Chapter 34
They arrived at their morning workout class only to discover the classes had been switched and they needed to go to their afternoon class first and their morning class in the afternoon.
T'lly was in rare form when the three friends finally got to traps class. Thankfully they weren't late but T'lly glared at them anyway. “Seats, take your seats everyone.” she demanded.
She was wearing a baby blue dress today with a rainbow fringed shawl and she pointed to a device that sat on the display desk at the front of the class. Everyone had a copy of the device on their own desks. The device was a grid of nine modules, each with a trigger of some sort which needed to be discovered and rendered safe. Each student was given an assortment of small trap tools.
Picks, hooks, pins, slender pliers, long thin metal wands with a magnet on the end. The tools were many and varied and Jay immediately wanted to buy a trap toolkit set for himself. He remembered he was 'almost broke' according to his financial fixer, Boland and instead just added trap tools to his list of future purchases.
“Look at all of these things!” Aiden whispered to Jay from the desk next to him.
“Aiden!” T'lly called on him right as he finished speaking. “Perhaps since you have time to talk you could take some time and explain how this device works to the rest of the class?”
Aiden swallowed, “No, ma'am. My apologies.” he said with an embarrassed look on his face.
“Then PAY ATTENTION!” she yelled loudly causing several students to visibly startle. “This isn't unimportant material people and could actually save your life. I'd expect everyone to be much more interested in learning how to not die due to a trap!”
The students that were half asleep were now all very much awake as T'lly's volume continued to climb. You couldn't sleep in her classes, her speaking voice was too loud to allow it. Now that she had escalated to her scolding volume people started to wipe the sleep out of their eyes.
“Good.” she said in a soft tone almost too quiet to make out, forcing the class to lean forward to hear her. After a moment of silence she continued. “Today you get to wrestle with a new trap. This device is made up of nine small traps, each set in to a grid just as you see here. The traps may look small but they pack a big punch. These same devices have been found in various dungeons over the years and seem to be fairly common across all dungeon types.”
“You master these nine triggers and you're 90% of the way to gaining a traps skill. Don't just try to disarm them. LOOK at them, see how they're designed, how each trigger exits the housing. Who can tell me the four main trigger types we've learned about so far?” she asked.
Hands shot in to the air. Although T'lly could be aggressive she actively encouraged class participation when she could. “Yes, the Mage in back. Carly?”
Carly recited them from memory, “Tension, non-tension, pressure, and magic.”
T'lly smiled happily. “Yessssssss.” she said while drawing the word out. “Good work. There are nine modules, you should be able to identify the trigger type for each. You should then be able to render that trigger safe. Only once the nine modules are disarmed will you have completed your assignment. Any questions?” she asked while her facial expression made it clear there really was no need for questions.
“Then dig in! Good luck everyone!” T'lly said with a happy smile. The class all focused on their devices and began their work, poking and prodding at various modules as they began their task for the day. T'lly went from student to student and offered guidance and criticism in equal amounts.
Halfway through the class Warren arrived in sparkling clean leather armor and began to circulate among the students as well while offering gentle advice and corrections.
Things went well for the first hour, after which the first student to get injured that day lost a hand after mistaking a pressure trigger for a magic one. Warren shook his head sadly. “It happens, especially when you're new. There's still plenty of time in class left, run to Infirmary and get that hand fixed. I want to see you right back at class after though. You still have to finish your device if you want to pass this class.”
Warren cleaned up the mess the student had left behind while whistling quietly to himself.
T'lly took that opportunity to yell, “Hands or no hands, you still have to finish your device if you want in The Guild. You DO want in The Guild, don't you?” Those that were paying attention to her agreed in various ways. A nod, a yelled yes in agreement, a wave. Those that weren't paying attention were just too wrapped up in their traps.
The instructors kept track of everything. Who participated in class. Who payed attention. Who struggled with the material. Even who lost hands or fingers during trap week. All of the data was collected and turned over to the powers that be.
Jay worked through the first three traps without a problem. Those three he actually recognized as being a simpler scaled down version of the traps he dealt with when he went on his dungeon run with Dag. The fourth was a magic trap and Jay was having difficulties working out the trigger.
T'lly came by and Jay suppressed an audible groan. Why couldn't it have been Warren?
“Jay, how are you doing?” T'lly asked him with a grin.
Jay thought of Aiden that morning and instead of answering he showed her all his fingers and wiggled them. “Still have 10 so pretty good I guess. I'm just having trouble with this trigger.” he said in exasperation.
T'lly nodded and her face went serious. “I won't tell you how to do it or even what to do. I will however offer you a hint if you'd like?”
