All three nodded cautiously although Garnedell spoke up hesitantly, “Can we still practice with the mukfrogs and goblins first?”
Joe smiled and nodded, “Sure. We can do that. But you are more than ready to handle the snows. But, let’s make sure. Head back to the safe zone and then I want you to spend ten minutes thinking about how to handle the snows and work as a team. Then we’ll head home. OK?”
All three then nodded quickly at that and Joe lead them to the corner where all three began energetically debating with one another over options. Garnedell and Kilniara did well enough in the conversation, but Zilnek began showing a bit of attitude and Joe almost interjected before Kilniara slid a hand to his shoulder and calmed him. Zilnek then seemed to take a moment and calm himself before the conversation continued. Man, Zilnek must really be stressed about his criminal job, I guess. The conversation settled at that point and soon the ten minutes was up before all three decided to head out.
Joe led the way out and all three quickly began a rather carefree discussion and Joe soon found himself joining in instead of zoning out as he usually did.
“… like you were much better, Zilnek. I saw your face.”
The other two waited patiently for his response, which was as expected, “Ha! Don’t give me that. All three of you were freaking out!”
“Well, I wasn’t freaking out,” Joe butted in with some banter, turning to walk backwards for a bit while smiling in bright mockery.
All three looked up at him in shock at that point before Garnedell grinned and shot back, “Yes you were! I could see you panicking that we would be lost.”
Joe smirked back before shaking his head, “Alright. I concede. I was panicking, shaking in my boots, terrified and peeing my pants.”
All three heard that, eyes widening in surprised shock as he continued before they all began laughing uproariously. Their laughter was only exacerbated when Joe bumped into the wall as he walked backwards, grunting as he spun around and the three began spluttering as they could no longer easily catch a breath.
Garnedell chuckled uncontrollably, “That’s… that’s… haha! … that’s… our great… master!”
This set the other two off even more, giggling madly, and Joe joined them in a mild chuckle.
The laughter continued all the way through the second floor and into the path to the first floor. By the time the other three had regained their breath, they were again joking and Joe joined in happily enough, all four enjoying each other’s wit until they’d returned to the inn. They made the common room and Joe then called Garnedell back to him before sending the other two up to the inn to bathe.
“Garnedell. Can you hang back with me? I’ve got a question. You two can head up. Garendell will be right there.”
Kilniara and Zilnek nodded easily enough, although Zilnek hid a twitch of disobedience poorly; one which Joe decided to not bring up. He’s… getting more and more pissed! Did I do something? Maybe I should ask Kilniara?
Joe let it go as they’d already left up the stairs and Joe turned to Garnedell, leading him out to the almost always empty courtyard.
“Garnedell. I’m… a bit concerned but I really need to ask a question. Why are you three killing so slowly compared to the others in the dungeon? Everyone else seems to kill much faster, even though all three of you are actually a bit better fighters. What’s going on?” Joe asked in a quiet almost whisper.
Garnedell looked up at him, a bit confused, “I… do not understand. How do you mean?”
“The others in the dungeon. All of them kill much faster. But you three … seem much slower. I do not understand why they kill so much faster and easier than you?”
Garnedell seemed to understand at that, nodding his head as he leaned forward a bit, “The others attack the monsters with mana infusion. Mana attacks. I told you this yesterday.”
Joe said nothing, only cocking his head in some confusion and indicating that Garnedell continue. OK... then not some kind of spell? Or assuming a magic attack? Hmm...
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“You can attack by putting your mana into the weapon.”
Joe nodded, and waited, but Garnedell looked at him with expectation as if Joe would understand, “Explain more, please. Remember, I’m from very far away.”
Garnedell nodded, and began to explain, “You push the mana into your weapon, and when you pierce into the body of your enemy, your mana wildly ejects itself into the body of your enemy. It causes a lot of damage.”
Joe considered, recognizing how that could be an incredible attack, “Does mana not usually enter an enemy body?”
“Hmm… I am not a mage, but I do know mana cannot enter another being easily. Living creatures have strong natural defense against mana entering them. To enter into a body, it must be inside.”
“Or could you just cut the skin and make the other person bleed. Now the mana can go inside easily.”
“No. That does not work. In some way or manner, cuts or punctures will not allow mana in. I do not understand, but that is what my family taught me. This is why mages simply attack with explosive or damaging mana. It is too hard to penetrate the body.”
