Chapter Sixteen-Intermission

Darren, Andrea, Thom and Jenny ended up in a bar, smooth jazz playing through the air, cigarette smoke drifting lazily through the air, cut through by ceiling fans that whirred slowly around and around. Darren moved his head on a swivel, taking in the bar stools that lined the bar, and Misaq, the devil he had made a deal with lining the bar with drinks. Darren and the others made their way to the bar, Thom was walking, but held his side as he winced, mumbling to himself.

“Ooh, this place is cool, Daddy! What’s it called!”

“A bar, sweetheart. It’s not normally a place for children,” Darren said as he shot a glare at the devil, sitting down.

Misaq shrugged,

“The deal was to bring you somewhere safe, and so I have. My little home away from home.”

Andrea sniffed,

“We just wait here then? What about Thom, he’s still hurt.”

Thom waved her off,

“I’m fine, lass. Just a little banged up, much better than before.”

Andrea rolled her eyes,

“Men. He needs help, even if he won’t admit it.”

Thom opened his mouth to protest, but Andrea held up a palm, practically shoving it in his face as she stared at the devil.

“I’m afraid healing your friend was not a part of the deal, miss. I’m happy to arrange a new deal with you, if you like.” Misaq gave her a salesman's grin.

Andrea pursed her lips, eyes flicking to Thom before she said,

“Like what?”

Misaq produced a cloth and began wiping down glasses.

“You shouldn’t make a deal with him, he’s dangerous,” Darren stated before the devil could get a word out in reply. Jenny happily drank the juice.

Misaq beamed at him.

“I’m a big girl, Darren. What are the terms? I want more than just healing Thom. I want power, like what that big red lug we left has.”

Misaq raised an eyebrow,

“Oh, is that all? I’m afraid if you want power like Mr. Severen, you’ll have to earn it. As you may have heard me state, the System is a jealous mistress. She only allows me to interfere so far.”

“What is it anyway?” Thom muttered the question. The devil heard him, however, and responded with another shrug as he sat the glass down in the row behind him and picked up another.

“I couldn’t really say. Some say it’s a god that has been constrained into conceptual form and it expresses its will as the System. Others say it is the result of an ancient experiment that was designed to promote growth and forge warriors. I will tell you for free that my pet theory is that it is a spell.”

Andrea poked out her tongue and cocked her head before saying,

“A spell? What, like fireballs and wizards and that D&D nonsense?”

Misaq chuckled, giving Andrea a wry smile.

“Something like that my dear, yes. In this case, the spell would have been a truly massive one, fueled by a truly staggering amount of divine power, maybe even something more than divine. It would have taken one impressive wizard to shape it, too, since the System wasn’t around then to help shape the mana. Not only that, it would have to have affected multiple dimensions, all of the multiverse and all of time and space as well.”

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Thom whistled through his teeth, which turned into a sharp groan of pain as his right eye twitched and he clutched his side.

“That sounds impressive, but why do you think it’s a spell?” Andrea said as he eyed Thom, lips turning downward.

Misaq waved a hand,

“Oh, I don’t really know. Call it a devilish intuition, hmm? Now then, I have something for you to sign, dead Darren. Although I took care of healing your daughter before you did, I prefer our contracts to be in writing. While you’re going over that, I believe you wanted to make a deal, miss?” Misaq put the glass down behind him and rubbed his hands together, eyes luminous as he looked at Andrea.

Darren glanced over the impressive scroll-like document the devil had produced for him to read.

“What can you give me, if not power?”

Misaq tapped his chin,

“I would offer you an early class choice, but sadly the System wasn’t a fan of me doing that last time to her precious newly integrated. It has decided I can no longer make such a deal with anymore newly integrated. I could offer you an opportunity for power, as I did Mr. Severen. Teleport you to a dangerous area and let you loose.”

Andrea shuddered,

“No thanks. Why does power have to be combat related? Can’t you give me something that isn’t fighting physically? That's so…masculine.”

Misaq gave a thoughtful cooing as he crossed his arms.

