Chapter 117– Ranger Academy XVII- Graduation (Patreon)

The Summer Solstice. Graduation.

I’d spent the remaining few weeks primarily working on [Reflexes], with some added work in [Talaria]and [Sun-kissed]. A few other skills got some levels, notably [Oath]got one and [Vigilant] liked the [Reflexes] training. I could see how the two were closely related. [Vigilant] would warn me of a problem, and [Reflexes] made it easier to do something about the problem. [Center of the Galaxy] was also surprisingly synergistic with it, removing the startle, letting me move immediately.

Yesterday had been an easy day – there was running in the morning, and that was it. I didn’t even have my talk with Night, with the idea being that we’d get a good night’s sleep.

I didn’t sleep a wink. I don’t think anyone else did either.

Out of sheer habit, we assembled in the courtyard on the 4th gong, as we’d been doing for over a year and a half. It was like the Instructors knew what we’d do – or more likely, had decades of experience with other Trainees doing this – and there was a set of armor for each of us, waiting and ready, with our names pinned on it.

My familiar set was there, and almost shaking, I put it on.

I wasn’t the only one with a serious case of the nerves, and we moved through, helping each other get the armor on, finding out today if we’d get the Ranger Eagle to go with it, or if we weren’t selected to be a Ranger.

The choices were varied for those of us not selected. Repeating Academy, which had all sorts of benefits – you’d get an entirely new set of lessons to take, combat and sparring lessons to help boost your level. Becoming a guard, soldier, or mercenary of some sort, ‘passed Academy but didn’t get selected’ was a solid, solid recommendation.

Of course, becoming an adventurer was also on the menu, but I didn’t think anyone would stoop that low. We were all better than that. We had standards.

On occasion, people who failed out would strike out on their own, open a business, or discovered a love of sailing while at Academy, and became a sailor, a captain, or, famously, one became a pirate.

Also known as “how to get a Sentinel sent after you.”

They did not look kindly on almost-graduates turning to a life of crime. Reflected badly on all of us.

I suspected that the primary test was an aptitude one, a test of character, one last way for the Instructors – and Command – to cut people they found unsuited, or who’d failed their classes. For example, I was betting that Spitter would fail. He consistently failed to follow orders properly, and had never stopped spraying deadly acid into people’s faces when sparring. He was my number one problem when I was on sparring overwatch, and he always had some sort of shit excuse for it.

I would never voice that out loud, nor would I make bets on it. It would be in poor taste, and saying “I don’t think Bob will make it” would be one of the only ways to shake, if not break, the bond between us all.

Wolfy showed up, and we helped him get ready. I was grooming Moon, making his fur coat look positively luxurious.

I kinda wanted one of my own. So soft!

Once Wolfy was fully geared up and ready, and MoonMoon was positively shining, we pounced.

“Alright Wolfy, give up the goods. What are the numbers?”

“What makes you think I know!” He protested.

We looked at each other.

“That’s not a denial.” I said, taking charge.

He grumbled to himself.

“98 Rangers down. 112 Trainees graduating – well, including you Elaine. Unknown how many Rangers will formally or semi-formally retire, but it’s usually two to four. That includes anyone who asks to be permanently promoted to Team 0. My guess? 10 of us don’t make it.” Wolfy said, spilling the goods.

The sun came up, bright and shining, promising a day of clear skies and beautiful weather, finding us all ready. Ocean was back, and a single ship was waiting for us. We lined up to file onboard. I was in the front – again, rank having its privilege. Some of the Trainees, like Lava, kinda resented it, but having survived almost an entire round had given me a layer of respect. The other Instructors treating me as a Ranger had gone a long way to boot, and making it to graduation should, at least, give Julius a clear.

Almost everyone could sail – myself and a few other Trainees excluded – and while we could do it ourselves, this was our moment. We were being escorted.

Night had asked me the other day to put my remaining free points into my Power and Control, and while I hadn’t gotten a great reason why, I wasn’t about to argue.

Stats

[Free Stats: 8]

[Strength: 236]

[Dexterity: 203]

[Vitality: 560]

[Speed: 480]

[Mana: 5040]

[Mana Regeneration: 5092 (+1435.944)]

[Magic Power: 4636 (+46591.8)]

[Magic Control: 4636 (+46591.8)]

Eh. Close enough. I’d keep those extra few stats.

