Book 2: Chapter 53 (Patreon)

Orrin woke up to someone shaking him.

“What?” he asked, rubbing his eyes. “Madi?”

They had made it back to the middle of the forest after defeating another dungeon and promptly passed out. Arandir promised to bring them over once they woke up. The way his eyes glinted whenever he spoke to Daniel let them know who he actually wanted to talk with, but the [Hero] had made it clear the three of them were a package deal.

Orrin guessed he’d had only an hour or two of sleep since the heaviness behind his eyes still hammered into his skull. He pushed the pain down and woke up fully at what he saw.

Tears were in Madi’s eyes.

“What happened?”

Madi’s fingers on his arms tightened. “They took Daniel.”

Her voice continued making noise but Orrin didn’t listen. Things had been calm for too long and the shoe had finally dropped. Part of him was relieved but the vast majority of him roared in anger and hurt. He’d never believed the elves were going to act any better than the Odrana forces that had tried to kidnap Daniel or the lord of Dey that had tried to kill them all. The cynicism that he had kept from spilling over crawled its way up his throat.

“Orrin, why are you laughing? You’re scaring me. We need to—”

Orrin understood why the [Hero] had cut these people off or destroyed the world or whatever it was he’d done. His friend had come here to help stop a war. He’d tried to convince Orrin how much good an Administrator could do for these people. Before they’d fallen asleep, Daniel had been so excited at the idea.

Ignoring Madi, Orrin pulled up his new menu and checked over the options. He was going to become an Administrator in truth and walk through this city to rescue his friend again. If anybody tried to stop him…

Assigning or resetting a class wouldn’t help him. He could make new Quests but that wouldn’t do anything. Imbue, Scry, Change Race, Create Relice, Unlock Ability… pointless for attacking right now. He’d debated with Daniel over Edit Stats Sanctioned versus Unsanctioned. They’d agreed the Unsanctioned meant without permission from the recipient. Like what he’d done to Samara, Lord Wendeln’s right hand the last time Daniel had been kidnapped.

You have to stop getting taken. I do not have a specific set of skills, dude.

Orrin hovered his finger on Edit Stats (Unsanctioned). The argument he’d had with his friend had been over what the cost would be. To take ten points from Samara, he’d had to give up one point of his own constitution. Arandir had hinted that an Administrator could use any power in moments of danger or high emotion. Logic dictated that he’d have to pay the same cost.

Logic…

Orrin activated the skill that had given him so much power and so many problems: [Mind Bastion]. He felt the power spread out and took a breath. He cast [Calm Mind] on himself, feeling the burning feeling in his gut get pushed further down.

“Who took him, Madi?”

Madi, the daughter of a lord of Dey, had been raised to handle situations with calm and poise from a young age. That she was crying now meant she had tried and failed to protect her new friend. Orrin could see the pain and shame she was feeling. He also saw the disappointment as she heard the change in his voice.

“Daniel said if you’re using that skill to remind you that you promised not to.”

Orrin began to buff them both. He kept Madi’s stats at an acceptable level so she wouldn’t fall into a stupor after the spells wore off but maxed out everything he had.

“We don’t have time. Who took him, specifically? Was it Arandir?” Orrin cast [Ward] on them both and hesitated for a second before casting the full complement of protections: Ice, Water, and Poison.

I should get all the different wards and mash them together in [Merge]. Orrin plucked the stray thought out of his mind.

“How many types of elemental magic are there?”

“It wasn’t him. Some guards came and asked to speak with him. He went outside and they got into an argument. I heard them but when I got outside, they were gone,” Madi answered his first question. “What are you thinking?”

“I don’t know what they’re going to throw at me when I got get him back. I might try to make something that protects against all magic,” Orrin responded. He was already searching through skills and spells, trying to find the cheapest options for what he wanted to do.”

He stopped when Madi pushed him back on the bed and straddled him.

“Madi?”

“You are going to stop and listen to me,” she said, holding tight with all her strength. “Daniel said you are getting better at controlling yourself. Stop and listen to me, please. You cannot win against an entire city of elves.”

Orrin knew exactly what her strength was at right now. It was laughable that she would even try this. She had to know that his strength was higher than hers but…

She wasn’t acting with logic but trust. Trust that he wouldn’t simply throw her across the room but would stop and think because she was asking him to.

The cold retreated from his mind.

“Yeah, killing them all would be bad, huh?” Orrin chuckled. “Madi, you… can get off me.”

She smirked and punched him in the chest before rolling off him. “Daniel told me to stay inside. I could only hear their voices but it wasn’t Arandir or Leanthun. Like I said, we should get them.”

“When did you say that?”

She flicked him between the eyes. “When you started using your dumb skill. Is it still on?”

Orrin stood up and pulled his shirt on. “I’m in control of it right now though. It lets me process my thoughts better. You’re sure Arandir wasn’t there?”

She nodded.

“Then let’s go rescue Daniel, again.” Orrin paused. “Madi, thank you.”

She smiled and pointed. “Don’t forget to bring his sword. He’s going to be pissed if we get into a fight and he can’t swing that hunk of metal around.”

