Life Review Ch. 04

"You need to drink all of it if you are going to get better," Nessa scolded him.

"What the hell is in that?" Shawn demanded. "Are you trying to kill me?"

"Rare herbs, now stop being a baby and drink," Nessa held his jaw and forced him to drink the rest of the glass. "You're lucky I had the ingredients to make a strong rejuvenation potion."

"What about the ones we have?" Shawn griped. "At least those only tasted mildly distasteful."

"We only had one left and we used it first," Cassidy told him. "We only found a handful to begin with."

"What you found was an experimental potion that had no record of existing," Nessa snapped.

"They were the real deal, as you saw," Cassidy shot back.

"Yeah, well, I just wish I was able to study it in a lab. Couldn't we have saved some? Think of the breakthroughs we could make with such a potion!" Nessa became starry-eyed at the thought.

"I told you once the grimoire lets me know, I'll show you," Cassidy reminded the witch, a hint of irritation in her voice.

"But who knows when that will be!" Nessa bemoaned her fate.

"How are you feeling, Shawn?" Edwin asked, brow furrowed in concern. "That was a few nasty hits you took."

"Oh, I'm feeling right as rain. Nothing that a glass of poison and a pair of bickering women can't fix," Shawn grimaced.

Denza smacked his chest, glaring at him, "If he's able to make stupid jokes then he's fine."

"Oh, ouch! Stop hitting me! I'm still recovering. Help! Nurse!" Shawn called to no one, which made Denza frown and smack him again.

"You are lucky to be alive, friend," Edwin said gravely, even though he fought to keep a small smile from forming on his lips.

"So I'm told," Shawn glanced at Cassidy, who rolled her eyes at him.

"Can you tell us what happened?" Edwin asked seriously. "We have reports from the audience that Roark came up to you and just ran you through before the explosion happened. Other say that you and he were just talking before you vaporized him. Nessa and I need to know what to tell the higher ups."

"Roark came up from behind me and spun me around, told me how he wasn't going to be humiliated by Denza and I and that the test wasn't over, then he stabbed me. I guess in the back of my mind I remembered you said I couldn't hit a master of the guild unless it was during an exam, and he did say the exam wasn't over. He stabbed me and then threatened Cassidy and Denza, so I reacted without thinking. The whole thing's is kinda fuzzy for me, actually." Shawn stopped speaking, feeling like he was yammering.

"I'm sorry all of this happened," Edwin rubbed his temples. "That stupid bastard wasn't fit to be a master of anything."

"Should we be worried about repercussions?" Cassidy asked. "From the guild?"

"No, not with Nessa and I backing your story. Along with half of the guild that seem to have taken a liking to you three," Edwin replied firmly.

"The guild likes us?" Cassidy parroted in disbelief. "Weren't they all ready to jump us because of the whole Cadder thing?"

"You more than proved yourselves," Nessa refilled Shawn's glass, he was grateful it was only water that time around. "You have to remember that you three were a bunch of nobodies that showed up at our door and had one of our own call you out. In the end, you proved yourselves to be above board and that Cadder was scum, not that anyone was surprised."

"Cadder made his own mess and tried to cover it up. Now his words will forever be held in question. You know what they say about trust," Edwin added.

"How long before I'm up and walking about, doc?" Shawn asked Nessa.

"If you keep taking your medicine, then maybe in a few days. You really did a number on yourself and it will take time, even with magic," Nessa waggled a finger at him. "In the meantime, you need need plenty of rest and no practicing critical mass spell casting. Doctor's orders."

"We'll make sure he doesn't move an inch," Cassidy agreed.

"Oh, most definitely," Denza stared at Shawn with an intensity that told him that if he did anything to impede his recovery she would injure him even more, which Shawn realized was death.

"Edwin, if you don't hear from me in a few days, you know who my killers are," Shawn said gravely.

Edwin crossed his arms and nodded. He and Nessa filed out of the room to leave them in peace. The dark skinned warrior paused at the door and said, "Just so you know, Ness and I agreed to grant you fourth level apprentice in your Monk vocation. You fought well and you're tough as they come. Rest easy, friend."

"Thanks, Edwin. I appreciate that," Shawn nodded gratefully.

