Woman—focus—drunk. Shit.
“Okay, uhh, me either.” Deia wrung her hands. “Well, umm, okay.” Deia turned a big smile on her face.
Dave pulled her to him. “Forgive me but I can’t very well give this up.” Dave smiled and kissed her cheek.
Deia seemed to shrink as Dave grinned at her.
“Uhh, I’ll see you later and figure something out.” Deia stayed pressed against him, opening and closing her hands a few times. “Okay, talk later,” she said hurriedly, as if realizing what she was doing.
“It’s a promise,” Dave said, his voice low and soothing.
She smiled giddily and walked away.
Dave turned and, having used the opened door to support himself, promptly fell on his face. “Fucking gravity!”
“You okay?” Deia asked.
“Lots better than the first time—just my pride.” Dave groaned and got to his feet. He saw Deia’s face in worry as well as a smile.
“Good night.” Dave closed the doors from his knees, trying to cover any further embarrassment. Even with his face hurting like hell and Deia seeing him fall like an idiot, a smile lit up his face as he struggled to get to his bed.
Chapter 11: Fighting Pairs
Dave woke up, circulating Mana and healing his body from the night’s activities. He pulled himself upright, grabbing a waterskin and downing it quickly. He smelled food being cooked out in the yard. He got up, pulling clothes on and readying himself for another day at the smithy. He was half-dressed by the time he remembered Kol’s words.
A smile spread across his face, which only grew as he thought about Deia. He finished dressing and headed out of his home.
“Morning, Sleeping Beauty,” Joko said, from her place against one of the logs. The Dwarves were waking slowly and Deia was up in her hammock strung between trees.
“The hell did you put in that drink? Dwarven whiskey?” Gurren rubbed his head.
“It’s a dark beer from back home. Might have messed up the mixture and increased the alcohol content a bit.” Dave sat down at the logs, using his Touch of the Land to focus on the six drinking companions. He cast healing magic.
His time with Bob, learning about magic and its flexible nature had made Dave’s creative mind go wild. Normal Players just bought all of the spells they could to master them. They might have three different healing spells for Area, Cast, and Touch. Dave had just Touch of the Land, but with Bob’s knowledge, he’d been able to modify his spells. They were just like Magical Circuits: they had a singular purpose, but the delivery, power, and variables around it could be changed. With enough knowledge, the spell itself could be changed.
Dave was nowhere near that level of mage but his experiments had led to more than one convenient discovery. Such as casting healing instead of having to touch his patients. With major injuries, using the ground as a medium instead of air was better—and touching was the best—but he now had options at least.
Dave checked the tea that Joko was brewing. After spending so much time with various mixtures just to get his favorite beer as well as making meals, he almost unconsciously stirred the pot and threw in a few different herbs.
“So, what’s your cooking skill looking like now?” Joko sat back.
“Uhh…” Dave pulled up his skills and scrolled down to cooking.
Active Skill: Cooking
Level: Journeyman 2
Effect: Creations effects are 47% higher
He sent it to Joko.
“I’m high because of all that brewing I was doing and tinkering with. It slowed down a lot getting through Apprentice level.”
Joko nodded. “With only leveling up brewing and mixtures for drinking, you were working on combining ingredients for drinks but you’ve had less practice with actually cooking a meal. Cooking is the creation of all food types that requires heat. Drinks is just half of that.”
Dave nodded at the tidbit of information.
“Though it does taste like your brewing skills are top-notch.” She laughed.
“Well, if you know any good cooks, I’ll be happy to show you some of mi’ brewin’ secrets, lass.” Dave winked and affected a terrible Scottish accent.
Joko laughed. People glanced over at the group, a few amused smiles appearing.
“Don’t like my cooking?” Joko hit Dave’s arm. Dave rubbed what felt like a growing bruise. “Probably more interested in trying Deia’s cooking, though.” Joko raised her voice.
“Where I’m from, you respect your elders, and let them sleep in peace,” Deia said back as she turned in her hammock.
