Chapter 19
Jay woke as the sun peeked over the horizon, shining a bright dappled pattern of oranges and yellows in to his room. Very difficult to sleep through, Jay thought, probably a good thing.
Having no intentions of going back to sleep he got up and headed off to breakfast with a yawn. Aiden was already there.
“Not about to miss breakfast two days in a row I see.” Jay teased Aiden lightly.
“You're not kidding. I was hungry all yesterday morning, that's no way to go through a day,” Aiden said in between bites. “How are you doing?”
“I'm ok. Tired. My arms are sore but at least the bruising went away quickly.” Jay said while poking at one of his arms where it had been slightly bruised the night before. Healing seemed to work much more quickly on Eden.
“How are you and M'redith getting along?” Aiden asked, looking up from his breakfast to watch Jay's facial expression before Aiden's eyes widened.
Jay opened his mouth to answer when another voice behind him spoke, “Oh don't let me interrupt, I'm curious to hear this,” M'redith said as she sat down next to Jay with a tray of food. “How are we Jay?” she asked teasingly while smiling and batting her eyelashes at him.
Jay closed his mouth in embarrassment then opened it again. “What? We're great. Did we have an argument I didn't know about or something?”
M'redith and Aiden both laughed at Jay's discomfort and confusion. “Good.” she said. “I think we're doing ok too.”
“What about us though M'redith, how are we doing?” Aiden asked jokingly looking over at her with puppy dog eyes.
“Oh good news. We are still ok.” M'redith said still laughing but dropped the topic which saved Jay from further embarrassment.
Running out of time to chat the three put away their trays and headed to class. They were not the only ones, or even the only class. There were many students some of which appeared to be quite experienced with worn equipment and wearing various armors. Jay guessed that some of them had to be full members. It didn't appear as if training stopped upon graduation.
They entered the domed building they had nicknamed the 'training dome' and found it set up much like it had been the day before. “Form up in to your weapon groups!” T'lly called out, being the only one up on the podium. Warren was not present but T'lly's volume and intensity more than made up for it. There were more students there than just Jay's class and everyone would be given a chance to practice with each person in their weapon group.
“FORM UP!” T'lly yelled out in a voice that brooked no dissent, the students instinctively obeying out of self preservation if not obedience.
“Where's Warren?” one of the students asked, feeling safe among the crowd of students. Jay couldn't be sure which one had spoken.
“He's not here obviously which is all you need to know, or does he have to check in with you every class? BEGIN EXCERCISES.” she shouted at the student.
Jay was paired up with a blond haired student named Kit who was much younger than Jay. Kit was a Mage who could not see the point in practicing with a staff when he would be able to dish out far more magical damage once he leveled up a bit. It showed in his form and Jay frequently got past his defenses.
T'lly of course eventually noticed this and set Kit aside off by himself, “HEY. If you aren't even going to try why don't you just get out? Stop wasting my time and everyone else's. Go stand over there while everyone else learns from class. You can rejoin us once you make up your mind whether or not you want to be here!”
T'lly glared at the rest of the class who had slowed down their workouts to watch the unfolding drama. Watching T'lly yell at someone was entertaining until it happened to you. “Did I blackout somehow and tell you all to slack off without knowing it? I swear I would remember that kind of thing.” she growled at the students who all quickly looked away and rapidly returned to what they were supposed to be doing. Training.
Jay was paired up with a stronger student after that and got hit more often. He also learned much more than he would have beating up Kit. Every so often they would switch partners and begin their exercises anew. Hours went by and Jay was relieved when T'lly finally called a break.
“That was gods awful people,” she stated loudly. “You're all pretty much beginners though, so that is to be expected. I do not expect you to know everything. Some of you I don't expect to know anything at all. Your ignorance,” she stated followed with a long pause, “can be corrected. I can accept that, you're all new. What I can not and will not accept is a lack of effort in training. Or in class. Or out in the real world.”
She walked to the podium and produced a small notebook in her hands in which she made a couple of quick notes before looking back at the class. “Tonight I want you all to ask yourselves if you trained as hard as you could today – or if you did just what was required of you. The difference will be noticed by the trainers I can promise you that. More importantly though is what it says about you as a person and as a future Guild member.”
She looked around at the various students all panting and groaning from various wounds and bruises. “Healers make your rounds before leaving. You know the drill, anything that will heal on its own in a day should be left to heal on its own. Dismissed.”
The students all filed out of the building and off to lunch. No one stayed behind to attempt conversation with T'lly, and she didn't seem at all broken up over it.