Denza laid next to him and draped an arm over him possessively, her head using his shoulder as a pillow. She was quickly fast asleep, her face softening into a peaceful expression now that all was right in her world. Shawn left Cassidy to continue her studies of the grimoire that lay open on her lap. Her effort was short lived and she quickly followed Denza off into dreamland.

Nessa's approximation for Shawn's recovery time proved to be impressively accurate. While Shawn was out of action for two full days, Edwin and Nessa took the opportunity to take the two women out on their very first contracts as newly initiated Expeditionary members. Denza had a total guild rank of nine, and Cassidy had a total rank of four. Nessa took the girls out to hunt juvenile salamanders to fill an order for their skins. Edwin came to keep him company and relayed how Cassidy scoffed at being refused to be allowed to take the contract on solo as it was deemed to be an A10 classification.

The girls had come back singed, if unharmed. Cassidy regaled him with the tale of how she gallantly dueled an elder salamander to the death, barely managing to escape with her life. Denza waited for her tale to end before telling the real story about how Cassidy had gotten her hair set on fire when she tried to pick up one of the newly hatched flame lizards to take home with her. It turns out that salamanders equated to fire iguanas as babies, that grew into fire komodo dragons as juveniles, and just got bigger and gained more scales and teeth from there, oh and more fire. They did however bring back a thousand gold each and kept the skins that were in excess of the order.

The second day was another hunting day, except that Nessa had Edwin take the girls to gather essence crystals so that Nessa could teach them about their uses. Again, Cassidy was eager to go without training wheels, but Nessa insisted Edwin go with them to watch their backs. There was no contract involved, so it was up to Denza and Cassidy to choose their quarry. While Edwin and the girls were off galavanting around the wilderness havings a grand old time, Shawn was stuck listening to Nessa lecture him. That's right. He was stuck in fantasy study hall.

From morning until dusk Nessa lectured him while he lay prisoner in his bed, then had him read from one of her many reference books until she returned from an errand, or from making more potions, and then quiz him on what he read.

"What are essence crystals and where are they formed?" Nessa shot at him when she thought he wasn't paying attention.

"Essence crystals are the physical manifestation of a magical creature's experiences in the form of crystalized potential. These crystals can be found in or around the liver, kidneys, and at the base of the brain and in the case of extraordinary creatures, around the heart. These formations have another function of added protection for vital organs, ergo the previous cases," Shawn rattled off.

"That's only half the answer, what about the secondary component," Nessa asked triumphantly.

"You asked about the crystals, not the substance they are formed from, which is a gel-like fluid," Shawn flipped through the reference book on his lap aimlessly. His mind was wondering what sort of fantastical creature the girls were off to see next.

"And what is this gel-like fluid?" Nessa pressed him.

"The substance is very much like that of plasma in the blood, it's what makes up most of of the total physical mass of the crystals. The magical potential infused inside these gems act like magnets for the magical potential inside the gel that crystallizes over time," Shawn answered dutifully.

"And what is the process for harvesting these crystals?" Nessa inquired of him once more.

"Disgusting, that's what," the door to their room slammed open and a ruffled and disgruntled Cassidy stomped through the room. "Do you have any idea where these crystals come from?"

"Yes," Shawn smiled. "I take it hunting went well?"

"We got the crystals if that's what you mean?" Cassidy grumbled as she tried in vain to get her hair under control.

"You mean I got the crystals," Denza corrected her, looking equally as ruffled but very pleased with herself. "Cass here is a bit squeamish."

"Look, I like my insides right where they are, inside," Cassidy made a sour face.

Denza tosses a large sack on the bed next to Shawn, "We had a pretty good haul. We got lucky and found a pack of Jungle Stalkers hunting a herd of deer."

Edwin staggered into the room looking twice as disheveled as the girls, "Gods above, Nessa, do you know what these two decided was a good target?"

"Jungle Stalker?" Nessa asked innocently.

Edwin narrowed his eyes, "You put them up to this, didn't you?"

"I have no idea what you are talking about," Nessa insisted, but the twinkle in her eye gave her away.

"I'll bite, what's a Jungle Stalker?" Shawn asked the room.

"Big," Edwin grimaced.

