Magic School

by Phoenix Grey

  Azure couldn’t understand why she would do that. It just made no sense.

  “Look. Another one.” Janine pointed her ax at a giant wasp buzzing their way. As soon as she announced the monster’s presence, she took off at an awkward jog toward it, leaving the two men to catch up.

  By the time they reached her, Janine had already cleaved the wasp in half, making it clear that she didn’t want nor need their help.

  “What did we discuss?” Lonnell glowered at her as she looted the body.

  “My magic stats or something like that,” Janine replied, though it didn’t seem like she was engaged in the conversation at all.

  “Before that.” He gestured in a circular motion.

  She stood and shrugged. “I don’t know.”

  Azure simply sat back and watched the drama unfold with a grin on his face.

  “We’re supposed to fight all the monsters together,” Lonnell reminded her.

  “Why? That one was weak. I clearly could handle it on my own.” She walked past him then motioned for him to follow. “Come on. We want to make it to the mansion before nightfall, don’t we?”

  A vein in Lonnell’s neck bulged, only making Azure’s grin grow wider. Yes, he definitely appreciated their new party member.

  Unlike Lonnell, who seemed insistent on keeping to his own rules, Azure knew better than to get in Janine’s way. He Analyzed their foes as they appeared, and as long as the threat was blue, he didn’t bother stepping in. The dwarf was very proficient with her ax. In fact, he doubted he’d have to worry about protecting her when they entered the basement of Digby Mansion. The woman was pure DPS.

  Finally, a higher level enemy appeared, and it was time for them to all jump into battle together. It quickly became abundantly clear that Janine wasn’t used to fighting on a team. She charged in, taking point and flailing her ax. Azure waited until she had landed a hit before drawing his bow from afar and downing the enemy with one shot.

  Defeated Level 10 Giant Yellow Wasp. 60XP rewarded.

  While the same size as an average giant wasp, the giant yellow wasp had a black thorax and a completely yellow abdomen. Its body lay at Janine’s feet. She began to kneel but then paused, her eyes shooting back to Azure. “You loot it.”

  He wasn’t about to argue, needing all the money he could get. When he began sawing off one of the wasp’s wings, Janine stopped him with a gentle touch on the shoulder.

  “What are you doing?” she asked.

  Azure arched an eyebrow at her. “I’m taking the wings. Why?”

  “Why are you taking the wings?”

  “Because you told me to loot it.” He gestured to the half sawed-off wing with his Black Dagger, wondering what Janine’s deal was. She had already offered the loot to him. No backsies.

  Janine shook her head. “The wings are no good. See how brittle they are.” Tracing her finger along one of the wings, Azure could see where a few of the fine transparent panels were missing. He thought he had seen a few fall out while he had been sawing, but he hadn’t paid any mind to it.

  “Are you telling me these are worthless?” Azure cocked his head back.

  “That’s exactly what I’m telling you.” There was a twinge of impatience in her tone as if she thought he was stupid.

  “Then what am I supposed to get out of this?” Irritation made its way into his voice as well.

  “These wasps are more mature, so their venom sack is well developed. You’ll also be happy to know that it’s worth waaay more than the wings.” A smile spread across Janine’s face.

  “Way more, huh?” His frustration abated from the thought of more money. Azure looked the wasp over, wondering how to get to its venom sack. This reminded him of the ordeal with the giant crayfish when he had plopped its corpse on the floor of the smithy because he didn’t know what part of it was valuable. It was a little embarrassing, but Azure had no idea how to loot the wasp. “All right. It’s confession time. You’ve probably guessed this, but I’ve never extracted a wasp venom sack before. I’m not asking for you to do it for me, but if you give me a bit of instruction, we can finish this and be on our way.”

  He cast a glance at Lonnell, who looked highly annoyed from having to wait on them.

  Despite Azure telling Janine that she didn’t need to show him, she took his dagger, knelt, and demonstrated anyway. Dissecting the giant yellow wasp was blessedly not as messy as he had thought it would be, though his blade was left with a thin sheen of slime. The insides of the wasp were scentless.

