Master Of None

”Think they will be gone for a week, or a month?” Gil smirked a little as he asked Alma. They had seen Walker and Alice off after the family celebration and a little too much food. Gil still found it amusing that both Walker and Alicxe didn’t even try the wine they could have had, they were old enough to drink it and to get married, yet they abstained entirely.

Then again, none of them could really ever feel the effects of alcohol. Everyone at the party had strong enough bodies that they would resist that form of poison naturally. Especially Walker and Alice.

”I doubt the two of them could be gone for a day. They are so busy and they care more about everyone else than themselves.”

”I think you both aren’t keeping your minds straight. You’re both missing the fact that Walker and Alice both drank my potions to enhance the body and other aspects of their body. Do you think the potions and medicines I make are just for healing and gaining some mana?”

The couple froze for a moment recalling the benefits of certain medicines and potions on the body. Especially those used in other situations unique to couples. Then again, Gil was still sure that Walker would be too upright to simply use them… or was he just assuming this because Walker was much more private about his moments alone with Alice most of the time?

”We will be busy while they are tending to their personal relationship. They deserve it though. Alice could have pushed Walker to spend more time after she handled the healer groups heading to the temporary camp on the other continent. But instead she decided to focus on more training and education while helping some new poison first aid kits.” Su saw Onyx slither over from the shadows.

”Those poison first aid kits are already doing wonderful work. I was told that they were made fast enough for some of the recent merchant caravans to leave and those very caravans encountered the purple needle hedgehogs. Not dangerous but their poisonous quills cause terrible rashes. Having a first aid kit to prevent those things is wonderful.”

Now the three were looking at Onyx with pride. They knew he kept his eyes on different aspects of Genesis but hearing about something so perfect coming together was always good news. Especially since Alice had worked harder to make sure that these new forms of the basic first aid kit were sent out to travelers quickly.

”Walker isn’t any better you know. He is entirely addicted to finding work to do. He doesn’t even really sleep. Just pops in places and does ridiculous things still. I bet as soon as he has a chance to sit he will go crazy with boredom.” Remey joked before Midnight arrived.

They had all agreed to meet up since they knew that Walker and Alice had gone off who knows where for their time away. It was fine that the new couple were gone since they deserved it, but that left the rest of the party to handle whatever happened while they were gone.

And they already had a list of things to do.

”Midnight, you need to handle the newly hatched dragons. A few of them were left to run wild while their mothers slept. Apparently, sometimes the dragons hatch before their mothers wake up from some rest. So they have gotten themselves in to some trouble in Ignus’s territory. Something about eating fire elemental crops and scaring the red hare being bred for their fur.” Su jumped into giving some orders immediately. Midnight looked somewhat excited to go meet the newly hatched baby dragons.

”Remey, I know you have some matters to deal with in terms of alchemy, but I need you to speak to the dark dome project herbalists. They say that they have forty greenhouses built with the new elemental dome rune formations. They are also prepared to see them tested with the experimental floating island rune formations and parts. It will take some time but they need someone to record and add to their research.”

”Onyx and Gil, I want you two to team up and explore the dark mana condensed area we recently found. A few of the nature mages and a druid will be going with you to balance the mana. We assume there are two or three monsters that awakened from their dormancy. If that is the case, decide if they are to be defeated or they are able to be saved and returned to the flow of nature.”

”And Alma, you needed help with a group of elves who wish to begin shield training to deflect arrows and other magic skills? I can help with that.” Su had everything planned and was already pushing everyone to get a move on. Alma even hooked her arm and started walking away while giving a small smirk toward Gil.

”I will be home late since Su and I have a girls’ day to work on.” She knew that Gil didn’t want to run off toward an area full of dark mana causing trouble. Especially since it was a day’s run outside of Genesis territory in a forest. Not that he wouldn’t be working quickly to get back regardless, she knew he had some arrows he had promised to teach a small class of young archers to make.

With everyone splitting up, Onyx followed Gil. The two were moving quickly already and Onyx had already made sure to get some monster appraisal scrolls to use. Convincing the tamer’s guild to sell him some of the higher class monster appraisal scrolls that they used when they were checking infant monsters they bred to be partners for tamers was simple. They just wanted his race’s help gathering certain monsters that had stronger light or dark mana affinities.

It was an easy trip for them. They were quick and Gil could tell that Onyx sensed the dark mana better than him. But Gil also noticed that quite a few elves were watching the line here.

”Sir, thank you for arriving so soon. We called for assistance and guard commander Su ordered us to form a perimeter and prevent accidental risks.”

”She’s really something else.” Gil was impressed with how well Su could take command of any group of guards. Whether they were elven archers or not, she inspired any soldier or guard that set foot within Genesis.

”I do not sense three monsters, it is over fifty of them, maybe closer to seventy five.” This made Gil change from being impressed to very serious.

”The reports we have gathered show three monsters with larger sizes. However, we have not gotten close due to the dense dark mana. We believe corrupted mana or plants may be present.” The report was enough to go on but Gil still trusted Onyx the most since his senses for dark mana was so high.

”We will scout inside and report back. Just behind us are a group of nature mages and a new class called Druid. They will begin balancing mana so that we don’t have any chaotic mana or corruption. I don’t sense any break in space or issues.” Gil put everyone at ease right away.

From what he could tell there wasn’t any corruption here. Meaning it was likely these monsters’ awakening that caused the dark mana to gather. Proof that many ancient or older monsters had strength beyond the average.

Pushing forward, Onyx disappeared. Most of the people that were left behind would have failed to find him, but Gil knew exactly where Onyx was. His senses were tuned in since he had to be on alert.

The trees were wilted being affected by the dark mana. They were going to need some attention to recover, exactly what the Druid and nature mages would work on.

But that was not his focus. The shadow figures well ahead of him were what he and Onyx needed to look at.

Round segments with four legs each. Dark obsidian carapace, and what seems to be small antennae on each segment…” Those are separate monsters all holding on to one another.”

”They are afraid. That’s why the dark mana is so thick. They are pulling it here to hide themselves.” With the two watching from behind a few trees, they now understood that these monsters had most likely hatched and were terrified.

The world was unfamiliar and dangerous for anything just born. But for a monster this old hatching and seeing a world different from what their instincts told them to worry about…. It was all easy to understand.

”Appraise them with your scrolls. From there we will see if we can approach them peacefully or if we need to handle them in a more violent way.” Gil had hope for how they could act, but it was up in the air which way things would go.

…..

….

….

Please say no to piracy! Don’t take part in crime! Don’t patronize thieves!

Drop those golden tickets!