“So, does anybody have any more questions?” Lee asked from behind his podium in the auditorium. He was just finishing up teaching a new group of healers, one that was filled with gruff old men and battle hardened women. Some would be picked out to create a security detail for the hospital.
Regina had been adamant about hiring a security team, and Lee was well aware that something happened to cause her shift in attitude. He just didn’t know what.
After seeing no hands being raised, Lee clapped and gestured toward the side of the room, where Regina stood overly attentive. “I hope you all learned a lot, and will do your best to save those who need saving. Now, Regina would like to speak with you all about forming a security team. If you think of any more questions, don’t hesitate to ask. My aide, Gina, can take your questions and I'll get back to you if you can’t get a hold of me personally.”
Lee excused himself, taking his small notebook from the podium and giving nods toward those who thanked him as he pushed past the small group and exited the room.
While he’d gotten through the backlogged patients, there were always people who got hurt; especially in a city. He had a few scheduled already and instantly went to find the room where they were waiting. He stored his lecture notes in his Hidden Cache, then pulled out his handy-dandy clipboard.
Lee knocked on the door, waited a few seconds, then entered as he stared at his clipboard, trying to find the name of the patient. “Mr. Green?” Lee asked, as he looked up, spotting an older male adorned in an extremely gaudy red robe. He wore jewelry all over his body, flaunting his wealth with rings, necklaces, and earrings.
You have been the target of a failed Identify.
“Josiah Green, that’s correct. I’m not here for healing, though. I’m here to have a chat.” Josiah stood from the chair he had been sitting on, and gave Lee a very minor bow.
Without preamble, Lee used Identify on Josiah as he slowly backed up toward the door. With how the day had been going so far, this was much too weird to be normal. Alarm bells were ringing, but not the alarm from his wisdom.
Kleif Marrow - Human - Level: 37 Healer.
Lee frowned. “What can I do for you, Mr. Marrow?”
The older healer paused and scowled. He quickly tried to hide it, but he was terrible at doing so. “As you’re a newer healer, I thought that I’d offer my expertise. Not all healing is spells and skills. Have you considered joining the Healer’s Sanctum, Mr. Barnes?”
“I appear to be doing fine by myself. I’m not interested, and I’m going to have to ask you to leave. I have actual patients that need my attention.” Lee opened the door without turning his gaze away from Kleif, and held it open as he pointed down the hall toward the exit.
If anybody walked and saw Kleif's face, they’d assume Lee had just killed his entire family, insulted his bloodline, and shot his dog. The reddened, insulted visage contorted as he tried to calm his raging emotions. It’s probably been a long time since someone had spoken to him that way, and Lee didn’t care.
Kleif ground his teeth as he struggled out his words. “You’re making a mista—”
“Nope. Get out. Now.”
Kleif stormed out of the room but paused mere inches away from Lee. They stared into each other's eyes for a few tense moments, before Kleif stuck his hand into his robe and pulled out a small cloth pouch. “Some medicine for those dying. Be careful to not accidentally swallow one. Take it as payment for me taking up your time.”
Lee reached out to take it, but Kleif dropped it before his hand fully outstretched, causing it to fall to the floor. Kleif sneered, then plodded down the hall, leaving Lee alone in the hallway.
He quickly cast Words of the Wind, aiming for where he remembered Regina was in the auditorium, and quickly sent a message detailing the encounter. Lee bent down and picked up the small pouch the angry healer left behind, and opened it.
Inside the pouch was a finely ground, dark brown powder compressed into small pills. Throughout the pills, tiny blackened webs ran over its surface. It was magical and kept the pill from losing cohesion. The blackened webs glowed to his Mana Sight. It was Death mana.
Wraithwhisper Poison Pellet - Wraithwisper poison is a magical alchemically-manufactured poison with severe, long-lasting effects. Prevents natural healing. Often used by healers to euthanize patients.
Lee closed the bag then stared down the hallway, glaring in the direction the Sanctum's healer left. Not a second later, Regina turned the corner and speed walked up to him. Once she was close, Lee tossed the pouch of poison toward her. She caught it with ease.
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“Found our culprits,” Lee murmured.
