Mana Star System: Soul Rebirth 40 40 The Trio +1

'Ugh she actually wasn't kidding.. How can these people actually sleep on the floor,' thought Donis as he looked around the room. Spotting 5 comatose bodies, he remembered.

Donis barely slept a wink that night. The rowdy bunch that Striga calls her crew coupled with the fact he tried to sleep on the floor resulted in barely 3 hours of actual sleep.

'f.u.c.k this, I'm going to buy some furniture or order some, or SOMETHING,' he continued grumbling.

Striga walked out of her office refreshed and bright as a Priscilla. Yesterdays mini-genocide barely having any real affect on her. She looked at Donis and only mildly chuckled at the poor boys complexion. Dark circles under his eyes, and a disheveled head of hair that only a homeless man could appreciate.

She picked him up and hoisted him to the nearest table, pouring out a hot cup of brown liquid. It stank like the earth, but Donis felt famished and worn - the warmth from the cup felt nice on his hands. He blew on it a little bit and drank some only to spit it out immediately.

"What the h.e.l.l did you just make me drink??" shouted and sputtered Donis.

"That's just coffee?" said Striga confused.

"I've had coffee, this tastes like actual s.h.i.+t. Like literal s.h.i.+t," said Donis as he tried to find something to wash his mouth with. He ended up summoning a potion from his [Inventory] that he knew tasted somewhat better and downed it in one go.

"Well, ouch, okay, I did make it from the seeds found in Gisbir s.h.i.+t, it usually tastes a bit better than this though. No matter, it'll wake you up and put hair on your chest wee boy," laughed Striga.

"On another note, you just washed out the taste of my coffee with a potion? You're definitely a f.u.c.king n.o.ble aren't you?" said Striga as she sipped the coffee, a pained expression appearing on her face.

"No, I told you, I got lucky! Also, I'm a level-2 [Alchemist], and I started a business in Vorinar for cheap medicine, so I've got hundreds of potions in my storage," said Donis as he stood up, feeling actually quite refreshed after the coffee had time to settle.

Striga spit out the coffee this time.

"Good G.o.ds this is awful, why did you drink this??"

"YOU HANDED IT TO ME" screamed back Donis.

"YEAH BUT IT TASTES LIKE s.h.i.+T" bellowed Striga as she threw the pot across the room at the half conscious Jimmy.

"You're a level-2 [Alchemist]? I thought your dad was a [Runeforger]? You're more complex than you seem kid," said Striga as she took another sip from her cup.

"Stop drinking it. Yeah, I'm pretty good at picking up anything I try," said Donis as he eyed the three new skills Striga showed him yesterday.

-[Thunder Fog]-

[Intermediate]

[Damage: /]

[Cost: 50MP/c]

Requirement: Agility 30 + Intelligence 25 +Emission type ability.

Allows the use to expel a lightning conductive fog into the surrounding atmosphere.

-[Dark Lightning]-

[Intermediate]

[Damage: 115]

[Cost: 90MP/c]

Requirement: Intelligence 25 + Elemental Magic + Void Magic.

Lightning infused with void magic, allowing the lightning to pa.s.s through s.p.a.ce and penetrate deeper.

-[Water Prison]-

[Intermediate]

[Damage: /]

[Cost: 20-150MP/s]

Requirement: Intelligence 20 + Elemental Magic.

A column of rotating water that increases it's rotation power the closer you get to the edge. More mana increases the strength of the prisons walls.

"Nah it's good for me. It'll put hair on my chest. Well kid, you're getting more interesting by the day, and we're only on day 2 of knowing each other, I wonder how you'll do in Calneer with us," said Striga as she finished her cup.

"Why do you want hair on your chest? You're a woman right? Where is Calneer anyway, I hope it's close, I'm so sick of traveling in a carriage," sighed Donis and brought out Etheria. He bent over and petted the cute bird.

"I think it's a figure of speech, not certain, but I say it to everyone, so why can't I apply it to myself huh? It's actually just a 15 minute walk from here, it'll be good to stretch our legs and get ready for the mission," said Striga as she walked around the room kicking the men who were still pa.s.sed out.

"Get up you lazy b.a.s.t.a.r.ds, we're heading out in 10 minutes! Drink some of my s.h.i.+t-coffee that Jimmy has there, it'll help with the headaches."

Donis watched as the near dead crew slowly sat up, still trying to get the sleep out of their eyes. He wondered how they could hear her through what must be a month-long hangover.

After the crew had gathered outside, they looked much sharper than before. Their collective hangover would kill any normal human, but to them it was just another Thursday. The s.h.i.+t-coffee probably helped get rid of the taste of vomit, and refreshed them somewhat.

