“I know some computer specialists and, for that matter, actuaries, who would disagree with you,” Joe grumbled under his breath, clearly bothered that his exciting and boisterous presentation was so ill received.
“Third, your overly optimistic assertion that because you allegedly view this reality in numbers, I should be able to also, is just as crazy. Flaming bloody plasma!” Moes said, sitting down yet again after standing for another tirade. You could tell Joe was getting annoyed when he slowly began to smile.
“In this castle, I am the king. The king, along with benefits, also has many responsibilities. The main responsibility, for any good king, is his people's welfare. No, you have not sworn to serve my kingdom, but you are in my kingdom. You have sworn to obey its laws. One of my laws is that all in the kingdom must strive to be the best version of themselves. I know that’s not really a law I can enforce. But, with that law in mind, Moes, give your best attempt to mind-click me,” Joe said. Compelled by his binding, Moes looked at Joe and did the silly mental click.
Level- 2
Character- Joe
Race- Human Machine Hybrid
Mana- 229
Luck- 16
Gifts
Empathetic Learner
Disadvantages
Fear of silence
Lack of focus
“You're only level 2!” Moes exclaimed, bypassing how Joe had been correct about mind-clicks, “How can you be a Champion at Level 2?! …the Way is lost,” Moes whispered the last, suddenly feeling fatigued.
Seeing the true danger of Moes losing hope, Spooky stepped in. “Of course he's a low-level. If Joe wasn't a low level, the Way would never have had a chance. Do you think you know everything, Moes? You don't. We were summoned differently than all the other champions. This gave us the opportunity that the others don't have. This castle is not just a place where we can sleep. It is a true castle for a place of power. But even with all the power in the summoning that you used, you can't have everything. Either you could have a high level Champion with no castle, or, you can have us and a castle like this. This castle can equip your people. It can give them a place of strength, a chance to be something more than a scattered group with a single high-level Champion. You don't realize it, Moes, but you got the best of both worlds. Joe and I are low level now, but not for long. We are from a place where people know how to work hard and advance quickly. You don't have to take my word for it. In the next few minutes, you're going to teach Joe some spells. Then, you're going to see him go out and hunt. By the time we return, he's going to have a few more levels and who knows what else,” Spooky said.
“Really?” Moes questioned, showing a small amount of hope back in his voice.
Joe took over. “Yes, really. Now, teach me what magic I can get at my magic level. What do I have to do?” Joe said.
Moes raised his hands and said,“KNOW!”
Joe felt a rush and, oddly, tasted cinnamon. Instantly, Joe knew five spells and how to cast them.
Mind Magic
L1 Psi Blast- Mental attack causes pain and has a 10% chance of stun for 2 seconds. Chance of successful stun decreases with higher target levels and mental defenses.
L1 Reveal True Intent- Reveals target’s true intent. If target is actively hiding intentions, success rate drops greatly. There is a 10% chance of revealing the true-self of target. Chance of revealing true-self decreases with higher target levelsand mental defenses.
Spirit magic
L1 Righteous Indignation- This spirit attack causes pain. The pain increases in severity with the magnitude of target’s evil intentions. If target does not intend evil: attack causes pause, reflection, and re-evaluation.
L1 Spirit Shield- Creates a shield woven from spirit energy. Lowers or blocks magical attacks and effects. Can shield only self and allies.
Hybrid Magic
L1 Mind Matter- This hybrid magic uses both mind and spirit power to enchant an item. When in contact with an enemy, enchanted item drains enemy’s health and converts that health into mana for the owner of the item.
“I have done what I can to teach you novice magic. Most receive only one spell per type of magic they are seeded with. Do not distress if you did not acquire much. As you grow in your abilities, you will randomly learn more,” Moes said.
“Oh, I got five. Is that a lot better?” Joe asked. Moes’ mouth dropped open.
“What?! That’s unbelievably remarkable. You must be some kind of magical sponge. What five did you get?” Moes asked.
“Psi Blast, Reveal True Intent, Righteous Indignation, Spirit Shield, and Mind Matter,” Joe reported.
