Cat With a Raygun

Ferric was relieved at Joe's response. He pulled out his Guidebook, and sure enough, on the page provided by his Mayor profession for citizens it now listed Joseph Pinkerton. Ferric got up off his knees and back up to the chair again.

“I've been through so many emotions in such a short time. Let's go to the mines. We'll meet up with Jack, Sally, and Lester and go down and check out that cavern together.”

“Sounds like a good plan,” replied Joe.

After meeting up with the miners, it was decided that Sally would stay up top with the rope while the other four descended to see the crystals. As they were preparing the rope, Joe decided not to wait and said, “Gotta train my Land on Your Feet ability, so don't mind me.” Joe stepped off the edge and started falling. Like before he activated his ability before hitting the ground. Since he hadn't been mining before falling this time he had more of his stamina available. He still took a little bit of damage, but less than half what he took the last time he fell.

After quickly casting Healing Touch he called out above to let them know he was fine, then stepped away so they had room to descend. Ferric, Jack, and Lester came down over the next few minutes and each just stood in awe of the cavern before them. On the way over Joe and Ferric decided to keep the truth about the cavern a secret to see how the miners would react. They were not disappointed with the responses.

“Wait, these are what Joe sold for a thousand coins, right? There are loads of them! We'll be rich!” yelled Lester. He and Jack laughed and clapped each other on the back, excited about the prospects.

“Wait,” cautioned Ferric. “There's a reason why Joe lied to the merchant about how much was here. These are worth a lot, yes, but there's something down here worth a lot more. Joe, show us the way.”

Joe nodded and led them around the twisting walls of crystals to the heart of the cavern. “I was drawn to the sound of the water cause I was thirsty. It didn't hurt that my magic senses told me the energy was coming from here as well.”

Jack, Lester, and Ferric gathered around the mana diamond and all appeared to be Inspecting it.

“Hey,” said Jack, “I finally ranked up my Inspect to level 4. It's been years.”

“I ranked up, as well,” said Ferric.

“Me, too,” Lester chimed in.

Last time Joe was this close to the mana diamond he was by himself. This time he had others around him, others speaking their language that he didn't actually know. His Tongue of All ability ranked up, but he kept it to himself to hide his past.

“It's probably the energy radiated by the diamond. It feeds right into our abilities when we're this close,” Joe theorized. “I wonder if that applies to skills as well. Ferric, hit me.”

Ferric shrugged and hit Joe in his arm.

“Ow! I picked you cause I thought you'd be weaker than the other two,” Joe said as he laughed.

“Before my father died I did my time in the mines like these guys. Plus, being an orc gives a bonus to strength. Well, did it do anything?”

A notification opened and Joe allowed the other three to read it.

Defense skill leveled up to 7. +7 to Toughness.

Pain Tolerance leveled up to 6. +6 to Toughness.

“It worked! I wonder how far we can take it,” mused Ferric. “Let's find out.”

What followed was quick flurry of blows between all four men. Joe threw both punches and kicks out to his fellow citizens of Rust's Edge. The whole ordeal only lasted seconds, but Joe's hit points were down to a mere 12.

The other three men all manifested their Guidebooks while Joe checked his updates. He hadn't gained any more levels in Defense or Pain Tolerance. He did, however, receive two new skills.

Punching (Level 1). This skill allows you to do more damage when hitting someone with your fist. Higher levels increase the damage you do to others, and reduce the damage done to your hands. To train this skill practice your punches.

Key Attribute: Strength

Kicking (Level 1). This skill allows you to do more damage when hitting someone with your foot. Higher levels increase the damage you to do others, and reduces the damage done to your feet. To train this skill practice your kicks.

Key Attribute: Strength

After they all started looking confused while reviewing their updates, Ferric was the first to speak up. “I only received one level to each skill that I just trained.”

The other men all said the same thing.

“Not sure why it limits it like that, but it's good to know it's not a bottomless cup of skills. We'd never leave this cavern until we had 1200 skill levels,” Joe joked. “I need some healing. Anyone else?”

