—— ? ——

  “Uh… I meant that as a joke.” Simon nervously replied. “Don’t worry I’m not going to use my skill again inside this tunnel.”

  The big man had stopped what he was doing and stepped towards him. His scowl turned to confusion.

  “Yer’ that is probably a good idea. But why are yer’ leavin?” He gestured towards the fractured tunnel wall. “We have barely made any progress today.”

  Now it was Simon’s turn to scowl. “I mean, I would say we went backwards in progress.”

  Kurda smiled. “Yer’ could say that.”

  “So…” Simon said haltingly. “I’m going to get out of the way? My skills aren’t just useless down here, they are deadly. I mean–” He gestured to the rubble. “Look at this disaster I caused.”

  Kurda followed his pointing finger and took in the mess. He looked back at Simon.

  “Yer’ did cause that. Didn’t your parents ever teach yer’ to clean up after yer’ self?”

  Simon stared at him. “Well.. I mean…. But my skill–”

  “Is damn near useless and dangerous.” Kurda cut him off, nodding. “But ain’t nothing wrong with yer’ body is there? Are yer’ too injured to keep workin?”

  Simon rolled his shoulders and did a mental inventory. He was bruised and sore, and a couple parts smarted. His ankle was a bit tender, but all in all he could still move well enough.

  “I mean I’m pretty banged up, but I can move.”

  Kurda nodded, then strode towards the rubble to a slab of stone. “Can yer’ do something like this?” He said then bent over. The piece was almost as big as the man himself and looked heavy. Kurda wrapped his arms around it, and then with a monumental effort lifted it up and then pulled it slowly up over his head.

  He took a few shaky steps and then slammed it down. The ground shook, and dust and small chunks of stone rained down.

  “Oh, shert.” Kurda cursed, taking quick steps towards Simon. They stood next to each other breaths held.

  After a moment, no more debris rained down. Kurda gave a sheepish grin.

  “See. Everyone makes dust-brained decisions from time ta’ time.” He said, Simon and him carefully watching the ceiling. “I may need ter’ reinforce that there ceiling.” Kurda mused.

  “Ha!” Simon laughed. “Yeah, that is probably a good idea.”

  Kurda smiled at him. “But yer’ know, when I asked yer’ to come down here I wasn't expecting yer’ to have any skills to help with the tunnel.” He shook his head. “Most don’t. There are a few of us like me, who have specialized skills for it, but most are just artersans.” He pointed at Simon’s chest. “But yer’ know what yer’ do have?”

  “What?” Simon asked.

  “Yer’ got that fancy body of yer’s. We all got these new bodies yer’ know? I’m still trying to figure out how to use mine. Ever since that weird thing put those boxes and words in front of us, the whole world has changed. Everyone is stronger, faster, smarter than they ever were before.”

  Kurda started walking back to the rubble, gesturing to Simon to follow him as he kept talking.

  “Everyone has these fancy skills and they are something else. In my old world, the things you can do with them would have been considered miracles.” Kurda shook his head, stopping at a large slab of stone nearly six times the size as the one he picked up. “Yer’ see you can do things like this.”

  The man’s arms glowed, and energy raced into the slab. In an instant, it separated into squares. One was as big as the chunk kurda had picked up. Each one after that was smaller. The smallest one was almost a third the size as the largest.

  “See, on my world, what I just did would be considered impossible.” Kurda shrugged. “Here? It’s just something yer’ do during yer’ work day. We’ve got these new bodies, these stats. Why not use them the best wer’ can? Nothing's really changed in this new world, we just have better bodies.”

  Simon looked at the chunks of stone, amazed by how cleanly they were separated.

  “So, which of those can yer’ carry?” Kurda asked happily.

  “Huh… I don’t know.” Simon said, stepping to the smallest one. He squatted down and then felt around it. His hands caught on indents in the stone, perfectly placed. He glanced up at Kurda. “You put hand holds in it?”

  “Be a pain in the arse to carry without em’ no?”

  Simon turned back to the stone, wonder in his eyes. Thoughts raced through his head. Had he been looking at this all wrong? He had been so focused on the curses, skills and everything else this new reality had slapped him with.

  He hadn't even thought about his body and stats. Compared to who he was on earth, his body practically rippled with power. Why couldn’t he just use that?

