Alex watched for a few seconds as Scarlet became a beacon of death on the battle field. The high leveled barbarian’s hysteric laughter, roars and taunts could be heard through out the battle field. It appeared that she used the skill he gave her. Her skin and eyes glowed red, and her muscles visibly bulged. He watched as a swing of her blade shot out an arc of energy, clearing down ants like a scythe through grass. She even blew off the legs of a black ant, approached it and tore into its face with maniacal laughter.
Alex shuddered at the image before shaking his head and getting back to work. There wasn't meant to be a means of using skills with Berserk, it might be a class skill or specialization.
Thick smog and smoke started to blot out the sun as a raging fire became visible through the jungle, and thunder rumbled in the air. The rain helped with the fire, and wash away the blood, but it did nothing to relive the grief of the after affects of the battle.
They won, but at a cost.
Alex did not have the magic to heal every one, but his pylon was still present, allowing the able to carry those injured to be healed by the wondrous construct. Lost limbs regrew, and burns left no marks or scars in only a few pulses. He could only wonder how many people would have been left without a limb or permanent scars if it wasn’t for his over powered healing.
A few stragglers were dealt with swiftly and harshly by those with pent up emotions from their recent loss, as teams gathered those they held close to them to give them a proper send off. Those without family or loved ones were to be given a pyre funeral and the rest would be sent back to their families with honors and compensation for their sacrifice.
‘Television and the internet really does not do justice to what is the carnage of a life or death battle.’
Alex’s own squad and team, as well as those closest to his team during the battle, seemed to be some of the only ones that didn’t sustain a casualty due to Alex’s intervention.
“How are you holding up?” Asked Sylvie as she crouched down near Alex, who had a troubled and far away look on his face. She was likely concerned due to Alex sitting in the rain. She used an Umbrella to shelter the two.
“Fine, all things considered.” He answered without even turning to look at her. He stared at the jungle which continued to burn. “I knew, things could turn south, that this could happen, that there might be deaths…Even so, I don’t think I was ready for this… It was so raw, vivid, surreal and humbling.”
”Humbling?” Alex nodded at her question.
“Even though we have power and abilities beyond reason, we can still die. Snuffed out with ease like a candle with its wick blown out. Even with all this power, I’m not able to save every one, even if I wanted to.”
”No one expects you to save every one.”She stated. “I think you did a lot of good, all things considered.” She placed a hand on his shoulder, making him look at her. “How many people will go home,hale and whole due to your healing? Due to you risking your own life and limb to save them? That woman you first brought over for instance, she seems like a strong woman. She’s already brushing off her near death experience like it was nothing. And it’s all thanks to you.”
Alex almost couldn’t believe that. A traumatizing event like that? He looked over to her to see her socializing with some other survivors along with her team. She was thankfully, wearing pants again.
‘How do you even cope with that?’ He thought, awed by her resolve. ‘I wish I was that strong of will.’ Maybe he will be now that he thinks about it. ‘Will power is a statistic after all, which not just affects ones ability to withstand mental effects, negative buffs and magical attacks, but increases your mental fortitude. Food for thought’
“Thanks.” Smiled Alex, some light returning to his eyes. “ I think I needed that.”
“Come on.” Urged Sylvie. “You’ll catch your death, sitting in the rain like this.” She dragged him to his feet and pulled him along to regroup with the others. Through out the evening people approached Alex to thank him and give him well wishes as he returned what ever gear he picked up after healing the injured.
If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.
___
It was sad to say, but the battle was only a temporary reprieve. With possible nests of the fire and black ants hidden within the jungle, a reemergence is likely to happen in the future, unless they are dealt with permanently. But for now, it was time for mourning, a time for celebration. The next day, every one packed up camp, salvaged what they could, and brought back the dead to the town, who upon hearing the good news, broke out in celebration, while those who lost someone were given time to mourn.
Adventurers were to head to the guild hall and catalogue what they salvaged, where the guild would divvy out payment, and Alex asked if he could be paid in monster cores, only to find himself swimming in the ones they salvaged.
“Why so much?” He asked, awed by the thousands of cores he was given. He was currenlty seated back in her room, she wanted to personally give him his payment.
“You really don’t understand how vital your contribution in the battle was, do you?” Chuckled Scarlet with a grin.
”I mean, sure but I also saw how you absolutely decimated the army.” It really was a sight to behold.
