The captain switched from blustering arrogance to a terrified bobble head as he rapidly nodded in agreement, his head shaking without stop. Joe clapped a hand on his shoulder and pulled him close to him, dropping his head down near his ear and whispering quietly.

“No one knows I’m here. No one knows my abilities. And no one will hear of them, correct?”

The captain quickly nodded again, stuttering out a yes as well and Joe spoke again, “Excellent! For your wonderful service in this moment of crisis, here is a triple core for you. Also, you will find a few dual cores and a score of single cores if you have need of them to explain the situation to your superiors.”

Joe stepped back and handed a relatively empty pouch to the captain, holding it in a palm of his hand as he reach out to offer this people’s version of a handshake.

“I am simply a rich fool willing to spend cores foolishly on his pupil, nothing more, yes?” Joe asked, holding the captain’s hand firmly in his grip while he looked the captain in the eye.

The man still hadn’t stopped his bobble head imitation, but the fear on his face had quickly turned to greed and the man offered a bow and thanks. Joe nodded and turned, removing his hand from the shake, leaving the core pouch behind, but whispered one last thing before turning back to Kilniara.

“I will be listening for any rumors. I’ll also be seeking them out. I can easily find them.”

The captain’s face blanched at this but still smiled stoically and nodded, “Of course! Of course! I… nothing will be said,” the captain replied quickly under his breath before stepping back and continuing much more loudly, “I should have realized your needs and offered such help to you in the first place, sir. Forgive me for not realizing, eccentric.”

Joe grimaced at the last statement, but could only hope the guard knew what he was doing. He knows the culture better than I do. It might be less suspicious this way… maybe? What’s an eccentric? Is it some kind of…

Joe turned away clearing his head from his rabbit train of thought, dismissing his curiosity as it was quite below his worry for Kilniara and he stepped closely to the healer. The man had finished long before and was standing around Kilniara nervously. Joe looked up at the man, but he waited for him, not moving away while nervously fidgeting with the dual core in his hand.

Joe dismissed the healer from his mind and looked to Kilniara, his hand roaming across her belly and feeling where her wound was carefully, fingers tracing the clear and perfect scales. Well… crap! I think we need a healer in our group! Even my shoulder… Joe looked up quickly at the healer, almost asking the healer about that but then stopped, turning back to Kilniara, his hand still resting on her belly.

“How are you? Are you OK? Anything hurting? Did he heal you completely? Is there anything else we need to do? Are you sure everything’s good? Here! Stand up! Stand up and walk around. Stretch your torso and do some of your forms. Make sure your body is one hundred percent, OK?”

Kilniara looked back at him, the scales of her cheeks a much healthier glow, a darker shade than he’d ever seen on her or Zilnek, but gave a definite feeling of health that comforted him. He quickly pulled her up, holding her hand cautiously with his opposite hand while carefully supporting her back with his other hand.

She nodded in shuddering jerks, obviously still freaked about the near death, and began moving cautiously before becoming more confident quickly and pulled away from him. She settled easily and Joe saw her find comfort in them very quickly and only then felt relief come to him. Some of the forms were drastically deforming her torso, but she performed them as well as she always had without a hint of discomfort or pain. Man! We really need a healer! I wonder if we could get one?

As Joe stepped back to give Kilniara room, he found himself standing next to the healer and looked at him, “Thank you. Truly. I am incredibly grateful.”

The healer looked back at him and nodded but saying nothing.

“Who found you?”

“Ah… um… my friend, Basturl.”

Joe choked when he heard the name, barely able to keep his laughter in while nodding in response. He took a few moments to get himself under control enough to reply.

“Uh… um…,” Joe coughed, then continued, “So, where is this friend of yours?”

The healer looked and pointed to the right and saw a guard stepping forward with excitement unable to conceal the nervousness. The man bowed, “Hello, sir. I am the one who retrieved the healer.”

“My thanks, Basturl. Here is your reward,” Joe said, handing off ten cores to the man before asking the two friends another question, “How many people are guarding here now?”

“Ah… there are twenty five guards here at the moment.”

Joe nodded then glanced to Kilniara, finding her comfortable in her forms. The crowd had stepped back from Kilniara, giving her more room, but none had left. The crowd had even seemed to grow.

Joe looked to where the captain had been and saw him avidly watching Kilniara, his eye’s locked on her. At first, Joe felt his ire rising as he thought the man was perving on her, but then quickly realized that he was following her movements. Huh… is he trying to learn the katas?

Joe’s anger collapsed, humor replacing it and he stepped up to the captain, “Captain. May I have a word with you.”

The man reluctantly glanced towards him, then quickly straightened when he saw who it was. Joe led him to the side, nearer to the crowd of guards who had come running and Joe also beckoned over the healer and his friend.

“I wish to thank you,” Joe spoke loudly enough for the crowd of guards around them, but quietly enough that the adventurers around them would not catch his words, “Your help was much appreciated. Here are fifty cores, two for each guard here, doing their duty well, as thanks.”

