But for a Slime

Garnedell nodded and headed back into the inn. For the next hour or so, Joe focused on training Zilnek and Garnedell after he’d returned only a few moments later. Garnedell, as always, put forth purposeful effort although he did seem inspired today and put much more energy in his work. Zilnek proved the most changed, no longer complaining, whining or cursing under his breath. Every comment Joe offered was immediately acted upon by Zilnek, turned to effort and growth. Every failure, every collapse, and every pain was ignored, used as fuel to push him onward. Joe quickly found the experience a joy, no longer frustrated with Zilnek’s poor attitude and obstinacy. Soon, Joe lost himself in the joy of teaching students who truly listened and put effort into their own development. Time flew but they ended up only spending about a half an hour before Joe called an end to it, much to the exuberant rejection of both boys as they argued they could continue on. Joe was forceful, however, and called it, not wishing to harm either one of them.

They ended up eating breakfast and using that as a topic as Joe explained the importance of not over training. Zilnek, this time, spent quite a bit more time listening and asking questions, very interested in understanding what was being taught. Joe ended up almost lecturing on body development, the effects of training, and warnings against common training mistakes. All this, of course, had to be bracketed by the understanding of health and stamina in this world and Joe wasn’t even sure what health would do to a person’s training and muscle development. Would it be possible to become jacked with HP as a buffer? It seemed like it wasn’t considering the fascination that Kilniara, Gwenvair, and the Matriarch all showed when they began asking about his decently jacked body. He wasn’t bulky by any stretch of the imagination, still slim and sleek as most martial artists and his masters of the various martial arts demanded he have significant flexibility. Despite that, he was quite ripped and bulky compared to most martial artists brothers in the various Asian martial arts dojos he practiced in because his father trained him to put in the work at the gym to bulk up.

The meal and conversation proved exactly what he needed to calm down and when the topic died down, all three were enjoying their time until it was time to stand. Joe sighed as he considered what to do for the day, and reluctantly decided to remain in the inn. He stared around the common room before grimacing at the sudden realization of the lack of entertainment. He sighed and stood.

“Well… guess we’ll head back up and hang out in the room. Can’t really go ou…”

“Uh… Joe?”

Joe paused and turned to Garnedell, “Yes?”

“Ah… you can’t go back to the room?”

“Why?”

Garnedell frowned, “Kilniara and Gwenvair are in the room and they…”

“They’re back? They’re OK? That’s great. I should…”

“Joe. Joe!”

Joe halted once again, looking at Garnedell, “What?”

Garnedell breathed deeply, “Gwenvair does not want you, uh… to… well… she wants to be alone in the room.”

Joe’s mouth clicked shut, the relief and joy of knowing both had returned safe suddenly evaporated before the yawning fear of losing her. She… Wait… what?! That… how … The rapidity of his sudden change left him unmoored and he struggled to understand how he could go so quickly from rejecting her to fearing her loss. His mind whirled in a tempest of emotions that left him unable to find meaning or reason that he could be certain of. He dove into his thoughts, struggling to delve his emotions but ultimately found himself still uncertain. The relief was overwhelmed by a feeling of panic as he struggled to understand, reinforced by the fear of loss that didn’t make sense but existed. Both reinforced the other and left Joe lost. He took a deep shuddering breath and turned back to Garnedell.

“She doesn’t want me.”

Garnedell nodded, “She … they told me to … they were waiting for you to leave to the dungeon, but you took too long. Kilniara asked that I keep you away from Gwenvair.”

Joe’s nostrils flared and he took a deep breath before nodding firmly, finding purpose in action even as he flailed in the gale of his emotions.

“Then… we should go to the dungeon.”

Both boys smiled at that, excited and oblivious to Joe’s struggles and they both scrambled up the stairs to grab the pack Joe had left behind. Joe almost called after them, raising a hand to catch on of them to ask if both the girls were OK but then took a deep breath and restrained himself, forcibly calming his thoughts and worries. I can… ask after… maybe. I can’t… leave her alone. She wants to be alone.

The boys rushed back down and almost shoved Joe out the door into the empty streets. The empty streets shocked Joe once again, and he found a moment of relief from his worries when he found himself trying to understand why they were empty. It didn’t last long as the answer came rapidly, but it was enough to return his equilibrium and he was able to take it to repress his fear and frustration. It did not calm him, however, and he strode down the street with a bit of anger to his strides.

His mind whirled with all the issues, still dealing with his new found emotions for Gwenvair and startled by them, struggling to understand where they’d come from. His thoughts wandered and he found an inexplicable anger welling up within him. It was an anger rooted in frustration and Joe wasn’t sure exactly what was happening. He walked for a few moments more before suddenly stopping and closing his eyes, struggling to calm himself. He breathed a few times before sighing deeply, releasing a deep cleansing breath, his emotions calming enough he could reconsider.