Lunch was a simple affair made up of chunks of bread, sliced meats of unknown origin (at least for Jay), and a fruit that tasted like a tart peach which was Jay's new favorite fruit. He still didn't know the name of it.
When they finished eating M'redith took their trays up to the counter while Jay and Aiden talked.
“What are you doing after class tonight?” Aiden asked.
“Well...” Jay started hesitantly unsure if he should really say anything, “M'redith really wanted to see a play but couldn't find anyone who would go with her. Its not really my kind of thing but then she offered to pay. So I'm going with her just to keep her company.”
Aiden stared at Jay for a second just to be sure he was serious and not joking. Instead of teasing him though he pointed over at M'redith who was in line to return the trays. “Look at her. Really look at her. Does she really look like she couldn't find someone to go to a play with her if she really wanted to go?”
Jay watched her stand in line while chatting pleasantly with the people around her. He saw a few people checking her out when she wasn't paying attention to them. She was pretty, beautiful even, and had something about her that just made you want to be around her. At least that is how Jay felt when he looked at her.
Aiden didn't let up, “Gods, she asked you out on a date and you're making her pay for it?!”
Jay tried to defend himself, “She offered!”
Aiden shook his head not agreeing at all, “Sure, after you tried to get out of going by saying you didn't like that kind of play!”
“Its not a date. We're friends.” Jay insisted.
“Two things can be true! You can be friends AND be going on a date! Ok. Fine. Tell yourself whatever you'd like but I'm telling you, you're going on a date tonight whether you meant to or not. You do what you want.” Aiden said with a half grin as he sighed, getting up just as M'redith returned.
“Ok. Let's do this!” M'redith said.
“Oh absolutely let's do this.” Aiden agreed while looking at Jay with a teasing expression on his face.
M'redith smiled at Jay, looking up at him, and he unexpectedly felt butterflies in his stomach. “Crap,” Jay thought, realizing that Aiden was probably right.
The afternoon Dungeon Room session was just the 13 students from his class and when they arrived they found that Warren had already set up the final room, which was obscured by a fog that wouldn't go away until the party entered the room.
“Ok everyone its time for your favorite part of the day.” Warren said. “You get to just sit there and listen and speak up when you know the answer. Easy stuff!” everyone laughed a little bit and became more at ease not seeing T'lly anywhere nearby.
“Yesterday we went over the rooms of a dungeon as well as the traps and triggers we found along the way. Today we will tackle the final room. Does anyone here not know what a Traveler's Dungeon is?” Warren asked with a kind look on his face. Warren had a way of asking questions that didn't make you feel stupid for not knowing the answers. A few students raised their hands. Warren looked to be counting them and then continued.
“Traveler's Dungeons are usually packed with traps but rarely monsters. The final rooms of which do nothing and contain no rewards or treasure. They're useless to everyone but Traveler's apparently. This brings up a valuable teaching point.” Warren said as he approached five students while collecting their Figurines.
He placed the Figurines in the room outside of the final room on the table. “Look at these five group members. Tank, Healer, and three DPS.” he said as he pointed to each Figurine in turn. “Can anyone tell me what the problem here is?”
Jay went to raise his hand but stopped when Warren gave him a slight shake of his head. “Anyone? Anyone but Jay?” No one answered even after Warren gave them a solid minute to think about it. “Right. Jay could you please explain?”
The entryway doors opened for a moment as T'lly and an older well dressed gentleman took up a spot behind the class where they could see both the students and the large screen. The students all turned to look at the newcomers.
“EYES FRONT.” snapped T'lly and the students quickly looked back up at Warren then over at Jay.
“Like you just said, Traveler's Dungeons just do not appear to work for others. The rewards also seem to be reserved for Traveler's. The group you set out does not have a Traveler in it. The final room will fail to activate without one.” Jay stated, his words coming out a little too fast due to being nervous.
Out of the corner of his eye he saw the well dressed gentleman lean over to speak with T'lly in a voice too hushed to carry. After a few moments he looked directly over at Jay who studiously kept his eyes on Warren.
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“The problem here,” Warren said, “is that someone has to go. You will all probably run in to a situation like this at some point during your career. There are five spots, one of which is needed for a specific purpose. In this case the group can't beat the dungeon without a Traveler in their group. Other times you will find it necessary to swap out a member for a different reason. No matter the reason you should be able to discuss it in a calm and productive manner.”
“Now, who shall we swap out?” asked Warren with a grin.
The students all started talking at once over each other. Everyone had an opinion. T'lly shook her head at the class' behavior. After a moment she visibly couldn't take it anymore. “QUIET! One at a time! What are you, children? Raise your hand and you will be called on since you can't discuss things calmly on your own!” she yelled. A hush fell over the students and a few immediately raised their hands.
