After doing it once, I find it much easier to create defenses, but Everburn ramps up his attacks. He also starts using different types of attacks, mixing them up to keep me on my toes. This goes on for several minutes with him throwing several attacks every second.

  *DING*

  Congratulations! Skill Mental Defense has progressed to level 4!

  Mental Defense

  Level: 4

  Wis +12

  You can somewhat protect your mind.

  Everburn says “Not bad, but you are going to have to do much better if you want to defend against the controller.”

  “I have only gotten into a few fights in the soulscape, I haven’t really had a chance to practice and raise my skill.”

  Everburn says “Why didn’t you say so? I will be happy to help you raise your skill!”

  As Everburn launches a dozen attacks at once, I realize just how big of a mistake I just made. Everburn’s training has never been pleasant, or gentle, in fact I am surprised I’ve never died from it. Especially in the soulscape where death isn’t permanent, it just hurts a lot.

  Anytime I try to set up a strong defense, Everburn throws in an attack to specifically counter it. I am constantly on the edge of being overwhelmed and just barely hang on by the skin of my teeth. Of course, that is intentional, if he wanted to, Everburn could defeat me with one attack.

  *DING*

  Congratulations! Skill Mental Defense has progressed to level 5!

  Mental Defense

  Level: 5

  Wis +15

  You are adept at defending.

  Everburn says “What are you doing?! You won’t ever win the battle if you don’t attack me back!”

  “I can’t counterattack, it is taking all my concentration to just defend!”

  Everburn says “Then use some attacks to counter my attacks and buy yourself some room!”

  “Oh, I didn’t think of that.”

  Everburn says “Of course you didn’t. You are not thinking at all, you are just reacting. A soul battle is a battle of wits. You can’t just throw out attacks, you need to use strategy!”

  “You just bombarded me with attacks! You didn’t give me a chance to think!”

  The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

  Everburn says “Oh, and you think that your enemies will give you time to think and plan what you want to do?”

  Once again, multiple attacks per second start flying at me, not giving me a chance to answer. At first, all I can do is block the attacks, but after a few minutes I manage to throw out a couple of attacks. Not at Everburn, at the attacks coming at me to try and buy myself a little breathing room.

  Unfortunately, just as I am making a bit of progress, Everburn increases the power of his attacks. Now, my weaker attacks are no longer enough to block his attacks, just weaken them. However, that gives me an idea and I start throwing out area attacks to weaken all of his attacks.

  It is not enough to negate his attacks, but it makes it much easier for me to defend against them. My defenses hold out against more than one attack, which allows me to send out even more attacks. I even get a little cocky and send an attack towards Everburn, but that turns out to be a mistake.

  The next thing I know, something hits me in the back and I black out for a few seconds. When I come to, I am lying flat on the floor and I feel completely exhausted. Everburn hasn’t moved and is looking down at me with what I can only call disappointment.

  Everburn says “Join me in my soulscape.”

  He then lays his head down and closes his eyes, so I quickly do the same and enter his soulscape. I find him in his miniature form, sitting on the same mountaintop as usual. He watches me as I land, but doesn’t attack me like I was expecting him to.

  Everburn says “Do you understand what happened?”

  “No. I just felt something hit me from behind and when I woke up I felt completely exhausted.”

  Everburn says “By only attacking you from the front I got you to let down your guard. You didn’t even sense me creating the attack behind you, so you had no chance of defending against it. As for the exhaustion, that is because you used up all of your soul energy. It will recover given a bit of time.”

  “I have soul energy too? Why doesn’t it show on my character screen? What can I do to increase it? Is it linked to a specific stat?”

  Everburn says “What did I say about one question at a time?”

  “Sorry, but they are all linked.”

  Everburn sighs and says “Soul energy is determined by your soul level. The soul provides the energy and your wisdom is what allows you to direct it.”

  “Wisdom? Not willpower?”

  Everburn says “Yes, wisdom. Most people don’t have the willpower stat, but most of them have a soul.”

  “So, increasing my wisdom won’t increase my soul power, but will give me better control of it?”

  Everburn says “Correct. Basically, the higher your wisdom, the less power you will waste when creating attacks and defenses.”

  “So, the only other thing I can do is raise my soul level? I guess it’s a good thing that I can go to the battlefield now.”

  Everburn says “Only if you want to die! Your defenses are crap and your attacks are pathetic. You wouldn’t last long on the battlefield as you are.”

  “That’s because I am used to fighting with my body and my magic. I haven’t had a chance to fight with soul power much.”

  Everburn says “You have roamed the hallway, what did you use to fight?”

  “Again, mostly my body or mana. I’ve only really used soul attacks or defenses in soulscape battles.”

  Everburn says “Then I guess you are going to need a lot more training.”

  “How do you think I would do against the controller as I am now?”

  Everburn says “From what I have seen of her in your memories, you could withstand an attack, maybe two.”

  “That bad? Crap. What if I maxed out my defense and attack skills?”

  Everburn says “That would increase your chances, but I can’t be sure by how much. I only have your one memory of her attacks to go off of.”

  “I was able to dodge her attacks before and I am much faster now, maybe I would stand a chance?”

  Everburn says “It’s possible, but you should still do everything you can to prepare before you fight her. I know you want to hurry and release Kechara and Core, but you won’t do that by rushing.”

  “Fine, fine! I will wait.”

  Everburn says “I will train you enough that you at least have a chance of surviving the battlefield. Then you can train up your skills there.”