Moes was nodding his head as he listened until the last spell was spoken, then, again, his mouth dropped open.
“You got hybrid magic as a novice? That is extremely telling. It means that your potential in magical ability is very high. I did not receive my first hybrid spell until I was a journeyman, and that was considered of high potential even then. Though magic flows through this world, being able to actively wield it is not commonplace,” Moes said.
Opening his HUD, Joe could see that his spells had automatically been placed in small active slots within his vision. Concentrating, he worked on organizing them in groupings that would make him most effective in a combat situation. Joe stood up, pulled out his MIL Bar, and targeted. He mentally clicked his hybrid spell. Instinctively, with one hand, he wove a sign and power began to build in his palm, power that was surrounded by a blue silver aura. Slowly, the light grew: 10 seconds- brighter, 20 seconds- brilliant, 30 seconds- blinding; and by instinct, Joe thrust his hand forward at the bar, casting Mind Matter upon it. The enchantment took.
“Nice, it worked. This will be handy,” Joe said.
“That enchantment is not as handy as you might think. It has to stay in contact with the target. Who's going to stay in contact with something that's hurting them?” Moes asked.
“True, but this is not just a metal bar. We will see,” Joe said with a small smile.
“Now that you have magic, you need to use it often. By practicing your spells, you will become more comfortable with the magic and, in some sense, it will become more comfortable with you. Also, at the beginning your mana channels are quite narrow, which means that your mana regeneration will be slow. You will not be able to cast higher level spells until you have large enough mana channels to do it,” Moes said.
“I have to increase my bandwidth, huh?” Joe asked.
“What are you talking about? What's bandwidth?” Moes asked.
“Never mind, it doesn't matter,” Joe chuckled, “So if I cast a lot of spells, the size of my mana channels will increase?”
“That's right, but obviously do not allow your mana to get so low that you can't protect yourself. Plus, running out of mana is horribly painful. I don't recommend it. At your current ‘level,’ as you have so framed it, I am not able to teach you more. You will just need to do the work,” Moes said.
“Excellent, will do. What's next on the agenda?” Joe asked.
“Joe, we haven't really made an agenda.” Spooky said.
“Then we should totally put that first on the agenda. Boom! The agenda making has begun. Trainable skills: do we have any profession trainers in this castle?” Joe asked.
“Joe, there's no one in this castle but the three of us,” Spooky said.
“No trainer at all? Wait, that means no shops either. Dark stars, I was hoping to upgrade my armor before I left to start my leveling. It’s just us three. Wait, Moes, other than magic, what else can you teach me?” Joe asked.
Moes’ eyebrows lowered in thought. “It's possible I have a lot of things I could teach you. Normally, with trades and professions, you have to have a certain amount of aptitude to be able to learn. But, you are weird. And, at this point, I wouldn’t be surprised if you could learn from me,” Moes said.
“Great. What can I learn from you? Preferably, something I could use once I go out to start leveling.”
“Something you could use when you go out? I have some small abilities in cartography. Would that be useful?” Moes asked.
“Cartography! Maps are always helpful. Yes, let’s work on that,” Joe said.
“The problem is, I don't have any paper. Let alone a quill and ink,” Moes said.
Joe grabbed his Holdall and mentally opened the interface. Scrolling through the pages, Joe eventually found some paper and pencils. Clicking on them, he reached in the Holdall and magically pulled them out. Moes’ eyes opened wide.
“Did that sack just make paper?” Moes asked.
“No, it only has in it what was put there. Luckily, paper and pencils were, as well as many other things. This sack is the same as those from the iconic TV series, “Doctor Who,” but Doctor Who would say it is bigger on the inside,” Joe said.
“I've never heard of a magic that can do that. Without eventually blowing up, that is,” Moes said as he instinctively backed up. Curiosity getting the better of him, he leaned forward again, “That really is something. What is a pencil, though? Does it work like a quill?” Moes asked.
Joe handed the pencil and paper to Moes, who began experimenting with them on the table.
“This is impressive. The ink doesn't even have to dry,” Moes said.
