* * *
Joe walked by her side for a time, the silence growing ever more awkward but he was uncertain how to resolve it. He looked over at her but remained silent, finally deciding he would simply have to give her some time. Well… back to the dungeo… ooh, how about trying for a healer again… Having decided to try for a healer once more, he headed to the day job camp easy enough, now simple after having been there several times, and he made sure to find a place off to the side before shouting out for a healer or priest. This time, things proved much less… useful. His shouts brought healers or priests to him, but as soon as they saw him, they would all snort or shake their head and turn away. He continued shouting, but no others arrived and by the end, the crowd’s edge was never even disturbed by a healer showing up to dismiss him. Guess… all of them already have heard the news… so… maybe? He considered then decided it was really his only option.
“Healer to heal while in the dungeon. We will protect you. You will not be harmed. Payment is one single core!”
The pay was outrageous. He knew that by now. He’d gotten a sense of the value of cores and he’d offered something close to a decade’s pay from a wealthy first world country back on Earth. He couldn’t see how that wouldn’t draw some attention and it did just that. Everyone in the crowd turned to look at him with shock and he was able to pick out some of people who’d stepped forward when he’d called. While those who hadn’t been healers seemed jealous of the offered pay, the healers were less impressed. Most simply glanced at him with a frown. One or two seemed to consider, glancing at him thoughtfully before sighing and turning away. Joe grimaced. Well… doctors always got the big pay… probably even more here with instant healing… or is there something else happening but… what? Joe felt despair creep in and knew that there was little he could do. He finally sighed and turned away. Maybe… one more time? Maybe?
Joe turned away and headed off back to the dungeon. By the time he made it to the dungeon, he found them anxiously waiting only ten or so places from being able to enter. While Zilnek looked back and smiled, obviously in a better mood having woken a bit, Garnedell seemed a bit more concerned.
“What happened, Joe?” Garnedell cried out.
Joe waved his concern away while replying, “It’s OK. Had to think carefully.”
The two guys nodded, accepting easily enough and Kilniara slipped back in with the two boys, still rather silent. Zilnek quickly noticed but after looking at her cautiously, dismissed the whole situation and Joe turned away. The two guys returned to their small talk and Kilniara joined in with them as well, the boys seemingly aware of Joe’s disquiet and desire to be alone with his thoughts.
Joe’s quiet was easily noticed but the other three allowed him his peace and they soon found themselves on the first floor and once again fighting in their favorite corner. The first kill got him a single level on his mana manipulator job and he looked at it with some excitement that soon washed away the morning’s concerns as he called a halt to the combat, giving a short moment of rest for his current partner, Garnedell.
Status
Blessings
Current Job
Available Jobs
Current Skills
All Skills
Log
Joe McConnell
Status
Physical Resistances
Magical Resistances
HP
1.00
Physical:
Wind
2
SP
1.00
Piercing
0.00
Water
2
MP
20.00
Crushing
0.00
Earth
2
Attack
1.00
Slashing
0.00
Fire
2
Defense
1.00
Ice
2
Magic
10.00
Gravity
2
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Magic Defense
50.00
Magnetic
2
Strength
1.00
Light
2
Dexterity
1.00
M. Manipulator
1
Shadow
0
Agility
1.00
Space
2
Speed
1.00
Spirit
2
Endurance
1.00
Mental
2
IQ
20.00
Sound
2
Wisdom
20.00
Electricity
2
Will
15.00
Learning
15.00
Luck
0.00
OK! That… magic defense is nice! And the resistances aren’t bad at all, only missing shadow and everything else gives me two per level. Nice. Although, the learning kinda sucks… but… I’ve been really spoiled. Joe chuckled at his now skewed view on learning and then decided to send out some mana. Might as well check to see if it helps like mana-ologist.
Joe raised a hand and let loose a wave of mana, finding its release even easier and smoother than what he’d done under mana-ologist. Huh… that was… really easy. He sent out another wave before stopping in thought when he remembered this morning with Kilniara. Joe found himself frozen in thought as he then glanced towards Garnedell.
“Hey. Can you send some mana my way?”
“Send mana?”
“Expend it, expel it? At me?”
Garnedell cocked his head before shrugging and lifting a hand to point it at Joe. A wash of mana wafted across him, like a breeze or a strangely light wash of water. More like a breeze, I guess. An easily felt and obvious breeze. Joe had braced himself after his experience this morning but found it the same as he’d first felt it with Garnedell. He delved into it a bit more now he understood what he was sensing. Warmth. Gratefulness. Pride… excitement… satisfaction… anticipation… Joe considered for a moment before raising his own hand and sending a wash of mana back at Garnedell.
“What did that feel like?”
“Mana?”
“Just mana?”