The two men joining them seemed to be relatively adequate for the job Striga mentioned yesterday, but to be sure, Donis checked their stats anyway.

[Name: Jimmy Lesslo]

[Age: 26]

[Level 30][87% EXP]

[Mana State: Breath]

[Health: 1,090]

[Mana: 2,230]

[Occupation: First Hand of Darkwater]

[Strength: 29]

[Perception: 33]

[Agility: 41]

[Intelligence: 20]

[t.i.tle: Swamp Heretic, Unfortunate, Spellbow, Third Eye of the Hawk]

[Name: Corrul Maxla]

[Age: 40]

[Level 28][99% EXP]

[Mana State: Breath]

[Health: 935]

[Mana: 1,920]

[Occupation: Accountant of Darkwater]

[Strength: 22]

[Perception: 39]

[Agility: 25]

[Intelligence: 22]

[t.i.tle: Erzi Affliction, Colloquial Tongues, Fortune 2, Baitmaster]

As Donis was chuckling away to himself mentally at Jimmies unfortunate t.i.tle, Striga went over the battle plan.

"So, Jimmy, as our temporary set of eyes, you're going to be going out there and find yourself a nice seat somewhere up high in the canopy and keep an eye out on our backs. Corrul, you're going to set up the traps and baits for the little critters. The mission this time is to find the evolved queen of the little s.h.i.+ts," said Striga with a weird vigour.

"Uh, captain, sorry to interrupt, but what s.h.i.+ts are we trappin?" said Jimmy with still a noticeable slur to his tone.

"The Meckstras, Jimmy, what other little s.h.i.+ts are there in Calneer you blind drunktard? Their queen has recently evolved and has been absolutely s.h.i.+tting out those little t.u.r.ds," said Striga as she shot a dead gaze towards Jimmy.

"Ah yes, the Meckstras are a real handful when they group up… filthy little b.u.g.g.e.rs. Striga, captain, please watch your language though, we're in some young company," said Corrul with a near apologetic sigh.

"Don't mind me, I'm just here for the show," said Donis as he smirked at the weird trio.

"By the way, the lad you've already seen far more sober than he has ever been is Jimmy. Jimmy, this is Donis, our newest recruit from the Academy of Vernaic. Don't get him drunk or I swear you'll lose more than your jewels. Corrul, as you can guess, this is Donis," said Striga as she eyed Jimmies legs.

"Aye lad, nice to meet ya, Jimmies the name, killing little s.h.i.+ts the game. And getting drunk. I can't forget that one," he said with a buck toothed smile.

His hair was a deep muddy-red, combed over with either gel, or some other liquid that Donis couldn't quite recognise, nor did he want an answer in case [True Inspect] would give him nightmares. He wore a dark yellow s.h.i.+rt with a grey tunic. His pants were tucked into a weird combination of running galoshes. They were like shoes that were made for running, but with the vertical rubber extension of galoshes.

"Nice to meet you formally Jimmy, I've heard only shouts directed at you," said Donis as he laughed.

"And I am Corrul Maxla, the accountant of this merry band of [Monster Specialists]. The reason I'm here is not to keep track of our accounts, but to set up traps. You see I'm actually quite skilled in trap-making! Every since I was a chi-"

"Aight shut up Corrul, don't you dare drag this introduction into another 30 minute bout of wits and dreams," sighed Striga.

"Er.. okay, sorry Donis. I tend to get carried away. I hope we can work well together, as you seem to be a capable man. Your display of that fire breathing was astonis.h.i.+ng. The way the fireball nearly engulfed the roof of the guildhouse filled me with merry glee. It'd give me so much paperwork and relocation of resources that I'd be swamped for the whole day!" said Corrul as he began shaking with an odd happiness.

The man in front of him didn't look like a person who'd fit in here, but clearly with his odd disposition, he must fit in. Even though his age says he's 40, he barely looked 25. The black hair combed back neatly, his eyebrows waxed and s.h.i.+ny, a straight edged nose atop some thin lips. Corrul looked proper, yet somehow laid back.

"It's.. it's okay Corrul.. I wasn't intending on engulfing the whole place, I just thought showing was better than trying to explain myself," said Donis clearly getting flashbacks to Lorenzo's speeches.

That answer actually seemed to hurt Corrul, the very idea of not having paperwork to do was a nightmare he didn't want to experience.

"Alright idiots, look, we're gonna head into Calneer before you give me a headache, we're going to scout out these boys, Donis is going to be the one recording all of the information, I'll be at the front protecting ye in case anything odd happens. Got it?" said Striga as she pinched the bridge of her nose.

"Got it cap," said Jimmy with enthusiasm.

"Uh, can we pop into a furniture store after we finish the mission cap'n?" said Donis with some enthusiasm.

"Ugh, fine."