Regina opened the small pouch, stared at the pills within, then closed it. A second later, she gripped it so hard in anger that the pills pulverized, causing a dusting of powder to sprinkle toward the floor.
As Lee was about to freak out about literal poison floating in the air in his hospital, Regina casually flicked her hand, causing the surrounding air to implode around the scattering dust. The result was one large ball of poison. If someone had told Lee that it was a bath bomb, he’d believe them.
She tucked the ball into her maid outfit’s sleeve, basically confirming to Lee that she had some sort of dimensional storage in there, and then stalked off down the hallway without another word.
“Where are you going?” Lee asked as he followed her.
“I’m going to work.” She turned, and Lee unconsciously took a step back.
Regina was never one to show much emotion. Always calm, cool, and collected… but the current Regina had sharp, fierce eyes that threatened violence. “Stay here. I’ll grab someone to guard you. You have patients to tend to.” She turned and started down the hallway once more.
Lee didn’t want some random person he just taught to guard him; veteran of the military or not. He needed someone he could trust, and he knew exactly who he wanted. “Go wake up Em and tell her what happened…”
Lee’s mind started to connect the dots, and he threw out his hypothesis. “Do you think they made Hera quit? Threatened her or something?”
Regina slowed and answered without turning to face him. “No.”
Without another word, Regina stalked into the lobby and out the front doors, leaving Lee alone with his thoughts.
He knew what Regina’s class was; She was an assassin. So when she said she's ‘going to work.’ He had a pretty good idea what she was planning to do…
And he wasn’t planning to stop her.
He could stand people being rude to him. That wasn’t a big deal. It was another thing for them to waltz into his home like they owned the place, flaunt their assassination attempt to his face, demand respect, and more than likely blackmail one of his employees into quitting.
He’d let Regina have her fun, and he won’t question the results. It wasn’t like he could stop her with force if he wanted to. He could try, but him trying his best would leave her dead, and he didn’t want that on his conscience. This would bother him, yes. But at least it wouldn’t come by his own two hands.
—--------------------
Em was cranky throughout the day, as she would normally be asleep, but she understood why he wanted her to guard him. Although she’d tried to maim him earlier in the morning, the seriousness of the situation overwrote their petty squabbles.
He’d gotten though all of his patients for the day. Thankfully, with no more sudden surprises—On his side, at least. His patients might have freaked out when Em peered in through the doorway, never allowing her eyes to be taken off him. It took a lot of reassurances and explanations, which slowed his progress down, but he’d gotten them to accept her presence.
At least out of all the bad that had happened today, there was at least one upside.
Path of the spellcaster. 5/5 - Complete.
Cast spells on one hundred different targets. (100/100)
Reward: 1000 XP + Class Skill.
“Within the spiraling abyss that is magic, there lies an unfathomable depth, where hints of vibrant colors may briefly reveal themselves.” — ???
Active Skill Gained!
Skill Name: Spell Tether
Skill Description: Link two targets within line of sight to one another with a thread of fate, causing spells or effects cast on one to be mirrored onto the other. Non-targeted spells that affect one target will also affect the other. Non-targeted damage will be split between the link.
Cooldown: 1 hour.
His new skill had many potential applications; both offensively and defensively. His first thought was about cheating mana costs. If he linked two targets and then cast Armament’s of Eternity, then both linked targets would gain the effects of the spell. The next thought was about linking two enemies together and dealing damage with a hard-hitting, non-targeted spell—Such as Spear of Eternity. Frankly, Lee would be surprised if anyone around his level could withstand a full powered spear through the chest, even if it did half damage because the damage would be split through the link.
Also, since he finished his class quest’s path, he’d gotten a new repeatable quest.
A path has ended and begun anew.
New repeatable class quest - Spellcaster
Cast 1000 spells.
4/1000 Spells cast
Reward: 500XP
At first, Lee had thought that his new repeatable quest… sucked. But after some talking with Em, she told him that it didn’t specify what kind or type of spells he needed to cast. He could cast basic spells all day every day without breaking a sweat. He also didn’t need to target individuals, like the last step of the spellcaster path. At the end of the day, he can live his life, doing what he normally does, and get free XP.
And the surprises didn’t end there.
Since he’d completed both of his paths, he’d unlocked two more…