Warren looked over at T'lly with a grin. He looked like he was having a great time. “What you all just did is exactly what usually happens when an undisciplined group tries to swap out a member. In the future what you should do is first identify who is vital to the group. In this example who is most important to the group?”
A few hands went down while others were raised and Warren called on each in turn. “The Tank!” said one student. “Healer!!” insisted another. P'trick didn't raise his hand but yelled out “DPS!”
Jay had been keeping an eye on the well dressed man standing with T'lly off to the side of the students and noticed him visibly wince at P'trick's outburst. T'lly looked at the well dressed man's expression but said nothing.
“Great answers everyone,” said Warren, “but I think you are all forgetting something. The dungeon won't work without a Traveler. So who in this case is the most important to the group?”
One of the students finally raised a hand and spoke once Warren called on him. “The Traveler. What would be the point of going in the dungeon otherwise?”
“Excellent!” Warren said praising the student who got the answer right. “As long as the Traveler is in the group you have a chance at completing the dungeon. Ok, who else do we need?”
The students weren't as fast with their hands this time and only one hesitantly raised their hands. Warren pointed at the woman, a tank from the look of her green armor.
“You need a tank to take hits and a healer,” she said.
“Good. Good.” Warren said nodding. “Both are needed in a dungeon, but so are DPS. Without damage dealers your healer will run out of mana long before your enemies run out of health.”
P'trick raised his hand, speaking with a mocking tone before he was called upon. “It sounds like you're saying everyone is needed.”
Warren sighed at P'trick's inability to follow even the simplest rules but answered anyway. “Yes. I am. And therein lies the problem. Everyone is needed. Every person you put in to your party takes a spot away from someone else. There are no easy answers. And yet you still must solve this problem. Who will we swap out?”
The students discussed it among themselves before the woman in the green armor raised her hand. Warren pointed at her. Taking a breath she said “It has to be one of the dps.”
“Great! Now we're getting somewhere.” said Warren excitedly, “We have three dps here. Two of them are of similar strength. The third is stronger and if you measured by strength alone would be the strongest damage dealer by far.”
“Well that's easy then,” P'trick said with a shrug, “drop one of the two less powerful DPS.”
Warren shook his head clearly disappointed. “You might expect things to work out like that. The strong often do. However that is not what usually happens in reality.” Warren pointed at the green armored tank, “You are given a choice between the three DPS I just spoke about. I will give you some additional information however. The third DPS, the one stronger than the other two, doesn't follow even the simplest directions and doesn't appear to have any care for the safety of his group members. Who do you choose?”
The green armored tank didn't even hesitate, “I drop the third DPS.”
“Swap you mean,” Warren gently corrected her.
“No,” she insisted, “I would drop them, find another to take their spot. I wouldn't want them in my group at all.”
The class went quiet as Warren nodded. P'trick looked furious as Warren picked up his Figurine off of the table and handed it back to him without comment. He gently took Jay's figurine and placed it on the table next to the woman in green armor's Figurine.
“Strength,” he said softly, “is not everything. It is not enough.”
Jay raised his hand and Warren pointed at him. “Why not just bring a group of six?”
The group murmured to each other clearly disturbed by the question.
Warren made a calming motion with his hands, “Settle down everyone. In case you haven't been paying attention or just didn't know, Traveler's don't grow up learning all the things you and I take for granted. Jay it is well known that bringing more than 5 members in to a dungeon is terrible luck. Its called The Curse of the 6th for a reason. That's just a fancy way of saying that horrible things befall groups that break the group limit of five members.”
No more questions followed and the final room of the dungeon began. The Figurines of Jay the Adventurer, Mia the Fighter (Tank), Aiden the Healer, Joshua the Mage, and Carly, the other Mage all gathered in front of the door to the final room.
“Ok class, here we go!” exclaimed Warren happily.
Jay was volun-told instead of volunteered by his group to look for traps on the door but the group was overridden by Warren. “Jay has already done this dungeon how about you four give it a try? Jay will handle anything that requires a Traveler but you will handle the rest.” he gently ordered the group.
The class all helped the group search for, find, and disarm the trap on the door. As it opened the fog in the last room dispersed leaving it exactly as he remembered it. The group's Figurines filed in slowly, Mia the Fighter leading them. The dps went next followed by Aiden and Jay.