  Yes, he had been cursed, that sucked. He had been blocked from learning skills that would have been amazing to have. Starting in Melodian’s realm with the Echoing steps, and going all the way until today.

  But couldn’t he just say: fuck the skills? He had this new body to use.

  He shifted himself into position. It was something he had picked up from a online video years ago. The proper way to pick up heavy objects. Simon had used it countless times in Melodian’s realm when he was working on his body.

  That made countless memories pour back into his conscious mind. He had repressed that horror of a time chamber since he had landed here… But he realized that may have been a mistake.

  Those years he spent in Melodian's realm, lifting and deconstructing and working out, where he had nothing but his body, his thoughts, and a pissed-off god to annoy all came flooding back.

  His hands gripped the stone. Its cool surface comforting.

  Kurda stepped behind him, his hands ready to catch him if he stumbled. It was like they were just two guys together in the gym.

  Simon grinned. This big chestnut toned giant appeared simple, but maybe he was the wise one in Varnholt. His words echoed in Simon’s mind.

  We’ve got these new bodies, these stats. Why not use them the best wer’ can? Nothing's really changed in this new world…

  He was right wasn’t he? That thought was so comforting. The world was insane now. But with everything that had changed, some things really hadn’t. Picking up a heavy object was still the same damn thing. Watch your form, grab the thing, then lift.

  Simon looked at the stone he was at then made a judgement. He moved up two sizes and Kurda moved with him. He squatted, then gripped the stone.

  With an exhale, he started to lift. His muscles bunched and grew taut. The stone, the weight resisted his efforts. Simon pulled even harder. His thighs bundled into steel, arms into cordwood. He pulled up, grunted, and then the stone couldn’t resist any more.

  He huffed and the stone came off the floor. It was damn heavy, but he could do it. He kept lifting until he got it to his mid section. He turned slowly to kurda.

  "Not bad, Simon! not bad at all!" Kurda barked. He pointed at a cart near the entrance. “Now put it on that der’ cart.”

  Simon nodded, breathing heavy. He took a shaky step, then slowed his breathing. His heart was bumping from the strain, but he firmed his resolve. He could do this.

  His body started to remember how to move. His muscles memory from thousands and thousands of times he had moved chunks of rubble in Melodian’s realm. He had lifted, moved and bent time after time.

  Each step was steadier than the one before it. He focused on his muscles, his movement. Each step jostled his bruised injuries, but he ignored it. He could feel they weren’t so bad to cause any extra harm to him.

  That's right. He thought as he took another step. I can do this. I’m good at moving my body. I don’t need some shit system skill to help me move a stupid piece of rock.

  He approached the metal cart. It looked like one of those oversized utility carts from a home improvement store. Carefully he bent and set the stone down. His body buzzed with relief and excitement.

  He didn’t need his skills. He didn’t have to fight the damned divine curses to do this. All simon needed to do was move his body. That was it. It was so simple, but at the same time felt like a dam had been unlocked in his mind.

  Relief flooded him as the feeling of uselessness was swept away. Tears of relief mixed with sweat on his face as he turned back to Kurda. The man had shadowed him the whole way, ready to catch him if the weight had been too much.

  “Yer’ good?” Kurda asked in concern. “Are yer’ injuries hurtin’?’”

  “Yeah, Kurda.” Simon said, his voice a bit raw. “I’m fine. Better then fine actually.”

  Kurda nodded, then moved back to the rubble. With a quick glow of energy the stone rubble was cut over and over. Soon there were dozens of Simon carryable chunks laying on the ground.

  “Next one then?” Kurda grinned at him.

  Simon wiped his face, releasing a relieved laugh.

  “Haha! Yeah! Next one!”

  —— ? ——

  The next hours were difficult but satisfying. As Simon’s body recovered from the cave in, it let him lift slightly larger and heavier chunks.

  He felt a sense of pride when he finished moving cut up rubble on the floor. The tunnel looked just like it had before the cave-in. Well, besides the stone welded fractures on the walls and roof but what could you do?

  This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  Simon called out to Kurda who had been taking a break to regenerate his mana.

  “Hey big guy, I’m done! Looks like I caught up to you!” Simon said with a cheeky grin.

  Kurda opened his eyes. “Oh yer did?”

