Zeal

"Ding! Congratulations, you've reached level 12! You've gained 1 skill point. You have 9 skill points remaining."

Taelan Fordring ended his meditation at once. The scorching month of July had passed, and after a month of staying home, he had finally reached level 12.

Over the past month, just as his father had said, he'd learned Blessing of Freedom and Hand of Salvation. Thanks to Solarian's diligent instruction, his Occultism had also improved by leaps and bounds, and he'd thoroughly mastered the spell abilities Mental Lock and Energy Detection.

Mental Lock had completely transformed the Holy Bolt skill, allowing it to track and lock onto a target. When he concentrated, Taelan could even make it maneuver in a serpentine path. It turned the Holy Bolt's straight trajectory into precision guidance.

Energy Perception was a passive ability. Generally speaking, it was a class ability gained by Mages upon awakening, but it actually came from the study and mastery of energy in Occultism. Energy Detection, on the other hand, was an active ability. It granted its user an enhanced version of Energy Perception for a period of time.

Taelan Fordring eagerly opened his skill tree and selected the Combat Skills tab. He first put a point into Sacrifice, a prerequisite for the core skill Zeal, then put one point each into Zeal and Charge. That left him with only 6 skill points.

Sacrifice

Increase damage and accuracy at the cost of life.

8% self-damage

Current skill level: 8

Hit chance: +69%

Damage: +285%

Sacrifice receives additional bonuses from the following skills:

Redemption: +15% damage per skill level

Fanaticism: +5% damage per skill level

Zeal

Allows one attack to strike multiple enemies.

Current skill level: 8

Attack rating: +80%

Damage: +120%

5 attacks

Mana cost: 2

Zeal receives additional bonuses from the following skills:

Sacrifice: +12% damage per skill level

Charge

Rush into an enemy at high speed.

Current skill level: 8

Damage: +435%

Hit chance: +155%

Mana cost: 9

Charge receives additional bonuses from the following skills:

Vigor: +20% damage per skill level

Strength: +20% damage per skill level

After learning these skills, Taelan felt that his strength had increased by a large margin. Having unlocked a core skill at level 12, he'd entered a period of rapid growth that would continue until level 30. Every powerful skill he learned would greatly improve his ability to survive.

Because of the Blessing of Tirion Fordring equipment, Taelan Fordring had put off learning Blessed Aim. Without an Aura active, it could only improve his own hit chance. In battle, he would now activate Aura of Might or Prayer Aura, and against the enemies he'd face in the future—the Orc Warlock and the Scourge—he would choose Cleansing Aura.

Seeing the +80% attack rating on Zeal made his obsessive-compulsive side itch, so he invested two more skill points. Zeal became:

Zeal

Allows one attack to strike multiple enemies.

Current skill level: 10

Attack rating: +100%

Damage: +132%

5 attacks

Mana cost: 2

Zeal receives additional bonuses from the following skills:

Sacrifice: +12% damage per skill level

Much better!

Taelan Fordring spent the entire afternoon in the training ground getting used to his new skills. His fighting style had begun to shift from that of a warrior toward that of a spellcaster, and his attacks were becoming more varied! Physical attacks were his main offense, with Holy Light magic as support.

That evening, Tirion Fordring returned home after a day of patrol and sent his apprentice, Barthilas, home. He greeted everyone in the family, then led them all to the training ground. He knew his son spent every day absorbed in the study of the Holy Light and Occultism. His son's tutor had even said that his talent for Occultism rivaled that of some of Dalaran's Archmages.

So today, Tirion Fordring wanted to spar with his son and see whether he'd improved.

The family of three, along with their tutor Solarian, gathered at the training ground. As usual, she leaned against a tall Lordaeron Maple by the entrance, watching the father and son face each other at her leisure.

Tirion didn't use his warhammer. Instead, he raised a standard shield. He intended to reassert his authority as a father and teach that boy a lesson through defense. He'd show him that there was always someone stronger, and that pride was the beginning of failure!

Taelan raised his shield and gripped his longsword with practiced ease. His father didn't yet know he'd mastered entirely new skills. He had to seize this chance to surprise him and put his new abilities to use in real combat.

He steadied himself and began circling Tirion, channeling the Holy Light into his standard longsword. That, too, was a benefit of studying Occultism, equivalent to the Paladin's Seal. Taelan's Holy Light was simply more domineering: its power could greatly increase a weapon's attack power and sharpness! Tirion immediately channeled the Holy Light into his shield as well and said, "Good lad. You may not have a Seal, but a weapon imbued with the Holy Light is every bit as good. Come at me and show me what you've got!"

At the side, Karandra clenched her fists, cheering her son on.

Taelan Fordring seized the moment while Tirion was speaking and stepped in with a straight thrust. The Holy Light imbued in his weapon was so strong that Tirion could feel a trace of heat.

Tirion quickly raised his shield to block, but Taelan Fordring didn't clash with it. Instead, he stepped back, and the tip of his sword lit up as a Holy Bolt shot out, aiming for Tirion Fordring's left shoulder. Tirion knew that under Taelan's control of Occultism, the Holy Bolt could lock onto its target. He hurriedly raised his shield and intercepted it. The Holy Bolt burst with a bang, making him falter for a moment. Taelan Fordring immediately stepped in with another thrust. Tirion Fordring nimbly leaped aside.

The father and son traded attack and defense in a fierce battle. After taking one heavy shield blow, Taelan retreated, and the two opened up some distance between them. Tirion Fordring reminded him, "Son, Paladins have Pursuit of Justice, but we're famous for having short reach. Your Holy Bolt makes up for our lack of ranged attacks, but when facing spellcasters like Mages, with their many control spells, we can often do nothing but take a beating!"

"Yes, Father. I'm going all out now, so be careful! Don't get hurt!" Tirion nodded. A true warrior could never afford to underestimate any enemy!

In a world of swords and magic, anything could happen!

Then Taelan Fordring activated Blessing of Tirion:

Your next attack is guaranteed to hit, and every critical strike deals 300% weapon damage.

Powerful Holy Light surged from his body. He lunged forward, leaving a string of Phantasms behind as he charged at Tirion Fordring.

"Intercept?" Tirion thought the high-speed movement he could use in combat must be Intercept. But Taelan Fordring said, "Holy Charge!" With a clang, Tirion Fordring genuinely felt himself get hurt. This strange damage didn't seem to be reduced by defense. It was true damage!

Power of Nephalem: Retribution activated!

Then Taelan activated the Violet Pendant. Now close to his target, he immediately unleashed Mortal Strike. Tirion knew this move. This Holy Spell was unreasonable. It ignored Evasion and Block and always smacked right into the opponent's face! The two shields collided. Tirion was clearly stronger than his son, and he immediately knocked him back.

But Taelan raised his right hand. "Hammer of Justice!"

Tirion Fordring knew his son's Hammer of Justice was unusually effective. Fortunately, it didn't hit immediately, so he quickly used Divine Protection. Then he was stunned on the spot! He silently counted 1-2-3, calculating when he'd recover. As soon as the time was up, he would use Hammer of Justice, then cast a Holy Light spell to heal himself a little, just enough to give his son a taste of how a high-level Paladin fought!

Just then, an Aura of the Blade appeared beneath Taelan Fordring's feet. A massive amount of Holy Light surged from his hand and sword, making it impossible to see what he was doing. The sword traced five Phantasms through the air, and in an instant, all five slashed into the shield!

The shield, reinforced by the Holy Light, immediately groaned under the strain. Then, under five consecutive strikes, it split in two!

"Zeal!"