Jay nodded. “Absolutely, please.”
T'lly pointed to two tools among the many spread across Jay's desk, one a long thin rod with a sharp hook on the end and another that looked as if it were for keeping multiple strands of wire from touching each other while working on them. “Those two. Use those.”
Jay tilted his head and pursed his lips in thought.
“If you still can't figure it out raise your hand and I'll come back to you.” she said as she walked off, not even waiting to finish her sentence before moving on.
Jay managed to get a total of 5 modules done that class and he met up with M'redith and Aiden outside the building. “How'd everyone do?” he asked.
M'redith grinned, “No injuries. I got 3 modules done. I don't think traps are my thing.”
Aiden laughed, “I got 3 as well. I hate traps. I don't want to mess with them at all. Whatever group I eventually join will have a trap finder and I will not be it.”
M'redith nodded in agreement.
Lunch was freshly cooked minestrone soup, a Caesar salad with deliciously salty and crunchy croutons, and sourdough cheese straws. Aiden ended up not liking the sourdough and gave his straws to Jay who happily took them.
Lunch didn't last very long and soon they were done. They raced back to their rooms to get their things for combat practice.
Aiden and M'redith met up outside the training hall. Jay's room was the furthest away so took a bit longer.
M'redith stretched out while Aiden watched. He wasn't much of a stretcher. “How are you doing? I saw the look you gave me when Jay told us about his dream.” she said as she bent at the waist and touched her toes.
Aiden looked at her with a pensive look on his face. “It's a lot to take in. Plus there are a lot of details missing that are kind of important. If we beat the dungeon do we all live forever or just Jay? If not then do we die like everyone else did in the dungeon? What happens if we fail? Besides, he offered it like he was offering me an apple. 'Hey, you want a quick bite of immortality?' and then we switched topics.”
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He looked away from M'redith. “It freaked me out a little.”
M'redith stood up and faced Aiden, “Would you rather he had not offered it to you? Or offer it to you with a big ceremony and candles?”
Aiden looked pained, “No, of course not. One, I like the idea of not having to worry about death. Two, I hate ceremonies with candles, it reminds me too much of religion. I'm also struggling with believing it is even an option. People die. Period. We would be the exceptions to that rule. At what cost though? What will we end up paying for this gift?”
“Jay didn't say anything about us having to pay to go with him, that would have been rude.” M'redith said not quite understanding Aiden's point.
“No,” he insisted, “everything comes at a price. Everything. You have to understand, I grew up with very little and I learned early on that everything costs something. Jay.. well Jay freaks me out sometimes. His luck alone makes me nervous. He's my friend but I can't help but think that there will be a cost for all of his good fortune.”
M'redith had been about to reply but cut her reply short as she digested all of what Aiden had just said. “Look, I know you're not religious, but Jay says he was told to do this by the Goddess Herself. I don't think she'd tell him to do something that would send his only friends to their deaths. I believe She has a plan for Jay, and told him in no uncertain terms who he should bring with him – us.”
Aiden nodded, “This just seems like its skirting dangerously close to a savior-like activity. I already told Jay, no savior missions or saving Eden. I'm strictly small scale.”
M'redith laughed. “I wouldn't tell the ladies that if I were you.”
Aiden guffawed and playfully pushed her. She went nowhere and Aiden actually found himself almost falling on to the ground as she didn't move an inch.
M'redith grinned, “Remember my ability? One frame size larger.” she said with a wink.
M'redith's first Class Ability allowed her to be treated as one size larger than she was during combat. Pushing counted as combat apparently. Also, one size larger didn't mean her dress size. One size larger was more along the lines of the difference between the size of a human and the size of an ogre.
What's the size of an ogre? Take an average human and picture them standing up casually. They would take up a 1 foot by 1 foot square on the ground. An ogre standing on that same spot would take up a two foot by two foot square. A basic human would never be able to push an ogre anywhere.
She might have looked tiny but she was strong like an ogre in combat.
Jay arrived and the conversation ended without a conclusion. The group went in to the training hall and got in to their groups for weapons exercises.
T'lly and Warren were both present and the class went by quickly. Jay had started to get the hang of using a staff and thought he might be able to do a little fighting eventually after all. Jay got paired up with Aiden at one point and they talked in low quiet tones so as not to draw attention to themselves.
“Hey,” Jay said while looking around the hall to make sure the instructors weren't watching him. “You want to hang out with M'redith and me tonight after dinner?”
“Nope.” said Aiden without even thinking about it.