“The pencil is composed of a graphite core and a wood grip. If you need ink Joe does have some. He just got lazy and didn't look through enough pages,” Spooky chided. Joe smiled.
“Joe, come look over my shoulder, and I'll show you the basics. Put your hand on my shoulder and try to feel the flow of information. I'm not sure if this will work. Unlike mind and spirit magic, I am not very skilled in this,” Moes said.
Joe watched as Moes made a simple map of the land around Gretchen’s cave. Moes’ hand moved across the paper in steady precise movements. Joe glanced up at Moes’ eyes and realized they were closed. On instinct, Joe closed his eyes also. The moment Joe’s eyes closed, he was in the information flow. He felt like a leaf, gently floating down a small park stream.
For a moment it was as if he could smell Gretchen's cave. He could sense the warmth, the tender feeling of home. Then, like an empty reservoir, the flow trickled to a stop.
Joe opened his eyes as a comforting warmth flooded his whole body.
Congratulations!
You gained the profession Cartography.
Current rank - Amateur Hobbyist
Though you can draw a map, it is not yet refrigerator worthy. By staying mindful and aware of your surroundings, you now have the ability to draw maps of locations you have visited within the last 24 hours.
Would you like to make this your primary profession? Yes/No
Joe thought about it for a moment, and realized there were probably some bonuses to the primary profession. He didn't think mapmaking was important enough to be his primary so he clicked no.
“Excellent, I'm an amateur hobbyist. What else you got Moes?” Joe said.
“Just like that, you got the profession? Are you sure? How do you know? Studying a profession normally takes time, and then you're given a rank by someone who's qualified. How do you know that you're an amateur hobbyist?” Moes asked.
Before Joe could answer, Spooky stepped in, “Joe learns things through his empathetic gift. He doesn't need someone qualified to give him the rank. In a sense, through his empathetic gift, you gave him the rank,” Spooky said. Spooky's answer seemed somewhat off to Moes, but ultimately, he needed to equip his Champion as much as he could. With this in mind, he decided not to make an issue of it. This time.
“Okay, what about the crier profession?” Moes asked.
“What’s the purpose of the crier profession?” Joe asked.
“It makes it easier for people to hear you when you're speaking to a small group,” Moes said.
“Public speaking. Like a town crier. Yeah, that could be helpful. Let's do it,” Joe said.
“Do they really not have criers where you're from?” Moes asked.
“Well, kind of, but not in the same way. We do have a huge amount of whiners, but we call them pundits,” Joe said, the corner of his mouth turning up in a grin. Moes, not seeing the humor, continued with his teaching.
“I'm going to stand on this table. You can put your hand on my shoulder, just like we did before,” Moes said. Even standing on the table, Moes was still a little shorter than Joe. Standing as tall as he could, Moes took a deep breath and began his cry, “Hear ye, hear ye! As master of mind and spirit magic, I proclaim a Champion for the Way has been born. Take heart, all who are slaves and oppressed, for a small hope has been kindled. Let our Champion’s steps be sure. For the way is dark, and this reality is unwilling to suffer the pain that comes with kindness. Persevere and hope. A way forward is found,” Moes yelled. Both Joe and Spooky had a message pop up before their eyes.
Morale boost: 100% for 3 hours.
This time, Joe didn't get the profession immediately, but again, by instinct, he knew what to do to get it. Taking a deep breath, Joe began his cry.
“Hear ye, hear ye! Foundations cannot be built until the ground is cleared and the dirt hauled away. Weep for those caught in the cleansing fire. For change rarely comes gently. I am not the Destroyer, but I will ride in its wake to rescue as many survivors as I can. Please, please accept my protection. It is all I have to offer,” Joe cried out.
Moes felt his heart soften.
Joe saw red at the edge of his vision.
Compassion increase 25% for 24 hours
Again, Joe felt a warmth flood through his body. Only this time it was not a gentle warmth, but rather the warmth of an overheated radiator. Joe's hands went to his head where the pain from the heat was most felt. He took deep breaths letting the heat dissipate as much as he could. Slowly the pain eased.