“Of course!” Scarlet said all too proud of her accomplishment. “But that’s to be expected with my high level. What level are you?”
“Seven.” He answered with a shrug. Getting a wide eyed look.
“You didn’t even level up yet?” She said before whistling. “ That miraculous healing of yours, at such a low level? You’re going to be a beast when you do level up. I have to admit, even I envy your team for having such a power house.”
“Why’s that?”
”Well it’s not common knowledge, but your experience, not Ex P but actual experience, achievements and knowledge will increase the specialty and power of the skills you acquire. So if anything, you will likely be netted better skill upgrades and skills in general when you finally do decide to level up.
Alex blinked at hearing that, and slowly shook his head at the revelation
“Why isn’t it common knowledge then? Something like that should be common sense if anything.” Scarlet shrugged.
“People horde power. And this is an integration, something you would have had to learn on your own through trial and error, or even information you would likely have to pay for. And I’m telling you in advance because honestly, what I’m giving you still seems paltry compared to what you have done.”
“Thank you….” Scarlet grinned at that.
“That’s the reward you got from me, the guild, the people you saved and from Leeya. Like I said, still paltry compared to what you done for us. We only had 136 casualties, which would have been easily triple that without your intervention, not including all the permanent crippling damage people would have sustained. This also doesn’t even include that over heal skill every one is currently taking advantage off. You could make some serious money by offering people to over heal before a mission or simply to train.”
”I, suppose…” He thought about it, he honestly did. With proper compensation he would be willing to do it.
“Since the over heal scales with level, a fixed sum would be too cheap. How bout I set up a room, you place the device down for those who want to use it, it has to be before a mission at a rate of say… 10% of their payment of said mission? The guild gets 2%. The stronger a team is, the higher pay mission they take, the more you over heal them and the more money you make.”
“That’s… Brilliant!” Scarlet sighed at hearing that.
“It was actually Leeya’s idea.” She grumbled. “Don’t tell her I told you that though. Woman is insufferable enough as it is.”
“Either way, it sounds like a done deal.” Scarlet nodded with a satisfied grin at hearing his answer.
“I’ll write down a contract for the deal then.”
Alex waited a few minutes as she wrote it down. He made sure to read it, and it was just like she explained it, no hidden loop holes, and he could do it when ever he wanted on his own schedule and he could cancel it if he ever decides to leave town to go somewhere else. That’s what Alex likes about Scarlet. She’s blunt, to the point but honest as they come. He signed his name and they shook hands.
___
”There's the man of the hour!” Cheered Rahl at seeing Alex descend the stairs. The other patrons drinking and eating cheered at seeing him, making Alex blush at the attention. “So, what she say? What did you get?” Alex rubbed the back of his head as every one waited with bated breathe at his answer.
“I uh, got monster cores.” Rahl blinked before scrunching up his nose at hearing that.
“Monster cores? Why? How many?”
“Seven thousand.” Shoga who was drinking a mead at the time, choked in shock at hearing.
”Se-Seven thousand!” He shouted in shock. Every one stood in silence at the question. “That’s like, 70% of the ants that were killed!”
Alex just shrugged as every one gaped at him.
“What in all that is holy could you possibly do with so many cores?!” Asked Rahl
“I have a crafter Utility Class.” Answered Alex. “You know those constructs I summoned that shot all those ants?” Rahl nodded. “Imagine if I could craft those to store in my inventory, to deploy when ever I need them, or place them on village walls to defend against monster incursions.” His eyes widened at that. “Or how about more portable healing pylons to be deployed in a pinch by not just me, but any one.
“That’s bloody over powered.” He said before stumbling a little. “I, I feel light headed all of a sudden.” This got a laugh out of Alex. “When can you make these wondrous contraptions?”
”I don’t know.” Alex answered honestly. “I need specialized tools and a dedicated workshop, materials and some practice I guess. I’m just gathering materials for the future.”
”Aye, I know what you mean. My utility is if you hadn’t guessed, is black smith, like my Pa before me. But it takes time, resources, tools and more resources to get started. It’s why I became an adventurer.” Alex nodded.
“Why not work together some time?” Alex asked. “ I need tools, you could make them, then I’ll make more specialized tools we could both use.” Rahl grinned.
“I’ll drink to that.” He said grabbing a mead and raising it. “Cheers!”
”CHEERS!”