Monday, April 29th, 2069
My feet danced beneath me as I stared at all four members of my group, passed out on the floor. It had been a bit of a struggle to convince them to use the Altar in the first place—but it had become especially difficult to convince the rest after Dave, who had been first to go, had passed out. Now everyone was lying on the ground and I could practically feel the Snake gloating behind me.
“Husk, husk, husk!” I cursed under my breath, even as I picked up another Mana Crystal and sold the Mana inside. I was well past the amount needed for Frying Pans, and had at least a hundred Spent Crystals, to check the groups acquired Skills when they woke up. Still, it was like I could hear the timer, and while I could run off to the Smithy and start cooking—I also needed to be here when they awoke.
“Who shot that potato gun?” Dave said, as he sat up clutching his chest, hand over his heart.
I didn’t bother answering his nonsensical question. Instead, shoving a spent Crystal against his chest. “Fill it with your Mana for five minutes. We need to know what Skill you got.”
Dave blinked and then gained his traditional goofy smile when he remembered he’d just been granted a second Skill—a beyond rare re-Awakening. His hands closed possessively around the Crystal and it almost instantly started to glow blue.
Close to the five minute mark, my breathing stopped as I held my breath in anticipation. The Crystal started to shrink, as two Cards formed. I smiled a bit then, despite the seriousness of the situation. Dave’s hands were clenched so hard on the shrinking Crystal that I was surprised it didn’t crack. He really wanted those forming Cards, and now.
His forefinger and thumb clamped down audibly on the Cards and he spun them to face himself. I only got a look at the blue-backed one, before he was looking at the front of the other. It had a rim of white, and I moved closer to read the description.
Cut (Evolvable)
(1)
Low-F-Rank
Use your mana to form a single strike into many. This skill is limited by the wielder's imagination and Mana Pool.
20 Mana Per Use
—
Mana Reservoir (Evolvable)
(42)
Mid-E-Rank
A Mana Reservoir. If used responsibly and carefully can deepen over time. One of the more fragile forms of a Mana Pool, prone to breaking if the user isn’t careful.
25 / 42 Mana
Dave, who had been practically bouncing up and down sobered immediately after he flipped to the second Card. I could see why, and was about to say something comforting when Smegma cut in.
“Oh poor you, there’s a chance your Mana Pool could break, but also grow with you. Stop focusing on the ‘fragile’ line, and take a look at the deepen one, you nitwit.”
Dave twitched. Then he narrowed his eyes at Smegma before transferring them back to the Mana Reservoir Card. For one more instant I considered consoling my friend. But Dave’s face had broken into a smile, so I clicked my teeth together.
“Husk! You’re right! And with Cut too!” Dave began excitedly.
I shivered as a chill swept over the lake shore. The vibrations on the water gave away the source and all three of us looked up to the Snake.
“I don’t see any Fisssh,” the Snake hissed, angrily.
Two things happened then, thanks to the Snake’s outburst. First, the rest of the group woke up, shooting to sitting positions. Second, I realized something, and narrowed my eyes.
He had been content to sit there and wait, but something about the Cut Skill upset him. I thought I even knew what. It might remove the need for Jarred’s position. Dave, with the help of the Mana Battery Stone, could catch fish and gut them with one swing of the Filleting knife.
Well maybe…
“Oh Great One,” Smegma said placatingly. “Now that everyone is awake we will get started soon.”
“Tick tock,” the Snake hissed but I could still hear its displeasure. Clearly, it wanted me as a slave. I crossed my fingers and hoped the others' Skills would be just as good.
I handed Willa a Spent Mana Crystal, and then hesitantly gave one to Jarred and my father. “We need to figure out what skills you got. Then we’ll decide who gets another Skill if what you have isn’t the best. This thing can identify any of your Skills that are ranked C and below. Just push your Mana into the Crystal for five minutes.”
Willa blinked and then nodded in understanding. She, like Dave, likely would have no trouble with this. Jarred and my father on the other hand, just stared back at me helplessly. “Smegma, can you try to coach them?”
“Why do you always stick me with the idiots?” Smegma complained even as he floated over. “Okay, so try picturing a small lake inside yourselves...”
I tuned him out and moved behind Willa even as her Crystal glowed blue. Dave was on her other shoulder a few minutes behind me. Likely taking the time to further study his own Skill ‘cards.’ Two Cards fell into her hands, one the familiar blue of Mana. She, unlike Dave, flipped that one first.
Mana Funnel (Evolvable)
(23)
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Mid-E-Rank
Mana Funnel grows slowly but simultaneously reduces the Mana Cost of Skills when powered by personalized Mana.
9/23 Mana
—
Shatter
(1)
Low-F-Rank
Create devastation with a single blow. Only works against armored targets, ores and walls. Shatter will create cracks as the user intends, destroying armor, walls or deposits.
15 Mana Per Use
I blinked at the Skill. Willa blinked at the Card as well. Then turned to me with her mouth hanging open. Eventually she managed to close her mouth and wet her lips enough to exclaim, “I’ve known at least eight top-tier Specialists that use something like this!”
While I was happy for her, and from the low Snake chuckle—so was the Great Snake of Nagsynd. This Skill wasn’t going to help us in our current situation. I glanced at Jarred and my father. Smegma’s frustrated face told me most of the story. This might take them a while. So, I pointed to the Altar. “Go get another Skill.”
“Wait—what?” Willa exclaimed. “I can’t take another—“
“You can and you will,” I ordered with a more emphatic point.