All three other men raised their hands. Joe cast Healing Touch on himself first. He got nearly all his hit points back, but he did level up the spell immediately, just like with the skills. His level 3 spell was more than enough to heal the other men with a single casting each. Since he was already here, Joe cast Lightning Jolt into the ground and then cast Deflection Field, gaining a level in each.

Since he had spent all his stamina on his Land on Your Feet ability it had been slowly refilling in the minutes since they all gathered around the mana diamond. His recent spellcasting also led to his mana refilling. He received notifications that both his Stamina Growth and Mana Channeling skills leveled up.

The glow from the crystals made the cavern too well lit to require the use of his Night Eyes ability, which is why it had yet to rank up. With a burst of inspiration Joe opened up the empty backpack he brought with him and pulled it over his head. The increase to rank 3 doubled the prior bonus, so he got an extra two points to his Wisdom.

Ferric looked around at all of the crystals growing in the vicinity of the mana diamond. He pulled out one of the mining picks they brought and struck just above the base of the crystal. With a satisfied expression he informed the others, “These crystals are close enough to get the energy boost if you use your mining skill.” He turned to Lester, “Lester, get your mining skill level, then go and switch with Sally so she can benefit from this unique environment.”

Lester was quick to follow through and left the diamond section of the cavern. Jack and Joe got their mining increases quickly enough, then Joe started running around the spring faster and faster until he was able to trigger an Endurance level up. Jack did the same, but apparently Ferric did not have Endurance. After explaining the situation to Sally they got her skills increased rather quickly, as well as had her Inspect the diamond to rank up that, as well.

Joe could sense the energy flow around the diamond thanks to his Sense Manachlorians ability and something about it nagged at his subconscious. He said as much to Ferric who suggested he take his time examining that feeling while the rest of them collected crystals from the outer area near the rope to take back up. Joe sat down at the edge of the spring and assumed a lotus pose as it felt appropriate.

Joe breathed and focused, examining the flow of energy around him. A tiny portion of that energy flowed into him, which made sense as that energy, usually faint background levels, is what refills a person's resources, their hit points, stamina, and mana. As Joe focused on that flow into his body the speed increased almost imperceptibly.

Meditation skill unlocked, +1 to Wisdom.

Meditation (Level 1). This skill allows you to improve your connection to the ambient manachlorian flow around you, increasing the speed of your resource regeneration. It stacks with individual resource regeneration skills. Higher skill levels allow you to channel ambient energy into your body even faster. To train this skill clear your mind and focus on the manachlorians around you when you need to refill one or more of your resource pools.

Key Attribute: Wisdom

Regeneration skill unlocked, +1 to Vitality.

Regeneration (Level 1). This skill allows you to channel ambient manachlorian flow into your hit points to speed up recovery from wounds, aches, and pains. Higher levels improves the rate at which your hit points refill and the severity of wounds that can be healed from this method. To train this skill allow your hit points to refill from ambient energy rather than an active spell or ability, or the body's natural healing.

Key Attribute: Vitality

“You look pleased with yourself,” Ferric said as Joe opened his eyes. “I take it you were able to figure out that elusive feeling?”

“I sure was. I don't know if I could have done it without being a mage.”

Ferric looked around at all the crystals in the cavern. “So, what are we going to do with all of these?”

Joe smiled and replied, “I believe Rust's Edge is going to become the magisteel capital of the world.”

Ferric's eyes widened in shock, “Magisteel?!? These can be made into magisteel? How?”

“I vaguely remember something in one of Gargan's books about it. Hopefully between that and what Teril already knows we'll be able to start manufacturing it. Since we'll also want to improve our defenses here, we'll probably also want to get Teril to start making regular steel, as well.”

“Alas he doesn't know how to do that.”

“That's in Gargan's books as well. I'll go over it with him. We're going to need a lot more high quality charcoal. Good thing we have a lot of trees about.”

Ferric's face broke into a wide smile for probably the hundredth time that day. “In a few years Rust's Edge is going to be the most important town on the whole continent. I can't wait.”