Melanie was happy to have her body back, though she would’ve preferred if it were more attached. At least the perverted guy wasn’t controlling it anymore. Now she stood in front of Joren getting basic combat training while carrying her head under her arm pit.

“Good,” Joren praised. She wasn’t used to fighting with a one handed sword like this. “Now how about a special attack?” Melanie liked the sound of that, Joren had never taught her a special attack before. “Use the Head flail technique to destroy three target dummies.”

“Head flail?” Melanie asked as the move popped into her head. “You can’t be serious?”

“A warrior knows how to make use of every part of their body, and you are quite durable,” Joren said before returning to his idol position.

Melanie would’ve shook her head if it was still attached to her body, she sighed instead. “Fine…” she sheathed her sword and lowered her head, now holding it by her hair, and swung it at full force. The attack was disorientating but it destroyed all three dummies with one swing. Melanie sat down for a moment, with her head in her lap, getting over the dizziness.

“Good, now try a head throw. Use it to stagger and distract your enemies as you come in for the kill,” Joren instructed.

Being headless was starting to be more trouble than Melanie first thought. She stood up and held the back of her head like it was a basketball, lined up the shot and threw herself as hard as she could. As she hit the target dummy in the head and bounced off her body came in for the kill with the sword. It was as if she had been attacking like this for years.

She told herself she wouldn’t use these attacks, but unfortunately they were stronger than her basic ones. Though they made her dizzy each time she did them.

“Excellent work,” Joren praised as she picked her head up from off the ground, dusting it off. “For your reward, have things ring.”

<Ring of Disorientation Immunity> ‘While this ring is equipped you cannot be disorientated’

“Now let’s see what you’ve learnt,” Joren said as he ran back and drew his bow. “First stun me with a head throw, then finish me off with a head flail.”

Melanie rolled her eyes as the first arrow fired forward. She dodged it but almost dropped her head in the process. She then lined up the attack and headbutted Joren from 10 metres away. Her body closed the gap, picked her up off the ground by the hair and hit Joren with a head uppercut sending him flying backwards. All the while Melanie didn’t feel any ill effects.

“Excellent work,” Joren stood up, ignoring the blood that was seeping from his nose and mouth. It faded away after he wrapped his arm with a bandage.

“There are other skills a Dullahan must know, go speak to Senmah to retrieve additional training.”

Melanie looked confused, she had played this tutorial countless times and hadn’t heard of Senmah before. If she had looked around further, she would’ve found her earlier on.

“Welcome adventurer,” Snemah was a female halfling rogue, with short silver hair, had an eye patch and scar on her left eye. She was also missing her left hand. “I can teach you stealth, persuasion, deception, and plenty of other non combat skills.” She explained as she circled Melanie. “And I can certainly teach you skills unique to a dullahan.” She reached her hands up to Melanie. “Now hand me your head.”

Melanie was reluctant to comply, and she was right to not want to hand it over when Snemah had run her through a maze, leaving her in the middle of it. “It is easy for a Dullahan to have their head separated from their body. You must navigate to reunite the two. Close your eyes and switch control over to your body.”

Outside the maze Melanie’s body stumbled around for a moment before it had a sense of everything around it, even though it had no eyes or ears. Though Melanie could no longer see or hear through her head. It’s like she managed to give her body those senses at the expense of her head. With her newfound skill she was able to navigate the maze without issue and retrieve her head.

“Excellent work,” Snemah praised, as Melanie’s senses returned to her head. “While your body and head are separated, you can choose which one to control. It’s a handy skill, but there are still some limitations. Your body is unable to communicate without your head and your head cannot move without your body.”

Snemah led Melanie out of the maze. “Is there any other skill you would like to practice? If not Gwaine is waiting for you at the top of the hill to teach you about magic.”

“I’d like to learn about persuasion please,” Melanie was curious on how useful that skill could be.

“Normally I would, but your charisma is too low,” Snemah shook her head.

“What about deception?” Melanie followed up.

“Normally I would, but your charisma is too low.” She repeated as if stuck in a loop.

“Okay what about stealth?” Melanie tried the last option.

“Stealth is a very useful skill when wanting to avoid combat or catch an enemy unaware,” Snemah explained. “You can launch a surprise attack or even pickpocket an unsuspecting foe. Different species and races have different stealth levels, but you can always train to increase it. A rat has better stealth than a bear for example, or a halfling has better stealth than an Ogre.” Snemah continued. “As a Dullahan and an Elf you have a high natural stealth, now why don’t you practice by bringing me back a note from Joren’s pocket without being caught.”

Melanie nodded as she crouched down and slowly made her way back to Joren. She left her head behind to gain more practice at just controlling her body. Despite being right behind him, Joren didn’t even notice Melanie picking through his pockets. Once she got the note she returned to Snemah and handed it over.

“Excellent, now be careful when pickpocketing, nobody likes a thief. It’s a good way to lose reputation or have the guards called upon you.”

“I’m well aware,” Melanie winced as she recalled needing to steal clothes.

“Well that’s all I can teach you, Gwaine is waiting.” Snemah dismissed Melanie.

As Melanie left the rogue and went up to the all too familiar hut, she wondered how she could’ve missed Snemah, though her camp wasn’t anywhere too obvious. She wondered if that’s how the body thief managed to get Joren as a companion, as she never managed to do that.

Melanie went through the regular introductions with Gwaine, and for the most part it seemed like it would play out as normal.

“Normally I would teach you about curses by drinking this potion, but dullahan’s are immune to potion effects,” Gwaine went off script. “So I’ll teach you the dangers of being separate beings instead,” Gwaine began enchanting, now Melanie’s body was stone but her head was fine. He then cast another spell turning her head into that of a pig. “It takes two spells to take out a Dullahan but it can be done quickly if you know the correct one,” Gwaine explained as he turned her body back to flesh but left her head as a pig. “I need some truffles for my potions, retrieve ten of them and I’ll change your head back as well.”

Melanie snorted and grunted. Usually being turned into a pig was optional. At least this time she had her body to deal with the wolves and could carry out a stronger head attack.

Once Melanie was done with the tutorial she held her head underarm and wondered if she should continue as is or risk returning to the Fairy Woods to reattach her head.