Over the next two weeks, Alex, Rich, Taylor, Kai, and Eric found themselves diving headfirst into the varied activities of the guild. The days were filled with intense training, honing their respective skills, and exploring new areas of expertise. They participated in a myriad of tasks, from mercenary work to mining expeditions. Rich brought them along in trying to do a little of everything.
This was in part because they needed the experience and because Rich was interested in getting into the good graces of Cedric sooner. Alex found it a good change of pace from the usual fighting and harvesting of monsters but some of it was quite boring. While it all got them an inflow of Tower Points some of the jobs were more annoying and tedious to do than others. Alex, to the agreement of others, found guild management to be the most boring. Paying only a few Tower Points an hour and giving no XP or improvement to skills. Guild management at this stage of their development was mostly organizing paperwork and boxes so that they could be moved to the businessmen on Earth or crafters that required things to build with.
The worst part was that it was mandatory to work at least once a week. The Golden Doves, with Cedric as their lead, required them to check in and be assigned a task to do weekly. Some tasks were more fun than others like hunting for specific monsters and collecting materials required for alchemy. But that wasn’t always the case. The guild assignments filled most of their time and Alex found himself in the Tower longer most days than he expected. Other than when he was travelling to Gavros he had never been in the Tower for so long.
In their free time, they each split off and worked on their path skills and met up with other members of the guild. Taylor and Kai focused on their magic and studies of their elements. They met up with a few other nature and water mages to learn and collectively improve. They also started to study new spells and improvements to their current repertoire of magic. Their expertise and creativity were put to the test as they tackled the new influx of information.
Some days, Eric and Rich could be found engaging in an adrenaline-pumping sparring session, their blades clashing together with a resounding clang. The two warriors moved quickly, their bodies a blur of motion as they exchanged strikes and parries in an attempt at the forms and techniques they were learning. They also searched for other fighters to join them. One time on a bet they went back to the warehouse and signed up for a fight night. Alex, Kai, and Taylor took a break from the Tower and watched their fights. Each of the fights was intense and brutal. Eric ended the fight in victory but with many cuts and bruises. Rich, however, lost against a stronger opponent that was able to throw him around and eventually out of the ring.
Between these training sessions, the group ventured out on various missions and assignments. Rich and Eric joined up with other groups and were often seen protecting merchants traveling through dangerous territory, their blades ready to fend off any bandits or monsters that dared to cross their path. They kept a watch on goods from the Golden Doves as well as other guilds. It kept their skills honed and paid them well. They ran into only a few monster groups that wandered too close to the traveled road. Together they and the other adventures killed or scared off them.
As the days went by, the group also took part in mining expeditions as part of their guild requirements, delving deep into the earth in search of valuable ores and gemstones. They worked side by side with the other members of the Golden Doves, their picks and shovels biting into the rock as they extracted the precious resources hidden within. The dim, flickering light from the torches and candles cast dancing shadows on their faces, illuminating the dirt and grime that marked their labor.
On the current day, the group found themselves once again in the depths of the mine, their muscles aching from the steady rhythm of their mining efforts. They were spread out, working in small teams to maximize their efficiency in extracting the valuable ores embedded in the rock. The sound of picks striking rock echoed through the tunnels, a constant and reassuring reminder of the progress they were making.
In between swings of their pickaxes, Alex, Rich, Taylor, Kai, and Eric took brief moments to wipe the sweat from their brows and exchange words of encouragement with their fellow miners. The low murmur of conversation filled the air, punctuated by the occasional laughter as someone cracked a joke or shared a light-hearted story to help pass the time. Despite the arduous nature of their work, the atmosphere was one of camaraderie and shared purpose, which kept their spirits high and their motivation strong.
For Taylor and Kai, the experience of mining gave them a chance to put their magic to use in unique ways while mining. Occasionally, they would employ their magic to assist in the mining process, manipulating the elements to make their work more efficient and less taxing on others. Kai had learned to pressurize the water he summoned and bring it into a tight beam of deadly force. He controlled the water carefully along the walls of the caves and was able to quickly cut through the chipped walls revealing more of the rock face. Through his work, other miners were able to find ore and open passages quicker.
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Taylor used her magic elsewhere in the mine. She and other nature mages focused on more well-trod parts of the mines. She brought plants and seeds into the caves. Using her abilities to rapidly grow the plants she let them grow in small crevices created by the miners. The results were soon evident. The rapid growth of the plants forced the roots of the plants everywhere in the small slits of space allotted to them. The plants widened and opened up the space in turn causing the rocks to crack further and break apart. From their the miners stepped in and worked to clear away the rocks to make room for more mining.
