0012 - Sword and Fist

I reached the bar area of the inn, just after the sunset. The prime time for dinner was starting. I was sitting at the bar enjoying a cup of cranberry juice, when I heard a loud thud. The waiter who supplied me with buckets of water, fell down the stairs leading to the upper floors.

Me and Marcel hurriedly approached him and gasped as we saw him lying unconscious on the floor. Marcel bent down and without thinking much he checked the waiter's breathing and heartbeat. Marcel got up with the waiter in his hands, while this happened the crowd got bundled up near us. Marcel with a confident voice said, "he is okay, just sleeping." Everyone sighed and got back to their seats.

Marcel got out of the rest room for waiters and said with a gloomy face, "we might have to close down for today. He was the only helper Brice had. No matter how much she says, she cannot handle the peak time alone." As Marcel was making his decision, I saw the chance to say, " 1 silver a day and I will work from breakfast till closing of the inn," putting forward my offer.

"Yes, the work quality will be at par with Brice," I said, showing off my abilities. After thinking hard, "alright, today's your test, pass it and the job is yours. 1 silver is good, if you work well," said Marcel, putting forward the condition.

"Alright, let's do it," I said, as I folded my sleeves up and activated sense magic at maximum. My whole body tingled like I have done some heavy weight training. I felt energised. I made Brice stand at the bar and cash counter. So, for the whole night, I was the only waiter. I had to take orders, send the orders to the kitchen, deliver the cooked meals to the table and finally clear the table after telling Brice the whole order of the party in concern.

My excitement grew as time passed. "Let's begin, Everyone shout your orders to me, all at once," I said, listening to the customers, running Sense Magic on my eyes and ears, simultaneously.

I took orders from 12 tables, the dishes amounted to a total of 40. Due to a very basic menu with not so many dishes, the orders were repeated. I cumulated the orders and gave them together at once. No table was empty, so new customers were told to wait outside. Obviously it was all done by me, running in a tranquil state between tables and kitchen, I delivered the first round of meals.

As the time passed, the tables got empty and got filled again, as the barge of orders continued, dishes filled with meals came out and empty utensils entered the kitchen. Brice was busy serving alcohol and taking the money for meals. Marcel with 2 cooks made dishes as fast as possible. I noticed after a long time that the waiter who fell down was the one washing dishes.

Finally, the last drunk customer exited the inn. The inn closed for today, everyone but one, was in a tattered state. The one still energetic was Dave. " What kind of human are you?" Marcel asked as he saw Dave with a new light. "You're hired, work from tomorrow, breakfast till last drunk," said Marcel, already sounding like my boss.

"Actually tomorrow I have to do something important, allow me to join from the day after tomorrow. But I promise to help you tomorrow at dinner," I said, remembering my appointment at the guild with adventurer guild's manager Marleen. I took my 2 water buckets and left the area.

"Dad, I am grateful we gave him a room here," said Brice, turning towards Marcel. "Me too," Marcel said with a smile.

****

I took a bath and reflected on my 'sense' magic, I believe it has grown much. I will get to know it during training. I dozed off.

The next morning after completing my tasks, I went straight to the guild. I met another manager and she asked me to wait at the staff office. The office was pretty decent. The guild today was just like yesterday, maybe I will be joining the crowd for jobs after a year. "Who knows," I said, as I waited for Marleen.

She entered wearing the same uniform with 2 people, both of them being girls. "Good Morning Dave, meet the twin sisters, who will be your teachers. Bonnie and Donnie," said Marleen, introducing the twin sisters.

Both the girls were beautiful in their own sense. Both were around 15 year old and had the same height as me. Bonnie was a slim girl and looking at her biceps and shoulders, one could easily say that she has well developed muscles. Donnie had a plump body, but also had well developed muscles.

"Good morning, Miss Marleen, Miss Donnie and Miss Bonnie," I said, greeting the 3 ladies. Continuing to the sisters I said, " I am Dave Martin and wish to learn swordplay and hand to hand combat from you both."