  “Looks like I’m out of work to do.”

  Kurda cocked an eyebrow, then strode up to the fracture lined wall.

  He put his hand on it and focused. Energy coursed down his arms, followed by a resounding crack. The wall shattered, chunks raining down. But the destruction was controlled. The stone chunks that fell were perfectly sized for Simon to carry. They fell off in sequence, each stacking onto the ground and each other with a resounding crack.

  In moments, the tunnel had been extended several feet. Barring the way were stacks and stacks of stone cubes, ready to be hauled off.

  Simon stared dumbstruck at Kurda who looked exhausted and drained.

  "Ugh, that was a big one." Kurda said with a weak grin "Well, my part's done. Now the rest is up to yer’ Simon Starfall." He took a few steps and sat down against the wall.

  “What?!” Simon exclaimed. “Hold on. You could have just done that?! Why did you have me even try using my skills?” He asked, flabbergasted.

  Kurda shrugged. “Er’ need to be workin on the arches. Figured I’d let yer’ try and see what yer’ could do to the wall.”

  “Yeah but… Dude. Like…”

  “Yer’ sure wasting a lot of time wagging yer’ jaw.” Kurda said with a laugh. “See if yer’ can't finish moving all those before I finish the arches leading up to them. Otherwise I' ll have to help yer’ slow arse move the stone myself!” Kurda finished, already looking better from his short rest. The big man hauled himself to his feet and whistled as he strolled to an arch.

  Simon turned back to the stacks of stone, brow furled. That ability was just ridiculous. He moved to the first stack and found the hand holds on the cube.

  Enough brain. No more thoughts, just movement. Just pick up the heavy thing, put down the heavy thing.

  He shook his head, clearing his mind. His hands gripped the cold stone and he heaved. Simon changed his focus to his body and muscles. His senses encompassed his body as he hauled the stone across the room. Lean over, release. Walk back. Hands on the stone, grip the hand holds. Lift, shift, move.

  Simon fell into a zen like state and he let his mind latch onto one sensation after the other. The feeling of cold stone on his hands. The tension of his muscles as he lifted the heavy blocks. The texture of the floor beneath his feet as he struggled across the cavern.

  He was bending over to lift a block from the third stack when a looming shadow fell over him.

  Simon looked up to see Kurda staring at his arms. The big man held a headless hammer in his hand and was frowning fiercely.

  “Uh… are you done?” Simon asked, letting go of handholds.

  “No.” Kurda said curtly. “What are yer’ doin. Don’t let go, pick up der’ stone.”

  Simon blinked, confused. “Um… Okay.” He moved his hands back and gripped the stone. His arms tensed as he started to heave it up.

  “Stop. Don’t move.” Kurda commanded in a booming voice.

  Simon nearly dropped the heavy block in surprise. “Pardon?” he asked, but held still.

  Kurda didn’t respond, instead he circled Simon his eyes studying his body intensely.

  “Hey Kurda, you are being a bit weird.” Simon said, his arms buckling a bit from the strain of holding the block.

  Once again Kurda didn’t respond, just staring at Simon intently. Then his face lit up, and his hand snapped out. Simon felt pressure right below his shoulder blade.

  “Right here. Yer’ aren’t using these muscles. See if yer’ can engage them and make them taunt.” Kurda stated.

  Simon was still confused, but focused on the muscles Kurda had tapped. After a couple of seconds of internal searching, he found he could tense that particular muscle group.

  “Good. Now finish lifting der’ stone. Don’t let them muscles relax.”

  Simon did as he instructed, his body screaming to move from the position he had been holding.

  He stood upright, the heavy block gripped tightly.

  “Good! Now go put on der’ cart.”

  Simon rolled his eyes. What else was he supposed to do with it? He started walking to the cart.

  “Stop!”

  Simon froze mid stride. He felt the stick Kurda was holding tap different muscles on his thighs and calf.

  “Engage these ones. Pull them tighter as you walk. Go.”

  Simon focused, then started walking forward.

  “Stop!”

  Simon froze again.

  “Yer’ still not tensing this one, this one, and this.” Kurda said, tapping Simon rapidly. “Try again.”

  Simon tried again.

  “Stop!”

