Karl spent much of the morning studying the book on tactics, and trying to imagine lots of scenarios with different monster spawns and more clever ways of fighting them. He talked over his ideas with some of the others, and Alain showed off his whittling skills as he turned several branches into a bunch of stakes that stacked in inventory. Karl gladly took a bunch for use if they encountered animals like boars again and needed to stop a charge, and decided to save an inventory slot for them.
Early in the afternoon, Dwayne and Turtle stopped by, asking for help dealing with a set of ape-like monsters called carags. Karl wondered if he was “splitting the party” too much, but after talking it over with others, decided that the threat to the cocoon was fairly low, given how many monsters had been cleared out of the area, and the attacking group could always retreat if the carags proved too tough.
Karl cast Guardian Angel on the cocoon and went out to help along with Terry, leaving everyone else to defend the cocoon for a while. That fight took an annoyingly long time (made even longer by Terry's repeated references to “gorilla tactics.”) Eventually they got the last of them, and Karl had never dropped below a third health even when three of them had ganged up on him.
The monsters dropped good loot at least; Terry got another, tougher looking Staff of Healing, and Dwayne got a sort of monocle that acted like a telescope and could be controlled by the System interface. There wasn't any special loot suitable for Karl, but the fight gave just enough experience to finally get the paladin to eighth level.
Having considered it a few times over the past week, he immediately assigned his free stat points. One point went into Constitution because more health was always a good thing. For the other, with some misgivings, Karl put it into Personality. He reasoned that he should bring up his lowest stat, and his poor Personality score was causing or describing a real problem he had with people sometimes. He was wary of doing anything to alter his mind, though. He wanted to put a point into Intelligence but decided against it, as always. He had enough for a front line fighter, and other things were more pressing. That done, he took another look at his stat screen.
Sir Karl Friedrich Hausman
Class: paladin
Level: 8
Experience: 150/32000
Health: 364/364
Mana: 350/350
Stamina: 180/180
Endurance: 32
Body: 10.0 (Strength: 14, Constitution: 10, Agility: 6)
Mind: 7.7 (Intelligence: 9, Willpower: 8, Aptitude: 6)
Social: 6.3 (Charisma: 11, Personality: 4, Allure: 4)
Skills:
Analyze Creature (1)
Brawling (5)
Short Spear (2)
Shield Bash (4)
Short sword (4)
Sense Deceit (3)
Righteous Presence (4)
Leadership (4)
Broadsword (3)
Ministering to the Faithful (1)
Spells:
Healing Hands (6)
Purge Poison (1)
Spellsword (2)
Guardian Aura—upgraded to Guardian Angel (2)
Circumstantial Prayer (3)
Blessing of Courage (1)
Karl spent the walk back to the clearing thinking over his interactions with people, trying to see what if anything was different. He couldn't tell. Maybe it will help me get along with people better? I hope I didn't just waste the stat point.
They returned with time to spare. By late afternoon, everyone was hanging out in the clearing, anticipating the opening of the cocoon. Karl kept sneaking looks at the alien betting pool/poll thing, but it gave him no new information and he put away his pad when Chenelle got curious as to what he was looking at.
Terry disappeared for a little while. Eventually they heard her calling out. “Hey guys, it's okay if Ethan hangs out with us while we wait, right?”
Sure enough, the man joined them a minute later and dropped Stealth. “Excuse the intruding,” he muttered. “Just wanted to use the Shop if that's all right.”
Naturally there were no objections to that, and Ethan discovered what being pestered by an eighth level Prowler was like. Terry wanted him to teach her how to raise her Stealth as high as his, and must have asked him a dozen different ways over the next while. The big man looked decidedly ill at ease around her and finally her mother reined her in.
Tabitha was white as a sheet, and Chenelle tried to get her to eat something but she shook her head violently at the suggestion. That gave Karl an idea though, so he distracted Terry by asking her to hold on to several hot meals that he purchased from the Shop. Jo might well be ravenous when she comes out.
Murray kept using some kind of druid sense but had nothing to report. He couldn't tell what was going on within the cocoon any more than anyone else, other than to say that there was definitely something alive inside. Ethan kept his distance from everyone else, clearly skittish but curious.