"You're not as little as I thought, you're quite tall," said Bonnie, judging me from up and down. "I'm sorry for my rude sister, I look forward to working with you,"said Donnie, the calmer sister.

Their outfits were typical with a shirt and skirt both red in color with a white over jacket. I wondered about their stay and asked, "where are you staying?"

"oh they just arrived in the town. Your request was perfect for them. Also, I can vouch for them personally and as the guild receptionist as well. They both are recognized by the guild master as well. Moreover, they are very good teachers. As for their stay, they will be staying in Moonlight, just like you. Actually the guild is a major partner with them, so with the right pay they accepted their stay." said Marleen, vouching for them.

"Well, that's good I can walk you there if you want," I said. "Actually they already saw the inn, they are here, after settling at the inn only," said Marleen.

"We also saw you in action yesterday night, though you might not have noticed us, we were looking at the bar," said Bonnie. "You see, we carried our dinner and went straight to the room, but Miss Marleen told us everything about you, so we saw you working there. I must say you work and move very effectively," said Donnie.

"A man's got to earn his keep and moreover I will officially join them from tonight. Yesterday was a test," I said, rubbing my nose.

"I will head out, let's meet tonight in the bar," I said and departed the guild after greeting everyone.

*****

I went to Brianna's magic shop. I entered the door as the bell jingled. "Good afternoon miss Brianna," I said with a smile. "Good afternoon Dave Martin. How are you doing?" said Brianna.

"I am doing good. Actually I want a book on 'Basic Magic Training'. You see I have determined my class as water and earth," I said hiding the fact that I can perform all the classes. I took the widely common and compatible combination. "I just want to improve my sense of the magic rather than learning spells," I said, thinking that I should be able to control my mana output first and then learn proper spells. I have a year before I properly use it in combat.

"Congratulations young Dave, you're a dual class. As for improving your sense, I suppose your mana went out of control. Look I am a good businesswoman so I would only say the truth. There's no book to improve sense, there's only 1 technique," said Brianna looking straight at me.

Being a businessman as well, I knew nothing was free. I got her hint, taking out 2 gold coins and pressing them between my fingers from the left pocket, I put my hand out for her and said, "please lighten this load, I cannot carry them."

With a grin on her face she said, " you're very smart Dave. Listen carefully and you might do it before you even know. You see higher the intelligence and maturity of a mage, higher the control. It's all brain power. As for mana control, you imagined a waterfall for water. Try to imagine a jar of water only. You see we tend to make the mage imagine a huge element source because even a small speck of element magic activates because of it. If you imagine small things, you will be able to learn how to control the elements."

I thanked her and exited the shop. I kind of understood what she meant and after having lunch I headed back to the inn.

*****

I reached the inn and directly went back to the ground. It was empty today as well.

Let's try with air, previously I imagined a hurricane, let's imagine a small gust of wind with open eyes. I took a stance, imagined a light breeze and said, "Sense Air." Without any problem a light breeze blew past me, my eyes were open and I was able to see the magic in effect. I got a little confident and took a step forward. I tried to adjust the speed of the wind and very easily I was able to make it slower or faster. "I just have to imagine the right thing," I said, in excitement.

I did all kinds of cool stuff with the breeze of air. I was able to change its speed, change its direction, change its effective area and many more.

I guess I can now try fire. Imagining a little campfire, I said " Sense fire." suddenly a thin layer of fire shrouded me. I didn't panic at all, rather my heartbeat increased due to excitement because I somewhat looked like an anime character back from earth.

I played around with fire, moved it on my body. I was able to increase and decrease its intensity. I was able to focus it completely on my hand rather than the whole body. I was able to focus it on my foot as well. The amount of fire was small so confidently I was able to play with it.

I was enjoying playing with fire when suddenly my sense magic detected movement near the entrance of the ground. I hurriedly cancelled all magic and took out my wooden sword. All this time my sense magic had been turned on and slowly slowly my proficiency and range was increasing. I was now able to sense at a distance of about 80 feet.

I need more combat training on sense magic, I thought when I saw 3 girls entering the ground. It was Brice, Bonnie and Donnie.