  And so Simon’s calm time of lifting rock ended. The next hour was spent with Kurda following him from stack to cart rapidly tapping his muscles and yelling stop.

  By the end of the hour, Simon was breathing heavily, sweat pouring off him like a river. He had even changed to a set of roughspun clothes Kurda had given him after a few minutes. The big man had said his furs were restricting his movements. Simon didn’t think that was true, as while the masterwork was stifling in this type of work, he had forgotten he was wearing it. He was pretty sure Kurda made him change so he could point out how he wasn’t using his muscle groups.

  They took a break, Simon sighing in satisfaction as he leaned back on the cold wall. Kurda handed him a flask of ice cold water and a brown granola looking bar.

  “What’s this?” Simon asked, waving the bar.

  Kurda was chewing one of the bar with a happy smile. “Ert’s er’ rertan’ ber’” He garbled through a mouthful.

  “A what?” Simon said, studying the bar in his hand.

  Kurda swallowed. “Er’ ration bar. Der’ called high den-ser-tea ration bars. Yer’ can get em’ from der’ hub for Aethra crystals.”

  Simon nodded, a bit hesitant to try the strange food. Eh. It can’t be that bad. He mused then took a small bite.

  It was chewy yet somehow chalky. The bar had an off flavor. Like someone had mixed spinach with something sweet, savory and salty. You could eat it, but Simon felt like he would get really tired of the taste.

  “Do they all taste like this?” Simon asked, trying to swallow the last bits. The flakes lingered for way too long.

  “Yer’ they do. Taste ain’t great but yer’ know what they say about food. It’s the kind yer’ eat.”

  Simon squinted at the bar for a few seconds then shrugged. He took a bite, chewed, then swapped to his flask. Water worked to get it down his throat, so he guessed that was good enough.

  “Yer’ know Simon.” Kurda said after finishing his bar. “Yer’ ain’t too bad at using yer’ body, but yer’ got bad habits.”

  “What do you mean?” Simon asked after taking a pull on the flask.

  “It’s like yer’ still treating this world as if it’s the same as yer’ old.” Kurda said, leaning back against the wall. He patted around his clothes and frowned. “Speakin of. I hope we find something in this world to fill a pipe with.” Kurda shook his head then stared at Simon intently. He studied him for as second then continued.

  “Yer’ body has habits yer’ trained into it. But this here worlds not the same. Yer’ muscles and body working on the instincts yer’ trained it to do. Not a bad straturgy, but have yer’ noticed when push comes ta’ shove yer’ can move faster then normal?”

  Simon chewed his second to last bite, thinking about what the man said. He thought through his fights he had and something dawned on him.

  That fight with the golem. He had been fast. But since then he hadn’t moved like that. His mind replayed the sensations of movement when he had fought. His muscles contractions and how his feet had flown across the floor.

  “I guess I can yeah. I think I was pretty fast in that hell hole of a realm we dove into.”

  Kurda nodded. “I’m guessin’ yer’ were damned fast when yer’ were almost dead yer’?

  Simon bobbed his head thoughtfully. “I think so.”

  “Something I have come ter’ realize is that the way people be using der’ bodies is wrong.”

  Kurda stood and held out his arms. “Yer’ got to visualize yer’ body differently now that yer’ got stats and what not flowing through you. Yer’ body, an’ my body are both gettin’ stronger and stronger by the day. The problem is–” Kurda tapped his head. “Yer’ brain doesn’t know what ter’ do with that. I know my head isn’t keeping up with the changes. But if thats the only issue, the solution for us is simple.”

  Kurda eyes practically disappeared with his smile. “Just don’t let yer’ brain make the rules. Just move yer’ body how it wants ter’ move.”

  As if to demonstrate, Kurda walked to a large slab of stone. As he neared the slab, his body started to… shift?

  It was hard for Simon to describe. Not much had changed, Kurda was just walking. But there was something that was… different.

  Simon’s mind snapped back in time, a phrase jumping out of his memories and dominating his mind.

  “…Every step is a choice, Each of them should be filled with your intent. Otherwise, you will be moved by someone else…”

  Those damn words. The words that echoed in his mind during his torture in Melodian’s realm. Simon’s mind felt like it was going to explode, the memory of that place an uncomfortable pressure that made him feel muted. The world around him felt gray and lifeless as his body went tense.