The change, when it finally came, was abrupt. There was the explosive sound of splintering wood, and the cocoon shook, then tore slightly open from the inside, forming a crack on top running the length of the thing. Everyone jumped back a little. Tabitha looked indecisive about whether to back up or charge forward; she hovered in place uncertainly. There was a loud, ragged gasp, and then two hands covered in something like mud appeared and pried the halves of the cocoon farther apart.
“Tabby?” The voice was deep and sounded a little like rocks or gravel grinding. “Tabby?” The voice got louder, sounding more anxious. Tabitha flew forward and clutched at one of the hands with both of hers. Everyone else stayed back. Karl wondered what she saw inside and held his breath.
“Here! Jo?”
“You okay?” the voice rumbled. Tabitha hesitated for a couple of seconds before nodding. She inched forward jerkily and then kissed the hand she was holding. The pieces of the cocoon creaked as if the contents were laying back down. “Good...good. Sweetie, I feel kinda weird. Uh...Status.” Everyone waited nervously. There was a long pause. “Uh...what?”
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Murray moved forward slowly until he was standing at the foot of the cocoon looking directly down into it. He glanced at the others. “Could someone fetch a large sheet or a blanket? And maybe a wet cloth?” Barbara nodded and headed for the Safe Zone building at a quick jog. Murray cleared his throat. “Hi there. Uh, I guess I'm like your doctor here. Can you tell me your full name?”
“Josephine Bell. Hi, Murray.”
“And—-?”
“She's Tabitha Addams, the love of my life... I'm 22 years old ...and I live in Endurance. Did...did you bring me back from the dead?”
“I did my best.”
“I'm different.”
“Yes. Can you...share your Status?”
“Uhh...” Jo coughed. “I need a bath.”
“Whatever you need. Jo, can you share your Status, please?”
“Uhhh...I don't remember how.”
Murray held up his hand. “Jo, how many fingers am I holding up?”
“One...two.”
“That's right. How many is this?”
A longer pause. “One...two...three...four. Four.”
“Right again.”
“...I'm dumb now, aren't I?”
Murray barely hesitated. “That's what I'm trying to check. Jo, can you read your Status? Can you read the words?”
Pause. “Uh huh.”
“Can you see what it says about Intelligence?”
“Uh...” There was a very long pause. “Oh.” Jo said nothing more while the silence stretched.
“Jo?” Tabitha prodded eventually.
“I'm sorry, Tabby. I'm so sorry...” Jo rumbled, starting to cry.
“Sh sh sh! No! No! It's okay. You'll get it back. You'll get it back. You'll get it back. Just be patient. I'm here. I'm always here. I'll help. I love you.” It was by far the longest string of words Karl had ever heard from the pyromancer, and she visibly struggled to get all the words out but managed it. “Let me see, Jo. Can you let me see your Status? Please?” She leaned closer and murmured to her lover for a minute.
A long pause. “Good, Jo. Thank you. You're so brave. You saved me. Again.” Tabitha looked off into space for a moment, then frowned. She turned and looked at Murray, then Chenelle, and then Karl.
You have died.
You have been resurrected by the Druid spell Cocoon.
Effects:
You have lost one level due to the caster being fifth level.
Health +250
Mana -70
Stamina +68
Stat Changes:
Strength +4
Constitution +10
Intelligence -5
Willpower +4
Aptitude -3
Charisma -4
Allure -4
You have lost 6 skill slots.
>
Karl cleared his throat, deciding how to summarize for the others. “Her stats have changed a lot. Some up, some down. She lost some skills, but she's tougher than before. A lot tougher.”
“I'll take care of you until you're all better. I love you, Jo. I will always love you, okay? Can you be strong for me? Can you do what I say for a little bit?”
So, she can talk when she has to. When it's important enough. Good. Jo will need her help.
“Any...anything for you, Tabby.”
“You're going to get all better. We're going to get you cleaned up, and...and dressed, and we're going to go out and kill lots of monsters until you level, and then we're going to put both your points into Intelligence, and then we'll do it again, and then you'll be just about back to normal there.”
