide some protection against monsters... monsters my Uncle was now saying we wouldn't be killing. I was able to grab a simple iron sword as well, which I had strapped to my waist.

  "Terrence, have you ever used a sword?"

  "Ugh, no, mom and dad always told me to stay away from that stuff."

  "Yes, and what about a dagger or a hammer or a bow or any weapon at all?"

  "No, I haven't needed to use any of those things..."

  "Then Terrence, you're a smart boy, how are you going to kill a monster?"

  I stopped in my tracks.

  How had I never considered how I would actually KILL the monsters. I'd always imagined myself going out and killing the monsters. In these dreams, I would be holding a massive sword or slaying them with my mighty magic. Dreams. I am such an idiot. In real life, I'd never used a weapon on anything!

  I started training a couple of years ago to be strong enough to hold Dad's weapons and fight monsters. Why did I never think to actually USE a weapon? Why didn't I ask?

  "TERRENCE, keep coming boy, we don't have all day" Uncle Tom had kept walking and must have now realized I was lagging far behind.

  IDIOT!

  "But where are we going then?"

  "Just because you aren't killing anything today doesn't mean you won't be trying. I'll likely be doing all of today's killing, but you'll get a chance to use that thing strapped to your waist by the end of the day. In terms of where we're going, can you tell me where to find monsters in the area, Terrence?"

  "Well, I know the guards patrol the area to keep us safe. I also know that the forest houses monsters. I always assumed the guards were the ones who would kill those."

  "And you would be right, mostly. The guards play a vital role in any town like ours. They make sure the monster population is culled regularly to keep you and your family safe. You live a safe and sheltered existence in Huag, many towns do not have that luxury. For most towns, they rely on Dungeon divers to kill their monsters. They also make postings when a monster is found that is too powerful for regular guards to handle. These postings are available in the Guild Hall of any major town. Towns with a good Guild Hall are more reliable for those who live there and more valuable for the Dungeon divers. These postings show you a brief description of the monster, the perceived level of danger, and its bounty."

  "I guess that makes sense. Most of the guards don't have an affinity, so I bet the Dungeon divers have a lot of monsters to deal with."

  "Not exactly. This area is already relatively safe, so most of the postings you'll find are for low ranking monsters and low-value bounties to match."

  "How are monsters ranked? Do they have the same ranking that we do?"

  "Maybe, maybe not. Your Dad was a Dungeoneer for much longer than I was and would have a better answer. The Kingdom keeps track of the known monsters and this information is distributed to all Guild Halls. This compendium provides a list of all known monsters and their perceived level of danger"

  "Wow, Guild Halls seem really important."

  "Well, yes - they are an unfortunate need. Monsters outnumber people, so we need Guild Halls to help keep us all safe. Most Dungeoneers can go their whole lives without having ever been in a Dungeon. These individuals will travel across the continent fighting monsters, fulfilling bounties, and living off of that. It is still lucrative, just not as lucrative as Dungeon diving. For this reason, Dungeon divers are sometimes referred to as adventurers. I, myself, have only ever been in two Dungeons. The Dungeon I am leavin
g for tomorrow will be my third."

  Adventurers.

  Adventurers.

  I prefer Dungeoneers or Dungeon divers. Still amazing information.

  By this point, we had reached the Guild Hall. My Uncle and I gave small greetings to those we knew while walking through the streets of Huag. His demeanor was respectful but brisk. As he said, we had limited time and I wanted to make the best of it.

  While walking, I had chosen to not use my Skill. I knew very little about the day and wanted to make sure my mind and body were both fresh.

  The Guild Hall was 6 times the size of my house, with windows splayed across the front of the building.

  We walked into the building and Uncle Tom made his way to the clerk at the Desk.

  "Hi Glori, Good Afternoon. I'll be grabbing one of today's bounties."

  "No problem Tom, and who is this with you? He seems a bit young."

