—— ? ——

  Simon stared at the stone, a feeling of nervousness welling up inside. He was pretty sure the skill would work, hell it was probably going to work better then he thought. The problem was…

  The wind up.

  Weaponized Repetition had always taken a series of ineffectual hits before it actually did anything… and now he had an audience.

  Maybe If I just wait until Kurda stops paying attention. He thought, peeking over towards the stonemason. Kurda was busily working on the wall. He held a chisel and hammer in his hands that looked like they came from Godzilla's toolbox. Even for kurda’s stature they were oversized, but the man hefted them effortlessly.

  Kurda set the massive-ass chisel against the outline on the wall and furled his brow in concentration. A matte dark brown energy coursed from his hands and encased his tools. After a second, Kurda gave a nod, then tapped the back of the chisel with his hammer. The world seemed to slow as the brown energy was sucked into the chisel. A second of silence, then the sound of the tap to the chisel seemed to replay followed by a loud *CRACK!*.

  Simon watched in amazement as a perfectly straight slice appeared in the stone. Centered on the chisel it stretched above and below by a couple of inches. Kurda nodded to himself then moved up a nearby scaffolding and set the chisel to the wall again.

  *Tap, Crack!* *Tap, Crack!* *Tap, Crack!*

  The rhythmic sounds of Kurda’s work filled the tunnel.

  Simon turned back to the wall. The way Kurda was cutting into the wall was so much more elegant then what Simon was about to attempt. Maybe there was another way for him to approach this problem?

  He pulled up his information and started filtering through his skills. He sighed. It would have been nice to have any skill that was suited for non violence. His eyes stopped on his latest skill.

  ——————————

  > Skill: Anima Control ( Rare )

  > Description: The soul is the vessel of self. You have forced yours to act where your flesh could not. By exerting direct control, you may use anima to empower yourself. Prolonged use may cause harm to your soul.

  > Use: Direct Anima from your soul to affect the material world.

  > Cooldown: None

  ——————————

  Maybe I could use this instead of just whacking the wall?

  Simon glanced around and spotted several hammers and chisels laid on a crate. Behind him another tap and crack resounded as Kurda continued to split stone.

  Honestly, it's probably worth a shot.

  He set his summoned guitar and stepped over to the crate. He hefted a decently large chisel and then grabbed the hammer Kurda had given him earlier. Simon took two steps to the wall then placed the edge of the chisel's head against it. He held the maul looking hammer in his right hand and thought back to how he had used Anima Control before.

  Simon focused, pulled the hammer back, then swung.

  He missed.

  Stinging shockwaves pulsed through his hand as the sledge-like hammer slammed into the stone wall. He stared at the hammer in disbelief. It felt like the stupid thing had jumped to the right of the chisels pommel.

  You have got to be kidding me.

  Examining the hammer Kurda had given him, he couldn't see a reason for what just happened. He shook his head and tried again, moving the hammer at a snail's pace. At the last moment the ‘hammer’ jerked to the side, completely missing the chisel.

  Oh come on!

  Simon walked back to the crate and examined the different hammers. Now that he had others to compare to he thought he knew the issue. The hammer Kurda had handed him was more maul-esque than tool. Grumbling to himself, he put the ‘maul’ down and picked up another one that was far more ‘tool-like’.

  He moved back to the wall and tried to hit again. This time his snails pace swing connected with the chisel and lightly tapped the back of it.

  “Alright then, Nice!” Simon pulled the chisel back, examining the wall. Unsurprisingly, there was no indication that he had done anything to it.

  Simon placed the chisel back against the wall, then refocused his mind on Anima Control. Seconds ticked by as nothing happened, but Simon continued to mentally nudge the skill. He let his mind clear, and his thoughts fade away. There was nothing but him, the skill, and the hammer.

