Daniel decided that Orrin would spend the rest of the night with him. The room he’d been given was big enough and Orrin didn’t mind sleeping on the plush carpet.

Madi wheeled Silas out of the room, excitedly chattering about different options for a dungeon run and possible rewards.

Orrin closed the door and put his hand in the air.

“D. That was a masterpiece,” Orrin slapped Daniel’s hand. Daniel smirked a bit.

“You tired?” Daniel asked.

It was late but Orrin felt buzzed. Maybe the flipping on and off of [Mind Bastion] had some lingering side-effects but he was still wide awake.

“Want to talk strategy a bit?”

Daniel leaned in close, staring into Orrin’s eyes.

“What the heck man?” Orrin pulled away.

“Just making sure you are not using it,” Daniel shrugged. “What do you want to talk about?”

Orrin explained his purchase and use of [Teleport]. “I think it’s too expensive to use right now, especially if I’m going to be cutting back on cycling. Tony told me I can probably get away with two or three full mana pools a day. That’s about average for people using mana potions too. He also told me that if I try to cycle and use a mana potion, I’ll be able to do six full mana pools a day but will most likely have a headache the next day. But what I really want to know,” Orrin paused. “What’s it like fighting in a full party?”

Daniel scowled. “It sucks.”

Orrin was taken aback. From how Tin had talked, he’d assumed the group thing would be awesome. “Why?”

“Maybe I’m being to harsh,” Daniel backpedaled. “I’ll explain. Madi uses light magic. It does some damage but it also disorients monsters. She can do minor illusions too, so they’ll get misdirected but everything we fought had a good smell sense, so that didn’t help.”

Daniel started picking pillows off the twin bed. Way too many pillows really. He dumped them on the ground and tossed a blanket on them as he continued.

“Brandt is actually pretty capable on his own, but he hovers at Madi’s shoulder. I had to physically drag him into melee a few times. We had another knight there too, Jon. He fights like a berserker. Super strong but just goes off on his own. Silas also hired a fire mage from Veskar to join us. He’s a much higher level for sure but only cast a few spells. Honestly, I did like ninety-nine percent of the work.”

Daniel finished making a pillow nest just as he stopped talking.

“So lots of moving parts and no teamwork.” Orrin knew that would drive Daniel crazy. Having grown up playing every sport, Daniel was used to being team captain and being listened to.

“Exactly!” Daniel threw up his hands. “And when I tried to give pointers, the only one who listened was Madi. But she actually does her job fine. The Veskar mage just ignored me and said he was hired by Lord Catanzano to protect his daughter, not listen to a lowly fighter.”

Daniel and Orrin spent a few hours talking about potential plans. As Orrin couldn’t go all out anymore and had to be more judicial in his spell use, they agreed it would be best for him to buff the team once before a fight, tag monsters with his [Lightstrike], and then save as much as possible for emergency healing.

“I know it will really bring down the total damage output having me there,” Orrin admitted. “Thanks for fighting for me.”

“You are wrong,” Daniel argued. “The extra damage the other four party members do from having their stats increased is better than having another sword swinging about. I didn’t even realize that dexterity let me hit more accurately and quicker until I didn’t have your boosts. Jon’s entire build was dexterity based. Just hundreds of small cuts to bleed a monster dry.”

Orrin nodded as he realized Daniel’s argument was sound. “I could increase dexterity to level three? Just cast that as needed?”

“Maybe wait until you have all of the increase skills ready to level, that [Utility Ward] is what you should use. It’s cheaper and hits us all at once. How many ability points do you have? I’ve been saving mine still.”

Orrin winced as he remembered that conversation. “I’ve got eight.”

Daniel ignored his wince and asked, “What else are you looking at still?”

“Increase [Heal Small Wounds] to level three. [Mana Pool], but that costs ten. Get [Utility Ward] to level 2, but again that’s ten and 200 MP to cast. And Merge, but that costs way too much.”

“I think you should hold off and try to get that [Mana Pool]. From what little the fire mage said, most mages run out of MP too quick to be really useful. That’s why so many people go with a fighter class instead. Or do something mixed.”

Orrin agreed, especially now that he couldn’t just cycle back to full.

They sat in comfortable silence for a few minutes.

“So are you planning to mix in any magic?” Orrin questioned.

“Maybe something with wind magic,” Daniel responded. “I’m planning on building out lots of strength, and wind magic will allow me to make sure I actually hit. For all Silas’ faults, they have an incredible library here. I learned things that were most definitely not in anything we bought. Like, you know that every ten levels, you get extra stat points... But did you know it’s completely dependent on what class you have. Like a farmer might get one or two points that they can put into Strength or Constitution, while a fighter class usually gets four to six they can put into Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution.”