Dave looked at me, clearly torn between jealousy and understanding. In the end he nodded and began to move to help coach Jarred and my dad. I shook my head. Then ordered, “Go warm up by cooking some Fish for now.”
We needed to start making headway on the Snake’s Fish. I followed him to the Smithy, glad that Smegma didn’t have to be beside me for the purchase of more cookware to work. Soon enough, the entire indentation in the top of the pedestal was filled with Mana Crystals and topped with very disgusting looking pans.
Dave worked the foot pedal and started the fire again, even as I navigated the rooms and found a second Smithy. I loaded it up with Crystals from my necklace and then cookware from the Shop, mirroring the first room. I didn’t start this one yet, but did realize that we hadn’t tested the mechanism in this room yet.
I shook my head. I didn’t want to start the fire only to have no one working here, right?
What was I thinking? The Snake had provided a pile of thousands of Mana Crystals. Running a necessary test with a few of them wasn’t the huge loss I was making it out to be. I worked the foot pedal, and groaned as it didn’t budge even as I ramped up the pressure, using all ten points of my Strength.
Husk!
I moved everything to a farther Smithy, and this time tried the mechanism first. It depressed, and so I loaded it up, and tried again. I was forced to wait impatiently, until I felt some heat rising from the space.
With a massive sigh of relief, I rushed back to the Lake, passing by Dave. I could tell he was trying out Cut, since a great deal of the Fish steaks were portioned differently from my last check. I left him to it, figuring the better of a grasp he had on it, the faster gutting would be later.
In the Lake cavern my father was staring at two Cards in Jarred’s hands, while still holding his own Spent Mana Crystal between his own. I rushed over even as I asked, “What did he get?”
Smegma didn’t answer, despite the fact that he was clearly reading the two Cards. I slid to a stop and hurriedly read for myself.
Mana Pool (Evolvable)
(65)
Mid-D-Rank
A pool that can hold Mana. Depending on the uses the user puts the Mana to will determine the path of Evolution. Cannot grow in size before it evolves.
55/65 Mana
—
Puncture
(1)
Low-E-Rank
Use Mana to drive blows far deeper into targets than the user can with strength alone.
25 Mana Per Use
I frowned at the Pool which was larger and higher ranked than my own and then at Puncture. Wasn’t that another Mining Skill? I looked over to Willa who was holding her head and chest. She was in front of the Altar, and the pile of Cores had shrunk. So, she’d likely have gotten a third Skill.
Thankfully she hadn’t passed out, but I figured there was a reason she hadn’t moved yet. That and her shallow breathing meant she needed some time. Still, Puncture wasn’t going to help us with the hundred Fish.
Sighing, I pointed to the Altar. “Go get another Skill.”
Jarred blinked at me, before looking at my father. “Shouldn’t we wait—“
“No, this idiot can’t touch his Mana yet, and you can. Go!” Smegma ordered more firmly than I had. “Now you,” he returned his attention to my dad. “Let’s try the Garden analogy…”
It was another stressful fifteen minutes before Willa was ready to check her third Skill. My father still hadn’t figured out the trick to using his Mana and was well into a talk on Electrical Conduits.
Heat (Evolvable)
(1)
Low-F-Rank
Convert Mana to heat in an area or on a specified target. The more Mana used determines how fast the temperature will rise. The higher the temperature desired the more Mana used.
1 Mana for 10 degrees Celsius
While this was still likely a good Skill for Mining, it would also help her if she continued to Fish. I smiled and pointed to the shore and one of the two Rods. “Go Fish, and use that Skill to keep yourself warm.”
“How do I use a Skill though?” She asked. I blinked, realizing that Dave had quite literally figured that part out on his own. I would make sure to compliment him if we made it out of here.
Still, I did have the answer to this. Thanks to Minor Heal and Cleanse. Before anything else, I smacked my forehead and offered to Heal Willa. She smiled and reached out a hand. It took nearly thirty points of my Mana to get her healed, which surprised me, but also put into perspective how much the others would likely need it.
“Just a sec,” I said, and moved to the Lake’s edge to collect one of the two remaining Mana Batteries. Then moving to each in turn I healed Jarred, who was just finishing getting ready for another Skill, and my dad. I looked through the Pens and nodded, “Smegma, can you coach Willa on how to use her Skills. I’m going to go heal Dave.”
I rushed off, healed Dave and was back just after Jarred got his next Skill, or at least if his being passed out on the floor was any indication. I rushed to his side and sent in twenty points of Mana converted to Minor Heal.
To my disappointment he didn’t wake up. I guess that was a good thing though, because then it would have meant my own stupidity from earlier when everyone was passed out, had cost us time.
Willa was already fishing, and a glance at Smegma got me a nod. She’d picked up the Soul Synapses that quickly? Was she truly a genius?
My father was still trying desperately to find his own Mana Pool and infuse it into the Spent Mana Crystal. There was nothing more I could do for administration. It was time for me to help with the task. I decided it would be best to help cook first and rushed out of the chamber with the refilled platter, Jarred had stocked what felt like an hour ago.
Dave nodded to me as I passed. He was just picking up his own stone platter to carry it back to the group. “Make sure everyone gets a small piece of that. We need to stay hydrated and fed!”
“Roger,” he gasped, sounding slightly constipated. The sound of exertion made me spin and I saw him struggling to lift the platter. Only then did I realize how heavy the thing was in my hands. Still, Dave did get it off the floor, if slowly.
I couldn’t micromanage everything or we were doomed to fail.