  Then he felt it. Energy coursed near his chest, and raced down his arm. It was different then his other skill, warmer and softer. It coursed down his arm then everything went wrong. The energy went from being warm and soft to an atonal buzz. It felt like the sensation of when you limb falls asleep but instead of being his whole arm, it was localized to where the energy was.

  Simon blinked at his arm, replaying the sensations in his mind. He nodded to himself, then pulled on the skill again.

  It failed.

  The energy jumped down his arm like a bucking creature, resisting his efforts to control it.

  Focus Simon. Focus. He tried again. Failed. Tried again. Failed.

  “Stupid freaking skill.” Simon growled in frustration. “Why won’t you work?!” He swung again and again, each time trying to ‘pull’ on the skill in his mind in a slightly different way.

  Nothing worked. Simon stared at the hammer in disgust. He knew he had used the skill before. His body had been so broken during the fight in the forgers realm. If he hadn’t been able to use Anima Control then, he would undoubtedly be dead as doornail. So why couldn’t he use it now?

  “Come you dumb skill. Work!” He swung again. The energy stopped before his elbow. Simon squinted at his hand, an idea forming in his head.

  I swear if this works… Simon swung the hammer. “Anima Control.” he intoned as the hammer cut through the air. As he spoke the words, he felt a level of focus, and the energy poured down his arm before failing past his elbow.

  Okay… but could I use it in the fight? I definitely didn’t quote the name of the skill.

  The fight was a blur of a memory, but he could still remember how he felt at that moment. His entire being was focused on one singular goal: Kill that golden son of a bitch.

  Simon looked forward to the wall. Focus. He needed unerring focus. He was going to use this ability to empower his arms and crack this stupid wall.

  Simon cycled his breath letting his thoughts fall away. He stared at the wall, channeling his mind to a single goal.

  Break. The. Wall.

  “Anima Control.” he whispered, then pulled his right arm back, his eyes locked on the wall past the chisel. He barely felt the energy flow past his elbow as he moved the head of the hammer forward. At the last moment, a golden glow burst from his hand coating his arms.

  This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

  *Ting!*

  Simon grinned as a miniscule amount of stone flew away from the wall.

  “There we go!” He pumped the hammer into the air. “Alright, lets do this.”

  He pulled his arm back for another swing. “Anima Control.” He swung. With each swing his focus narrowed, his vision drilling into the wall. There was nothing in this world but him and that stupid tunnel wall.

  On his seventh swing, a weariness suddenly filled him. It startled him from his laser focus, causing the golden glow to vanish mid swing. Simon grimaced as the hammer went wide and slammed into the stone, numbing pain pulsing up its handle.

  It felt like something had been taken from him. He felt hollow, almost depressed. He examined his tools, his arms and then the wall.

  “So I guess there is a ‘cost’ to using this skill” Simon mumbled as he took a seat. It was an awful feeling. Somehow, Simon felt like he was less… well… less Simon.

  He sighed, then examined his work. A thin line of scratches etched the wall.

  “Well that’s not really working.” he muttered, then moved his gaze to Kurda. He had finished one side of the column and was now working his way down the second. A deep, perfectly straight gouge in the stone was left in his wake.

  “Geez.” Simon said to himself. “Yeah, not a good method. I wanted to use a more elegant solution, but I guess it's back to tried and true.”

  He glanced at his summoned guitar, its sleek black metal shining in the light of the tunnel's glowstones.

  “At least I got a useful summon this time.” He smiled to himself. The guitar shimmered and vanished, seeming to flip Simon off as the time limit on its summoning expired.

  “Like, why do I open my mouth sometimes.” Simon moaned, then got to his feet.

  He moved back to the wall and focused on his summoning skill. Simon considered saying the skill’s name, but decided he didn’t need to.

  *Pop!* His new summon appeared. Simon sneered at the kazoo in his hand, holding it up to his face.

  “What the hell do you think you’re doing back?” He whipped the kazoo across the tunnel. “Fuck off.”