“Wait, so I might be able to increase my Will or Intelligence even more? That would massively benefit every spell I have!” Orrin exclaimed. “That must be why level ten is a cut-off for going into a dungeon.”

“Yeah, Silas wouldn’t even let us talk about a dungeon until after I hit level 10. But he kept saying we need to talk before that.”

“Maybe he knows a way to change your class? That Emily girl I was telling you about, she said she found a flower that let her class change. Maybe that’s why she was so excited about it and why she acted weird when I didn’t catch the significance. Maybe class changes are really rare.”

“Why would I want to change my class though?” Daniel shook his head. “What could be better than hero?”

They chatted a bit more about inconsequential things and drifted off.

Moonlight crept into the dark alley as the hooded figure strolled along the street. He stepped out of the lamplight and into the blackness hiding beyond the eyes of those still up this late.

“You have news?” the hooded figure couldn’t see the figure that spoke but knew who it was from the timbre of the voice.

“The boy has revealed himself. You were right. The other is not planar.”

“Of course not, he almost died from a mere sword strike.”

“I still worry about him though. Something about him...” the hooded figure stopped talking as two silhouettes passed by the dark backstreet. A drunken question and a tittering laugh pierced the night before they continued along to whatever destination was open at such an hour.

“He is insignificant,” the voice picked up as the two people narrowly avoided an untimely death. “Will he side with us?”

“It remains to be seen.”

“You know that I despise evasive answers.”

Silence permeated the air as both figures felt violence settle in the tiny walkway. Only two yards wide, any fight would be fervent, fast, and fierce.

“I will do my best.” the hooded figure readied for flight. This was not a fight one wanted.

“See that you do.” A swift wind flitted down the alley and one presence disappeared completely. A minute later, the other left and the street was vacant again.

Silas had been telling the truth about setting them up for success. Orrin woke up and discovered a tray heaped with eggs, bacon, something like pancakes but crunchy like cookies, and coffee.

Blessed coffee!

“I take back everything I said about him,” Orrin mumbled around crumbs as he sipped his second cup. The first he’d shotgunned, burning his tongue.

“Traitor,” Daniel spoke with his mouth full too. “It’s just coffee.”

“How are we even friends?”

They bantered until a knock at the door startled Daniel.

“Who is it?”

“Sires, I am here to outfit the young adventurer,” a voice called back out.

“Oh, good come in.” Daniel’s smile turned evil. “This is going to be so much fun.”

“Huh?” Orrin was confused. Daniel just shook his head.

“Consider it payback for ditching me.”

A lady wearing smooth, dark leather from neck to ankle walked in. Orrin saw no buttons or zippers. Just strategically placed seams that highlighted her natural curves.

Two girls walked in behind her. One wore a frilly dress that started as yellow and morphed through the colors of a sunset as it went down. The other wore long strips of grey and black cloth that hid her frame like a ghillie suit. Both carried bundles of leather and bags spilling over with different thread and plates of metals.

“What are you talking about- What the hell are you doing?” The lady in leather had grabbed Orrin’s shirt and pulled. It fell apart in her hands. Orrin barely felt the whisper of cloth as he was stripped to his boxers.

“Esme has been sent by Lord Catanzano to properly outfit you in proper armor,” the girl in bright colors explained as she held different pieces of cloth and leather against his bare skin. “Please behave better than Mr. Daniel and stand still.”

“Daniel?” Orrin waved for help, but his friend was snickering as he walked out the door.

Orrin was handled like a doll. They prodded him and moved his arms. Shirts and robes were pulled over his head. Leather armor with sleeves and without appeared out of nowhere and then disappeared. Esme used some combination of skills and magic to create and destroy different clothes and armor. The two girls were her daughters, just a bit younger than Orrin and learning her trade. They were monsters and tried to stab him with needles every chance they got.

“Melee or distance caster,” Esme asked one question the entire time.

“Um. Distance caster I thin- OW,” monochrome stabbed his thigh with a needle.

She didn’t talk to him again. Instead she gave small nods and one word instructions to her daughters. After an hour, Orrin was cold and miserable.

“Acceptable. Finish it,” Esme nodded and left. Orrin was still in his boxers.

“What the hell is happening?”

Her daughters let out a malicious, simultaneous chuckle and moved in.

