As I enter the lobby I see sunlight streaming in through the glass doors. Beyond them I see zombies milling around in the street. At the sight of me they moan and start shambling to the doors.
Ignoring them as I race up to the seventh floor. There I find Decker in the area that’s become the go to meeting place.
Angila and some people from the restaurant sit in the booths. In total I only count eight people, including Angila, sitting down.
Decker turns to me as he notices my arrival. A grin splits his face making me feel welcomed here.
“Good morning. We were waiting for you.” Decker says
“I’m sorry. Did you wait long?”
“Don’t worry about it. So the people here want access to the class selection. I was hoping you could take them out and help them get their first kills.” Decker says.
Looking over, I catch Abby's gaze and remember the promise she made me make to her. I’m willing to help her but looking at the other people I feel as if helping the other six to level up is going to be a headache.
“What about weapons for them?” I ask.
“I’ve been thinking about that. We can fashion spears out of the brooms and mops that the janitorial crew used. And in the garage some of the company trucks should have shovels and other tools.” Decker says.
“I think having such a large group outside is going to be dangerous. Especially if I’m alone.” I say.
“I figured we’d send only a group of five out at a time. And you won’t be alone, Angila has agreed to help.” Decker says.
Thinking it over I find no other arguments about helping the people get their first level. With Angila and I being two of the five that leaves three slots for the seven people. I want to take Abby out first leaving two more slots.
“Who are we taking out first?” I ask
“That’s up to you. Take it easy and as soon as all of them have the class option, bring them back and take the other group out.” Decker says.
“Alright, does anyone want to go first?” I ask the group.
Abby raises her hand first followed by three others. I randomly pick two and make my way down to the third floor. There we find the storage room for the janitors and find one broom and mop with wooden handles. All the rest are cheap plastic or metals that bend easily.
I take the knife off of my belt and hand it to Angila. I ask her to fashion one end of the mop into a point or sorts. Taking the broom I form a tendral of mana imagining it to have a sharp blade on one side.
The mana responds faster to my call and I feel that my control over it is better than before. The energy takes on the shape of a scythe. I command it to cut into the wood and feel giddy as I watch the wood be cut into.
So either Wisdom or Will Power gives me better control over my mana. As before I raised either I couldn’t make the mana cut into things unless I was rotating it like a saw.
Looking back I see the group of two girls and one man just watching me and Angila fashion the wooden poles into spears. Keeping a mental focus on the spear that I’m making, I turn to the group.
“Let's head down to the garage and see if we can find a shovel.” I say.
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We walk down to the garage and I guide us to where the company cars are kept. Down on the second level of the garage sits three large trucks in a five spot space labeled “Company Cars”. In the bed of the first truck we find a shovel like Decker said there would be.
While still fashioning a spear I take the shovel out of the bed of the truck and hand it to the other man in the group, Rabecca. After I turn my focus solely back on the spear.
“You're more assertive than usual.” Someone says.
Looking back at the group I see Abby staring at me smiling.
“Is it because that man gave you a mission?” She asks.
“What?”
“Usually your head hangs low and you act like you’re a piece of furniture. But right now you’re standing tall and your head isn’t hanging.”
That spark of annoyance from earlier flares up. What is she even saying? I don’t act like I’m furniture, I'm just observant. And I don’t hang my head.
“I don’t hang my head.” I tell her
“Oh your face is scary now.” She says giggling to herself.
Her giggles sound like what I imagine maple syrup to taste, I’ve never had it. The sweetness of it only adds to the annoyance building in me.
“I don’t have to teach you to fight.” I say.
Her giggles instantly stop as a pout crosses her face.
“Don’t be mean. You promised.”
“And you’re being annoying.”
Her pout deepens and I feel as if I’m looking down at a puppy.
“Please teach me. I’ll stop.”
I sigh as the annoyance dies away in me.
“Fine.”
At the end of our conversation I take a few more seconds to focus on the spear. Pressing my finger against it I feel as if I’ve done as much as I can. Turning to Angila I see her brow furrowed in concentration as she widdles the wood down with the knife.
“Why aren’t you using mana?” I ask.
Angila stops and looks at me blankly.
“I tried but it didn't cut well. I have no idea how you managed.”
“What’s your Will Power and Wisdom at?”
Angila’s eyes glaze over as she reads through her stats screen.
“My Will Power is four and my Wisdom is eight. Is that low?” she asks.
Thinking back to my base score I honestly don’t know if they’re considered low or not. I have no clue what the average is. Remembering the first title I got claiming I was four times smarter than the average person must mean that five is average. Unless the system calculates everything in some other way.
“I don’t think so but it won’t hurt to put some points into that if you get the chance. For now try imagining a current of mana running around the edge of the blade. Like a chainsaw.” I tell her.
Her eyes close as blue veins of mana spread over her skin. The blue light coats the blade of my knife and I can feel more than see it’s rotations. Nowhere near as fast as I was with it.
She opens her eyes and presses the knife into the wood. The knife glides through the wood like butter shaving chunks off a lot faster than before. In only a few moments she’s dones half of the work she had without the mana.
As a group we head towards the lobby as Angila finishes the spear. I hand the spear I worked on to Abby and we waited for Agnilia to finish. Once done she hands the second spear to Kyle, the other member of the group.
With everyone armed and ready to hunt I take a final assessment of the group. There’s already two zombies on Everett street beating on the door. If they complete that quest thing by killing a zombie then all we need to do is find one other and this group will have their classes available.
I take a second to think of the best way to make it easy for them to kill the zombies. I could always bind them with mana but that drains me quickly. However now that I can cut with my mana then maybe I can paralyze them or something.
“Let’s head out the Kitchen entrance. I don’t think it’s safe to head out this way.” I tell the group.
As we enter the dark windowless hallway to the kitchen I extend my field of mana around me and conjure a light. As we pass through the kitchen I catch sight of Andy. His eyes lock onto mine with scorn and anger.
Personally the more I’m around the guy the less I like him.
Looking out the glass door I find no zombies in the street. I take out my master key and unlock the door and let the group file out. Once we’re all out I lock the door behind us and I take point with Abby behind me followed by Kyle and then Rabeca. Angila takes up the rear keeping an eye out for any movement.