“Hmm. Well now, you could pursue a profession instead of a class.”

Andrea leaned forward,

“What’s the difference?”

Misaq pointed at the old man playing the jazz on stage.

“See him? If you have eyes, you can see he is playing music. A profession is sort of like that. It is taking something non-combat related and giving it a kind of power. A musician for example is given power via the System through a profession. He gains experience and levels his profession through playing. The more he does, and the more complex he plays, the better. He even gains attribute points and can go up grade ranks. It is the System’s answer to those wishing to progress without a class.”

Jenny piped up for the first time,

“Um. Excuse me? Why can’t you do both?”

Misaq beamed at her.

“Clever little one, aren’t you? You absolutely can do both! Trouble is, those with classes often don’t take the time to unlock their professions and you get locked out of doing so when you hit C-Grade. A youthful mistake born of ignorance, since without mentors or a culture that teaches these things, you simply don’t know them, you see?”

“So how do you unlock one, then?” Thom butted in with a question.

Misaw held up two red and delicate fingers,

“Two ways. You’re offered one, or you work hard enough at a task that the System unlocks a profession for you based on said task.”

Darren grunted, sipping at his drink.

“I used to be a carpenter. How would I get that profession?” He stared at his daughter. He didn’t want to put her in danger, or himself. Without him, Jenny had no one.

Misaq eyed him,

“Have you finished looking over that and signing it?”

Darren pointed at a several sections,

“Not gonna sign it. One passage here says I owe you my next born child. Another says I have to perform three legendary feats. Not even sure what the rest of it says. It’s gibberish to me. Give me something that is the written form of our previous verbal deal or I’m not signing anything.”

Misaq beamed at him,

“Why of course good sir! I assure you, it wasn’t my intention to wriggle anything else out of you. An honest mistake, you see?”

The devil produced a new, much shorter, contract.

“As to your question, you would have to build something, of course. Do that enough and the System will recognize your efforts with a profession. Or I could offer you the profession through a deal.”

Andrea pointed at the devil.

“Okay then, here’s what I want. I was an HR Manager in my old life. I want something like that, something to do with management. I also want you to offer everyone else here a profession, and you heal Thom.”

Misaq arched an eyebrow, the devil was clearly trying to fight the grin that was spreading across his face.

“That’s quite the tall order, miss. Let’s talk price, shall we?”

Andrea narrowed her eyes,

“What do you want?”

Misaq chuckled,

“Oh nothing much. I want you to be a city manager for Ambrose, that’s all. I want Darren to be his carpenter slash architect, and Thom over there to be a mine foreman. I can’t guarantee that the professions will all be that exactly, but it will be something like that. Agree to that, and I shall offer you the professions, heal your friend, and promise to be a thoroughly entertaining host, offering up what knowledge I can of the System. How does that sound?”

Andrea looked at Darren, who shrugged,

“I think making a deal with him is dangerous. Never did like a salesman, and something tells me he is practically the king of salesmen.”

Misaq gave Darren a thousand watt smile.

“Why thank you, sir for that wonderful compliment!”

Darren gave him a wary look,

“It wasn’t a compliment.”

Misaq increased the wattage of his smile a few more watts. Andrea looked over at Thom who nodded,

“I like the deal, lass. Especially the part where I’m not in pain.”

“What about me! I want a profession!”

Darren made a chopping motion with his hand,

“No, sweetie. We can unlock your profession without this man’s help.”

“Aww, okay.” Jenny’s face fell.

Andrea turned her head back to Misaq.

“Okay, but we reserve the right to not work for Ambrose after a one year period of time. I don’t want to be locked into it forever.”

Misaq countered right away,

“Five years, miss. With the option to discuss this again if you like the gig. That’s almost a sweetener, I’m practically tailoring this deal just for you!”

Andrea narrowed her eyes at the devil.

“You really are a salesman, aren’t you? Fine then. Deal.”

Misaq produced a scroll, even longer than the one Darren was looking over.

“Let’s sign on the dotted line then, darling.”