  Clearly not one to shy away from a dirty job, Janine reached inside of the wasp’s abdomen near its stinger and pulled out a small purple kidney-shaped organ before handing it over to Azure.

  You have received the following item:

  Giant Wasp Venom Sack

  Quantity: 1

  Item Class: Common

  Quality: Average

  Weight: 0.1 kg

  Uses: Alchemy Component, Crafting Component

  “There you go,” Janine said to him before pulling a cloth from her bag to wipe her hands off.

  “Thanks,” he replied, carefully placing the item in his Bag of Holding. It felt like an unbalanced water balloon.

  They continued on, not traveling far before encountering another giant yellow wasp. Falling in line with Lonnell’s desire for them to all work together, Janine didn’t rush in this time. Instead, she waited, approaching the monster side by side with Lonnell. He rounded the wasp, and they went after it together. Azure thought about drawing his sword, but he knew they didn’t need his help. Once the monster had been slain, Janine offered the loot to Lonnell, even though she had landed the killing blow.

  It wasn’t until they had broken off from the main road that they saw anything other than wasps. While there was still a well-traveled path to the mansion, the forest around it was dense and heavily populated with wildlife. The trees closed over the path, creating a canopy that nearly blocked out the sun, only allowing a finger of light to stripe across the ground here and there.

  “It’s a little eerie,” Azure commented, feeling a chill race up his spine.

  Lonnell pushed to the front. “It’s going to be even eerier if we don’t make it before nightfall.”

  The sun was already setting. That didn’t stop Janine from veering off of the path when she saw a coyote run across the road. It Analyzed as easy, so Azure didn’t bother following. Lonnell sucked a breath in between clenched teeth, audibly hissing. His features were set in pure annoyance as they waited for the dwarf to return. Luckily, she caught up with the animal before it had gotten far enough for her to be out of sight. Azure definitely didn’t want to have to venture into the forest to hunt her down. He had a pretty good feeling that more dangerous monsters lurked within.

  Congratulations! The skill: Analyze has reached Level 10. This skill allows you to see how dangerous a foe is in relation to your own level. Use this skill frequently to avoid getting yourself killed. You can now see the foe's level.

  A perk? That was unexpected.

  “Hey.” Azure turned to Lonnell who grunted in reply, still glowering in Janine’s direction where she was skinning the coyote she had just killed. “I just got a perk for leveling Analyze.”

  “Congratulations,” Lonnell replied dryly, clearly not giving a shit.

  “Uden said it wouldn’t happen until level 14.” That’s why he’d been working so desperately to level the skill. It felt like it was going to take forever before he’d see any benefit from it.

  “Maybe there was a divine blessing.” Lonnell shrugged, still not really engaging in the conversation.

  “A divine blessing?” Azure quirked an eyebrow.

  Lonnell finally tore his eyes away from Janine. “Things shift in The Realm every once in a while.”

  “I’m still not following.”

  He sighed as if what he was telling Azure was common knowledge. “The gods may have seen fit to grant the
perk sooner. Whatever the case, it’s a good thing, and you shouldn’t question it.” Lonnell signified that he was done explaining by continuing down the path.

  It took thirty more minutes of walking before they finally reached the gate of the mansion, and that was mainly because Janine made them stop five more times so she could hunt down the animals that crossed their path. She seemed an expert at hunting and knowing exactly what to loot from every beast she came in contact with. Azure was more than a little impressed with her skills, but he supposed it came with her goal of leveling up as quickly as possible. Despite all of her killing, Lonnell was the only one who had gained a level on their walk over. He should have been ecstatic, but the stress of their travels seemed to weigh down any enthusiasm that he might have been able to garner from good happenings.

  “Whoa!” Janine said as they stood outside of the gate, staring up at the mansion. “Now that is eerie.”