“Am I ugly?”
Tabitha shook her head. “Not to me. You're my beautiful Jo, no matter what you look like.”
“...I'm ugly.”
“You're fine. Anybody says different? I'll show them why I like fire.”
Barbara returned and handed Tabitha a wet cloth. The short caster bobbed her head in thanks. “Now let's get you cleaned up, I want to see the new you.”
“Okay.” Jo stood up.
She was taller than before, maybe six foot two. She was also filthy, covered in some sort of peat or moss so that they couldn't see more details. My God, I hope she's just dirty. I hope that's not her skin now. Karl couldn't help the thought. Tabitha looked as if she might have the same fears, as she gingerly cleaned one hand, then visibly sighed in relief and started cleaning more vigorously.
“...'m hungry.”
“Okay, my love. You're all dirty right now, but—”
“Hungry.”
Terry leaned in with a plate of meatballs and spaghetti. Tabitha grabbed a meatball with her fingers. “Open.”
“Aaaahhh...” Tabitha popped the meatball into Jo's mouth.
“Good girl.” Tabitha fed her the rest of the meatballs the same way. Then they wrapped a sheet around her and led her off to the bathroom to get cleaned up properly. Ethan hurried to move out of the way. Karl noticed that the big man was holding a pose as if he were expecting combat at any moment.
When it became clear that the women would be a while, Karl walked over to Ethan. “Ethan, i'm really glad you're here. I have a big favor to ask you.”
“What's the favor?” Ethan asked warily, his face going still.
“I want you to come back with us to Endurance when we bring Jo in.”
The big man stared at him for several seconds. “You wanna give 'em somebody to hate so's they don't hate her.” Karl was shaking his head and waving his hands in denial before Ethan had finished speaking.
“No, no, no. I don't want anybody hating anybody, but if I introduce you both at the same time, maybe you'll each only get part of the trouble you'd get if you came alone. A burden shared is halved.” The ex-convict stared at him. “I'm hoping it makes it easier for everyone. What do you think? Is it a bad idea? Am I rude for asking? I...don't know how to get people to be accepting. I mean, I know how to tell them to, but...” Karl sighed. “We're stronger together. And we've all got a common enemy now, the monsters and aliens. I know I'm asking a lot.”
Ethan regarded him for several more moments after he fell silent. Finally he sighed. “Lemme think about it.”
Karl nodded. “Thank you.”
They waited around outside for a full thirty minutes. Finally the pair came back out and people got their first good look at the new Jo.
In addition to being taller, Jo's skin was dark green and looked rough, almost like tree bark. She also had pointed ears and red eyes, making her seem fairly menacing. More worrisome, she looked like a monster now. She was wearing new armor that gleamed, and carried a giant shield and a big sword. She and Tabitha sat down on a bench built onto the outside wall of the Safe Zone building, and Tabitha kept providing food and water, which Jo devoured as a seemingly bottomless pit.
“Where's m'old armor?” Jo asked between bites.
Murray cleared his throat. “I think...it's part of you now, Jo. I think you might have some metal bones made out of your armor and sword and shield.”
“Weird spell.” Murray nodded and shrugged. Jo bobbed her head. “Thank you. I died an' you brought me back so I can still protect Tabby. Thanks.” Jo thumped her armor over her belly. “Metal bones. Huh. Cool.”
Then she sighed. “I forgot my skills.”
“That's okay, Jo. You remember how to fight with a sword and a shield. You'll get the rest back.”
“We're all just really happy to have you back, Jo,” Chenelle put in.
“Hear hear!” Everyone made noises of agreement.
“Okay.” Jo stood up. “I wanna kill things now.”
“We've sort of killed everything nearby already, so that they wouldn't hurt you.”
“Then let's go home. Endurance. I'll kill marshmallows...you know what I mean.”
“That's a good idea.”
Everyone packed up quickly, and the party headed west. The two slowest people were Tabitha and Alain. Jo simply picked Tabitha up and put her on her shoulders. Alain earned another stat point the hard way, and they made good time. Ethan kept vanishing and returning, presumably scouting ahead. By sunset, the walls of Endurance came into view.