Orrin checked himself out in the mirror. The two girls had behaved much better once their mother was gone. Orrin wore a dark leather, half-sleeve cuirass with a layer of metal underneath. It moved better than his old leather armor. He also had a matching set of leggings, a silk shirt to wear under the armor, and a solid set of lightly armored shoes.

The best part was the knee length cloak with pockets inside and out. It had tightly woven metal links sewn in between the layers and would supposedly turn anything but a direct strike from an arrow or sword. Claws and teeth stood no chance.

“Damn, better than mine. Esme must have liked you.” Daniel stood at the door.

“I didn’t throw things at her,” Orrin laughed and twirled his cloak dramatically.

“Which twin told you?” Daniel entered and Orrin saw he was dressed for the day too.

Daniel spread his arms. “Take it in.”

Daniel’s old leather armor had been traded in for chainmail. Except instead of a clunky, one-size-fit-all, dress of interlocking rings, his armor fit his form exactly. Different colored metal covered his armpits, spinal column, and stomach. A swirling design drew Orrin’s eyes to Daniel’s sides. He blinked and noticed his eyes had slid off to the side.

“Some kind of magic on that?” Orrin blinked his eyes.

“Yeah, Esme complained enough that Silas brought in some enchanter to help give me an edge in melee combat.”

Daniel also wore greaves and metal studded boots. He still had the same sword and scabbard. Orrin quirked an eye at that.

“I know, I know,” Daniel shook his head. “Esme wanted to do a whole thing with straps and my sword but I couldn’t justify it. I’m getting Gerty as soon as I can. This sword is fine for now but...” He trailed off.

They spent a few more minutes striking poses and laughing at each other.

“So, what’s the plan today? Go kill some things and level? Hit their library?” Orrin questioned.

“Silas wanted to talk but then probably go hit the forest. There is always some quests to beat back roaming monsters. Brandt keeps on top of it for us.”

Orrin’s mood soured. It made sense to work with Silas. They talked about just setting off on their own, but Daniel’s few days working with him had already shown how much better a full party and support was.

While Daniel and Orrin had picked over the quest board, they did not know what made it to the board was the leftovers. Most people directly contracted with the guild, who gave the best quests to higher ranking adventurers...or those that paid best.

That meant that while Daniel and Orrin had fought rats for scraps and low experience, Madi and Daniel took on cloudsabers, the panther things that Daniel had mentioned before. Although cloudsabers were only a few stars stronger than rats, they had a better return on investment. In fact, the experience was so much better that Daniel had barely exerted himself and had to split the XP with a group of five, yet he still leveled twice in the few days they had gone hunting.

Connections in this world meant everything to getting the first chance at sightings for high experience monsters.

They gathered the few things they’d need, Orrin putting a few extra pancake cookies into his [Dimension Hole] for later.

Daniel walked down the upstairs hallway. He obviously already felt comfortable in the Catanzano’s house. Orrin kept close.

A few guards and maids nodded at Daniel as they walked but nobody stopped them from going further into the house. At the end of the hall, they found Sir DeGuis sitting on a stool, with his hammer leaning on the wall.

“Jude, how are you?” Orrin smiled at seeing a familiar face.

Jude grinned. “Young Orrin, why am I not surprised you weaseled your way back in. Good for you.” Jude stood and stretched in front of the door. “If you are here to see Lord Catanzano, you’ll have to wait. He’s in a meeting.”

“Oh that’s fine, we can just talk with him later,” Daniel began but Jude shook his head.

“Orders are you don’t leave until talking with him, sorry.”

“We are not prisoners,” Daniel put his hand on his sword.

“Woah, woah.” Jude waved his hands in front of him. “That came out wrong. He wants to speak before you go out, so Madi is under strict orders to not fight anything with you until after. You’re always free to leave; we don’t mess with slavery in this house. If you say you’re going to go out and look to level anyways, I’ve been instructed to interrupt his meetings. But really, it should be over in about ten minutes.”

Orrin put in hand on Daniel’s shoulder. “We can wait in the library maybe?”

Jude started nodding. “It’s just across the hall there. Have at it. I’ll tell him you are waiting for him.”

Orrin and Daniel crossed the hall and opened the door to the library. Orrin had expected a room with books stacked around the edges, a desk, and maybe a sofa. Instead, the large room had rows and rows of bookshelves that reached to the ceiling. A small mechanical lift sat at the end of an aisle, perfectly sized for Silas’ wheelchair.

Orrin cracked his knuckles. “Now this is what I’m talking about.”