  She wasn’t wrong. Digby Mansion was like something straight out of a horror movie. The Tudor-style building was three stories tall with gray bricks, a green roof, and columns at both the front and side entrances. Oriel windows projected from the top floor, looking almost like eyes staring down at them.

  It may have been just because it was late afternoon, but it seemed that a dense fog hung around the property, painting it in a hazy backdrop. There was nothing magnificent about the landscaping. The yard was neatly maintained with sparse trees.

  “Let’s get on with it.” Lonnell moved to open the gate, not caring to marvel at the architecture.

  A chill rolled down Azure’s spine as they approached the mansion, and while he found himself desperately wanting to get inside, he feared that what he’d find there was far worse than the eeriness of the grounds. It was built on a cemetery, after all. And the property looked as such—a cemetery sans gravestones.

  “I don’t like this place.” Janine hugged herself as they stood outside of the massive door while Lonnell used the ornate brass knocker.

  Blessedly, it wasn’t long before someone came to answer. A willowy woman smiled at them from across the threshold. As soon as Lonnell announced why they had come, she ushered them inside.

  For the mansion being haunted, it was several degrees warmer than outside had been. Azure tried not to let his jaw drop as he took in the luxury. The open floor plan allowed him to see all the way to the back of the house. A double grand staircase with wrought iron balustrades was the focal point. Ornate rugs covered the hardwood floor. Azure had expected to see the walls lined with tapestries, but instead, there were portraits, only adding to the creepy ambiance.

  “I’m so glad you’ve come,” relief rang clear in the servant’s voice, and she placed a delicate hand on her chest. “Master Smithe has been missing for almost a week now, and we fear the worst.”

  Azure wasn’t sure who ‘we’ was supposed to be. From what he could tell, the female servant was the only one around.

  “Don’t worry. We’ll find out what happened to him,” Lonnell assured her.

  “Shall I lead the way to the basement? Master has found a way to unlock it. Seabrook peeked his head inside, but none of us dared to go any further. The basement was sealed for a reason.” She shook her head, her black hair pinned back beneath a white coif.

  Lonnell turned to his companions. “It’s late. It would probably be best to sleep here tonight and venture into the basement at daybreak.”

  “We don’t have a lot of time,” Azure reminded him. “The quest duration is only 9 days.” He thought about saying that they’d wasted a day by not leaving out yesterday, but that wasn’t exactly true. They’d picked up a much-needed party member, though Lonnell might disagree. All the hunting that Janine had done had burnt through a lot of daylight. Had she not been with them, Azure and Lonnell would have reached the mansion hours ago. Thanks to the extra effort they had expended, they were all down on Stamina. It would definitely be wiser for them to sleep and recover if not for the time crunch they were now under. “If we sleep here tonight, we’ll only have 7 days left including the one it will take to get back to Squall’s End. Who knows how far down the dungeon extends.” Turning to the servant, he asked, “Digby didn’t happen to have any maps of the basement that we could look at?”

  “I’m afraid not. Regardless, this is an urgent matter. Everyone knows that the monsters inside of the basement are deadly. You should make haste to find the master.”

  “I’m inclined to agree,” Janine chimed in. “The sooner we get this done, the better. I’m guessing you boys were smart enough to bring Stamina potions.”

  Azure cringed inwardly. “Three.”

  She shook her head. “How could you think to take on a dungeon without more Stamina potions?”

  “Because they cost a bloody fortune,” he complained dryly.

  Janine sighed. “Well, I guess we’ll just have to make do with what we’ve got.”

  “So I guess we’re going down to the basement?” Lonnell looked at both of his companions in turn.

  “I guess we are.” Azure’s eyes shifted to Janine for confirmation.

  “We will need to sleep at some point, though,” Lonnell continued as the servant led the way through the mansion to the basement. “I vote that we get through the first floor and then stop for the night.”

  They walked single file with Lonnell in the lead and Janine at the tail. It wasn’t long before the servant stopped in front of a door. She opened it to reveal stairs leading to another door.

