“Hello, I want to be a Mage.” –said Milana.
Wednesday morning, Milana logged in and went to the Mage Academy first thing in the morning. She approached the counter with a mixture of nervousness and anticipation.
“Hello Miss Milana, I see you already got to level 20.” –answered Marco, the Mage Academy's NPC. –“If you really want to become a Mage, you'll have to prove your worth.”
*ding*
Mage Academy's class change quest (Tier 1 Level 20)
Phase 1: Collect and deliver 20 midnight bat's fangs.
Phase 2: Collect and deliver 10 goblin shaman's staves.
Phase 3: Get 5 bullseyes in a row at the Mage Academy's practice field.
*Note: Completing the Mage Academy's class change quest will overwrite your Tier 1 Lvl 20 class. If you have an incompatible subclass, you'll also lose access to it.
----------------------------------------
“So boring; this feels like Groundhog Day.” –complained Milana, while shooting a bat.
“Yeah, it's like the game knows where you have been training.” –said Amelia, laughing. –“And it's giving you another chance for remembrance's sake.”
“Next it's the goblin shamans.” –said Milana, one-hitting another bat. –“I'm half-minded to just leave that for later, when I go with Angela and Kyle for the goblin boss.”
“You know you won't.” –said Amelia, smiling. –“You'll want to try your new skills as soon as possible.”
“Yeah.” –said Milana, giggling while killing yet another bat.
----------------------------------------
“Minerva's calling.” –said Amelia, while finishing the two last goblins with thrown daggers.
They had gone to the goblin burrows after collecting the fangs in the forest. Since they didn't have a tank available, Milana was going around sniping the shamans, while Amelia dealt with the aftermath.
“Can you stall her for a bit?” –asked Milana, pleadingly. –“I only need one more staff.”
“Ok, I think she'll understand.” –replied Amelia, winking.
----------------------------------------
In the afternoon, Milana logged once more and went to the Mage Academy to finish his class change quest. The girls had gone out together for lunch and shopping, so she was alone for the time being.
Alright, here comes the last one.
Milana furrowed her brows and stared intently to the bullseye in front of her. When she collected the last staff from the shamans, she had thought the rest would be fast. But she didn't account for something: there were several different practice targets, and the quest used the furthest one.
She pointed her staff sideways, with the top leveled to the target. She had failed the last shot on three different chances before and her frustration was growing.
*ding*
You have finished the third phase of the quest: Mage Academy's class change quest. Return to the Mage Academy to collect your rewards.
----------------------------------------
“Fireball!” –exclaimed Milana, while roasting a hog on the spot.
Hahaha, take that piggy!
She was giggling and bouncing on her feet, already used to the heels of her boots. Now that she didn't have her costume anymore, her black and red dress fluttered as she moved around hunting for new prey.
After becoming a Mage, she got a free three skill module. In addition to the Mana Bolt and Healing Touch spells, it had the Fireball, which was a more expensive and powerful single target spell that dealt fire damage.
And looked cool as hell.
----------------------------------------
“They won't give you any experience, you know.”
A male voice called Milana from behind. She recognized it immediately, flinching as she turned around.
“I know.” –said Milana, guiltily. –“Just trying my new spell.”
A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.
“It's good that you've been enjoying yourself.” –said Sandro, eying her from top to bottom. –“You look really nice, by the way.”
“Good to know.” –said Milana, smiling bashfully. –“It doesn't feel so good coming from you, though.”
“Anyway, I just wanted to check on you before your induction.” –said Sandro, grinning. –“Tomorrow's the big day?”
“I guess so.” –answered Milana, fidgeting.
“Don't worry too much.” –said Sandro. –“I've been told you are doing a wonderful job.”
“No one would guess that you aren't really a girl!”
----------------------------------------
“Wow, you look firey!” –exclaimed Angela, after meeting Milana at the goblin warrens.
“My Magical Girl costume expired last night.” –said Milana, showing off.
“But I finally became a Mage.” –continued Milana, choosing a suitable target.
“Fireball!”
The shrub in front of them got caught in a blaze and instantly burned out.
----------------------------------------
“Lets rest for a bit." –said Angela upon arrival to the boss room's door. –“We'll wait until Milana's mana bar is full.”