  "This is my nephew. He hasn't completed Prep School as yet and will be accompanying me for the day."

  "Ok, I've noted it down. He won't be able to receive any of the bounties since he isn't a registered Dungeoneer. Because of your rank with the Guild, you can take anything D or below - that is if you can find anything at that rank"

  "Yes, no problem, thanks, Glori. We'll be grabbing something low-rank today." Uncle Tom started walking over to the right-most wall in the building, past several tables. The Hall itself seemed fairly empty.

  "Where is everyone?"

  "It's the afternoon, most men are women who have already left for the day. Either to complete a bounty or move on to the next town. Travelling is done best in the daylight after all." Tom stated matter of factly.

  "Ok, so here's the wall with all currently available bounties. The bounties at the top are generally higher than those at the bottom, but so is the risk. Are you following?"

  "Yes, Uncle." I had probably asked a couple too many stupid questions. I'll need to pick and choose them a little bit more wisely for the rest of the day.

  "Ok, because this next part is important. Our affinities are divided by numbered Rank. 1 is the lowest and as far as we know, 9 is currently the highest. The Guild Hall implemented a similar system to keep things simple. All Dungeoneers start at Rank G and can go all the way up to rank S. Monsters and Dungeons for that matter have also been given the same Rank, with one exception, SS."

  "What's SS?"

  "SS is the highest possible Rank. They are viewed as monsters or Dungeons that would require several S-level Dungeoneers to defeat. I only know of one SS-level Dungeon, and the Kingdom monitor's it very closely."

  "So if I see an S Rank monster, I should run?"

  "Hahaha, if you see an S Ranked monster, and that is a big IF, don't run, pray."

  Uncle Tom then turned his focus back to the wall, while I considered the implications of that statement.

  "Ok, so we still have a few good options available. Since it's just the two of us, I'm going to avoid anything too deep into the forest. I'll also avoid anything that could swarm us since you don't really have any way to defend yourself currently and I don't have a good Skill for scattered crowds of monsters."

  "What would be a good Skill for..." I started.

  "Terrence, no more questions until we get to the outskirts of the forest. I am a D-rank Dungeoneer, so I must choose something at my level or below." He cut me off as I was going to ask about his last statement.

  "Ok, we're going to go Arma-Hunting, an F-rank hunt." I did not ask what Arma-Hunting meant.

  As much as I wanted to.

  Nope, not going to ask.

  Uncle Tom took the piece of paper off the board and handed it to Glori. She confirmed that the bounty was still available and wrote down the details of the request.

  We then left the hall and started on our way towards the West gates of the city, towards the forest to the west of Huag.

  ------------------------------------------------------------------------

  Walking through the West gates, we reached the edge of the forest after another 10 minutes of walking.

  Right before leaving Huag, Uncle Tom had purchased two medium-sized bags for us to put on our backs. He did not tell me why, and we went on our journey.

  Shades of green were abundant among the trees in the forest. A light wind caused the trees to sway left and right, while the sun's rays beamed down from the sky. From this distance, we were able to hear birds chirping and the bustle of the town was no longer within earshot.

  A large road ran through the forest, heading even further West.

  I knew this was the path I would take to Prep School in a month.

  Uncle Tom did not follow the path but instead started going to the left into the forest itself. We were still close to the front of the forest, but as the minutes passed it became harder to see Huag's walls and the path we came from.

  "Uncle, can you now tell me what Arma-Hunting is."

  "We're hunting Armadons. They are a type of monster that appears in the forest. They are not overly aggressive, but for guards, they are very difficult to kill." He continued walking.

  We didn't see any monsters, probably because we were still very close to the town.

  "Guards spotted it about 20 minutes from the road in this direction. They only reported it 2 days ago, so it's likely still near the same area. They travel alone and are very easy to spot, making them a great first monster for you."

  As we continued to walk, I appreciated how beautiful the forest was. I had seen it from afar my whole life; to finally be able to walk through it was completely new.