The captain’s head whipped towards him at that, his eyes dropping down to take in the second pouch of cores in Joe’s hands. The captain quickly looked back and bowed lightly, “Thank you. We only wish to do well by the great adventurers seeking our dungeons, Eccentric.”

Joe nodded then stepped back after handing off the pouch. The gathered guards looked at the pouch in their captain’s hands excitedly and Joe looked back at the captain to see him once again staring avidly at Kilniara’s flowing movements.

“Kilniara,” Joe called out to her. She stopped and turned to Joe and bowed to him slightly.

“Master?”

Joe let the master slide, his concentration on the captain instead, and easily noticed his concerned sorrow when Kilniara finished her movements. Joe grinned slightly at catching the captain’s actions and spoke up quickly.

“Practice your forms another two or three times. I’ll go into the dungeon and return with Garndell and your brother, OK? Make sure you are in top shape and fully healed.”

Stolen novel; please report.

Kilniara smiled brightly and returned to her forms, quickly slipping into the kata easily. Kilniara and Zilnek both easily grasped the katas so quickly, memorizing them so fast, but they do take longer to perfect them… I wonder if that’s… Joe shook his head to interrupt thoughts and turned to his task, interrupting the captain one last time.

“Captain. Would you be willing to make sure she is not interrupted by the crowd while she checks her health?”

The captain looked at him, then smiled slightly and nodded, offering a bow as well. Joe smiled back with a nod of his own and disappeared back down into the first floor dungeon. When he got down there, he looked through the safe zone but found it empty of Garndell and Zilnek, and he turned to the killing floor with some concern. Shouldn’t they have made it back by now?

His eyes scanned to their corner and quickly noticed the two crowded together, hiding in the corner while several goblins roamed uncomfortably close to them. Why… is Garnedell worried he can’t take one on by himself? Hmm… it might be time to give them some solo practice as well… which would be a cinch with a healer!

Joe began jogging across the floor towards the two boys, stopping only twice to quickly dispatch a couple of goblins that got to close. He came upon the two of them with a smile and Garnedell relaxed quickly while Zilnek didn’t not respond because of his low intellect.

“She’s safe. She’s fine. I found a healer.”

Garnedell whooped at that and turned to Zilnek, grasping his arm tightly while shaking it. Joe found the event deeply uncomfortable as Zilnek still looked on in worry and fear without responding or moving his arm in anyway as Garnedell shook him excitedly. After quite a long delay, Zilnek also began to shout and smile, jumping with Garnedell.

The two boy’s excitement attracted a couple goblins, and Joe killed them quickly before nodding back to the entrance.

“Let’s head out. Kilniara’s waiting. We’ll call it a night and head to bed.”

The two agreed, and Joe shrugged into his pack while Garnedell stood up and helped Zilnek, his hand coming up to grip his elbow. Joe began leading the boys, moving slowly forward a half dozen steps or so before looking back to see wait for Zilnek to react and join them.

He was surprised to see them both behind him, eyebrows crunching in confusion. He shouldn’t be able to react that fast! How is he…

Joe’s confusion ended quickly as he realized that Garnedell was actually just pushing Zilnek along. Zilnek seemed able to react enough to keep his balance and simply continued moving after being pushed, like a remote control zombie under Garnedell’s guidance. They made the entrance easily enough, Joe having to clear out three goblins to make it back, but the trip uneventful otherwise.

When they made the top, the line of adventurers was back in order, but curved around a bulge, inside which was a very loose circle of a few guards keeping the adventures back and several others who seemed to be neglecting their duties, watching Kilniara avidly instead. The guard captain was amongst those who were also watching Kilniara carefully, and Joe didn’t interrupt the demonstration.

Garnedell bounced excitedly at seeing Kilniara, and Zilnek took a moment to respond before running into to give his sister a full arm grasp, his hand wrapping around her lower bicep and resting on her forearm. She replied in a similar fashion, grabbing her brother’s forearm and smiling brightly. Zilneks interruption of Kilniara’s movements annoyed the guards and Joe called out to make sure Zilnek was safe.

“Kilniara. He was very worried about you.”

She looked to Joe, then bowed deeply, “Thank you. I am saved because of you!”

Joe nodded but said nothing, “Did you finish your forms?”

Kilniara shook her head, “I have my final one to finish.”

“Start from the beginning. I’ll offer guidance while you practice one more time.”

Kilniara nodded in excitement before returning to her brother and offering a heartfelt squeeze of his arm once again. Her brother took some time to respond, but then smiled as well and nodded his head and moving back to Garnedell. Joe covered Zilnek’s slow response time by coming forward and performing some stretches. Might as well offer her an easy opponent while she does her forms.

After Zilnek made it back to Garnedell, Joe looked to Kilniara and called out sharply, “Taegeuk. Il Jang!”

