We did what we’d done the night before, taking our remaining coffee out to the porch to watch the local guild take on the spawn. The sun was still up, casting a soft gold over the neighborhood, but the heat of the day was fading.

  A fresh breeze blew from the west, carrying the faint scent of things growing and barbecue from the place on the other side of Fox. The air shifted from a little warm to the kind of easy, comfortable evening that made you want to stay outside. Even more so if you were with someone.

  This time, instead of a few mostly accidental contacts, she stepped closer until our hips touched more often than not. The quiet weight of her against me felt good…the kind of simple closeness I’d missed over the last decade since my wife died. We stood there long after the guild finished the fight, just letting the moment stretch.

  James had tanked this one. He broke away from the others when they were done and walked over.

  “Will. I hear you want us to add somebody for a fight? Some VIP? What’s up?”

  “Something like that, yeah. They asked me in a way that wouldn’t let me turn them down. I want to help someone find out what it’s like to really fight these things. The only way to do that is to do it.”

  He nodded slowly. “So, some big shot who wants to brag they did it?”

  “Close, but not quite. They want to do it. Their idea. But let’s just say they go around with a security detail. That level of somebody. All I can say right now is trust me. You’ll find out tomorrow. Promise.”

  “Is this one of the Kardashians?”

  That blindsided me. I stood there with my mouth open, which only made Blaze burst out laughing. Finally, I shut my mouth and managed to talk.

  “No. I’d say no to one of them. Well…maybe if they paid me a couple million? I can be bought. I’m just not cheap.”

  That earned more laughter from all three of us.

  “What class are they?” James asked.

  “Healer. Level 2, probably close to Level 3. They’ve been leveling somehow, but not from real combat. I’ve heard they’ve been healing people, but I don’t have the details. I’ll find out tomorrow.”

  “You just want us to sub them in for one fight? You’ve done a lot for us. We can do that for you. You gonna want to keep doing it?”

  “I hope not. I didn’t want to do it at all. I can’t tell you why yet, but you’ll understand later. I promise. I’ll see what extra I can do for your guild. Maybe another round of enchants when you get better gear or when I get better enchants…and MANA BATTERIES for all your casters.”

  “I think you’d do that anyway.”

  We both laughed because he was right.

  Then I got serious. “I need this to stay inside your guild and mine. Some of mine will be here as backup. Only Blaze and I know the whole story. Here’s the thing. Besides letting them heal, I want you to do two things.”

  “OK. What things?”

  “First, invite them to your guild. They can’t stay long…they live out of state…but I want them to feel part of something different from their normal life. Something special and yet ordinary.”

  “I’ll have to check with the rest of the guild, but we’ve got a few spaces left. Just one?”

  “Yep. Just one.”

  “I know most of what Will’s planning,” Blaze added. “He’s telling you the truth. But it has to stay top, top secret until it happens. Some parts will have to stay secret even after that. I don’t know for how long.”

  The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

  James tilted his head. “Will…I’m gonna be a junior next fall. You’re asking a lot from someone my age.”

  “I know. I also know what you’ve done so far. You, your brother, the Whitfords…your whole guild. Most of you are closer to your age than mine, but I trust you. Age, experience…all of it. You’re more of a man right now than plenty of people my age.” Blaze nodded in agreement.

  “Here’s the hard part. You’ll have to let your party know right before it happens. Maybe tell your brother ahead of time, but no one else. That is, if you can bring yourself to do it.”

  “Do what?” His expression tightened.

  “I want you to let a kobold get past your line. Then channel it at the healer.”

  “What!?” James blurted.

  “Will, you can’t!” Blaze snapped. “No. It’s not safe. Not for….” She caught herself, covering her mouth with both hands before she said too much.

  “What happens when you fight something that can break through your shields, through you, through your melee fighters?” I asked both of them. “They’re going for the casters and healers.”

  James gave a slow, reluctant nod.

  “Your healers need to fight, too. Or when they run out of MANA…then what? I don’t think this person has ever hit anything with their weapon.”

  He looked worried. “Good.”

  “That’s what I want to drive home. This is real. No playing, no ‘get up and do it again,’ no respawns. We should be doing this with all our casters and healers. We’ll have to do it with the Irregulars.”