As Madi guided them through the city streets she had memorized, because of course she did, Orrin decided it was time to make a few purchases he’d been putting off.

First, he found the cheapest spells he could find.

[Fire Sword]-   summon a sword of pure fire. Does minimal damage but will not be quenched in   the bitterest of cold. Each sword lasts one hour. 1 MP per sword. -1 AP

He had also looked at [Firebolt] and [Fists of Fire] but decided dual-wielding swords of fire and ice would look badass. Take that mind-logic. I can still make stupid decisions.

He immediately purchased the corresponding [Ward].

[Fire Ward] –   create a ward around yourself and your party within 50 feet that protects   against Fire magic for MP maximum. 20 MP. -1 AP.

Wind magic was a bit easier to find, as there was only one option that cost a single point.

[Gust] – push   the wind toward your target. 1 MP cost minimum. Variable strength cost. -1 AP

It wasn’t something he could ever see himself using but he’d seen Leanthun using some wind magic with his bow. The resulting [Ward] would be useful if this devolved into a fight.

[Wind Ward] –   create a ward around yourself and your party within 50 feet that protects   against Wind magic for MP maximum. 20 MP. -1 AP.

Earth magic had too many options. Most had to do with farming while the few offensive magic types cost more than he wanted to spend. He was also a bit confused about the difference between Earth and Plant magic but settled on one he hoped would give him a [Ward] for both.

Tilth- rework   soil for better crop return. 5 MP per acre. -1 AP

Orrin wasn’t a farmer but crossed his fingers he’d get the [Ward] for at least one type. Luckily, the System seemed to be on his side today.

[Earth Ward] –   create a ward around yourself and your party within 50 feet that protects against   Earth magic for MP maximum. 20 MP. -1 AP

[Plant Ward] –   create a ward around yourself and your party within 50 feet that protects against   Plant magic for MP maximum. 20 MP. -1 AP

I have Earth, Wind, Water, and Fire now. Orrin chuckled to himself. Daniel would make a joke about finding Heart.

He brushed off the idea of summoning a blue superhero and searched through his past options as well, selecting two he’d passed over before.

[Camouflage   Ward]— create a ward around yourself and your party within 50 feet that mimics   [Camouflage] 50 MP. -5 AP

[Light Ward] –   create a ward around yourself and your party within 50 feet that protects against   Light magic for MP maximum. 20 MP. -1 AP

Thirteen ability points down. He’d spent a third of what he had but felt good about his choices. He had ignored Steel and Lightning magic for now. He knew Steel would be too expensive and by the time he was about to search for Lightning, they had arrived at Arandir’s elevator.

“I’ll go up, you can stay below,” Orrin offered. Madi hugged him.

“Be quick.”

Orrin rode up and knocked. Leanthun answered the door.

“… what are you doing here? You should still be sleeping.”

Orrin peeked around Leanthun and found Arandir sitting on his couch, reading a book. He spoke over Leanthun’s shoulder. “If you don’t want this entire forest to burn to the ground, you better not have anything to do with it.”

Arandir placed a bookmark between the pages and set the book on his side table before rising from his seated position with the fluidity of a cat stretching. “Please do tell me what I have done?”

“Somebody took Daniel.”

Arandir didn’t move so much as appear beside Orrin. “When?” The intensity of his stare made Orrin step back on the elevator.

“Not long. Madi woke me and we came straight here.”

Arandir kept his eyes glued to Orrin’s. The stare became awkward and the elf tilted his head. “He is not here and yet I still feel…”

“Are you going to save my friend or not? I’m only here first because Madi convinced me I shouldn’t make an enemy of the entire elven community.”

Leanthun rolled his eyes and Orrin caught him doing it. He was tempted to hit the man with a boosted debuff to wipe the smirk off his face but caught himself. [Mind Bastion] keeping me level. Small blessing, I guess.

Arandir hadn’t moved and Orrin felt a tingle across his skin.

“Don’t do it.”

Arandir continued his probe and Orrin felt a skill like [Identify] roll over him.

“How did I miss it this entire time?” Arandir stumbled back. “You are not from this world either. You are the Administrator. I am correct, yes?”

“We don’t have time for this. Somebody took Daniel. The last time that happened, I had to kill a lot of people. Are you going to help me?”

Arandir raised a hand and his staff jumped across the room, slapping into his palm with a satisfying smack. “Leanthun, find him. Whoever took him, let them know I am on the way and will put the full weight of the council against them unless the [Hero] is released immediately.”

“Yes, Illustrious One.” Leanthun bowed in answer and jumped off the tree.

“I hate it when you guys do that.”

“He will find your friend. Let us follow.”

Arandir rode the elevator down with Orrin. Madi sighed in relief when she saw them both.

“I thought for sure you’d get in a fight,” she said, closing in for another hug. “I saw Leanthun. Is he going to save Daniel?”

“He is,” Arandir answered in Orrin’s place. “You keep high company, Lady Catanzano. Would you like to accompany us to find your friend?”

Orrin had missed Madi’s spear in her hand before but didn’t when it extended. “Oh, I would like that very much.”