“So what do we have here everyone?” Warren asked the class as they all peered at the final room. “There's a little podium thing in the back!” said one person. Others remarked on the empty table and tried to move the tiles on the table but they wouldn't budge. Mia and the dps finally focused on the large stone square by the room's entrance.
Jay told the group, “Get ready things are about to start,” and touched a tile on the table he and Aiden stood next to. Immediately the table lit up for Jay with a scrambled image. Up on the screen it showed Jay's Figurine moving tiles back and forth but did not show the images on them that Jay saw.
With a howling grinding noise the giant stone cube began to unfold itself in to a giant stone golem. At first it wasn't too much of a problem and Mia easily kept it busy as the two Mages moved to the back of the room and out of the golem's range. They peppered its stone body with magics that did not appear to have any effect.
Leaving Mia's side suddenly the stone golem unfolded even further and whipped a limb across the room and crashed in to Joshua the Mage who was bounced off of the wall and his Figurine collapsed in a heap.
The students watched in horror as the golem absolutely destroyed the student's Figurines until only Jay, Aiden, and Mia were left. The golem chased Mia around the podium in the back of the room as Aiden frantically tried to heal her. Turning to Aiden the golem shot out a limb which Aiden avoided with a timely block from his staff.
“The exercises work!” Aiden said happily right before the golem turned back to Mia. This time she wasn't fast enough and as the golem chased her he managed to wrap her up in his arms until he held her body in one hand and her head in the other.
There was a popping noise as the golem pulled the Figurine apart just as Jay finished the tiled puzzle and completed the image. The stone golem slowly walked back to its earlier resting spot and folded back in to a large stone cube.
The class all sat quietly in horror at what had just happened and for a moment no one spoke.
“Great work everyone! I can't believe there were survivors!” Warren said cheerfully as the Figurines magically reassembled themselves from their various states of injury.
T'lly came up front while her guest stayed off to the side. “You all did much better than you might think. You're all level 1 or 2. Jay would you please tell the class the level of your partner when you ran this dungeon?”
Jay couldn't think of a reason to keep it secret so he answered honestly. “He was level 20. Or at least that is how he appeared to me.”
The class all groaned as they realized what they had been up against. It was a miracle anyone had survived at all.
“Like T'lly said, you did well,” Warren agreed. “You're not here to be perfect. You're here to make mistakes so we can teach you the right way to do things. Don't get discouraged. You'll see much more brutal dungeons before your time here is through.”
T'lly waved her arms at the class, “Go out and have a good weekend. Enjoy the use of all your limbs! Come Monday we start handling real traps!”
Jay met up with M'redith and Aiden outside the building and grinned. “Have fun?”
“Gods Jay that was horrible!” exclaimed Aiden, “That thing would have pulled my head off if you hadn't finished that puzzle when you did!”
“How did you even know what tiles went where?” M'redith asked slightly wide eyed and leaning up against him slightly.
“Oh that,” said Jay offhandedly. “The tiles aren't blank for me. It was just a scrambled picture of a temple. All I had to do was rearrange it so it wasn't scrambled.”
“Was that what it was like when you first ran it?” Aiden asked.
“Oh yeah.” Jay said nodding. “Only I solved it just before it pulled my partner's head off that time.”
Aiden went thoughtfully quiet at that.
“Well I have to run. I'm skipping dinner tonight, I have a few errands to run.” M'redith said.
“Want me to come with?” Jay offered.
M'redith shook her head. “No, you and Aiden can have dinner without me. I'll see you tonight.”
She smiled at Jay before turning and briskly walking away from them, Jay looking a little disappointed.
“Jay,” Aiden said after a moment had passed, “seriously. Do they even have women on Earth?”
“What!? What did I do?” Jay exclaimed.
“She's going to get ready for tonight's date. With you. She can't have you next to her the whole time she's getting herself all done up. It ruins the surprise. She's going to spend the next few hours probably primping and changing outfits so she can shock you with her good looks when you open the door when she picks you up tonight.”
Jay's eyebrows drew down as he sighed, “But I thought she just wanted to be friends?”
“Uh huh. Sure, friends. Tell me something, what were you planning on wearing out with her tonight?” Aiden asked.
Jay motioned with his hands towards the clothes he had been wearing. The clothes he had sweat in all that morning during practice. The clothes he had sat in all afternoon in an enclosed theater which really could use an airing out. “Oh my gods I need help don't I,” he said a little desperately.
Aiden sighed. “The first step to getting better is to admit you have a problem. I'm proud of you Jay,” he said as he punched Jay on the arm.
Jay grinned. “Great. So you'll help me?”
Aiden nodded with a smile. “Gods SOMEONE has to.”