I stopped editing a little early so I could pick up the other three for spawn fighting and leveling. It also gave me a chance to talk with them. All three had leveled yesterday, and I hoped they’d manage at least one or two more levels today. On the drive, I caught myself wondering if I should be doing this for other people too.
Higher-level Healers were always good to have. Everyone needed more of them. But speed leveling didn’t build the experience and judgment that slow leveling did. Healers like Ingrid and Megan had learned the hard way how to play the game and heal people. They had the reflexes to heal almost without thinking...see damage, efficiently heal it, repeat.
Efficiency was what a speed-leveled Healer lacked. Other classes too. If I thought about it honestly, they were effectively a level or two below what their character sheets claimed. Another thing to worry about...and now I get to figure out where the sweet spot is to stop or slow down speed leveling.
I picked up HealBot first, then MathMamm...or Carol and NiceIce. Her son was practically vibrating in place when I pulled up. “The energy of youth.” I just grinned and slid the side door open. He almost dove inside. At least he buckled up before slamming the door shut. His mother took it slower, more adult, but she was still smiling as she climbed in and buckled up.
I handed her one of the envelopes. “A little something I thought about this morning.”
“Little?” She laughed as she opened it. “I’ll give it a quick look while you chauffeur us out to the spawns.”
NiceIce focused all that teenage excitement on HealBot. She humored him with polite adult patience, laughing now and then at something he said. I ignored them and kept my attention on the road.
When we reached my usual parking spot, Carol said, “Interesting observations in there. What do you expect to do with them?”
“I don’t know yet. Keep thinking about them. One of those write it down before you forget it mornings. How much sense does it make?”
“Some of it’s obvious. Some I don’t know. You’re explaining how you think it works, but not proving it. I don’t see anything in here that makes a difference in how the game really works.”
I sighed. “I was hoping it’d trigger an idea in you. Or give you a way to prove it. Or disprove it. These are thoughts, not a Ph.D. thesis.”
“Good. Because it isn’t.” She smirked at me. “I don’t have those feelings you do, but you’re three times my level and have way more experience with MANA. Do you have any idea how many disciplines you’d need to prove or disprove this?”
“Nope. But I’m guessing a lot. Maybe in fields I don’t even know exist.”
“At least you know that much. You giving this to the GRA?”
“That’s after our spawn fights this morning.”
“We’re here! Can we go now? Can we go now?” her son shouted from the back. “I want to fight more. And I want to try out my new spell, ICE BLAST!”
“OK...I get the message.” I opened the door. “Everybody out. Let’s go kill things.”
That earned laughter from all of us.
An hour and about three-quarters later, we’d killed our four spawn groups. Two of them were almost in sight of each other and the second group rushed us just as we finished the first group.
Good practice for the three of them...kill the second before the first despawned so we could still loot it. We barely managed, mostly because HealBot sprinted to loot while we focused on taking down the Shaman and mage in the second group.
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In the end, Carol dinged Level 5. NiceIce scraped by into Level 4. HealBot was halfway to Level 5. A good run for what we fought. My Mage-Tanking held aggro well enough. Mostly. I still had a long way until my next level. And I had zero desire to speed things up with another World Boss. I’d had enough of that excitement.
We piled back into the van and headed toward town.
That’s when I got a chat message from Blaze that changed the whole day.
[Blaze:] [William of Brinsford] [Will. I’ve got a problem and I need your help.]
[William of Brinsford:] [Blaze] [What’s wrong?]
[Blaze:] [William of Brinsford] [State office got word of a possible town takeover in Miller County. Place called Townsend.]
[William of Brinsford:] [Blaze] [I know it. Been there once or twice. Not exactly a tourist trap. Why do they think it’ll happen?]
[Blaze:] [William of Brinsford] [Anonymous tip. Came through another government agency.]
[William of Brinsford:] [Blaze] [Talk to PokerRun?]
[Blaze:] [William of Brinsford] [I did. No answer. So, Viviane and I are doing a drive-through.]