He took a bit of time to think before come to a decision. He needed a change, something different and decided to make exactly that change.

“Garnedell, can you go back and get the lightning elemental weapons?”

Garnedell’s face quickly brightened and he smiled, “The advanced dungeon?”

Joe smiled, “I need something different… somewhere different.”

Garnedell nodded and ran back to the inn and Joe called after him, “We’ll wait here!”

Garnedell nodded once again, “Yes!”

Joe fell silent and spent the time to center himself until Garnedell came running back juggling the five metal spikes. Joe laughed to see it, but complemented his wisdom to bring backups and they all headed on, turning to head towards the advanced dungeon. The walk through town proved as eerie as yesterday but without the annoying interruption from the town crier.

On their trip over there, Garnedell spoke up quietly, “Are you OK, Joe?”

Joe chuckled and turned to look at Garnedell with a faux grin before nodding, “I’ll be OK.”

Garnedell stared at Joe carefully before responding with uncertainty, “Are you sure?”

Joe looked down and saw that Garnedell was earnest in his desire to help Joe and he sighed before deciding to open up, “No. Not really. I’m a bit lost on what to do?”

Zilnek snorted, laughing, “What’s there to do? You live every man’s dream. Take them as yours and have your Queen find more for you.”

Joe frowned in distaste even as he wrestled against the small voice that whispered to him to just accept it. His reply was a bit too acerbic.

“No, Zilnek. That’s a really dumb idea.”

Zilnek snorted, beginning to reply but Garnedell reached over and placed a hand on Zilnek’s arm, “Why, Joe?”

Joe noticed what happened but let it lie, “Because that’s how you tear apart any society. Deprive people of something and society is torn apart.”

Garnedell fell silent at that, “And how would any fight against the powerful?”

Joe paused at that, considering, “Huh… OK. That’s… a good point. But still, it’s just not… a good thing for society.”

Garnedell shook his head, “There are few things that are good for society and yet they occur all the time.”

Joe nodded, “And since they occur all the time, I should be allowed to do as I wish and harm others?”

Garnedell frowned at that but remained silent for a time and obviously took a pivot, turning the conversation in another direction, “How does it harm society?”

Joe sighed, “People do best as a family… as a team with one another. If men marry two or three women… four women, then you will have almost all women with few men and most men… half or more than half of men will live their life alone. With time, women become seen as nothing more than collectibles or items to be purchased.”

Garnedell frowned at that, “But… that hasn’t happened to us?”

Joe frowned in turn, cocking his head in thought, “Huh…”

He fell into thought at that and they walked in silence for a time before Joe continued, “Well… I’m not sure. There could be a discrepancy in deaths… men are dying more than women or … differing birth rates of men and women… or something else… I’m not sure. I don’t know… You know what, now I’m not so sure anymore. There are a lot of variables. But… back on Ear… my plane, it only really worked when women were greatly suppressed or when the men died often and regularly due to war or danger. But… here, I’m not so sure. Things are definitely different here.”

They fell silent for a time and Joe simply let the topic drop. The other two allowed him to and they walked the rest of the way to the dungeon in silence. Joe’s thoughts drifted from their latest topic to curiosity over why Garnedell had even brought it up. He wrestled with the idea for a time but couldn’t find any answer except that Garnedell was trying to help him. How, he wasn’t sure. And that drove him into trying to understand Garnedell’s thoughts on it until they arrived at the dungeon.

Their entrance to the advanced dungeon proved a similar experience as their entrance to the beginner dungeon yesterday. The guards proved surprised but ineffectual at keeping them out and soon they were down into the first floor of the advanced dungeon. Joe did not stop on the first floor, however, heading directly the second floor. Using the spikes to kill the electrical elementals while passively staring at them die would only increase his agitation. So, he turned to continue further into the depths of the dungeon.

When he made it to the entrance to the second floor, he paused, realizing that he didn’t know the dungeon maze as well as the beginners dungeon, so took the time to reconsider his various jobs, making sure to take navigator for its magic map skill. He brought up the map after doing so and made sure to place it outside his field of vision but running to update, if it needed to be running to update. He looked it over and saw the immediate surroundings visible as well as a long line almost all the way back to the entrance visible on his map. Huh… line of sight? Interesting. Good to know. Should I fill out the map… nah… I know it enough to get out if I need to.

Joe headed down the stairs to the next level. He needed something new, something to distract and entertain him.