Part Fifteen – Assignment

Ooo, a shiver went down my spine. That either means someone’s talking about me, or that Survival Instinct activated.

“Hmm? Not a monster to be seen. Maybe it was my imagination? Or I’m just sleep-deprived.”

“What’re you murmuring to yourself? Anything you’d like to share?”

“You’re better off not paying him any attention. He does stuff like this all the time. If you think about it too much, you’ll just waste your time.”

How rude! I’m not like that at all!

I went back to focusing on Sword Aura. I’d been trying to gain a better understanding of how the Skill worked. If I mastered the basics, I hoped to able to use more powerful attacks. Especially if I came across monsters that had tougher bodies.

“Seriously, how can you sit there focusing on the same thing for hours!? You always complain about watch duties, but you’re fine with that? You don’t make any sense.”

“Why do I have to make sense?”

“You… you just have to! …….Stop turning things around on me!”

“Are you sure you’re not dating?”

“”Yes!””

It’s moments like this that make it all worth it. Though I don’t quite know what ‘it’ is.

“So where were we? Ah yes, I was explaining magic. Anyone’s capable of using magic, but most people have a kind they’re most suited for. For me, it’s Healing Magic. If you can feel your mana, then you can easily learn to use it for spells.”

She went back to instructing Alicia about magic. I was more focused on mastering how to use swords, so I was only paying a little bit of attention. I had less mana than them, so I needed to prioritize my training. Even if I really want to use magic.

“By cycling it around your body, you’ll gain greater understanding of its properties. Then, you start to gather it outside the body, where it’ll eventually become your first spell. Though it’s effects will be minimal, since you won’t have any control over it yet. After that, you should get the associated Skill for it.”

While she clearly knew what she was talking about, I found it odd that she knew so much about magic. The System hadn’t even been around for six months, but she had such a well-put together lecture for it.

“You shouldn’t feel let down if you don’t succeed at first. It took me a month to do it. Once you’ve succeeded the first time though, it’ll come naturally after that.”

I’d love to learn to use magic, but I’m still suspicious of her. There’s too much here that I can’t ignore.

As we talked, one of the Fort’s soldiers walked up to us. He (or is it ‘it'?) told us that the commander wanted us. That broke up our impromptu training session. Me and Alicia went to look for Cameron, while Kalia went to find Braddock.

“So you don’t think it’s suspicious that she knows so much about magic? Not even a little?”

“Not at all. She seems like a genuinely nice person. Why would I question that? You’re just too untrusting towards people in general.”

“That’s not true, I trust you and Cameron. And don’t you think we should be at least a little wary against strangers? You’ve been talking with her like you’re best friends.”

“What’s wrong with that? You told everyone about the Labyrinth, so why should we be so aloof?”

“I told them that so they wouldn’t question me. If they know what I’ve already done, then they’ll be more likely to listen to me. I’ll do anything I can to keep us alive.”

“And now you’re being melodramatic. Haaah, does it ever end?”

Having successfully met-up with Cameron, we took our seats in the conference room. Thankfully, there were multiple groups in attendance this time, including Sampson’s and Finnél’s. No one wanted to disobey the commander, especially after the display on the first day.

Shortly after we’d sat down, the door opened again and Braddock’s group filed in. And I mean the whole group, not just a few representatives. Somethings up here. Why would they need all of us? My gut’s telling me this isn’t going to be fun.

Kalia ended up taking the seat next to Alicia, allowing her to continue her lecture from earlier. That was fine and all, but I did wish they’d keep it down. Some of the others kept shooting them annoyed looks and I’m sure they’d have said something if I wasn’t glaring at them.

“I’ve already gotten the feel for it, so why can’t I manifest a spell?”

“That part just takes time. And even once you’ve manifested your first spell, it’s not going to be something you can use in combat.”

“So I just need to keep at it? Well now you’re starting to sound like Michael.”

“Why’s that such a bad thing?”

Who the hell does she think I am!? I just want to make sure we don’t get killed out there, what’s wrong with that?

“I’m glad to see all of you. We’ve got a busy discussion ahead of us, so take your seats.”

Just before Alicia and I could get into another fight, Commander Argoth entered the room, immediately shutting everyone up. Two mages came in after him, along with a man in ostentatious robes. I couldn’t see his face, but Analyze told me everything I wanted to know.

Archmage Aliver

Rank: C

Description: An NPC. Leader of the magical forces at Fort Aries. Is a skilled mage capable of casting magic of the sixteenth grade.

Grade?

“We’ve got an assignment for the task force. We’ve located one of the monster’s supply caches by using magical scouting. Thus we’ll be sending a small group to sabotage it. The more we deprive the monsters of supplies, the weaker they’ll be. I’ll let the Archmage discuss the particulars with you.”

“Thank you commander. Now since most of you don’t know who I am, I’ll introduce myself. I am Archmage Aliver, leader of the magical auxiliary forces at Fort Aries. It’s a pleasure to meet you all.”

Wow, he’s polite. I kinda figured he’d be a pompous blowhard, or have his head so far up his ass, that it came back out. But he seems genuinely easy to get along with.

“Now as the commander said, we’ve located a supply cache in the western forest and I’d like to put a small team together to sabotage it. We would attempt to use magic to destroy it, but they’ve put out wards around the cache, preventing us from doing that. Now as this is a priority mission, we’ve selected a small group of those who we best feel can accomplish the mission. I’d like for you all to decide the actual participants.”