Joko looked to Dave, her face cracked in a wide smile.
The other Dwarves moved to the campfire. Joko filled tankards with the brewed concoction. They drank and made small talk before Lox walked up.
“All right, you laggards. We’ve been lazing about the forest for a few days while this one has been making smithies everywhere cry over their anvils in shame. For the next three days, we’re going to be doing independent training,” Lox said.
The Dwarves grumbled and muttered but independent training was more fun than formation training. They used their own weapons to fight one another. Sometimes the shield wall failed and if it did, Dwarves were ready with their own weapons to push back the attackers and re-establish the shield wall.
Dave had sparred with them one-on-one a few times. In their own right, they were well trained fighters.
“Deia, you’ve got that whole Fire magic thing kicking around now. Seeing as Dave is the only other one here with a high enough Affinity level, get to hitting each other. Good marriages are made when both sides know how to wield a sword! Both of them!” Lox gave Dave a leering look.
Deia got out of her hammock, shaking her head. “Could’ve stayed in the village, set fire to sprites and had bonfires. Instead, I became a ranger. Got stuck with a bunch of crude Dwarves,” she muttered, a grin spreading across her face.
The Dwarves smiled and laughed, taking her criticism as marks of pride.
She took a tankard from Joko, who moved from her seat next to Dave. Deia sat down; she and Dave made awkward eye contact. Her leg brushed Dave’s and a flare of heat spread through him.
You’ve gone out with plenty of women who were beautiful. He tried to calm himself. How many of them, did you actually want to date? Or made you feel like your stomach was a washing machine?
Pairs were made but they took their time, letting it get warmer and checking their weapons to make sure that they were covered so they’d only leave bruises and broken bones. Pairs moved into the open area. First was Joko and Max.
Joko used her shield and sword. Max used a great big warhammer. They went at it, Joko using the shield to divert hits and try to close with Max.
Max continued to use the momentum, hitting faster than you’d expect someone with a massive warhammer. His motions carried him around. He might be a dwarf but Max was acrobatic, turning his body to use his warhammer like some pendulum of doom.
The noise brought people out to watch the sparring.
Joko made to divert Max’s warhammer; he turned, ready to ride out the change in momentum. She ducked and pulled her shield so it sailed by, pulling Max awkwardly. She moved forward and slammed her shield into Max.
He grunted, stumbling and falling.
“Well done,” Lox said as Joko helped Max up. The two of them smiled, panting and excited.
“Need a second weapon for when you lose the warhammer. Be ready to let it go to overwhelm your enemy and then sink in the killing blow,” Joko said as they walked out of the sparring area. The other Dwarves patted them on the back and gave words of encouragement.
Dave and Deia headed out into the cleared area.
So I’m about to get my ass kicked by the girl I like, Dave thought, as he checked the straps on his armor.
Chapter 12: Date Night, Emerilia Style
Dave smiled but he felt a lot less confident. He had fought Deia in the past; she was fast—like blink and
you missed fast.
“So, Fire magic?” Dave asked.
“Yeah.” Deia smiled as they walked out into the open space between the kiln, smithy camp, and Dave’s house. “Bit of a long story.”
“Soooo, how much do you know about magic?” Dave pulled axes from his bag.
“Enough.”
Dave caught her sly smile, nodding. Well, I’m fucked. He pulled out his axes, moving them in his hands. They did say magic is allowed. A smile spread across his face as he used Touch of the Land on his armor. To those around him, few even noticed his armor getting heavier or the way it pushed out. None of them could see the new layers and runes that now lay on the inside of the armor.
He took a shaky breath, his power down to nothing. He’d been able to conjure more steel and inlay the runes with silver but it was rough work.
Need more practice at the smithy.
Dave looked to the smithy, and saw Kol leaning against one of the support beams. He felt lighter on his feet, as if gravity weighed on him less.
“Ready?” Lox asked, acting as referee as he stood between Dave and Deia.