“Is there something like a mana arrow or mana wind blades?”
“I do not know.”
“A magic spell to cut or pierce the body? Ice arrow? Rock spear?”
“Oh! Yes, there is.”
“There. It should be easy then. Piercing the body and now you have mana inside?”
Garnedell shrugged at that but was dismissive, “I know, but it doesn’t work.”
“Why?”
“I do not know, Joe.”
Joe calmed down, not wanting to attack, but very unhappy with the dismissive and unscientific answer. Hasn’t anyone taken the time to try and find out?
Joe let it go, asking a more practical question, “Then why do you not use infusion? You and the siblings?”
Garnedell’s eyes rose at that before answering very simply, “You don’t.”
Joe blinked at that then laughed loudly before he shook his head, “I guess that makes sense, but I never knew. Ha! Maybe, if you could, please teach me and show me sometime.”
Garendell flicked his eyes around the room and then deliberately looked up at their room before nodding his head and asking with a suggestive hint, “Alone?”
Joe smiled and nodded with a bit of chagrin, “Please?”
Garnedell smiled brightly at that before nodding and turning to sprint up the stairs to the bath, “See you back here soon.”
Joe raised his hand to stop him, but then let him go with a chuckle as he spoke to himself quietly, “Well, I guess he has a better way to escape my questions than Kukurnal.”
Letting him go, Joe turned and quickly left for the temple district, today’s cloak already prepared, although he would don it on his way there. He made his way quickly enough, not too concerned with much of anything, the two weeks of routine now natural to him and nothing unusual really gave him any concern. He easily made the temple square before realizing he hadn’t really taken a look at what job he needed or even what skills and abilities his current job had given him.
Joe took the time after heading into the next temple in his rotation to find a corner with a few chairs and sofas to sit and collect himself while perusing his status. He first looked at his current job, and found it as he’d expected, with nothing really helpful or unusual except for the nice giant boost to his resistances. But, it was all known, and Joe was beginning to become less interested with the stats that he was receiving the more jobs he saw. At a certain point, so many jobs with so many numbers just became statistics.
When he opened up the skills he had, he found the believer job with only a single skill; a bonus to mental resistance called resist, bluntly enough. Little was said or explained about it, and he didn’t feel any deep desire to open up his theorist or educational theorist job to use their Guidance skills to figure it out. It seemed simple enough as it was. A boost to will, maybe? I’ll make sure to write all this down later and make an extensive FAQ… upload it for everyone! Joe mocked himself, but still chuckled.
He gave the skills list one last cursory glance before suddenly stopping, his glee shooting skyward. Three new ‘char:’ skills! Nice! And nice boosts straight to my stats! He had three new char skills that doubled his magic, magic defense, and wisdom. And one more garbled job skill that was also available at level twenty, just like all the other garbled job skills. Joe sighed but then grinned and pushed away his disappointment. I got some very nice skills there!
Joe then went back to his available jobs list and carefully took a look at what he had. He quickly noticed that it seemed there might be multiple levels of jobs in the priests line, as he found no Priest job. At the top of the list was something labeled priest growth order which seemed to hint at a line of jobs. And seeing as how every god and goddess seemed to have the initial job, it seemed that a priest would be a higher level job. Besides, the god, Mimir, just has a job called Mimir faithful. So… priest must be in there somewhere. Kukurnal is one, right?
He did find one interesting thing. There was a job available called Loki Faithful, which made Joe smile. He would stay away from it for now, as it was heretical and he didn’t need any other complication right now. So… then… Probably… both easiest and wisest… do Mimir, then Kukurnal will probably notice… then show up? Then I can ask some questions… that… seems a good choice. Probably have to swap out after cause he’ll definitely notice if I go to the next job so fast…
Having confirmed his choice, he went to the priest and asked to become a Mimir faithful, smiling with some pride that he was soon to get the skill he needed to help Zilnek, but also let him be able to level almost two jobs per day to level thirty.
He did notice the priestess seemed surprised that Joe was asking to become a Mimir faithful, but luckily did not stop him from changing his job. The priestess did shake her head, a small grimace touching her lips as she did so, but said nothing and simply changed his job. Joe thanked her kindly, grateful despite her disapproval. As he stepped back, she spoke.
“You can’t hide it, you know.”