  *Hurrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr* The kazoo squealed in an oscillating moan as it flew. *Ting!* it bounced off the wall.

  Simon nodded, a smug smile stretching his face. Then he noticed Kurda staring at him.

  “Uh… Did I mention my skill is random in what it summons?” Simon blurted out.

  Kurda continued to stare, then hopped down from the scaffolding and walked over to the kazoo. He carefully picked the instrument up and held it between two fingers. He gave Simon a meaningful look.

  “Do yer' use that der' skill to fight?” He asked.

  “Yeah…”

  Kurda’s eyebrows shot up. “And since I don’ see da other one, dat der skill has er time limit?”

  “Correct.”

  Kurda studied the little kazoo then glanced back up at Simon. He slowly brought the instrument to his lips then said. “I guess yer could always… make yer enemies die from laughin” then he blew on the kazoo.

  *HURRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!*

  Kurda’s face lit up and his body rocked with mirth. Simon grimaced, then turned back to the wall. “Instrumental Summon.” He snapped, and a new instrument popped into his hand almost instantly.

  He hurled the cow bell across the cavern.

  *HURRR-HURRR-HURRR!* Kurda’s laughter exploded through the kazoo. Simon glared daggers at him as he impatiently waited for his skill to come off cool-down. The moment he felt it reset, he snapped out. “Instrumental Summon!”

  Mini-cymbals.

  *HURRR-HURRR-HURRR-HURRRRRRR!*

  This time the instrumental projectile was aimed at one prancing oversized child of a stone-mason.

  “You’re an ass Kurda.” Simon yelled.

  *HURRR-HURRR!”

  Simon turned away from the exuberant smiling man and brooded. Seconds stretched by, each an agonizing wait. His skill reset.

  “Instrumental Summon…. GAHhhhhd DAMNIT!”

  Simon catapulted the harmonica towards Kurda’s head. It pinged off the man’s head, the sound slightly muffled by his short dark hair.

  Kurda let out a slow mournful *hurrrr..r.rr.r…* from his kazoo, his face a mask of sadness.

  Simon spotted the slight curl of a grin Kurda was suppressing, so he flipped him off.

  Stupid skill.

  Simon exhaled, letting his frustration escape with each breath. “Instrumental Summon.”

  *Pop*

  Weight pulled his hand down and Simon quickly gripped the new summon with his left as well. A long metal instrument, a bassoon, had arrived.

  Simon gave it an experimental swing, then looked back at Kurda.

  “See, this is more like it!”

  Kurda examined the metallic brass instrument. *Hurr–phthhhh” his kazoo retort was cut off as it finally hit its time limit and shimmered out of existence.

  “Awww… I like’d that der metal instrument.” He pouted. “Look like yer'’ finally got something that isn’t smaller than mer’ hand. Guess der’ break times over then.”

  “Guess so, that things called a kazoo by the way.” Simon called back.

  “A kerzoo? I will have ter’ see if one o' der’ smiths can make me one.” He turned back to the arch’s outline. “Back to work then, good luck with yer’ metal stick. I can help yer’ with the wall when I’m done”

  “Don’t worry about it, soon i’ll have this wall crumbling.” Simon said, stepping towards the stone.

  “Surrre yer will..” Kurda’s voice drifted through the cavern.

  Simon pulled his arm back then swung.

  Ting.

  He felt eyes watching him as he swung two more times.

  Ting. Ting.

  And then again, and again.

  Ting, ting, ting, ting, ting.

  Beneath thing dinging sound of his swings, he swore he heard a muffled laugh.

  Simon glared over his shoulder, but Kurda was pointedly staring at his outline seemingly deep in thought.

  Just you wait, big man. Simon grinned.

  Ting. Ting. Ting. Ting. Ting. Ting.

  "Err, Simon?" Kurda called out. "It's all right. I'll be done in just a second an’ then I can help yer’ out. I’ll split the stone off that der’ wall for yer’”

  “Don’t” Ting. “Worry.” Ting. “ I “ Ting. “Got” Ting. “This.” Simon spat out between swings, breathing in huge lung-fuls of air as his strikes increased in tempo.