Those words immediately sparked multiple arguments among the mercenaries. They were arguing over who’d participate, as we’d already seen just how dangerous this Dungeon could be. Some wanted to stay in the fort, where their safety was more likely, while others wanted to participate to acquire as many rewards as possible. Everyone had their own motivations.

“Silence!” The Archmage yelled. “I had thought that a roomful of adults could come to a reasonable decision on their own, but it seems I was wrong. As such, I will force you to decide in an impartial way.”

He slammed his staff into the ground, causing a large box to appear on the table. It had three holes in the top, but was otherwise unremarkable. Oh no, I think I know what this is.

“You will all take turns drawing lots. Those who pull a red ball will participate, while those who pull a white ball will not. You will not be allowed to trade with anyone and this is final. Do you understand?”

Ahhhh, it’s exactly what I though it was! Nooooooo! I suck at luck-based games! Whyyyyy!?

Everyone lined up and began to draw lots. There cheers and cries of despair as they drew the balls. A few notable reactions was Sampson’s victorious roar and the unimpressed sneer Finnél gave. Finally it was my turn.

Please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please pleaseeeeeeeeeeee be red. I need to fight monsters to keep progressing. I pulled my lot out of the box and opened my hand. Reeeeeeeeeeed! Yes, yes, yes!

[Alicia’s POV]

White huh? Well I guess that’s that.

She wasn’t the only one to get white, as Cameron also drew a white ball. Which meant that Michael would be participating without them. Though knowing him, he’s probably ecstatic that he gets to fight. He probably doesn’t even care about the danger, so long as he gets to participate. He can be so simple at times.

Out everyone they’d met, only Sampson and one of Braddock’s men would be participating in the attack. Everyone else was to remain on standby at the fort. I know this is the kind of situation that doesn’t favor me, but I’d feel so much better if I could go along. Michael can be so reckless, so I’m worried that if no one holds him back, he’ll get himself killed.

[Kalia’s POV]

Well that sucks.

Only one of their group had been selected to go on the assignment. In fact, everyone who was going was from different groups. This was going to make things difficult for them, as they wouldn’t have a set chain of command. A fact which Braddock was trying to rectify.

“You have to get control early on. If you don’t, there’s no telling what will happen if you come across a powerful enemy. Having a chain of command is essential.”

“I know that Braddock, but do you really think they’ll just let me take control? There may be only twenty of us, but everyone’s got their own priorities. That many egos are going to lead to problems.”

I almost pity Jansen. He’s got the unfavorable task of trying to keep the others in line. Poor guy.

“Well….. just do your best then. Try to return alive. We can’t afford to lose anyone In here.”

I guess that’s the reality of the situation. We’re all in constant danger, even inside the fort. I do wish I could go, I might be at least able to keep someone from dying. Though maybe that’s hubris on my part, it’s not like I couldn’t die.

[Protag’s POV]

About an hour after drawing lots, the participants of the operation had been gathered together in a room I’d never seen before. Complex formations were carved into the stone, all centering on where we stood.

The Archmage was the only other person there, as he’d shooed everyone else out of out of the room. Apparently, what he was about to do was extremely complex, as he’d also told us to be silent.

“I’m going to use magic to teleport you into the forest. You won’t be exactly where the supplies are, but you should be quite close. I’ve affixed the coordinates onto this compass, so it will guide you closer.” He said, before throwing said compass to us. I was closest, so I caught it before it hit the ground.

Then he started his chant, beginning a period where we had to stand around waiting for him to finish. It only took ten minutes, but felt like much longer due to the combination of nervousness and anticipation filling the air.

As his chant reached its apex, the mana in the room began to swirl around him, gathering into a mass. This was the first step of advanced magic casting, a task which required a great deal of personal mana stores.

Welp, here we go.

Once he’d finished the chant, the mass of mana compressed and flashed, becoming pure magic. The Archmage harnessed this energy to power his spell, warping the space around us. Before we knew what was happening, we were temporarily blinded by a flash of light and space shifted.

Ugh, what the hell!? It felt like the floor had dropped out and we were in free fall. While it only lasted a second, it was more than I wanted it to last. Never again!

Once my vision came back, I took a look around and sure enough, we were inside the forest. Or at least a forest. There weren’t any distinguishing marks or features that could differentiate this forest from any others.

“Is everyone here? We should take roll call to be sure.”

“Why should we? Who elected you leader? I say we all do what we want.”

Seriously? He just wants us to do whatever? Won’t that lead to us getting picked of one-by-one? Who even is that guy? I never actually tried to learn what group anyone’s from. I should probably rectify that.

Their arguing only got worse from there, as several people were practically yelling themselves hoarse. Which as they’d soon find out, was a terrible idea.

“MRAAAAAAAGH!

“Mraaaaaaaaaa”

Oh fuck no!! I know that roar, we’re in some deep shit. We need to get our asses in gear, right now!

Surprisingly, it was Sampson who got the others in line. He’d taken out an absolutely massive great hammer and glared at the others. His size, combined with the innate threat of his weapon, quickly pushed everyone back in line.

We set off deeper into the forest, using the compass to find our objective. Hopefully before the monsters caught up with us.