Her eyes seemed to have an otherworldly light behind them as they glowed red. Flames moved down her leather pants and across her blades.
Buffs of some kind.
“Yeah,” Dave said, his mouth dry as he left his helmet off. Having it on would only limit his vision. With Deia, it was already going to be harder to see her.
“Yes,” Deia said, her voice controlled and deadly.
Ohhh shit—this is gonna hurt.
“Go!” Lox said.
Deia rushed Dave.
Dave moved toward her. She seemed slower than before as their blades met and sparked; flames danced just inches away as they circled each other. She kicked outward; Dave took the hit and stumbled back.
His eyes never left Deia as she came in again. Her blades moved faster, a wry smile on her face. Dave felt a smile spread across his face as he defended against her blades. She still had an edge in speed, but Dave’s armor and his own speed allowed him to minimize damage to only a few scratches to his armor but no hits that would’ve made it in.
Dave heard shouting and noises but he was focused on Deia, leaving it all behind. The training his friends had drilled into him and he’d practiced for months with his enhanced strength and speed kicked in.
A blade darted at his leg; if not for the sheathing, it would’ve cut through the outside of his right thigh. His Stamina was waning from the furious blows and fight.
He cut low with both axes. Deia jumped up instead of backward, landing on his axes, making him step forward, into her knee as she flipped over him.
He dropped into the ground, two blades on either side of his face.
“Deia is the winner!” Lox yelled.
“Your place? Say seven bells? You can cook,” Deia said in Dave’s ear as she pulled her blades out of the ground.
Dave turned and looked up at her smile. Her hair moved in the wind, like flames turned hair.
“Fine—that is, if you let me up.” He smiled.
She pulled him to his feet.
“Only lady to kick my ass and make me want more,” he said when he was next to her ear.
She gave him a look, the red shade of her hair spreading to her cheeks.
“Watch out, Deia! This one’s getting faster!” Gurren said as he and Tounk walked out into the sparring area.
“Yes, he is…the cheat,” Deia said.
Dave shrugged. There were too many ears around; he didn’t want to tell everyone about his shadow conjurer ability.
Lox and a few others were having a talk where people had gathered to watch the display. Dave got the job of making lunch. He pulled together BLTs and they sat around, talking about one another’s fighting styles, how to improve, and weaknesses.
Lox came over to join them a few minutes later.
“Well, I hope that whet your appetite.” Lox grabbed a sandwich, looking rather pleased with himself.
His tone made everyone look at him with daggers.
“What did you do, Lox?” Dave voiced what all of them were thinking.
“Well, it seems that the other warbands, Elves, and even the villagers are getting a bit restless with everything. Seems that a few of us warband leaders put our heads together. Think that we can get the southern training square to ourselves tomorrow. Maybe have a little tournament.” He grinned.
The Dwarves muttered dark things and Deia shook her head. Dave looked on, amused.
“Don’t worry—I included your name as well.” Lox clapped Dave on the shoulder.
“Should have never connected with my roots.” Dave’s smile fell away as he ate his BLT.
“You do know that we’re going back on patrol in five days?” Deia asked.
“Good thing that resourceful warclan has healing mages,” Lox said through a mouthful of food.
A new round of dark muttering came from the Dwarves.
“Well, I am going to get my armor put away and it seems I have a dinner to prepare.” Dave stood. “My lady, it was an honor to be beaten by you.” He gave an extravagant bow, to the hoots and hollers of the Dwarves.
“If you don’t take him, I will,” Joko said.
“Hands off, you!” Deia said, less embarrassed as she laughed at Dave’s antics.
He grabbed the gear and headed back to his house. He closed the door and dropped his armor on the ground.
“Fuck.” He looked at the brewing equipment that was still in mid-beer and liquor making process. Then there were the books Bob had given him. The metal ingots, the technical drawings. Magical Circuits.