"Think of a tiger, only twice as big, with a crocodile's mouth, four tails, and has camouflage," Cassidy whispered into his ear.

"What the fuck? How can that be real?" Shawn balked.

Denza rolled her eyes and whispered into his other ear, "Cassidy said it looked like a giant chicken crossed with a python. Jungle Stalkers are avian reptiles, they have long slender bodies with sharp beaks, long claws arms, and strong hind legs that propel them through the trees. They have feathers on their crests, the large joints in their arms and legs, and at the tip of their tails."

"That's just as weird but somehow more believable. Are they related to the Cockatrice?" Shawn asked. The image he formed in his mind was that of the legendary dragon chicken, but more serpentine and reptilian.

"Same family, except the petrifying gaze is unique to just them amongst their species," Nessa said casually.

"Oh man, how does that even work? The whole turning someone to stone thing?" Cassidy asked curiously.

"Stone? Where did you hear that? No, the Cockatrice petrifies you with a hypnotic gaze. I suppose it would feel like you've turned to stone. Their close evolutionary cousin, the Basilisk, has a special secretion that hardens which is how they catch their prey. It's a rare and extremely dangerous material to gather, but extremely useful in traps and construction."

"But aren't they the same monster?" Shawn asked.

Nessa smiled indulgently, "No, the Cockatrice has the general shape of a wyvern except narrower. Their bones are hollow and their wings have feathers, as do their crests and tail. You can see where the three creatures have their similarities. The Basilisk is a massive snake with scales as strong as forged iron, they have a triangular mouth and a forked tongue, they are the most reptilian of the three. Jungle Stalkers are the intermediary. They have long serpentine bodies like the Basilisk, but have forelegs and hind legs like the the Cockatrice but without the wings which is a given looking at their environment."

"So the Cockatrice has a hypnotic gaze, the Basilisk has a super strong, rapidly hardening secretion, so what does the Jungle Stalker have?" Shawn looked from Cassidy to Edwin.

"They are gods-damned fast," Edwin muttered.

"They have speed and active camouflage, as I said," Informed Denza.

Shawn pulled the bag onto his lap and pulled it open. Inside the sack was a pile of softly glowing crystals and glimmered in the lamplight.The bag was full of many differently shaped and sized crystals. He reached in and pulled out one of the prismatic formations. The facets of each mineral deposit were smooth as glass excluding the bottom which was rough and uneven.

"So we are supposed to use these to strengthen ourselves," Shawn said to himself, studying the way the light passed through the polished surface and scattered on the other side into a brilliant rainbow of color.

"Yes, though meditation and effort our bodies will absorb the crystals and their latent potential," Nessa affirmed. "I want the three of you to take the rest of the night and spend time working on this process. We'll see where everyone is at in the morning."

When Edwin and Nessa left the room, Shawn split the crystals between them. He tried to give more to Cassidy and Denza, but they both refused saying that they knew he would have helped if he were able. They each sat on their section of the bed and contemplated their small pile of potential they were supposed to absorb.

Shawn closed his eyes and stretched out his magical senses until he could feel the pulse coming from the crystals. A notification popped into existence with a chime that echoed in his head. His menu was brought to the forefront of his mind and he saw the 'Skills and Abilities' tab slowly blinking green. He mentally selected the tab and he was suddenly surrounded with spidering lines of small nodes that branched out around him infinitely.

His focus was immediately centered on the three golden colored boxes that listed his three vocations: Acolyte, Brawler, and Monk. There were now red dots above each box that matched his given rank in each, two in acolyte, three in brawler, four in monk for a total rank of nine. He saw that the acolyte box had thin nearly invisible lines that connected to nodes that were suspended around him like tiny bubbles in a frozen aquarium.

The fireblast spell was already colored golden, like his vocations. Shawn figured that the golden color was to mark the skills he had already obtained. A series of grey nodes connected to the Brawler box were blank until he focused on an individual one and it's meaning was revealed. The first tier of nodes were different fighting styles or combat techniques. The Monk vocation had two boxes filled in, the first being Elemental Fists which channeled the elemental energies he was able to harness from his Acolyte vocation into his hands, and a fighting style that was centered around spears and staves, how very shaolin.

