Blaze and I headed back inside to get ready for work. She was going in early to her new office, and I sent a message out to the guild to see if any healer was free to run a few quick spawns with me.
My offer was simple: experience, a half share of the loot, plus transportation. Nurse Melissa, our Sneak and Peek squad Healer, messaged back that she didn’t have to be at work until after lunch. Ten minutes later, I was pulling into her apartment parking lot to pick her up.
On our way to the first spawn site, I said, “The Shaman is going to be a big problem. His CURSE hits for three rounds of five points of damage each. 19th & Fox took him down before he could get a second spell off.”
“There’s no way to stop the spell?” she asked, glancing over from the passenger seat.
“I haven’t tried yet. I’ll put up MANA and PSYCHIC SHIELDS and see if they block it. I asked for a healer because I don’t want to keep going without one. Four spawns hitting me for at least fifteen points each…yeah, that’s pain and damage I’d rather avoid.”
“I get that. I just wonder if my Thief skills can stop him? I don’t get many chances to try them.”
“The dual-class problem. Your two don’t synergize much. How much does being a Healer keep you from using the usual Thief sword or dagger?”
“I don’t know. Haven’t had a chance to find out.”
“Hhhmmmm…” I drummed my fingers on the wheel, thinking. “Maybe you can use both, since a Thief can use any weapon, a Healer’s allowed. Can you BACKSTAB someone with a mace?”
We both cracked up. When she caught her breath, she said, “Don’t know. I don’t have a mace. Just a knife I’ve owned for years and a dropped sword…no mace to try it with.”
“Maybe we’ll find something in the woods. If not, I’ll scrounge something so you can try it. If you want to BACKSTAB the first Shaman, we’ll go for it. I’ll BOLT him right after and put MANA ARMOR on you before we attack.”
“How long will it take to stop the rest?” Mellisa asked.
“Two MANA BLASTs have been enough to drop them. I surround them in MANA SHIELDs and they go down fast. But my attack will hit you too if you’re close.”
“We can work it out. I trust the great Mana Mage to figure it out.” She grinned and gave me a theatrical bow from the passenger seat.
By the time we rolled up to the first site, our plan was set. Morning sunlight filtered through damp oak leaves, dappling the mossy ground. We found where the spawns had wandered out the tree line, and I laid it out one more time: fence off the Shaman, Melissa STEALTHing behind him, me MANA BALLing the main group to grab aggro, then MANA BOLT the Shaman until he dropped. After that, I’d clean up the rest.
This way my area effect spells wouldn’t hurt her.
Putting the Level 8 MANA ARMOR spell I’d taken, but never tested in combat yet, on both of us seemed smart. She STEALTHed afterward, and I waited, watching the Party Map. She moved like the woods belonged to her…not a twig snap or leaf rustle.
I, on the other hand, was the human equivalent of a marching band. Remembering how to be quiet in the woods was slowly coming back. Boy Scouts was decades ago.
This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.
[Nurse Melissa:] [William of Brinsford] [In position and ready.]
[William of Brinsford:] [Nurse Melissa] [Here we go. Shields going up now.]
With the modifier SHAPE SHIELD, I formed an open-sided rectangle around the Shaman, leaving her space to slip in. Two more shields boxed in the Goblins and Kobolds.
They started pounding on them, trying to break through their translucent blue walls.
[Nurse Melissa:] [William of Brinsford] [It works! Half down. 20 left.]
The Shaman staggered, stunned, never getting his CURSE off. I MANA BALLed the group; the Kobolds dropped. A MANA BOLT after Melissa’s second hit finished the Shaman. Another MANA BLAST cleared the rest. The woods went still, just the faint buzz of insects in the warming air.
“It worked! It worked!” Melissa clapped; the sound sharp in the quiet.
“That it did. Let’s loot before anything else wanders in.” I dropped my SHIELDs and started searching bodies. She took the Shaman’s staff. It had a +1 to spells, decent as a Healer focus. Having one more point of healing on a spell can keep someone alive.
140 copper shields, two of the usual poor swords, and a poor Leather Cap later, I’d finished looting them.
We rinsed and repeated for two more groups. The last one was trouble. The Shaman was too close to the Goblins, and I couldn’t split them. Melissa switched to full healing mode. Renewing her MANA ARMOR, I threw up my own plus a PSYCHIC SHIELD. Time to see if they stopped CURSEs. Spoiler: they didn’t.
She hit me with a Heal Over Time spell while I circled all of them in a MANA SHIELD and started BLASTing. James was right. The impact of the CURSE was like being tackled helmet-first. Not stabbing pain, more like someone’s steel-toed boot in my gut. Fifteen points of damage. Five points…three times.
“Good job, Melissa,” I said, wincing and holding my stomach. “I’m topped off, but it still hurts. Maybe I should start bringing a bottle of aspirin or ibuprofen. Or you should.” She giggled. It was a young, almost musical sound. She’s probably half my age, and it came off…cute.
Out of four spawns, we got one bag, which I gave her. She hit Level 5 on the second-to-last fight and, at my urging, finally took VANISH.
I hit Level 10 on the last kill and immediately grabbed MAGIC WARD. As we walked back toward my van through the cool, shady woods, I said, “If you want to run more morning fights, you’re welcome to heal me any time.”
“Thanks, Will. I’ll check my schedule. The hospital’s talking cutbacks. Not sure if they’ll go by seniority or who’s most useful game-wise, but I’ll let you know.”
“Thank you. I figured that’d happen. Just didn’t think it’d be this soon. Can you find other work if they lay you off?”
“We’ll see. As long as the police keep using the hospital to house caster or Psychic-based criminals, I should be safe. I usually work ICU. And I’ve heard people are paying Healers to level them. They’re paying them real money.”
“That mean you’re gonna start charging me for runs? Can’t get it for free with my rugged, manly good looks?” Her not-so-light punch to the shoulder and laughter answered that.
“You get freebies, Will. After all you’ve done for us and Eddington, nobody in the guild’s going to charge you. And I’m sure you won’t charge us.”
“You’re right. I still want my share of drops, but that’s it.”
“That’s fair. But you go beyond just fair. You care…you want us stronger. We just don’t see each other enough compared to other guilds.”
“I know. We need a meeting about that. Speaking of meetings; tonight, my place, 10 p.m. Be there at least fifteen minutes early. Backyard. I want the guild blocking both sides of the street for maybe fifteen minutes around spawning time. Sneak and Peek Squad on inside and outside perimeter. Irregulars are setting up the road blocks.”
“What’s going on? Will? What’ve you got planned?”
“Can’t tell you. Top secret and all that.”
“Yeah… top secret in Eddington. That narrows it down.”
“I can’t even tell you that.” I stopped walking, met her eyes. “All I can say is I want everyone there, and I don’t want you spreading it around. It might not even happen. I hope it does. Just…please…trust me.”
She studied me for a long moment, then grinned. “I trust you. Far enough for this. I’ll be there and tell the others. If you want us in place fifteen minutes before, that means it’s tied to spawning. We should be there a half hour early.”
“That works. Can you keep things quiet until just before ten?”
“I’ll do my best. But right now, I need to get to work. Drop me at the hospital please. I’ll grab a cafeteria lunch. The food’s not as bad as some people say.”
I nodded like I agreed with her.
A few minutes later, we were heading into town in my van, talking about everything except what was coming tonight.
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.
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