“Alright.” –replied Milana and Kyle in unison, sitting at both sides of the cat-girl.
This time they had mowed down the goblin patrols; two, three or four shamans, it didn't matter. They all got one-hit in Fireball's firey glory.
“Did you read yesterday's VC announcement?” –asked Angela, looking towards Milana.
“Ahh, yesterday was the scheduled downtime.” –answered Milana, flustered. –“I was so excited about my class change that I totally forgot.”
“They previewed a mount system for version 2.” –said Kyle, materializing the in-game tablet.
“Here.” –said Kyle, while passing the tablet.
“Wow, the pegasus looks really nice.” –said Milana. –“I wonder if I would be able to shoot from it.”
“Who knows.” –said Kyle, shrugging. –“They only showed the animations.”
“More importantly, they're letting us do the daily date dungeon twice a day for the rest of the month.” –said Angela, smiling mischievously. –“As long as you do them with different partners.”
“It seems like they really want a lot of players to join that Valentine's tournament.” –added Kyle.
“And married players?” –asked Milana, wondering of the implications.”
“Hahaha.” –laughed Angela, while answering. –“Those are the only ones who can date the same person twice.”
“They even have a sale on wedding suits and dresses!”
----------------------------------------
“Damnit! I was so sure I had timed the turns perfectly.”
“It didn't drop the wand this time either.” –added Angela, standing in her not-quite-wrecked armor.
“Don't worry about that.” –said Milana, taken aback at Angela's outburst. –“If you want to train in other place, we don't have to stay here on my account.”
“You're so sweet.” –said Angela, walking towards Milana with a serious face.
“Sorry; I didn't intend to scare you.” –continued Angela, touching Milana's cheek while forcing herself to smile.
“I think I should log out now.”
“See you tomorrow!”
----------------------------------------
“Were you surprised?” –asked Kyle, looking at Milana with concern.
“I guess I was.” –said Milana, standing still in the same place Angela left her.
“She wasn't mad at you.” –added Kyle. –“My sister's really hard on herself and gets frustrated easily.”
“She has always been so nice and cheerful.” –said Milana, trying to smile. –“It seems she can get angry too.”
“Angela doesn't have any close female friends in real life.” –said Kyle in a soft voice. –“She has always been a gamer gal, having to prove to everyone that she fits in with the guys.”
“That sounds rough.” –replied Milana in a monotone.
“She looks really happy when she talks about you.” –added Kyle, looking at Milana pleadingly –“I hope you can still be good friends with her, even if she's brash or uncouth at times.”
“I will.” –replied Milana, looking away guiltily.
----------------------------------------
“I guess I should log out too.” –said Kyle, gesturing with his hand to make his controls appear. Milana and him had been standing in an uncomfortable silence for awhile.
“Don't you want to do the exp date?” –asked Milana, suddenly realizing she had taken it for granted.
“Now that you changed class, you should try the Tier 1 date dungeon.” –said Kyle, raising his eyes towards Milana. –“Even if you don't clear it, it'll give you more exp than the Tier 0 one.”
“How much do you need to level up?” –interrupted Milana, calculating in her head.
“Not that much.” –answered Kyle. –“Maybe I'll level if I do today's two exp dates.”
“Then I shall be your first for tonight.”
----------------------------------------
After a bit more of persuasion, Milana and Kyle finally went on with the exp date.
“It feels nostalgic.” –said Milana, while shooting the bats as they appeared.
“Gonna miss the little batties?” –asked Kyle, mockingly.
“Hahaha, I might.” –answered Milana, finishing the last ones. –“I must have killed hundreds of them.”
“Such a great bat-killer will be sorely missed.” –added Kyle, laughing.
“You bet!” –exclaimed Milana. –“Next girl should at least two-hit them; and no misses!”
“She could miss one or two.” –said Kyle, pretending concern.
“Then they would fly towards her face.” –said Milana, raising a finger. –“She might even go: 'KYAAA! Take them off me!'”
“That would be a very girly thing to do.” –said Kyle, casually spearing a lizardman.
“Are you saying I'm not girly enough?” –asked Milana, grinning while burning a lizardman to a crisp.
“Nah, you are quite girly.” –answered Kyle, smiling while one-hitting a goblin with a thrown spear.
“But Angela is my reference; make of that what you will.”