  “We might need torches.” Lonnell took note of the darkness in the stairwell.

  “That, I have materials for,” Azure replied with some relief. It was nice to not be completely unprepared.

  “We won’t know until you open that door,” Janine urged him on.

  “Good luck,” the servant told them as they descended the stairwell.

  Lonnell opened the door at the bottom of the stairs, and they entered the dungeon.

  CHAPTER THREE

  THE REALM – Day 73

  It was nothing like Azure had expected—nothing like he had ever seen before in a dungeon. The door to the basement led to a surprisingly short hallway. Only about twenty feet long and five feet wide, there were doors on both sides and one at the end. Puce colored paint chipped from the walls, showing the stone construction beneath. The entire area was illuminated by rows of wrought iron sconces with candles set in them, each one about three feet apart. Holes pockmarked the base of the wall where rats had pushed through. It felt like they were in a dilapidated part of the mansion, not beneath it.

  Of the three doors now available to them, the only significant one seemed to be on the left side of the hallway. Fog and an eerie blue light streamed out from the space beneath it. It didn’t take a genius to figure out that there was something nefarious inside.

  Azure felt like he might have been imagining things, but it seemed that Janine had drawn closer to him. It was a tight space, though.

  “Do we really need to check that one out?” Azure gestured to the door with the light beneath it. “We all know he’s not going to be in there.”

  “And I’m pretty sure that something horrible will be,” Janine said.

  Nope. He hadn’t imagined it. The dwarven woman was practically clinging to his side. It seemed that all of her courage had left the second she’d laid eyes on the ghostly fog.

  “Scared?” he teased, looking down at her.

  “Aren’t you?” Her complexion was definitely a few shades paler, and sweat dotted her brow even though it was relatively cool now that they were under the mansion.

  “I won’t be scared until I know what we’re up against.” Azure’s gaze returned to the ominous door.

  “I think it’s safe to skip it.” She nodded.

  “No,” Lonnell said firmly.

  “Why not?” Janine’s brow pinched. “Azure’s right. We all know Radclyffe won’t be in there.”

  “Of course, he won’t. That
would be too easy. But we don’t know what puzzles we’re going to encounter in the future. Skipping the room now could mean the difference between life and death.” He gave Azure a pointed look, reminding him of the puzzle door in their quest for Gaia’s Staff. What they needed to solve that puzzle had been near the entrance to the dungeon, and they’d all overlooked it at the time.

  “He’s right.” Azure felt foolish for forgetting how important every last detail could be. “We’re going to have to go in there.”

  “Ugh.” Janine groaned. “Can’t I just stay out here?”

  “You did not come all this way and make us late not to be helpful,” Lonnell snapped at her.

  Having a feeling that Janine was not one to take a tongue-lashing, Azure quickly stepped between them. “Hey. Calm down. We don’t even know what we’re up against yet.”

  As if drawn to the sound of his voice, a rat darted from one of the holes at the base of the wall. A shrill scream left Janine's throat, and she ran back a few paces to stand on the stairs.

  Azure's eyes fell to the small beast as it charged them. Activating Analyze had a different effect from before. Along with the colored bar that typically popped up to indicate the creature's strength in relation to his, this one showing as green, there was also some text above the bar.

  Level 10 Rat.

  For being small, the rat was vicious. Azure didn't even see it as a threat until he tried to kick it and it leaped at him, sinking its Chiclet teeth into his shin.

  Level 10 Rat delivers 50 damage.

  “Are you fucking kidding me right now?” A good shake of his leg sent the rat flying a few feet away.

  The bite had gone all the way through Azure’s Bronze Greaves, sending ripples of pain up his leg. It was as if it had penetrated to the bone. Warm blood ran down his shin.

  Lonnell smacked the rat with his staff. Its body jumped from the impact, but it wasn’t enough to do the creature in. The rat screeched at him defiantly, baring its now bloodsoaked teeth. Apparently hearing the monster’s war cry, two more rats emerged from the walls, scurrying over to join their friend.