**Ding! Significant Feat of Strength performed under Observation. You have been awarded an Honour: Born for Slaughter**

    Kaius stared at the notification, his pain and exhaustion completely forgotten. Shock paralysed him, he could feel another notification blaring in the corner of his mind. Demanding his attention. He left it there, too absorbed in the one that hung in his vision.

    This must have been what Porkchop was talking about. How the system rewarded those that pushed themselves when under its observations. But why now? The goblin was nowhere near the first Champion he had slain.

    "Kaius? What''s wrong? Are you injured?" Porkchop asked, coming forwards to examine him closely. Checking his wounds.

    Kaius shook his head, throwing off the shock. "..I think I found out how the Observed got so much stronger than everyone else." He said quietly.

    Porkchop''s eyes snapped up to meet Kaius''s own. "What?!"

    Kaius nodded, telling him about the notification he had received from killing the Champion.

    "What?! How? What does it give you?" Porkchop asked, the questions coming so fast they nearly blended into a single word.

    "I''m not sure yet, I haven''t checked it." Kaius said, shoving Porkchop away when was nearly bowled over in his friend''s excitement.

    "You haven''t checked it?! What the hells are you waiting for?"

    "Gimme a second! I was about to before you started asking questions," he huffed.

    Porkchop snorted in response, but waited patiently all the same. Kaius took a breath to calm his racing heart, and pulled up the final notification waiting for his attention. Like he expected, it was the Honour in question.

    Born for Slaughter:

    Honour

    Rules are made for a reason. Many are to protect those who cannot protect themselves. Some fools disregard those rules. Facing death due to need, want, hubris, and ignorance. Most are crushed under the weight of reality. Those that don''t are forged anew. Shining brighter than those that dared not.

    Awarded to those who slay three Champions unaided before class selection. Provides an Infinitesimal increase to skill levelling speed. +5 all stats.

    Bonus: For being the first in your cohort to achieve this honour skill the levelling bonus is increased to Minute, and the stat bonus is increased to +8 all stats.

    Kaius dropped like a marionette with his strings cut. Power surged through him. Shifting him, forcing him to change. He writhed as every facet of his being was reinforced, mind overwhelmed in totality. There was no pain. It was far far beyond that.

    He felt like he had been snatched up by a god. Broken. Prodded. Moulded into a more pure version of himself. Letting out a choked scream, he felt his body contort. Bones creaking under the force of his convulsions. White ice picks were driven into his mind. Forcible expanding his senses. Speeding up the rate in which he could process information. A slight amount, just under a fifth of his baseline capabilities. All at once it was immobilising.

    The moment seemed to crystallise into amber. Burning its way into his memory. Then it was over. He lay there panting, soaked in his sweat. He peered through bleary eyes to find porkchop staring at him. Barely a finger length from his face.

    "Ouch?"

    "Bugger off." Kaius said, pushing his friend away. "Hells that was awful. Even worse than the natural treasure." He shuddered. Was this what everyone went through? When they grew their class?

    "It gave you stats?" Porkchop guessed.

    Kaius pushed himself up. "Yeah. It did. How''d you know?"

    "Connecting to the ancestral blood stabilises you, eases the transition of growth. Gaining stats without it is supposed to be ... uncomfortable. At least the ones that aren''t natural growth. I assumed it was the same for Classes?" Porkchop asked.

    "Great. Another hole in my education." Kaius grumbled. Despite how much Father had taught him, it has become more and more clear how much had been sacrificed on the altar of preparing him for his legacy skills and class selection. Though, perhaps it was just another case of the meles'' oral histories remembering what people had forgotten.

    It was some sort of ...armour? That much was clear. Thick sections of leather reinforced by laminate plates of metal, held together by buckles and straps. There''s no way he could possibly wear it himself, it looked far too odd. He set it aside with a shrug, moving back to check the saddle bag.

    His hand hit the bottom, barely a stride in. He tore the bag open in horror, looking inside with desperation. His worst nightmare came to pass. It was empty, made of simple folded leather. A plain saddle bag.

    "No!" He cried in despair.

    "What''s wrong? No loot?" Porkchop said, galloping towards him. "Wait, it''s all here? What are you crying about then?"

    Kaius kneeled there, white faced. Mourning as his dreams of riches shattered like glass. A spatial artefact! It was right there. He stifled a sob, shoving his pain deep as he turned to shoot Porkchop a smile. "Nothing! Just hoped there would be a bit more."

    Porkchop cocked his head at him. "Liar. Also, weirdo." A moment later he pounced on the strange, too large armour that Kaius had pulled out of the saddlebag. "What''s this? Looks different."

    "Not sure yet. Give me a second." Kaius used Identify on the artefact.

    Deepbeast Light Barding:

    Common - Tier I

    Trained from birth, the dwarven beast-bound scouts are the eyes and ears of the Stoneholds. They prize their mounts higher than their own lives, and cost is no factor when it comes to keeping their companions safe in the dangerous conditions of the northern mountains of Vaastivar.

    Made from alchemically treated Ironox leather, reinforced with plates of doped titanium, this barding is designed to offer maximum protection to a variety of beasts without compromising mobility.

    Depths-wrought Artefact.

    Light Armour (Barding)

    Well Fitted I, Resizing I, Self Repair I

    Kaius smiled at the description. "It''s armour. That you can wear."

    Porkchop went stock still, ears flicking at the news. "I get armour?"

    "Yep!" Kaius said. Porkchop immediately went into a frenzy, bouncing back and forth in his excitement. Kaius laughed. "Easy, buddy. Calm down, and I''ll help you into it."

    With a clear effort of will, Porkchop went still. Kaius picked up the barding, unbuckling its straps before throwing it over Porkchop''s back. As he buckled it in place, straps seemed to shift to the perfect length, cinching snug, but leaving no excess weight. It fit Porkchop like a glove, conforming perfectly to his body.

    A massive reinforced section of leather draped over Porkchop''s back and shoulders, holding tight to wrap around his sides. His legs were left entirely free, apart from small free flowing sections that hung over his upper limbs. Short enough to stay out of the way while still providing some protection. A strange, almost-gorget, buckled around his neck, flowing into an armoured section that guarded the chest and top of Porkchop''s stomach. Metal plates were affixed all over the armour, adding additional protection to key vitals. It even had a couple of light weight saddle bags that rested on his hips.

    The barding provided almost complete coverage, and as soon as it was fully buckled in place Porkchop sprinted around like a mad man, diving and rolling around the ground.

    "It fits, and it doesn''t slow me down!" He said in wonder.

    Kaius smiled in satisfaction. It had always been a fear in the back of his mind. That Porkchop''s lack of protection would do him in some day. That some bastard with a sword would get in a lucky strike and gut his friend. The armour would help. Especially when he sat on the side-lines and had to watch Porkchop fight Champions alone.

    Bending down, Kaius picked up the strange bronze stylus he had pulled from the warg''s saddlebag. He slid it into his pocket.

    "C''mon. Let''s start heading towards the city. It''s a long walk and I want to make some headway before we have to stop to rest." Kaius said, setting off at a walk towards the far off settlements walls.

    Porkchop stopped his gallivanting to pull up next to him. "What about your loot?"

    "I''ll check it on the way." He said, tussling Porkchop''s fur.