"Of course, right away," Lisa said immediately, no nonsense whatsoever in her voice. "Sort." The papers on her desk piled themselves on a corner of the desk, and she put her hand on a runic circle burned into the desk. "Mana Manipulation." A warping of the air around Lisa's arm was pushed into the circle and the entire building began to glow red.
Lisa spoke, and the building boomed with her voice. "Adventurers. There is a monster approaching the gates."
"Level is 35, its some multi-headed green snake with legs," The guard said, looking slightly better.
At least he isn't panting anymore, Kyle thought. That was a quick recovery on that wise, although panting was always the easy thing to get rid of. A couple of seconds to breathe and focus and you go back to normal breathing.
Level of the monster is 35, monster is unknown, description is that of a multi-headed green snake with legs. All adventurers present, please group up in the reception area with your party if you have one, Those without a party, find a party you can work with. we head out in three minutes." Lisa removed her hand from the circle and stopped channeling mana as people began clattering into the room, carrying or in the process of equipping various weapons, armor, and shields.
"How much mana does it take to power that?" Kyle asked Lisa.
"A fair amount. The paths for the mana to go through are pretty efficient, but the enchantment still takes a good 10 mana per second to maintain, and 20 mana just to start it," Lisa replied in an exhausted voice. "Fortunately, my creativity is high enough that I can regenerate my mana pretty quickly."
So Creativity corresponds with Wisdom in most games, dictating mana recovery. "What stat dictates stamina recovery?" Kyle asked, ignoring the expressions of shock on all the people close enough to hear him.
"People have wondered if there is a hidden stat that decides that, but most people think that it is just the Constitution stat, which neatly explains why it always takes the same amount of time for stamina to recover in full," Lisa said. "Now, I believe that I have a adventurers to lead, so either come along or stop distracting me."
Kyle nodded, and turned to Millie's dad. "Will you be helping them as well?"
"Oh no, I'd only get in the way," Millie's dad exclaimed. "My build is pretty well optimized for farming and the occasional wilderness survival trip."
Kyle followed Lisa as she walked over to help someone get their armor together. "Could you do Sort, and hold it just before release? I think helping some of these people by sorting their armor could be useful, but I don't have time to go add it right now. I think I can copy it with Mana Manipulation."
"I guess," Lisa said. "Sort! Mana Manipulation!" A small web of white mist snapped into being in front of her hand, pointing at a suit of armor piled on the ground in front of a large elf with an even larger sword.
"Mana Manipulation," Kyle said. On a hunch, he pulled on feelings of order and created an Identical web of white mist, and tied it off. "Thanks. You can let it resolve now, I built my own template."
Lisa shrugged and the web flew at the pile and laid it out on the floor, looking a little like someone had decided to take a nap there. Kyle walked around, finding the worst piles of armor that people had and building a second copy of the spell to release at it. On his fifth copy, though, he felt completely drained. somehow. Kyle found one last catastrophe, released his prototype, and went back to Lisa, just in time for her to say that they were leaving. Kyle followed the throng of adventurers out and over to the gate with a little apprehension, jogging to the beat of his heartbeat and a booming knock that gradually got louder as they approached.
Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
Some groups got together as they arrived at the gate, and their leaders said something that created a blue web of connections that connected each person with the other members of their team.
Skill Requirements Met!
Create Party Available
That seems useful, Kyle thought. I wonder if it's an experience share or a chat function. I suppose it could be both.
They moved towards the stairs of the wall, and the gate splintered inward, revealing a very large monster. Kyle was mildly impressed by his reaction time as he nearly instantly raised his pistol and fired into the monster. Unfortunately, the next sound he heard was of an empty click as Kyle realized the massive snake-lizard had just tanked the last bullet of this clip.
Great. That's the last thing I needed, Kyle thought. then the other adventurers attacked.
Skill Requirements Met!
Icicle Blast Available
Scorching Ray Available
Frozen Shackles Available
Windslice Available
Kyle turned away from the sudden strobe of headache inducing lights and mist that flew at the beast, focusing on reloading his gun with his backup clip. The only one left. I have to make these count. 18 shots.
He turned back to the monster, which was snapping at the adventurers around it, who were smacking it with swords.
Skill Requirements Met!
Swordplay Available
Suddenly, one of the hits drew blood. "Alright everyone, go for the kill!" shouted Lisa. Many incoherent shouts followed, and the adventurers' weapons shone as they struck at the beast again.
Skill Requirements Met!
Vorpal Slice Available
Dance of the Flaming Edge Available
Extended Slash Available
Sever Available
The monster lost its heads and legs, crashing to the ground. Then, the necks and legs bulged, and the appendages multiplied.
Skill Requirements Met!
Multiplicative Regeneration Available
"Its a Hydra!" Kyle shouted, and pointed to the only stump of neck that hadn't grown anything. "If you cauterize the wound after you make it, or probably even cause the wound with a fire skill, then it won't be able to regenerate. Whoever used Dance of the Flaming Edge, keep doing so. Everyone else, focus on burning the wounds that are caused."
One of the adventurers looked at Kyle with a startled expression, as the others stepped back to pull out torches or ready spells. The one who remained behind dodged a head and slashed it off, his sword bursting alight as he did so. Some of those with torches spoke with those without, and then stepped forward again, slashing at the hydra. A barrage of spells followed each time a head was severed.
Kyle raised his pistol, taking a shuddering breath. In, and out. Can't afford to hit anyone else. He aimed, taking another deep breath, and fired into the hydra's eye.
Lv. 35 Hydra Defeated!
Experience Awarded!
Level Up Available