Alex was put on one of the main haulings and breaking teams once his magic was found to be insufficient for both mining and in general. His job was to push the rail carts back out of the mine once it had been filled with broken rocks. Once there it would be processed by earth and metal mages and sorted through for the most valuable materials. He found the repetitive, methodical nature of the work annoying and exhausting. But it allowed his mind to wander and contemplate the various skills he had acquired in his time with the Golden Doves.
He had first searched out other lighting mages in the guild. They were a rare find and hard to meet with. Especially those that had been with the guild since the beginning. In contrast, it was easier to find mages that focused on the base five elements fire, water, wood, earth, and metal. A week after joining the Golden Doves he was able to meet with one of the lighting mages. They were wholly unhelpful, and Alex walked out of the meeting discouraged. He watched the lighting mage do exactly what he hoped to do. Fire lighting bolts from his hands and blast them through the air. When he tried it looked like a pathetic, not even half-hearted attempt. The few sparks he created barely left his arm reach before dissipating.
In the end, he focused on what he had done from the start. Alex worked with a few fighters and improved his dagger techniques. He would practice in the evening, after his long hours of pushing rail carts. Alex began to learn new dagger moves that focused on speed and precision. He practiced a series of lunges and slashes, with an emphasis on the importance of footwork and balance. He was taught how to shift his weight and pivot, allowing him to strike with more force and accuracy. He steadily improved despite being slower than the rangers that had chosen the sub-path of a dagger wielder.
“Hey, Alex.”
He turned around already knowing the voice of the person approaching him. “Hey Taylor,” he said quietly.
“What is with that tone? What is wrong,” she asked.
"Nothing really. I'm just tired. At least our shift down here is almost over. Then I can get to other things," Alex said, trying to brush off her inquiry.
Taylor pressed on, "Things like what?"
"I've got dagger forms to practice, and then I'm off for the day. Gonna catch up on the recent Earth news of the week and maybe watch some TV shows. I don't know. I'll do whatever I want, I guess," Alex explained, attempting to change the subject.
Taylor, however, wasn't easily deterred. "What about your lightning magic?" she asked.
"What about it?" Alex responded defensively.
"Aren't you going to practice it at all?" Taylor prodded.
"No, not right now. I'm too busy with other things. I'll get to it another time. My dagger has served me just fine so far," Alex replied, trying to downplay the significance of his magical abilities.
"But your lightning magic is your magic. You were making progress. You could create sparks and even attack with it," Taylor insisted.
"And kill someone with it," he retorted, his voice barely above a whisper.
Taylor's expression softened as she realized the root of his discomfort. "Are you still struggling with the idea of fighting against others? If you want to talk about it, I'm here for you, and I'll listen.”
"Yeah," Alex admitted, "I've never liked the idea of killing someone, even in self-defense or in the heat of battle. It's just... it's not something I ever wanted to be a part of. It was not even something I considered when I first fought the monsters that appeared on Earth. I was focused on what the Tower would mean to me. Change my life. But then we had to face looters and then again with the bandits. I used my magic to kill someone. They died so much easier with my magic in hand."
Taylor gave his shoulder a reassuring squeeze. "It's natural to feel that way, Alex. Taking a life is never easy, even when you know it's necessary to protect yourself or others. But you can't let that fear control you or hold you back from using your abilities. Your lightning magic is a part of you, and it can be a powerful tool if you learn to wield it responsibly. Part of the reason you don’t have full use of your magic is probably from this mental block. You don’t want to hurt anyone, so you limit your magic."
Alex took a deep breath, acknowledging the truth in Taylor's words. "You're right, Taylor. I have been trying to follow a different path and avoided at times trying to find a solution to this one. I just... I need to come to terms with it, I guess. And maybe, with time, I'll be able to accept and embrace my magic."
“I hope that comes true for you. Magic is really awesome. There are so many more paths you can take with it, and you never need a weapon. The weapon is just you. We are only on the first floor of the Tower and there will probably be many more that we can climb. And don’t forget that our time in the mines is almost over. Consider what level you are now.”
“Level 13.”
“Level 13. You are just below me. Once we get you to level 14 and maybe if Rich gets to 15 then we can buy the information needed to get to the second floor. Just a little bit longer and we will have the funds and strength needed to get there. I know it has been slow recently with the guild missions and the declining XP rates. But we are almost there. Ok.”