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

by J. J. Thorn

  "I agree. I look forward to what we'll be able to learn. Are we going to go get some lunch? My headache is completely gone, maybe we'll even meet some girls. That will take our mind off things!"

  Zane had made us all very aware of the girls walking around the campus as we went to and from Prep the previous day. I couldn't fault him, but I also wouldn't let myself get distracted from my goals.

  Well, not too distracted.

  Zane and I continued to walk towards the exit as the conversation turned to more outlandish conversations.

  As we neared the exit, a girl and a boy barred our way. The boy and girl both looked noble-born, with small noses and high cheeks. Past that, they were both athletically built and wore expensive clothing. Their family crest was prominently displayed on their breast, a purple flower that looked to be shaped like a bell pointing down.

  By his look and the way he was staring right at me, I could see that this wasn't going to be a pleasant conversation. Despite this, I made a commitment to myself when I punched my bullies from back home. I wasn't going to let some pretty boy push me around.

  "Sorry guys, we're trying to get through." I tried politely.

  "Why would we move when you just wasted the entire class' time?" The boy was quick to respond, moving until he was less than an arm's length away from me. His sister or cousin stood behind him, holding her ground as well with a sneer.

  "I really don't want to cause any trouble, please just let us pass. I don't know how I wasted anyone's time."

  "Louis and Stella Fox. Please listen to my friend, we'd like to go get some lunch." Zane stepped forward, trying to de-escalate the situation.

  "That's where you're wrong, reject. Oh, don't think we don't know all about you. Your family is famous, and in another life, we would have added you to our circle, but now you're nothing like the rest of this trash." Louis continued.

  "And of course, you've become friends with the biggest of trash. Did you hear his asinine question at the end of class? I had my hand up from the very beginning and the Professor chose him over Stella or me. To have my question taken by his was an insult to all of us."

  "There had to be a thousand kids in there and the Professor was only taking 5 questions. Most people were bound to not have their questions heard." I tried to respond.

  "But that's exactly it," Stella said, finally deciding to step in. "You and the rest like you should have known to let better questions be asked."

  "Better questions like what? More specific questions about her one ‘Charge’ Skill? Don't you think we had enough of those?" I responded with frustration. These people were already ruining my mood and it wasn't even half-way through the first day.

  As we continued to talk, students started to pile up behind us. Trying to get past us, but also drawn to the drama of the situation. Louis must have noticed because he decided to play the part up even more.

  "No, you dolt! We were going to ask about her political leanings or how many people she had killed in the war - important questions if you ever want to get to her level of power. My grandfather was in the same war. When he came back, he was also Rank 5 with thousands of enemies dead at the hands of him or his fox."

  Some looked on in envy at his words while some of them rolled their eyes at his bravado.

  "Those questions seem insensitive and unnecessary. Plus, the Professor said she didn't want to talk about the war anyways."

  "Yes, what stupid logic. For someone to be so fearful about war, she was better off dying." He started to laugh as his words sunk in further.

  I started to get incredibly angry as he kept talking. For him to take so little value in another human's life went against everything they had just listened to.

  Zane, thankfully, was there to calm me down.

  "As happy as we are to keep hearing about your grandpa's accomplishments, we're going to be going now. Let's go, Terrence."

  Zane shoved past Stella and motioned for me to follow as he started to walk out.

  As I was passing, Louis grabbed hold of my arm, stopping me in my tracks.

  "Zane is a reject now, but he was once of a high station like the rest of us. You, Terrence, are trash and always will be. From now on, keep your mouth closed in class and let those who will make something of themselves speak first."

  He let go of my arm and started to walk out with Stella. Even as he walked away, he held his head higher, as though unwilling to look towards the ground. What an asshole.

  "C'mon Terrence, don't let imbeciles like that ruin our day. Let's head to lunch."

  "Did you know him, or did you use your Skill to see their names?"

  "Both, actually. I couldn't recognize them at first, but looking at their name I was able to remember their family. Louis is from the main branch and Stella is his cousin. They come from the Fox family, an old noble family from a town further south-east than Huag. All affinity users, and for generations most of them have had an affinity to FOXGLOVES" Zane started as they began walking towards the dining hall.

  "Fox gloves? Are those a kind of fox?"

  "No, they're a specific type of flower grown near their property. The family has passed down a set of secrets to ensure they receive the same affinity for generations. It’s similar to what my father was trying to do by teaching me so much about trading and goods, in general. The difference is that my father is starting a family line, while the Foxes have been around for a long time already."

  "But what makes a flower so special? Even my WEIGHT affinity seems like it would be better than that, eventually."

  "You have to remember that affinities are just a starting point, Ren. The Foxgloves are also special for a few reasons. First off, they're highly poisonous. He may have been a dick, but his grandfather really had used his abilities to kill thousands in the war."

  "So it's an affinity similar to poison?"