  “You’re sure they won’t get hurt?”

  Blaze and I both laughed. “If they get hurt, they’re a healer,” Blaze said. “They can heal themselves. How much do kobolds hit you for? With your current gear?”

  James thought for a second. “Two points if they’re lucky. Most of the time they connect but no damage. Hurts, though…not as bad as some JV football games I’ve played.”

  “That’s what I thought. Can you wait until right before the fight to tell your party?” I asked.

  “Tell them you’re working on some new training,” Blaze added.

  “OK. I’ll see if they’ll go for it. My parents won’t like it. They’re very protective.”

  “Good parents are. Last thing. Can your new Ice Mage and MANA Mage be the ones to channel the kobold? They’ve been doing good work with walls.”

  “Yeah, I can ask. If it’s the late run, they can make it. SandB gets off work by then.”

  “Alright… talk to your people and let me know what they say.”

  “I will. And Will… thanks. We’re doing better than most guilds because of you.”

  “You’re welcome. But it isn’t just me,” I told him. “The box was your idea and now others are copying it. Now get going so I can talk more with Blaze.”

  He nodded and left.

  Once the door shut behind us, Blaze turned to me with a glare. “Will, you’re putting the President’s life in danger. I don’t know if I can do this. Yes, having her in actual combat with people to protect her if something goes wrong…that’s one thing. This is totally different. You’re trying to get her killed.”

  “Blaze, Hanna…I’m not trying to get her killed. I want her to understand what it’s like for us.”

  She shook her head, disagreeing, but I kept going. “I know we both outgun anything out there today. But next week? What if everything’s two or three levels higher? Then we’ll all have to be in a different mindset. We’ll have to worry about getting hurt…or worse.”

  Her eyes stayed hard, but I could see the thought working its way in.

  “I know that,” Blaze said finally. “But this is now, not next week. If we do this, they’ll never let her do it again.”

  “If we do this, I don’t think they can stop her. She’ll be leading from the front lines, not an office a thousand miles away. Ask Bhaarrt which he’d prefer.” Her glare softened a little. She was thinking about it.

  Finally, she said, “Most vets respect the presidents who fought.”

  “Exactly. Wasn’t the first President Bush a fighter pilot who got shot down in the Pacific?”

  “Something like that. OK… if she gets hurt, then what?”

  “What would Ingrid do if something got through to her?” I wanted to know.

  “If she didn’t kill it first? Have you seen the spear she has? She’d heal herself. Why?”

  “The same thing you said outside. The President can’t do the same thing, why?” I asked her.

  The dirty look Blaze gave me said she knew the answer. She slumped a little. “OK…she can. Healers can heal themselves.”

  “Can they fight? We talked to her about carrying a mace. That planted the idea she might have to use it. Writers call that a Chekhov’s gun. You show it in act one, you use it in act three.”

  Blaze narrowed her eyes. “Where the hell did you learn to be so damn manipulative? And don’t just say writing classes. I took interrogation training, and you’re using some of it.”

  “Are you sure you want to know?” I gave her my best ‘do you really want to know?’ smirk. I envisioned gears turning while she silently thought about my question.

  She stared at me for a long moment before shaking her head. “I know a couple ways you could answer that…and I’m not sure I want either. We’ll drop it.”

  “Agreed. Much better,” I answered.

  “Will?”

  “Yes?”

  “You’re too damn much like my uncle!” Blaze grumbled, glaring at me again. That broke the tension, and we both started laughing.

  We are on Rising Stars, Contemporary List. As long as we stay on it, chapters will be released daily. Please Follow, Favorite, and Rate how much you like it. And tell your friends about Mana Mage. That will keep it on the list and new chapters coming to you sooner. With your help, we can make the main list too.

  We are on Rising Stars, Contemporary List. As long as we stay on it, chapters will be released daily. Please Follow, Favorite, and Rate how much you like it. And tell your friends about Mana Mage. That will keep it on the list and new chapters coming to you sooner. With your help, we can make the main list too.

  I have a channel. (John.Malkin.Writer) if you want to ask questions, make suggestions, or just talk about the story, come join it. You can go directly to the channel. It should be a never expires link now. In case it doesn't work, you can always contact me for a current join request.