  Yet, even with the haunting memory barraging his senses he couldn’t take his eyes off Kurda.

  The man moved fluidly, his muscles bulging before he even gripped the slab. His movements flowed as he bent and lifted, the act a single motion. As if it was completely natural, the stone just rose with Kurda.

  Then Kurda moved to the cart. The transition from lifting the stone to steps unhalting. Then with a slight grinding of stone on stone Kurda unloaded his burden onto the cart.

  Kurda turned to Simon, his face empty and calm. He cocked his head.

  “Do yer’ see what I mean?”

  The pressure from the memory was still there. Simon closed his eyes and breathed. He wanted to scream, to say something, but his mind was in a dual state of panic and restraint. Simon focused on his breath and waited, frustration growing in his head.

  What the hell man. Why had thinking about that place.. That… plac.. Yeah. Okay. No more thinking. Just breathing.

  He felt something touch his hand and his eyes snapped open. Kurda had a pitying look on his face and pushed something into his hand.

  “Here, grip this.”

  Simon couldn’t even nod, he just gripped what ever Kurda had put in his hand. It was cold and slightly sharp. Simon closed his eyes and focused on the sensation.

  Minutes passed and his breathing finally calmed. He opened his eyes and then his hand and looked at the round object. It was a stone with edges carved out of it. The edges bit at the skin at his hand but didn’t cut them.

  Kurda had sat across from him, eyes closed, his legs crossed under him.

  “Um.” Simon said quietly. “Thanks.”

  “Don’t mention it.” Kurda said, opening his eyes and looking at Simon. “Many things happen when yer’ diggin’ rock from the depths o’ the earth. I’ve seen that look on yer’ face before.”

  Simon just nodded.

  “Did yer’ see what I mean about how to move yer’ body?” Kurda asked gently.

  “Yeah. I did. I think I get it.”

  “Thought yer’ might. Yer’ got good control over yer’ body Simon. One er’ the best I’ve seen. Yer’ just need to learn ter’ use it.” Kurda said. Then the big man nodded to himself and got to his feet.

  “Think I’ll go back to workin’ on der’ arches. Think yer’ can handle those stones without gettin’ whacked by my stick?” He said, jokingly waving the tool shaft at Simon.

  “I think I can manage.” Simon grinned. “You know, if you keep spilling your secrets I might just run out of stone before you finish those arches.”

  “Ha! Yer’ on. Lets get to it then.”

  Simon got to his feet, and moved toward the stacks. His mind replayed Kurda’ s movements and his focus shifted to his body as he walked. With each step he willed what he had seen onto his own flesh.

  Halfway across the tunnel, something clicked in him. From one step to the next, something changed. It was subtle, but the stone beneath his feet seemed to bounce away as he took his next step. It felt like the earth itself was pushing him forward. Simon’s face broke into a huge grin.

  “Now we're talking. Man, what I wouldn’t give for a speaker to blast AC/DC right now.” Simon said, more to himself than anyone.

  “What’s an…. A Sea, D Sea?” Kurda called to him. Simon glanced and saw the man had come back and was going through a bucket of hammers and chisels. “That some Earth-born reference?”

  “Yeah it is.” Simon replied, placing his hands on a block. His mind cleared as he imagined how he wanted his body to move. With considerably less effort than the others that day, He lifted the stone. He gave Kurda a big smile and he swung into a step. “They’re a band from Earth. They had some great songs. Pity I haven’t seen a bluetooth speaker or anything from earth since I got here.”

  Kurda tapped a hammer against the barrel experimentally. He nodded to himself then asked Simon. “Well ain’t yer a bard or something? Yer’ got that skill that summons instruments. Think yer’ could play one of der’ songs when we get done?”

  Simon froze in his steps, thinking. I mean he had been forced to play that gawd awful riptide song over and over. Didn’t that asshole of a god’s challenge say he was ‘technically’ proficient? He should give it a go.

  “Sure, I think I could figure out how to play one of them.”

  “Great!” Kurda boomed. “Er’ always liked listenin’ to music whenever the travelin’ bards came to town. I look forward to it.”

  —— ? ——

  — AUTHOR NOTICE —

  Thanks for reading!

  ~TheBusyBard

  ——————————