Over 50k Magic Power and Magic Control after [Oath] applied though! I was a monster when it came to healing.

We filed into Ranger Headquarters, a place we hadn’t been since the last Ranger Convocation, and made our way to our assigned seats, in alphabetical order. Our names would be read out in order, and I was between Echelaos and Eteonous. Artillery Mage A and one of the soldiers who’d made it this far. Finally learned their names… just in time to never use them again. Unless we ended up in the same team.

We were on the early side, but by no means the first.

I saw Artemis in the stands, head bowed, facing the wall, a tear going down her face.

My sense of joy at being here had a bucket of cold water dumped on it, dampened by the Indomitable Wall. I searched it, finding Origen’s name.

I bowed my head in remembrance. Fuck. I’d given very few thoughts to him over the last two years, hadn’t I? Did that make me a terrible person? I said I wouldn’t forget him. Nor Lyra.

I don’t know how long I spent like that, in remembrance, reflecting on memories I’d made with the two of them. Skipping through the park with Lyra. Origen’s beard bunching up in a smile as we all praised his cooking. Dozens of memories, of good times and bad.

They were only dead once I forgot them. Once their name had been said for the last time.

There was nothing else to do, but speak their name to myself, quietly, softly.

“Lyra.”

“Origen.”

I opened my eyes, looking around. May all the gods and goddesses stop me from needing to expand the list.

I’d heard Julius had made it back in one piece. I opened my eyes, looking around, seeing who was here.

Team 6. Julius was here, in one piece. Eight people were standing in that row, but one was clearly a hanger-on of some sort. My [Identify] was high enough that I could check, and, yup – a healer. I grinned, Julius having picked up another healer to keep his team almost entirely alive.

Team 11. Maximus was present, although there were only three other members. A near miss.

I let out the strangest noise when I looked around and saw Team 8. Golden-haired Kallisto was there, safe and sound. That was the first half of the noise.

And he had gotten married?!

A beautiful ring on his left middle finger indicated his “taken” status, and a short, blonde woman was next to him, carrying a baby, with an equally elaborate ring.

I blinked, rubbing my eyes. No, they weren’t tricking me. It didn’t surprise me that Kallisto managed to convince someone to join them on the road. No, what was surprising was that someone had convinced Kallisto to settle down with her. She must be someone special – I had to congratulate him later on, when the speech part was over, and the mingling part started.

Still. Kallisto. Married. With a kid. I couldn’t get my head around it, CriticalFailure.exe firing every time I tried to get past it.

Ok, ok, think. Kallisto probably had a dozen kids scattered all over. That wasn’t a surprise.

Kallisto having a bombshell on his arm. Be more surprising the other way around.

Kallisto with a marriage ring.

Nope, couldn’t do it.

Still, everyone had lived, and I felt some weight lifting off of me. The odds were good that one of them wouldn’t have lived, but no, there would be no name from the old Team 4 on the wall.

More and more people filed in, and when the sun was high in the sky, the drums started to play.

Bam.

Bam.

Bam – Ba-ba-duh-duh-dum.

The sound of the drums came in, loud and strong, announcing the start of the convocation. Fifteen men marched in. Ranger Command, eight men with Ranger Eagles inside laurels, and what Sentinels decided to show up, Ranger Eagle inside of a sunburst.

Hunting. Bulwark. Sealing. Destruction. Ocean. Brawling. Sky.

Magic, Night, Acquisition, Nature, and Toxic weren’t around.

From what I knew now, Magic was extraordinarily reclusive, and was at least a Mirage mage. Perhaps he had a healthy dose of Artemis’s paranoia, and figured one of the best ways to stay alive was for nobody to know who he was, where he was, or some variant of that.

Night simply didn’t come out in the daytime, his restriction skill binding him. A shame he missed the event, but it wouldn’t surprise me if he came out here every night, to simply stare at the wall and remember.

The less Acquisition was seen in public, the better. Nobody liked the assassin-thief being in the public’s eye, including Acquisition himself.

The other Trainees had finally gotten one of his students to crack. The basket-weaving was only halfway legit – it was lessons on always having an alibi, of always being able to point and misdirect attention. Always doing two things. They were indeed being taught less savory skills, but, they were needed. I kinda hoped I wouldn’t be in a team with them.