Before Jay could ask why Warren appeared over Aiden's shoulder, “Hello boys. Having a nice chat are we?” he asked. He didn't say anything else. He walked away to the next pair but Jay had gotten the point.
Shut up and exercise.
After class Jay found M'redith covered in sweat, her hair somewhat matted to her head.
Jay was going to ask what happened to her but decided that she might not appreciate that.
“What happened to you?” Aiden asked instead and Jay rolled his eyes from behind Aiden where he was standing.
M'redith groaned. “Thanks. Like I don't already know I look like a mess. Warren, that's what happened to me. He said I wasn't trying my hardest. T'lly heard and 'helped' me try my hardest.” M'redith wiped a bead of sweat off of her forehead using the back of one hand.
“Did you learn anything?” Aiden asked with a concerned expression.
“Yes! I learned I hate trying my hardest! Eugghhh. I want a bath.” M'redith complained.
Jay laughed, “Well you'll have plenty of time for it. Aiden is abandoning us tonight it seems. Care to share big guy?”
They got in to line for dinner and M'redith adjusted uncomfortably as her sweat dried on her skin. Dinner was what looked like pastries stuffed with ham and cheese. Rice pilaf was served on the side with a pat of butter. A bright red cup of baby carrots rounded out the meal and came with a number of dips.
“I,” Aiden said as they all sat down to eat, “am going out on a date tonight.”
M'redith made an ooooo sound while Jay grinned, “Who with?” he asked.
“Remember Aisha? From the soap shop?” Aiden asked.
Jay nodded and M'redith grinned. “Of course. She gave you her calling card and you didn't stop turning it back and forth in your hands for hours.”
Aiden chuckled, “Ya well I'm hoping things go well. I'm not great with women. My dad used to say I didn't think before I spoke.”
M'redith laughed and almost spit out her drink at that. After collecting herself she replied, “You could use some work on your timing I suppose. And your phrasing. Otherwise you're good.”
Jay nodded, “You helped me out a lot with my date with M'redith. If you get ready like you made me get ready I think you'll be all set.”
Aiden looked over at Jay as he spoke and winced slightly. M'redith perked right up, “So it did count as a date.” she said with a quiet smile.
Jay blushed bright red and took that moment to bring their trays up.
“He does really like you, you know.” Aiden remarked. M'redith grinned. She knew.
Aiden left them after the customary hug and back pat was exchanged. Aiden ran off to get ready for his date leaving Jay and M'redith alone.
“What do you want to do?” she asked Jay, looking up at him.
Jay had things to do. He needed to study in the library to learn more about the Dungeon of Rebirth. He could use some extra practice with his staff. He had numerous notes on traps that he should go over. He was almost broke and should probably use his second Class Ability to find some more coin. He should check up on Boland and Toren to see how things are progressing.
But Jay didn't want to do any of that. He finally made his decision and turned to her. “I'll tell you what I want to do. Lets find a good spot and just lay down and watch the stars for a bit. I just want to do nothing for an hour or so. What do you think?”
M'redith grinned from ear to ear. “Sounds cozy. Can I take a bath first though?”
Jay grinned, “Why don't we both take a bath then we can go stargazing.”
It was M'redith's turn to blush but she grinned as well. “Love to.”
They took their baths, separately, and had their clothes and armor cleaned. Finally they met back up, both of them smelling and looking great, the sky now dark yet shining with a sea of stars.
The Guild grounds took up a substantial amount of land. Thankfully K'tharkle was huge and easily contained it within its borders. The two friends walked for a time next to each other without finding a good spot. Finally they found a nice grassy area near a building that did not appear to be in use after dark.
Laying down in the grass Jay moved one of his arms to make room for M'redith so she could rest her head on his chest. He wrapped an arm around her and they just lay there and looked up at the stars. After a time M'redith began to point out stars and describe a variety of constellations to Jay.
Jay didn't care about the constellations but he could listen to M'redith talk about anything for hours. After naming all the constellations she could think of M'redith went quiet. The two lost track of time and it was a while later that Jay realized M'redith had fallen asleep on him. She snored. It wasn't too loud though and Jay thought it was cute.
They lay like that for a time before Jay gently woke her up.
“Whu??” she mumbled as she lifted her head off his chest.
“You fell asleep. It's late. We should head to bed.” Jay said with an amused look.
“Five more minutes,” she mumbled but didn't lay back down. She took a big breath and stood up, then she gave Jay a hand standing up as well. The two walked back to M'redith's room and exchanged a hug goodnight.
Jay returned to his room and went to bed. He was less stressed than he had been earlier that day and felt a lot better. He drifted off and dreamed of floating through a sea of stars with M'redith by his side.