  "Yes, but the reason it's so powerful is because of the second main feature of the plant. It can be and is frequently eaten by foxes. A specific type of fox in their region, which is how it gets its name. The fox can tolerate the poison and can use it to battle larger beasts in the area. For this reason, the foxes have been around for thousands of years. The Fox family is not only famous for their ability to poison, several of them gain the ability to tame a fox companion around Rank 4. The fox creates a link with the human, sharing energy between the two to make them both faster, stronger, and quicker. They are a deadly combination."

  "Well, crap. Why didn't you tell me to be nicer to him?"

  "Haha, you're fine. Louis is still Rank 1 like the rest of us. If he'd been higher ranked I would have been worried about you being poisoned right now, but you should be fine for now... hopefully." Zane grimaced and made a stricken face. "Actually, I take it back. It's basically 50/50 at this point."

  "Cut the crap Zane, give me a heads up the next time someone who can poison me decides to start touching my shoulder."

  Zane smiled and started to laugh.

  "As I said, you're fine. You'll meet a bunch of nobles like that. Kids just trying to show off their status and wealth. I mean come on. Did you hear the number of times he mentioned his grandfather?"

  "Haha, you're right. It's like he was waiting for a chance to bring it up. I bet he got pissed off when you announced his name, rather than allowing him to proclaim it on the podium! I! AM! LOUIS! FOX!" We continued laughing at the ridiculousness of Louis and Stella as we reached the dining hall.

  We had come to appreciate the diversity of options available. Not only were they all free, but some of the dishes had names I had never even heard of. Different delicacies from around Terna and beyond. All available for us to partake in and try. Guards were stationed at the front of the dining hall as well. Probably to make sure nothing got too out of hand.

  Since all students had also been in the general studies class, a lot had also decided to come to the dining hall.

  As we scanned the room, we realized there was nowhere for us to sit and we couldn't see any
of the friends we made on the wagon into Krader.

  Eventually, Zane spotted two empty seats at a table close to the windows. We made our way over, and as I got closer, I realized the table was made almost entirely of girls.

  I guess Zane was going to show off some more of his people management skills.

  "Hi girls, do you mind if we sit down here? It looks like most other tables are taken."

  The girls gave us both a once over, before looking at each other. After a couple of nods, a lean girl with long black hair was the one to give us their approval.

  "Sure, join us. My name is Jen, these are my friends Cassie, Britta, and Trish." Jen introduced us to her three friends sitting in front of her. There were others at the table, but there was a slight separation between Jen's group and the next people sitting at the table.

  Cassie, Britta, and Trish all looked pretty as well. Britta had black hair like Jen's, while Cassie's was brown and curly. Trish had freckles and brown hair as well, with glasses on her face. Britta looked like the tallest one there and had a darker skin tone than the rest. Jen and Cassie were slightly tanned like me, while Trish's skin was as pale as Zane's. Jen stood out as the prettiest girl in the group. It might have been the way she took charge when we came over, but she was stunning.

  "Thanks, it's like the market on a Sunday in here. We'll need to find a better time to come next week after class." Zane responded as we both took our seats.

  "Ya, thanks," I added.

  When we sat down, one side of the table went Jen, Trish, then me. Across from me was Zane, who sat beside Britta and Cassie.

  "See Trish, I told you it would be worth getting here early. We all decided to skip food this morning before class." Britta pointed her finger at Trish mockingly.

  "When are you not thinking about food Britta. If you weren't so tall, I tell you..." Cassie responded.

  "And I'm the one who made sure we found a spot close to the exit closest to the dining hall anyways. Remember, I tried to find a compromise." Trish finally defended herself from Britta's accusations.

  Zane and I started to eat, letting the girls start teasing each other. This went on for a few minutes before I jumped in.

  "You all must have known each other before coming to Prep," I asked, smiling at their antics.

  "Ya, I feel like a lot of people knew each other coming here. We're all from towns in the area after all, and we're all tested at the same age. Were you not friends back in your town?"

  "I know a bunch of the kids we came with, but I wouldn't consider any of them friends. And Ren here is a bit of a loner, so he had no friends before me...I'm Zane by the way. He found me, his only friend, on the wagon ride over." Zane responded, giving his largest smile to the girls as he mocked me.

  "I had friends! Just, none of them got an affinity!"

  The girls started to laugh.

  "Don't worry Ren, it looks like you found a good one in the wagon. We're all actually from Krader, and we've known each other most of our lives!" Jen responded for the group.

  "Ya, I grew up with these Jen and Trish. Britta's family came into town about 8 years ago and became our best friend immediately." Cassie added.

  "No way, you're from Krader! That's so cool!"

  "Excuse Ren, he hasn't made it out of Huag much."

  "Haha, no problem Ren, we knew we'd get some of that. It isn't too common to live so close to a Dungeon, but it's all we've ever known." Jen interjected as she provided me some reassurance. She also leaned over and smiled in my direction a bit. Man, what is with all these people and their beautiful smiles.

  "Is Ren really your name, I think it's so cool," Trish asked me about my Zane-given name.

  "It's actually Terrence, but Zane thought Ren sounded cooler."

  "I like it!" Trish blushed, as she realized what she said.

  All the other girls nodded.

  "Are either of you in Dungeoneering this afternoon?" Jen asked, saving Trish any further embarrassment.