Heck, me being a team lead didn’t make a ton of sense, I suddenly realized. I literally couldn’t order a hit on a Classer, like Julius had ordered a hit on Hesoid. And my team wouldn’t go around my back, or if they did, it would cause all sorts of problems.

Maybe a second in command, like Artemis was to Julius? That made a ton of sense. Going directly from Academy to squad leader made no sense. Going from Academy to a second, to be trained and seasoned? Yeah, that made a lot of sense.

I refocused on the Sentinels, taking their position in front of one of twenty-one chairs, spinning around with military precision.

Sky being here was a bit of a surprise from what I knew of him, he only showed up to things he wanted to, or things that were important.

Eh. It’d be a bit unfair for me to pigeonhole him that way. For all I knew, this checked off both for him.

Toxic was probably still on the frontlines, shooting thousands of poisoned arrows a day into the endless hordes, and Nature would show up if he was around, so he was probably on assignment somewhere. The rest of the world didn’t stop turning for the Ranger Convocation.

Thinking about it, it was probably somewhat dangerous to have no Rangers in the field for a few weeks around the Convocation – some problems could get rooted in that timeframe.

Oh well. The powers that be must’ve decided that it was worth it.

Everyone was in place, and one of the Commanders stepped up to the podium.

“Welcome, to the Ranger Convocation!” He said, a loud cheer coming from the crowd.

Speech! Speech! Speech!

And I was promptly put to sleep by his speech. And the next Commander’s. And the next. And – were all eight of them seriously going to be giving slightly different variations of the same speech? Cripes.

My ears perked up, and I started paying attention again when we got to the important part.

“… and now, it’s time to carve the names onto the Indomitable Wall.”

The same stonemason from last time stood up from the VIP section, and walked over to the wall. He walked slowly, like stone moving, but the atmosphere was solemn, serious. Nobody would dream of interrupting his walk, of asking him to hurry along.

The drums started to play again, a slow, solemn, melancholy beat. Each name said here, said now, was a life cut short in defense of Remus, a peak warrior killed. This would be, in many ways, their only remembrance, their only legacy. A name, stated. A phrase, uttered. A carving, in a stone wall.

Some of us would move on. It was clear to me now, that others didn’t. Artemis clearly remembered, and remembered well. I also remembered; I wouldn’t forget. The first time I’d been here it felt like I was preserving the memory. No, that wasn’t the important one. It was returning here, returning to where the memories were preserved, to remember them once again – that was the important part.

No wonder every Ranger would fight to the death before allowing That Room to fall. I’d stand in front of the wall and take a lightning bolt for it.

“Team 3.” The Commander announced, Team 1 and 2 having been blessedly spared.

Team 1 was the capital team, the best of the best. It was no surprise that none of them died, and since there was an omni-present Ranger presence, it was no surprise that nothing became a large enough threat.

Team 2 just got flat-out lucky.

The leader of Team 3 got onto the stage, and read off the first name.

“Theopropides.”

I chanted, with everyone else.

“Brave Ranger. Your time to rest has come. May White Dove take you to a better place. Your deeds will not be forgotten. We will remember you.”

The Indomitable Wall was tapped, a new name carved onto it for eternity.

We repeated the process. A name. A recital. A tap.

Wolfy’s intel had been good. 98 names. 98 recitals. 98 taps. 98 new names on The Indomitable Wall.

Team 10 got fully wiped.

Team 13 also got fully wiped, again.

I was starting to wonder if there was some curse on team 13.

Silence naturally fell, as the last name from Team 24 was called out. Remembrance, once again. Respect for the fallen.

Not even Kallisto’s kid made a peep.

One of the Commanders got up, and walked to the podium, the moment broken.

“I’d like to congratulate the new Academy graduates. As you hear your name, please approach the stage.”

“Trainee Aebutius, approach.”

Aura – I finally knew his name! – jumped up, and marched onto the stage. A handshake, a Ranger Badge pinned to his neat armor, and he triumphantly held his hands up.

“Congratulations to our newest Ranger!” The Commander said, and we applauded.

The other Trainees were the most enthusiastic.

Name after name was read out, until-

“Trainee Echelaos, approach.”

The man next to me got up, and marched up to the stage. My heart was going a million miles an hour. My palms, sweaty and clammy. I forced myself to breathe, to not hyperventilate.

This was it. This was the moment. It was about to be my turn to-

“Trainee Eteonous, approach.”

