Rivyn had been in constant training, day in and day out, for the last one week, putting in more than 14 hours of pushing his body to the limit daily. He was so different from what he had thought his limit was. Each stance-a part of the Ashwald's Body Enhancement technique-had changed him in ways he could never have perceived at the beginning. And now, in this damp, dark room, he was in the eighth stance, where he could stay in that position for a full five minutes without buckling. His once frail, battered body was now solid with muscle, his movements far more fluid.
Prepared for the ninth stance, he was, but Rivyn decided first to rest for a moment.
"Status."
[Rivyn - None]
[Level - 0 (Level is only available when you reach F-rank)]
[Strength - 21]
[Agility - 17]
[Defense - 15]
[Mana - 5]
[Unallocated Stats - 0]
His eyes widened in partial astonishment as he saw the numbers: his strength had almost doubled; his agility and defense also saw extreme increases. Sure, his mana was still at a steady 5, but at least his physical prowess had gone through the roof in just one week. By the time he mastered the tenth stance, he projected he'd be strong enough to reach F-rank.
Rivyn fisted his hands as power surged through his very being. A far cry from the broken man who'd hung in chains, tortured and barely alive. Hard as nails, now.
With this, another question struck his mind: why didn't anyone come for him? No one had entered the room for weeks; he had not heard the footsteps or the mocking voices of his kidnappers. Something was odd. One thing that he did not know was whether they had forgotten about him or some other thing had happened, but it was high time for him to act.
Finally, Rivyn got up, muscles screaming in his body from being confined for days on end; the need to try out his new strength finally came. Finally, his eyes fell on that metal door that was his prison for more than a month-strongly built, but he knew not indestructible. He took a deep breath, clenching his fists as he hit the door.
The force sent a shock through his arm, while the door rattled most violently in its frame. It didn't shatter that first time, but Rivyn could feel the damage he'd inflicted. He smiled, pulling his fist back a second time. A second, harder punch and the door crumbled, groaning metal falling inward.
It was a dark and cold passage, with no life on either side. There was only a blank wall on the left and a flight of steeply rising stairs on the right. Rivyn looked warily about him, an aura of strangeness weighing in upon him. Why was it so silent?
He went up the stairs, his footsteps very light, not to make any noise. On top, he saw another door made of steel. The door was similar to the one that he just broke through, but this did not move. Rivyn hauled and tugged at the door, but it was securely locked in place where it had been. Puzzled, he peered through a tiny gap beside the door and felt there was something against the door on the inside of it.
"Magic, maybe?" Rivyn whispered to himself.
Of course, he had no way of confirming that, and neither was he given much time to think over that. Refueling himself, he punched the door with all his might. The door creaked under the force, and with another punch, it fell, letting a cloud of dust and rubble fall around him.
As the dust settled down, Rivyn coughed his way into what seemed to be a destroyed bar: Furniture was splintered, smoke-blackened walls, and in the air, the heavy scent of something burned. His eyes landed on a charred body, sprawled across the floor. His face furrowed in distaste.
What on earth happened here? he thought, stepping around the debris carefully.
It seemed as though some sort of explosive had gone off in the location: tables were knocked over, the bottles shattered, scorching everywhere. As Rivyn made his way through the ruin, he realized there was nobody else-there were no guards, no patrons, nothing.
He was not so sure if he should be relieved or anxious.
With no seeming option of escape, Rivyn did the only thing he knew to do: he began digging his way out of the wreckage blocking his passage. The bar, being constructed mostly of wood, didn't require Rivyn to invest too much of his new strength in it. Finally, he emerged on the other side, free from the wreckage.
It was decidedly cooler and fresher outside, but as Rivyn looked around him, his heart sank. The dark, thick-stained ground with what was presumably dried blood seemed to run a chill down his very back; he stepped backwards, surveying his surroundings more carefully.
Nothing was there, not even houses, not a human being, but open space everywhere.
Where the heck am I? he thought, his stomach churning. Now, he turned to the wreckage and sifted through it one last time. Presently, he came up with a dagger and a small pouch containing coins. He opened the pouch and counted the contents: 15 silver coins. Well, it wasn't much, but it was something.
His mind strayed to his shop, his life before any of this had happened. There was more than 500 silver coins tucked away in his blacksmith shop, but long since spent. Everything I worked for. His heart went with that realization. His shop's doubtless occupied by another, his hand tools sold or even pilfered.
He bit his teeth. Yet, there's nothing to decide upon now.
He stared out across the desert again and sighed. I really don't know where I am, but I have to go. Standing around waiting was not going to do any good.
Rivyn suddenly veered off in one direction and began running. His rigorous workout schedule allowed him to run at full speed for nearly twenty-five minutes without resting. He walked and then some running. But he peered one last time at the burnt body under the concrete debris before turning to leave.
A grim sight, shivers ran down his spine. This guy clearly did not leave anybody alive. Then he would turn away, flung into the void, and would make his way, his heart pounding with excitement and dread. Rivyn ran on, the desolate expanse lying before him interminably. He did not know the direction he was going, nor what he looked for, but one thing was for sure-he needed to run without stop. He could not be still. Not now.
His thoughts drifted to the System-the weird tool that had sustained him until now. He wondered if there was anything more, and there was bound to be more. F-rank was within his reach now, and his options would open up at that level. I'll get stronger, Rivyn promised himself. I'll find out who's responsible for this, and I'll make them pay.