  "Ya, we both are. Are all of you joining us?"

  "Cassie, Britta, and I will all be there." Jen continued.

  "We tried to get Trish to come, but she's dead set on research. You would think after spending your whole life beside a Dungeon she would want to actually go in it!" Jen nudged Trish beside her.

  "I know enough about what happens in Dungeons to know that I don't ever need to go in one," Trish responded.

  "Ya, cut her some slack Jen. Her affinity doesn't really open up a lot of options for Dungeoneering." Britta added as she finished her meal.

  "Oh, and what is your affinity, if you don't mind my asking?" Zane asked.

  "GLASSES. While these girls were out playing monsters, I was inside studying and reading. I plan to learn as much theory as I can while I'm here. Maybe continue into research. I find Dungeons fascinating, but I just don't want to go in them. Like, did you know that there are 200 documented Dungeons in our Kingdom alone and of those 200 only 5 ever had the same primary monster type! Sure, there were a bunch of hydras at the end, but the main Dungeon monsters are almost always unique to the Dungeon and area!" Trish finally perked up as she started talking about her love of Dungeons.

  "Someone stop her before she starts listing off facts about Krader's Dungeon." Cassie groaned.

  These girls had probably heard Trish's facts hundreds of times over, but I hadn't!

  "I would love to hear all of your facts, Trish! We'll have to get together sometime to talk about it more. I plan on being a Dungeon diver myself and having someone as knowledgeable as you will make my job a lot easier!" I couldn't believe how lucky I'd gotten. First I meet Zane, now these girls. This day couldn’t get any better, fox douche aside!

  The others at the table looked at us like a couple of weirdos, but this is exactly why I wanted to join Prep.

  "Wow. I guess Trish has finally met her match" One of the girls added in, probably Britta.

  "What about you boys, what affinity do you have?" Jen asked Zane and me.

  "I have IDENTIFY, while my friend here has WEIGHT. He can see people's weight and I can see people's names."

  "Ugh, so you knew our names and weights as soon as you came over? Should I find that a bit weird?" Cassie asked with an odd look on her face as she looked between her friends at the table.

  "No, no. We didn't use it coming over. I'm actually trying to get better at not doing so when I meet new people."

  "Ya, and I didn't use mine either. I learned from my mom to not look up a woman's weight without her permission first haha"

  "Good woman, doing the Goddess's work for the rest of us" Jen joked.

  "Well, you've told us yours, so I guess it's only right to let you know ours. We've actually got pretty generic roles, based on how we always used to play as kids. I've got SWORD, Britta has SHIELD and Cassie has HEAL." As Jen listed out each person's affinity, she gestured the different affinities using her hands.

  Her fake sword slash was the most believable, but the finger waving she did for HEAL was definitely the funniest.

  We spent the next 20 minutes chatting with the girls about school and our lives. Eventually, they had to leave, but we made plans to sit together in Dungeoneering.

  We told them about our trip through Krader, but Jen insisted Zane had focused so heavily on the market that we barely saw anything worthwhile. She promised to take us into town when things calmed down a bit.

  After they left, Zane explained the look on Trish's face when I showed so much interest in her passions. He also showed an interest in Cassie, who he found interesting, compared to the rest of the girls.

  Overall, we were happy to have made some new friends, and looked forward to getting to know them better.

  After eating, we went back to our rooms to freshen up a bit.

  We used our Skills on everything as we walked, making sure to drain all of our internal energy doing so.

  Zane didn't want to go into another class with a massive headache, so he just used it regularly.

 
; He also promised to help me learn how to see my internal energy later in the day.

  We looked up the location of the classroom on the class list and started to make our way to the area.

  Chapter 16

  Kennel

  We reached the area for class a few minutes before it was intending to start. Unlike the auditorium, the class was being held near the training grounds on campus. The building was large, but it held very little in the way of seats or equipment. While walking over, we noticed several people, young and old, using the other facilities to train and work out.

  This building, on the other hand, had a series of mats along the ground and very little else.

  I was happy to see that they had designated spaces to run, train, swim, and more. I didn't have general training until tomorrow morning, but I knew I would be spending a lot of time in this area of the campus outside of class.

  We walked into the designated building and were happy to see Jen, Carrie, and Britta were already sitting down on one of the mats near the middle. By their position, it also looked like they had saved us some space.

  We even saw Britta and Claire scare away some students who tried to sit near them.

  The class was scattered across the mats, but there was still a lot of room. There appeared to be about 16 large mats in the space, so the space itself was huge. I couldn't tell for sure, but looked like a lot of the class was here as well, about 350 people, at least.

  We walked through the crowd of seated students and were thankful to find that the girls had been saving the seat for us.

  That could have been embarrassing.

  "Hey guys, cutting it a bit close don't you think!" Jen greeted us, motioning for us to sit down.

  "Blame Zane, he needed to fix his hair." Zane had insisted we go back to freshen up after rushing out after this morning. He didn't want me to make a big deal of it, but he had teased me in front of the girls before, so this was only fair.