My heart plunged into my shoes, as Lava patted my shoulders. We’d never gotten to like each other – got along like two wet cats in a bag – but even here, at this moment, at the lowest I’d ever felt, the bond between us Trainees, we who’d gone through the Hell Months together, was unshakeable.

Hang on, I realized, blinking through tears. I’d always been called Ranger Elaine, even all through Academy. Was I just not called up because I didn’t need to be graduated to a Ranger?

My heart hit my shoes, and bounced back up, but I was anything but stable. I’d find out soon. So soon.

My heart managed to re-invent the yo-yo. Deeply unpleasant.

Exactly 103 Trainees were graduated, the 9 of us who hadn’t been called up with sad, ugly looks on our faces. Spitter was present, as well as Hulk. My bet with Hulk? He was a brute, through and through, and wasn’t smart enough to properly be a Ranger. He was a fantastic fighter, but that was it. Couldn’t track, talk with people well, hell, anything outside of a basic order he struggled with. He’d make amazing money as a bodyguard.

Still, I had no time to focus on others, I was worrying about myself.

“Now, it is time to announce the new teams for the following round.” The Commander said, and I immediately started paying rapt attention again, to see if my name would be called out.

No, I told myself. To see what team I’d be in. I was going to make it. I had made it. It’d just be a bit weird walking down from the stands to my new team, but hey, I’d manage it.

“Team 1. Velius, Kallisto, Fufius…” The Commander started reading off names, and happy day, Kallisto was promoted to Team 1! Maybe he was being given some consideration for being married, a way to make married life work as a Ranger? Either way, good for him! He was now an elite of the elites!

Names were read off, and as time went on, I started to get nervous. Maximus’s name was read off – Team 15 – but my name wasn’t said anywhere.

Nor was Julius’s.

Hang on, let me check something really fast –

General Skills

[Identify: 136]

[Recollection of a Distant Life: 159]

[Pretty: 132]

[Vigilant: 198]

[Oath of Elaine to Lyra: 201]

[: ]

[Reflexes: 95]

[Learning: 212]

Oh fuck. Oh fuck no. [Ranger’s Lore] was gone.

But I hadn’t felt anything.

I leaned against Hulk, almost crying to myself.

“I don’t have it anymore. It’s not there.” I said, fighting back tears.

“What’s not there?” Hulk asked me.

I just shook my head. Hulk might get it, but from his complete lack of reaction, he might not even realize he hadn’t made it as a Ranger.

The last name was read off, Team 24 being assembled without me.

Or Julius.

Fuck. Had I failed so badly? Had I done so poorly? What now? I could feel hot tears escaping my eyes, making trails down my face.

What did I do with myself?

I couldn’t bring myself to look in the crowd, to find Artemis, or my parents.

One of the Commanders was speaking. I couldn’t bring myself to pay attention.

Mmm. I had never thought of it. What would I do if I didn’t become a Ranger? If I failed out? Worst-case, I thought I could just repeat Academy, but maybe it was different if I was a failure? If I wasn’t properly ratified, if they were throwing me out instead?

I snapped back to the speech when I heard Julius’s name mentioned.

“… replacing me, please give a warm welcome to Ranger, now Commander, Julius!”

A roar came from the crowd, a solid wall of approval, and I straightened up, clapping. Hang on, Julius was being promoted to Commander? That didn’t sound like being punished for my failure.

“Thank you everyone. The Rangers mean the world to me. When I was a young boy…” Julius started to give a very, verylong speech, and as much as I liked Julius, long, boring speeches got me every time. I only perked my ears back up when I heard him start to end it.

The sun had moved a noticeable distance during his speech.

“I’d like to say a few words on stats. Getting to 10,000 in a stat is the mark of an expert, of a high-level Classer or Ranger reaching seniority. Getting to 20,000 is the mark of a specialist, someone dedicated to maximizing a stat.”

“30,000 is the realm of a specialist with a number of boosting skills, bringing themselves to the peak.”

“40,000 is a once in every 400 years number, many generations passing before someone gets there.”

“And 50,000 is a joke, a number given when someone doesn’t want to give their real stats, when stories want to exaggerate to comedic proportions.”

I was pretty sure Night pushed that number, although maybe he was evenly split enough not to. Also, Arthur would be pushing that number eventually, with his amazing classes off of the sea monster slaying. No idea on the other Sentinels.