  Uncle Tom walked through the forest casually, as if saying that he had nothing to fear.

  We continued walking for another 20 minutes, but despite my best efforts, I did not see any monsters. Uncle Tom started to slow down and began noting some tracks on the ground and the trees as we walked.

  "The Armadon is slow, but its outer skin is tougher than any other creature you'll find in this forest. It is closer to a shell made of scales than skin. At Rank F at least, and probably rank E as well. These tracks look like they were made recently, so it is probably not too far. Due to its size and speed, we'll be able to catch up fairly fast."

  We began jogging towards the direction of the markings.

  After just 15 minutes, we reached what appeared to be a moving rock, slowly inching through the forest. Uncle Tom was not kidding!

  The Armadon was covered head to toe in scales, with intricate scales strewn across it's back. Its head was slightly visible at the front, where it had a long snout. Its legs were quite stubby, and it was moving very slowly. While we were watching, it was taking its time in moving over a fallen log, realizing that it wouldn't be able to go around it.

  "So, Terrence, back to what I said earlier today. How will you kill this monster?"

  "I'm not sure Uncle, do I just stab it with my sword?" The simplest answer is sometimes the best answer, after all.

  "Well, I guess you could say that, but using a weapon takes finesse and skill. Even guards receive training before they are allowed to come kill monsters. Those children who didn't gain an affinity, and would like to get some experience fighting monsters, will also begin their guard training within the next month." He let that sit for a few moments.

  "But Terrence, what do you have that those children don't have?"

  For this question, I only took a few moments to respond.

  "An affinity?"

  "Exactly. So, in a scenario where you are faced against this monster, why not try to use everything at your disposal?"

  "But what does knowing the monster's weight do?"

  "Lesson 1 - Always try to gather information about the obstacle you're about to face. When Dungeon diving, you'll be with a team, and each member of the team will have different Skills that you might be able to use to gather information. Sometimes that additional information can mean life or death."

  "So you want me to ask you to use your affinity to gather more information?"

&
nbsp; "No, in this case, I don't have a Skill that will help in gathering more information. And that's lesson 2 - know what abilities you and your teammates are working with. We've been walking together for hours now, and you've asked me several questions. Have you thought to ask me what my affinity is?"

  Dejected and feeling like an imbecile, I pushed ahead. This was a chance for me to learn, I would not let this hurt my pride...more.

  "No, Dad never talks about it, and I never thought to ask."

  "I have the SWORD affinity, rank 3."

  "You're a rank lower than Dad?! No offense Uncle Tom, but shouldn't you be much higher?"

  "Progressing in your rank becomes much harder as you reach higher ranks. You must continually find new ways to use your Skills and for a Dungeoneer who's job is to fight monsters, this means finding harder challenges as well." Some slight irritation was evident in his voice.

  "Moving on, please use your Skill on the Armadon. You might be surprised by how useful a skill like that could be."

  I listened to Uncle Tom and started to stare directly at the Armadon. Its bulbous body was hard to spot, even from our distance, and it was moving at a glacial pace. It took about 45 seconds, but I hadn't used the Skill at all throughout the day, so it proved to be an easy task.

  1,200 pounds!

  "1,200 pounds. It weighs a ton, literally!"

  "Yes, and so you see why guards find it difficult to deal with. Its outer shell is incredibly hard, and even though its underbelly is exposed, it would take a team of 10 guards to flip it over. Not impossible, but considering the Armadon probably won't enjoy the process, this is something better suited to Dungeoneers."

  "But then how would I even kill it?"

  "As I said this morning, you won't. Your first task today is to attack it. Go attack it with that sword of yours. Show me what you can do." As he spoke, we finally started to walk closer to the beast. It didn't seem to mind our presence.

  We continued to walk until we were directly beside it. Once we reached the Armadon, I took out my iron sword. Uncle Tom took a couple of steps back but gave me a nod of reassurance.