[William of Brinsford:] [Blaze] [Think that’s safe?]
I pulled the van over. “Blaze sent a chat message. It’s important. I need to pay attention to this. Better safe than distracted.”
They all nodded. No complaints.
[Blaze:] [William of Brinsford] [Stopped at home, got the coat and hat I wore picking up the president. Figured someone might recognize me, but not Viviane. She’s driving.]
[William of Brinsford:] [Blaze] [Think they’ll recognize your plates?]
[Blaze:] [William of Brinsford] [Hope not. She’s a senior agent. This isn’t her first rodeo. We’re coming around from the far side.]
[William of Brinsford:] [Blaze] [Sounds good. Where’s the problem?]
[Blaze:] [William of Brinsford] [Roadblock. Middle of town. Guys with guns. No uniforms. Red armbands on the left arm...the kind that too often has a swastika. And they’ve got a Level 5 Fire Mage carrying a rifle walking toward us. We’re stopped.]
[William of Brinsford:] [Blaze] [Shit...hang on.]
“We’ve got a problem,” I told the others. “Blaze and another FBI agent are in Townsend. Roadblock. Armed guys. At least one mage. She needs help.”
“We’re on that side of the county,” Carol said. “Are we the closest? Do you want help?”
“Yes, to both. I’m messaging the Irregulars for help.”
“Yes!” Her son John, or NiceIce shouted. “We gotta help people! We’re closest! We’ve got three mages and a Healer! We got the Mana Mage! And Blaze! We can take ’em!”
“No!” Carol snapped. “You’re too young for this!”
“The System thinks I’m old enough! I’m Level 4! We can do it! No problem.”
I ignored that argument and sent messages.
[William of Brinsford:] [PokerRun] [Your tip came true. Townsend takeover. Blaze caught in it. Need help now.]
[William of Brinsford:] [IRREGULARS] [Emergency in Townsend. Next county east. State Road 318 main road thru town. Nazi wannabes. Blaze and another female agent plus townsfolk trapped. Need all the help we can get. Tell the army. Unknown casualties. I’ve got a small party and heading that way. I’ll stop at our county line...3–4 miles east of town.]
Carol stared at me as her System pinged with guild message. Then she nodded. “That bad?”
“Ask Blaze. I’m focusing on getting there.” I said, pulling up the town on my GPS.
“HealBot? In or out? I can drop you somewhere.”
“I’m in. I’ll call work. This sounds important.”
“Thank you.” I re-formed our party. Everyone joined.
*****
[SirAndrew:] [IRREGULARS] [Can’t leave work. I’ll coordinate. Report who’s en route, level, class, number. If you’re in a party, tell me.]
[Bartholomew Ironshaper:] [William of Brinsford] [Ingrid’s ambulance is rolling. I’ve got a friend from work with a truck. Picking up Shadow and gear. Be there ASAP.]
[William of Brinsford:] [Bartholomew Ironshaper] [Thanks. Let me know when you reach the rendezvous.]
[Bartholomew Ironshaper:] [William of Brinsford] [Roger that.]
[William of Brinsford:] [Bartholomew Ironshaper] [OK. We’ve got people moving. Meeting at the county line on 318. We’ll add someone to fill out the party when we get there.]
[Sheriff Harper:] [William of Brinsford] [Got your message. I’ve alerted the right people. I shouldn’t cross the county line, but we’ll be there. Don’t worry about speed. You’re still a Special Deputy, but only in-county. I’m calling Miller County Sheriff and state patrol.]
[William of Brinsford:] [Sheriff Harper] [Thanks. We’re on the way.]
I flipped on my brights, flashers, and stomped the gas, and shot down the county road. The van rattled in protest as we barreled over cracks and dips.
“I really need a police light bar...and a siren...hell, go all the way and slap a logo on the side...the Mana Mage Mobile.”
But right now? We had to get to Townsend...fast.
for that fine military manual.
15 Chapters Ahead.