My propaganda sense was going off.

“But here today, the number will be given out, not as a joke, but completely seriously. As my first act as Ranger Commander, I’d like to invite Ranger Elaine to the stage.”

Mechanically, I started to march to the stage, putting one foot in front of the next.

A voice, coming out of nowhere, whispered in my ear.

“You’ve got this. One foot in front of the next. Let’s get a light Radiance glow out of you.”

The Sentinels all stood up.

“A Ranger. Completed one round. Although, after this we’re going to include ‘started’ the round as well.” Julius said, getting a ripple of laughter.

“The undisputed best in her field. A grand feat. An open seat. The ability to survive on your own. Powerful combat prowess. Able to move through Remus as you see fit.”

“Ranger Elaine has over 50,000 effective Magic Power and Control while healing. Not just one stat, but two are over the 50,000 mark. She’s the undisputed best healer in Remus, and her Medical Manuscripts have taken the healing world by storm. Everyone wants to know ‘who is Elaine’ and ‘how do we meet her’. Well, the answer is – she’s Ranger Elaine, one of us.”

Holy shit. I was being promoted. To Sentinel.

What the fuck. I wasn’t nearly as high level as them. And while they were promoting me, it felt like I didn’t quite meet all the requirements. Something I’d need to ask about.

Although, was doubting and asking a way to get them to say ‘nah, nevermind, you’re right?’ Was it a test, like Arthur said he was tested?

Bah. I’d ask anyways. I had to know.

“Elaine single-handedly resolved not one, but two plagues in Perinthus, in a single week, where dozens of other healers and experts spent over a year trying – and failing – to cure. Her only weakness is pissing off bards, and being written out of songs as a result.”

More laughter. I couldn’t believe my ears as I made it onto the stage.

“We set a new record as well. Not only were there no fatalities in this year’s Ranger Academy, but not a single day was lost to recovering from training injuries, due to her presence. Not only that, but all of this is in a single class. Her second class is a powerful Radiance mage class, able to fly and throw powerful skills from above. Her journey to us was somewhat unconventional, but I am more than pleased to say, the first woman, the third youngest in history.”

Yeah, except for all the training injuries when I hadn’t been around. They really liked to hype up the new Sentinel. Not that I minded.

“Elaine. We hereby name you, The Dawn Sentinel.” Julius said, pinning a Ranger Eagle in Sunburst onto my chest.

[*Ding!* Congratulations! [Ranger’s Lore] has evolved into [Sentinel’s Superiority]! 185]

[*Ding!* Congratulations! [Sentinel’s Superiority] has reached level 190!]

I threw my hands up, and I nearly went deaf from the crowd’s roaring approval.

Sentinel’s Superiority: The peak of humanity, you stand at the top, the best in your class, defender of humanity against the endless threats to its survival. 25% boost to all class skills. Improved fighting prowess per level. -2048 mana regeneration.

[Name: Elaine]

[Race: Human]

[Age: 18]

[Mana: 50400/50400]

[Mana Regen: 45234]

Stats

[Free Stats: 8]

[Strength: 236]

[Dexterity: 203]

[Vitality: 560]

[Speed: 480]

[Mana: 5040]

[Mana Regeneration: 5092 (+1435.944)]

[Magic Power: 4636 (+46591.8)]

[Magic Control: 4636 (+46591.8)]

[Class 1: [Constellation of the Healer - Celestial:   Lv 240]]

[Celestial Affinity: 240]

[Warmth of the sun: 198]

[Medicine: 202]

[Center of the Galaxy: 233]

[Phases   of the Moon: 240]

[Moonlight: 240]

[Veil of the Aurora: 212]

[Vastness of the Stars: 139]

[Class 2: [Ranger-Mage - Radiance: Lv 180]]

[Radiance Affinity: 180]

[Radiance Resistance: 180]

[Radiance Conjuration: 180]

[Radiance Manipulation: 180]

[Sun-Kissed: 141]

[Blaze: 180]

[Talaria: 160]

[Nova: 180]

[Class 3: Locked]

General Skills

[Identify: 136]

[Recollection of a Distant Life: 159]

[Pretty: 132]

[Vigilant: 198]

[Oath of Elaine to Lyra: 201]

[Sentinel's Superiority: 190]

[Reflexes: 95]

[Learning: 212]