Kilniara blinked in surprise then quickly settled in her stance, beginning her first Tae Kwon Do form. The form was totally unsuited for any form of stylized combat since the form was practiced in four directions, reversing directions to practice punches and kicks in each cardinal direction. But in a magical world where Joe’s dexterity was double and his agility was five times Kilniara’s, he was easily able to take on the role of combatants from all four directions. Kilniara’s movements were not reacting to Joe’s in any way whatsoever, with Joe actually performing moves in reaction to Kilniara, blocking her punches or throwing a punch or kick to meet with her blocks.

After the first few thrown punches, kicks and blocks of his own to counter Kilniara’s, understanding quickly came to her and her eyes widened in shock and glee, realizing what these movements now meant. This brought an extra snap and strength to her kicks and punches and Joe smiled, bringing his own limbs into firmer contact with hers.

The first form was relatively short, and the mock combat came to an end and she came to attention with arms bent and held at the waist, each fist pointed at the opposite thigh, clasped tightly. Kilniara breathed heavily in excitement and Joe brought his hands to the side while slapping his heels together. His hands slapped against his thighs and then he bowed, performing the traditional Tae Kwon Do bow, although he kept his eyes on Kilniara. He performed it slow enough that she was able to respond in imitation as well and Joe smiled brightly at her.

“Better? It all makes more sense now?”

Kilniara’s face bloomed in joy and she nodded excitedly, “Yes! It does. I understand now!”

Joe looked to Garnedell and quirked an eyebrow at him, “And you?”

Garnedell nodded quickly, “Yes, but I want to fight with Master, too!”

Joe guffawed quickly, “That wasn’t a fight. I was only allowing Kilniara to see how her forms react to an attacker. Zilnek, you understand now, too?”

Zilnek by then had caught Kilniara and Joe’s conversation, and was responding as well, but Joe still blinked in surprise when Zilnek responded almost instantly, “Yes!”

Joe hid his surprise and turned to the captain, “Thank you for caring for my apprentice. We have need to return home now.”

The captain quickly came forward and bowed as well, “Thank you for allowing us to see your practice. What … what do they do?”

Joe hid his flicker of confusion before responding, “It trains the body.”

“This is important?” the captain questioned subtly.

“If you wish to be a great warrior or soldier, to fight in combat with little harm to yourself but be able to quickly and easily take down your enemy, then these forms and preparing your body are probably the greatest and most important thing you could ever possibly do to become a fighter that could bring fear to those who must fight you.”

The captain’s eyes widened and he quickly bowed again, thanking him much more effusively and Joe simply nodded, bringing the conversation to an end, “We need to go home and rest. We must prepare for tomorrow.”

“Goodbye, Eminence. Thank you much!”

Joe turned and led his apprentices away, Zilnek following after without much delay at all guided by Garnedell. Huh… what did they figure out? They exited the dungeon wall and entered the city proper, heading back to the inn. The walked for a few moments before Joe settled back in beside the other three, questioning Garnedell.

“How is he reacting so fast? He said yes quickly and is following with us so quickly.”

Garnedell nodded, glancing at Zilnek before replying, “Sight and sound are slowed a lot, but touch is still pretty fast. I learned this from my father. If you can touch, then you respond much quicker than to words or movement, although movement is still very rapid compared to listening to words.”

“That’s… really cool… and useful! But, it’s not going to be too important. Zilnek should be fine in about a month… well… probably closer to two.”

Kilniara replied to that with a bright excited smile, “Truly?!”

Joe smiled and nodded, “Yes. He should be close to level twenty in another two months.”

Kilniara’s eyes climbed at that, mouth widening into an ‘O’ but was interrupted by Zilnek shortly after with an excited “really!?” of his own to Joe. Joe looked at Zilnek and nodded, smiling, but didn’t respond because he knew Zilnek would hear Joe’s comment soon and left it at that.

Joe dropped that topic of conversation, although he did clap Zilnek’s shoulder in companionship before turning back to Garnedell, "Garnedell. Would we be able to get a healer in our party?”

Garnedell cocked his head and eyed Joe, thoughtful, “It is not impossible to get healers, or priests, but they are costly and few take healers as party members as they offer little to the party.”

“Really? A guarantee of a heal, saved from death… and no one wants them in their party?”

“They cannot fight very well at all.”

“Maybe. But they make sure that all other combatants remain at one hundred percent for the fight!?”

Garnedell looked at Joe, considering for a moment before shrugging, “That is what most adventurers says.”

“I just want to know if we can invite a healer. Yes or no?”

“It is possible, but expensive, Joe.”

“Would a healer be willing to join if they were part of the party and gained experience with us?”

“You would have them as part of our party?”

“We only have four right now.”

Garnedell nodded, “Possibly.”

The conversation then drifted into other topics, although the biggest one was Zilnek’s recovery and the three chattered amongst themselves while Joe fell silent.

They made it back to the inn shortly and found Kukurnal waiting for them in the dining room. Joe waved cheerfully, still riding a high from being able to keep Kilniara alive. The apprentices greeted Kukurnal warmly but with still some respect, making their greetings less warm than Joe’s. Joe spoke a few moments then told the apprentices to head up and bathe, asking the boys to watch out for Kilniara until she was able to finish and meet back down in the common room.