The Fifty-Second Lesson
The fighter and the cleric entered the old crypt just before dawn.
The fighter, Garrick, marched at the front, shield raised and sword resting comfortably against his shoulder.
Behind him, Brother Alden followed with his holy symbol in one hand and a healing tome in the other.
“Remember,” Alden said, “ten seconds.”
Garrick glanced back. “I know.”
“Taunt lasts ten seconds.”
“I know.”
“And if something attacks me—”
“I taunt it.”
Alden nodded. “Good.”
They rounded a corner.
Three skeletons rose from the dust.
Garrick smiled.
“Easy.”
He charged.
The first skeleton swung at him. Garrick blocked it. The second came in from the side, and Garrick smashed it with his shield.
The third skeleton ignored him completely.
It ran straight toward Alden.
“Garrick!” the cleric shouted.
Garrick turned.
“Got it!”
He reached for Taunt.
Then he stopped.
The skeleton was moving away from him.
Alden was already backing up, preparing a heal.
Garrick thought about the situation.
The skeleton wasn't fast.
It wasn't dangerous.
It didn't need to be stopped.
And then Garrick saw it.
A perfect opportunity.
His eyes narrowed.
“Kneecapper.”
Alden froze.
“Garrick, no.”
CRACK.
Garrick drove the pommel of his sword into the skeleton's knee.
The skeleton collapsed awkwardly, its movement slowed by fifty percent.
For eight glorious seconds, the creature was ensnared.
Garrick admired his work.
“See?”
Alden stared at him.
“See what?”
“It's not going anywhere.”
The skeleton crawled.
Slowly.
Very slowly.
Toward the cleric.
Alden sighed.
“Garrick.”
“Yes?”
“Taunt.”
Garrick reached for the ability.
Nothing happened.
He looked at his combat display.
TAUNT — 60 SECOND COOLDOWN
His smile disappeared.
“Oh.”
Alden's eyes widened.
“You used Kneecapper.”
“Yes.”
“On the skeleton.”
“Yes.”
“The skeleton that wasn't running away.”
“Yes.”
“And now your Taunt is on cooldown for a minute.”
Garrick looked at the skeleton.
It was still crawling toward Alden.
Very slowly.
“Technically,” Garrick said, “it's only fifty seconds now.”
Alden raised his staff.
“Garrick.”
“I'll get it.”
“You can't taunt it.”
“I know.”
“Then what are you going to do?”
Garrick looked at his sword.
Then at the skeleton.
Then at the cleric.
“I'm going to wait.”
The skeleton reached Alden.
Alden healed himself.
Garrick ran over and stood between them.
The skeleton immediately walked around him.
Garrick stepped left.
The skeleton stepped left.
Garrick stepped right.
The skeleton stepped right.
Alden sighed.
“Could you perhaps kill it?”
“I could.”
“Then kill it.”
“But then I'd have wasted the Kneecapper.”
“You already wasted the Kneecapper.”
“That is a matter of perspective.”
The skeleton hit Alden.
Alden healed himself again.
“Forty seconds,” Garrick said.
“I know.”
“Thirty-five.”
“I know.”
“Thirty.”
“Garrick.”
“Twenty-nine.”
The cleric stared at him.
Garrick wisely stopped speaking.
The battle continued.
Every few seconds, Alden would heal himself.
Every few seconds, Garrick would attempt to position himself between the skeleton and the cleric.
And every few seconds, the skeleton would calmly walk around him.
Finally—
TAUNT READY
Garrick's eyes lit up.
He raised his sword.
“NOW.”
He shouted:
“HEY! YOU!”
The skeleton immediately abandoned Alden and charged Garrick.
Garrick grinned.
The cleric lowered his staff.
Silence filled the crypt.
Then Alden said quietly:
“Garrick.”
“Yes?”
“Next time, what do you use Kneecapper for?”
Garrick thought carefully.
“Something that actually needs to be slowed.”
“And if something is attacking me?”
“Taunt.”
“And if something is attacking you?”
“Taunt.”
“And if Taunt is available?”
“Taunt.”
“And if you have a really strong urge to hit something in the knee?”
Garrick looked at the cleric.
The cleric looked back.
Garrick sighed.
“I wait until after the fight.”
“Good.”
They continued deeper into the crypt.
A minute later, another skeleton appeared.
It charged straight toward Alden.
Garrick reached for Taunt.
Then he remembered the fifty seconds.
He smiled.
“Taunt.”
CRACK.
The skeleton turned toward him.
Alden nodded approvingly.
“Much better.”
Garrick raised his shield.
“See? I've learned.”
Alden smiled.
Then a second skeleton appeared.
Garrick's hand slowly drifted toward Kneecapper.
Alden's eyes widened.
“DON'T.”