“I need a magical friggin’ maid.” He thought of Deia in a maid’s outfit. “Hmm, that could work, but in that getup, wouldn’t be getting all that much cleaning done. Nothing like a good-looking lady coming over to properly motivate a man to clean his home!” With that, he started organizing the room as he thought of different dishes he could make.
Deia straightened out her leather pants. She’d worn a comfortable shirt but her heavy leather pants and hiking boots stayed. She didn’t have many changes of clothes. She’d thankfully brought some from home or else she would have been just wearing her normal ranger gear. Her armored pants were different from her normal gear. They contained Magical Circuits that boosted her Affinity for Fire. With the greens and browns, there was red stitching.
You’re two hundred and thirty-nine years old! And here you are nervous as some handmaiden!
The door opened as Dave appeared. He wore thick dark pants and a white shirt. A mouth-watering aroma wafted outward as he grinned at her.
“Well, welcome to my abode.” Dave waved her in. He might be a few inches shorter than her but he’d been growing upward as well as sideways.
With being a halfling, she was on the shorter sides of Elven women.
She dimpled, smiling at him as he waved her in. There was a simple table on the opposite wall. Various distilleries and machines used to create alcohol were working away on it. To the left was the bed, the fire just a few feet away from it. Windows looked out over the cliff that surrounded Cliff-Hill. Another door was set in the opposite side of the house, leading out to the porch.
“I, uhh, am doing a few experiments so I thought we could eat outside. It should be done soon. In the meantime…” He pulled out a cup of wine. “I assumed wine, but I’ve got beer, Dwarven and Elven spirits, and even some water.”
“Wine will do fine.” She smiled, seeing that he was as nervous as she felt. She sipped the wine. “Wow. That’s good.”
“Yeah, well, I had a big collection of wine at one time. Got drunk on it so many times that I started figuring out what was good and what was crap. Kind of surprised that you lot didn’t have any ice wines, but have that sorted out this year.” He moved to the cooking rack over the house’s fireplace.
“You had a collection of wine? I didn’t see you bring much up here,” Deia said. Wine, although not expensive, wasn’t the cheap
est thing in Emerilia. Beer was cheaper and getting a taste for wine was not a simple thing.
“Back when I wasn’t here.” He worked the various pans and pots.
“You don’t really talk about it.” Deia walked closer.
“Well, it wasn’t exactly real in the end.” He looked up from his food. “Should have the soup ready in a half-hour. Shall we go out on the porch?” He waved to the back door.
“Okay, and don’t think you’re getting out of the question. I know that it wasn’t real, but it was still your life for most of your life up till now,” she said as he opened the door for her.
“Okay,” he said as she looked over the two chairs that were off to the side of the porch, a lantern above it to light the area. A table was set with eating utensils and candles flickered ahead of the porch.
New nerves filled her stomach as she took a sip of wine to calm them. They sat in the Muskoka chairs.
“I had a decent family, worked hard to put food on the table. There was my mom, two brothers, my dad and my sister. While my other brothers wanted to work with their hands on cars or at a government job, I wanted to build things. Things that people would look at and lose their mind over. I worked as hard as possible doing menial jobs to get enough money to go to college.”
“Like the magical college in Lok-pur?” she asked.
“Probably something similar. Anyway, I went there to become an engineer, basically someone who builds things. I specialized in astrophysics and space-based vehicles.”
Deia was lost once again.
Dave laughed at her expression but not at her loss of understanding. “So, what are stars to you?” Dave asked.
“They are imitations of our own sun,” Deia said.
“Wow, okay, that makes things a lot easier. I was thinking that there might be some Affinities or god stuff thrown in,” Dave said.
“There usually is but I am a mage of Fire. We are not the kind of people to listen to the Pantheon of Affinities. Our lady does not take our devotions. We work for our power and are rewarded for it. As such, we search for new information and learnings constantly. We know of the solar system, planets, and other stars that have other planets rotating around them,” Deia said.
The Trapped Mind Project (Emerilia Book 1) Page 32