In the center between the three vocational boxes was the number fifteen. He returned to the nodes of the Monk branch and found two skills that seemed promising: 'Gale Intercept' which harnessed the power of the wind to propel him at speed towards a target, and 'Windstride' which was a more passive ability that enhanced his maximum movement speed while walking, running, or jumping. After he chose each ability, he watched at the golden color from the box spread down the thread connecting the nod to the box. The number in the center dropped from fifteen to twelve by the time the first node was filled, and again down to ten by the time the second node was completely gold.

Shawn came to the conclusion that each node had its own value that needed to be reached in order to fully obtain the ability. He sent his thoughts back to the pile of crystals that were resting in his lap, and figured that there were more than fifteen individual crystals in total. Shawn concluded that the number in the center was essentially a point system that was calculated based on the potency of the crystals he found.

He shifted his attention to the Acolyte tab, suddenly excited and curious as to what new spells he could unlock. He counted twenty four different spells or abilities tied to the Acolyte box and scanned through the list until a spell stuck out: Windsheer, a spell in which the caster creates two opposing currents of fast moving air the create a cutting edge that is propelled in a wide arc in front of the caster. He smiled to himself and pushed his will into the node until it too was golden. He glanced at the number to see it had fallen to four. Learning that one spell took a large portion of his crystal reserve.

A notification sounded and his attention was brought to the 'Elemental Fists' node, and was promptly informed that Windsheer was compatible with the ability and he could now channel the cutting edge of the spell through his fists. Shawn had hoped that would be the case, and was pleased with the outcome. He still had four points to spend, so he experimented and invested a point into the 'Elemental Fists' node, and a red dot appeared over the node that signified that he had advanced his knowledge of that specific ability in such a way that he could now incorporate his feet into his offensive arsonal.

Armed with this knowledge, Shawn went looking for the Brawler tab and scoured the nods and found a fighting style that heavily favored leg strikes. He would take Edwin's advice and work on mixing up his different martial styles. The fighting style took only one point, which left two. He didn't know much more about his overall style yet, so he avoided anymore techniques. As an experiment he looked for the fireball spell and saw it was directly linked to the fireblast spell, which made sense in a way considering they were closely related. He was able to secure the spell with only one point and he then tried to invest his last remaining point into the fireblast spell. A red dot appeared over the golden node. Upon inspection he was informed that the spells point of critical mass elevated, allowing him to channel more power into the blast before it reached its absolute limit.

Upon further inspection, the fireblast node expanded into a screen of its own that floated in front of his eyes. The screen displayed a graph that was showing the power curve of the spell. The X and Y axises were described by complex mathematical equations that seemed to stem from both chemistry and physics.

In parentheses under each axis the words 'Input' and 'Output' were listed helpfully. This new infusion of knowledge shed light on his previous situation. The reason he was so badly injured by his own spell was because of the blowback from losing control over the forces involved in critical mass spellcasting.

When Shawn felt confident in his new acquisitions. He pulled his consciousness out of the node web and back into the main tab of the menu. He was finally able to see a proper reflection of his person. He was pained to see that his skin was still angry red over most of his body, and there was a four inch puckered scar where his flesh had been sewn together to mend. He took solace in Nessa's confidence that he'd make a full recovery.

He then noticed an interesting addition to the menu. A subsection of the main panel had appeared and had a title: "Scars and Injuries". Curious, he selected the header and two lines of text appeared under it. The first read: "Major burns (Healing) - full body (75%) - temporary" and when selected further, the menu gave him an detailed description of the events that led to his injury.

The first entry was summarized as 'extreme blowback as a result of a critical mass spell detonation several magnitudes higher than could be dissipated by the body's resilience at the time. The second injury entry was listed as: "Puncture wound (Scar) : Lower left abdomen (complete penetration) - Semi-permanent". Wondering what Semi-permanent meant in this world, a little digging inside the menu told him that his scar from Roark would stay with him unless healed by other means, being magical or otherwise.

Shawn stared at his revolving three dimensional representation and admired the muscle definition he never had in his life on Earth. Back home he had been very fit but nothing like he was now. If he ever wondered what it would be like to be at the 5% body fat mark, now he knew.