Garnedell seemed to pause a moment, his thoughts considering deeply, “Heavier, deeper, and more? Warm and … protective.”
Joe smiled at that before waving his concerns away, Garnedell’s response obviously pointing out that he was taking it as a lesson and Joe didn’t wish to confuse him.
“Sorry, I was just confused. Something weird happened this morning with…”
A loud shout came from Kilniara and Garnedell quickly turned, worry obvious on his face even as Joe also felt a flash of worry bolt down his spine. Kilniara stood with Zilnek, both easily combatting the goblin without seeming concern although Kilniara was looking at Joe with wide eyes and very red cheeks.
Garnedell didn’t really notice, calling out in concern, “Is everything OK?”
Kilniara replied to him quickly enough, but never took her eyes off of Joe, her expression taking on heavy meaning as she offered a subtle nod, grimace, and widened eyes, “No, nothing. I was taken by surprise for a bit, but I’m OK now.”
Joe took a minute to understand as Kilniara’s expression became ever more obvious until Joe’s own eyes widened and he felt his own cheeks flush a brilliant red. Kilniara sighed heavily enough in relief at Joe’s understanding that Joe actually saw it and he turned away from Garnedell to hide his own bright red embarrassment.
“Right. OK, that’s good. Let’s start our next fight. OK, Garnedell?”
Garnedell nodded and turned back to watch Joe then called out when he saw Joe’s back was to him, “Yes. I’m ready.”
Joe didn’t really notice Garnedell’s reply at all, his thoughts too much on Kilniara’s concern and embarrassment and found his own embarrassment deep and powerful but confused at its origin. What’s there to be embarrassed about? Why am I… Joe took a deep breath and let it go before drawing the attention of another goblin. Right, figure this out with Kilniara then. Whatever it is!
The next goblin kill had him popped all the way up to level sixteen and almost seventeen, smiling and grateful and the ease of growth he was experiencing, although that would rapidly drop off and he would reach level twenty five in almost only an hour and take entire rest of the day to make it to level thirty or thirty one. He was rapidly making it through the first bit of leveling, which was very important, it seemed, to being able to open up various other jobs, but at the same time, he was running out of other big ticket learning jobs. He had another nine or so education jobs, but most of them, like the current job, was only offering him ten or fifteen points. Still huge, compared to everything else he’d seen, but miserable and meaningless to give him a significant boost to getting past level forty. Joe took a moment, running a bit of math before figuring out that just the five levels from forty five to fifty would take almost a year. Well, earth year. Only just over three quarters of a year here.
Still, the amount of time necessary to hit fifty, a year per job, was exorbitant and he would only really be able to afford to get a dozen to fifty before he was past his prime and no longer able to easily level by combat. Maybe there are other easy ways to level? How would you even do that? Nothing seems…
Joe trailed off with the death of the next goblin and let himself fade into a trance, allowing his mind to retreat and his senses to take the fore, all thought focused only on quickly and easily dispatching each new monster as it came. Joe kept it up for a while until he noticed Garnedell stagger back in exhaustion and he flicked his eyes over to see Kilniara and Zilnek also exhausted, although a bit better off. Took it slower, maybe?
Joe waved Garnedell back, waving to the corner, “Go take a rest. I’ll take over.”
Garnedell waved in utter exhaustion as he turned and stumbled to the corner, “Yes, master. Thank you, master.”
Wow. He really is tired. Joe didn’t reply to his mistake, not wishing to make it worse although he did let a smile grow. The current goblin dropped quickly and he didn’t wait to bring another. He ended up fighting another five or so before Zilnek joined him in the middle of the sixth. Joe glanced at him before he looked across the way to see Garnedell and Kilniara also once again fighting their goblins and Joe settled back into his zone, although made sure to keep an eye on Zilnek as well as offering pointers and general advice.
Zilnek listened well then tired before retreating to the corner as Joe continued his fight and was soon joined by Kilniara. She remained silent for the fight and remained so for another couple of fights before taking a moment during a brief respite to clear her throat and try to get his attention. He halted his move to draw the attention of another goblin and looked back at her. She stood facing him but had her head dropped down and away from him, her face slightly covered by her hair but not enough to hide her embarrassed red blush. Joe smiled and turned back to her.
“You need to talk,” Joe stated, not bothering to make it a question.
Kilniara said nothing and Joe waited for a bit before nodding and offering an olive branch, “Talk when you want to. I’ll grab the next goblin. When you’re ready, just go ahead and start talking.”
Kilniara said nothing but then nodded jerkily and Joe offered his own nod in return before heading back out to pull another goblin. They continued in silence for another two or three fights before Kilniara finally found the courage to speak.
“Why?” Kilniara asked with a hint of hurt and anger.