You gained the profession Crier.
Current rank - Amateur Hobbyist
You've increased in rank.
Current rank - Hobbyist
When you speak, not everyone ignores you. When you have a relevant message, stand tall and project. Don't be surprised if you turn a few heads. Note: to get better, practice speaking with two fingers in your mouth. Keeping your mouth open this wide will help the sound carry.
Would you like to make this your primary profession? Yes/No
Again, Joe clicked no.
“Joe during that last training session your temperature increased to a level that is unsafe. I think there's a cap on the amount of professions you can learn in a short time. Go ahead and read the warning message,” Spooky said. Joe clicked on the warning message and read.
Warning penalty assessed.
Efficient brain crown allows only one profession to be learned every 24 hours. Penalty for exceeding limit, no new professions for 72 hours. Fast thinking ability reduced by 50% for 72 hours.
So, it was not his Empathetic Learning gift that allowed him to learn professions. It was his Efficient Brain Crown. He would have to be more careful in the future. He was not happy with the debuff he had just given himself.
“I have achieved the rank of hobbyist, but it didn't come without a cost. I won't be learning any new professions for three days. I need to sit down for a while and let my head cool down,” Joe said.
“I'll sit with you. I’ve got nowhere else to be,” Moes said as he took a seat across from Joe.
“After I cool down, we can head out to start leveling. I think I've done all I can do here to get ready. It's good to be prepared, to think ahead, but eventually you have to step out and go hunting,” Joe said.
Moes grinned a little bit and looked up at Joe. “Are you talking about strategic thinking?” Moes asked. Spooky's avatar visibly tensed. Joe noticed her agitation, but was unsure of the cause.
“It might be a small part of strategic thinking, but not the whole. You and Spooky have been having some good conversations, I see. What did she tell you about that?” Joe asked.
“Just that it's something you feel is important. That's it. I wouldn't be opp
osed to knowing more,” Moes said. Joe smiled. He loved strategic thinking. He rarely needed an excuse to talk about it. Moes had opened the door to a long conversation. He would be lucky if he got out of it in the next three days.
“Strategic thinking is a broad concept. In its most basic form, it comes down to this: one must think strategically about everything. In your strategic thinking, you have to take into account every variable that you can. Your own personal thoughts and emotions, as well as everyone else's are key variables. A commander who fails to take into account their own emotions might not lose the first battle, but they will lose the last,” Joe said.
“Okay, you can know your own emotions, but you can't know other people's emotions, especially when they're not talking,” Moes said.
Joe’s smile widened. “That's mostly true, but you can make an extremely accurate guess. Even when someone's not talking, they're telling you a lot,” Joe said.
“When someone's not talking, you might get a little information from them, but not a lot,” Moes said with obvious skepticism.
“Actually, research has shown 70% of all communication is nonverbal, and a good amount of the nonverbal we give off unconsciously,” Joe said.
“It's actually more than 70%, if you take into account pheromones and the non-visible spectrum of light,” Spooky interjected.
“Maybe, but I can't see the non-visible spectrum of light, nor detect pheromones. I can look at someone and read their nonverbal cues though. And, I've learned you have to be careful when doing this or you can inadvertently cause harm. Nonverbal cues can tell you how a person is feeling. People have microexpressions that pop-up when they feel anger, disgust, or love. Most of the time, I can pick these up. I don't just look at the microexpressions, though. I also look at the gestures they're making. When someone is uncomfortable, they might cross their arms, unconsciously protecting their chest. Or, they might hunch over, unconsciously protecting their gut. When a man feels threatened, he'll often cross his hands in front of his loins. Or when someone's being honest, oftentimes they will show you their palms. Like they're showing you they don't have a weapon. These aren't just my ideas. Experiments have been done that show when many of these gestures are clustered together, they can reliably predict how someone is feeling. What they cannot do, is tell you the motive behind that feeling. It is impossible to reliably know someone's motives,” Joe said.
You're Not Allowed to Die (The Twenty-Sided Eye Series Book 1) Page 10