  “It really wouldn’ be a problem, I will cut der’ stone and then yer’ can just carry it.” Kurda insisted.

  Simon ignored him, swinging faster. The bassoon in his hand gained a sheen of scratches and dents as it was slammed into hard stone over and over.

  Ting. Ting. Ting. Ting-thrum!

  There it is. Simon celebrated, a cold thrill coursing through his veins. That’s the sound of progress.

  Ting-thrum. Ting-thrumm. Ting-thrummm.

  Simon twirled the bassoon across his body, bending backwards and gripping it with both hands. He brought it up over his head then slammed it into the wall.

  Ting-thrumm. *CRACK!*

  "By the damned rock-king." he heard Kurda quietly exclaim. Simon looked over his shoulder and gave him a toothy grin.

  “Now, watch this.” He swung again.

  Ting-thrumm. *CRACK!* Ting-thrummm. *CRACK!*

  With each blow, hairline fractures clawed through the wall. Simon picked up the pace even further. His arms buzzed with energy as he gripped the bucking bassoon like a steel-vice.

  Ting-thrummm. *CRACK!*

  Each blow expanded the cracks. Every hit left visible changes on the stone wall. Simon lost himself in the rhythm of his skill, the bassoon a dented mess.

  He kept his frantic pace and saw nothing but the wall. This wall was coming down. It needed to come down. It was the enemy and it stood in the way of Kurda’s goals.

  “Err… Simon?” A voice cracked over the din.

  Simon ignored it. There was only him, his weapon, and a wall to destroy.

  How can I go faster? He thought between swings. There had to be a way to ramp up the damage. He had no idea how long he had been swinging, but it was too long.

  A thought occurred to him. Didn’t Anima Control help him swing the hammer earlier? Why couldn’t it work here?

  “Simon, stop!” The pestering doubt yelled.

  He wouldn’t stop. Dust and fragments of stone rained around him. Simon ignored those too.

  His mind gained a razor clarity as he focused.

  “What are yer’ doin'!”

  Using his skills to the best of his ability. That’s what he was doing.

  Simon visualized the skill, he imagined the golden light growing from that hollow space in his chest and expanding down his arm, across his hand and onto the instrument.

  “Anima Control” He intoned and golden light exploded out from him. His lips curled into wicked satisfaction as he drew his arms back. This would be the most powerful strike he had ever swung. The bassoon felt like an electric current was racing across the metal. Simon’s muscles ached from the vibrations, but he denied them. They contracted and he rocketed the tube-like instrument toward the wall, a golden sheen making the rest of the light in the tunnel seem dim.

  *WHAM*

  The bassoon shattered into glittering pieces of metal and gold.

  “SIMONNNNNN!!!!” Someone roared behind him. Simon blinked. What had just happened? Who was yelling? There was so much noise. His eyes flicked back and he saw Kurda crashing down off the scaffolding he once stood on. Kurda slammed into the ground, but stumbled and ended up in a heap. The man’s face was a mask of fear as he tried to scramble to his feet,

  Simon felt hollow. His mind woozy, his very self seeming to not exist.

  Why… Is he so scared? Why is he trying to run–

  *WHAM!*

  His dumb thoughts were cut off by the desk-sized slab of stone that crashed to the ground between him and Kurda.

  Simon's head creaked back and his eyes drifted to the roof. The roof was absolutely covered in fractures. Dark, deep, and widening. Simon finally heard it. The atonal reverb that was still pulsing through the stone.

  The roof shook.

  Then it fell.

  Slabs of gray descended.

  Oh.

  Well shit!

  —— ? ——

  — AUTHOR NOTICE —

  Guess I should have left the part I wasn't happy with in the royal road draft.

  Thanks for reading!

  ~TheBusyBard

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