“Absolute pea-brained idiots,” Althea sighed as the team-kill notification chimed in her mind just moments before a similar message came from Leonidas, recounting the Altarians turning on each other. “He’s going to respawn soon,” she shifted her eyes and twiddled her thumbs. For some reason, she was afraid. She knew the pea-brain would turn on Jack the moment he set eyes on him. Regardless of her orders, he would attack with full force. Especially after suffering such humiliation. And, she wasn’t ready for their conversation to end yet. “Come, this way,” Althea said, standing and extending her arm to guide Jack, an entirely uncharacteristic action for an Altarian.

“Shall we go observe?” Jack countered, forgoing her arm and leaping straight upward where he then remained, hovering a few hundred feet above the world tree.

Althea spread her wings and flapped, rising to meet Jack in the air. “Is that your question?” she jested. And, for the first time, she began to wonder how strong this man truly was. Perhaps she had woefully underestimated him. Perhaps it wasn’t just a fluke or stealth that allowed him to pass through the map undetected. Perhaps he was the giant and she was the ant.

“Do you know the origin of the games?” Jack asked.

“The origin?” Althea questioned her thoughts. “We don’t know where it came from. Who created it. Or even what it is. A sky-being toying with the worlds? A natural phenomenon, a law of the universe, so-to-speak. We have no answers. But, then again, our people don’t care much for such things. The games are a tool. A tool the thick-headed Kings of old and new have used over the millennia to grow their wealth and power.”

Jack nodded, expecting as much. “Let’s go watch the mid lane,” he said, taking off running across the sky as if there were solid ground beneath his feet.

“How are you doing that? Wingless, yet flighted,” asked Althea.

Jack turned and lowered his gaze.

“Not my question,” Althea corrected. “Not yet at-least. What’s your name?”

“Jack Trades,” Jack responded, surprised by the sudden wasted question.

“That’s all?” Althea asked. “No title? No qualification?”

“I think so? I’m not sure I understand what you are looking for.”

“I am First Princess Althea of Altrax, cloud-manipulator and daughter of Tyr, the thirty-ninth King and unifier of realms.”

“That’s a helluva name to remember,” Jack smirked. “I haven’t been given any titles. I hold no power. My parents were my world, but the world did not know them. If I had to offer a longer answer,” Jack thought about it before re-introducing himself. “I am Headmaster Jack of Trades, founder of JATA. But you can just call me Jack.”

“And you may call me Thea,” Thea said, again feeling the strangest warmth within her.

The two moved in silence as they hurried down the middle lane and came upon the brute-like  Altarian barreling into Leonidas’ tower, shoulder-first.

“Your teammate is going to get slaughtered,” Thea noted. “For better or for worse, Ragoth is our world’s second strongest fighter. Second only to my father.”

“Perhaps,” Jack said. “Care to put some weight behind those words?”

“A bet?” Thea smiled. “What could you possibly offer me?”

“Sylo, was it? You are rather fond of him.”

“He’s my little half-brother,” Thea found herself explaining.

“If you win, I’ll heal the disease that hinders him, mend his dying body.”

Thea’s eyes widened, azure pupils dilating until they filled her eye sockets leaving no white exposed. “How did you?” she stammered. “If he could tell Sylo was ill from such a distance, could he actually heal him?” she muttered now, thinking aloud. “What reason would he have to lie? But can he do something that none of our healers could?” Finally, she looked beyond Jack’s eyes and into his soul. “Can I trust your word?” she asked.

“It’s all I’ve got.”

Below, Leonidas stood after being flung into the river.

“Okay,” Althea said. “Although, it’s a bit difficult putting a price on my half-brother’s life.”

“A thousand mana-stones,” Jack offered, arbitrarily picking a number.

“Hah!” Thea blurted. “I was ready to offer all I had. A few hundred-thousand. But I guess a thousand will do.”

Jack reached out his hand.

Thea looked with confusion.

“It’s a human custom,” Jack explained. “We shake our hands in a demonstration of trust.”

Thea copied Jack. She was surprised by how soft his skin felt. How warm his pulse was. And how lively the mana was that coursed through him.

“Seems like I win,” Thea said only a few moments later as Leonidas’ heart was snatched from his chest.

“I wouldn’t be so sure,” Jack grinned.

“Hah! How much more can a heartless man—” Thea stopped and gaped again as the heartless Leonidas stomped forward. He overpowered Ragoth, pushed him back into the tower’s range.

“A draw it is,” Jack commented as both bodies fizzled into the air.

“Sylo?” Thea asked.

Jack smiled. “I hear you have a few hundred thousand mana-stones.”

“If you heal him—” Thea pulled a bag from thin air. “I’ll give you everything I have.”

“An inventory?” Jack assumed, intrigued. He’d wished for such functionality from the first days of the system. It was surprising that such a thing did not exist.

Thea nodded, extending her hand as she’d just learned.

Jack shook on the terms and then pressed, “So how do you get an inventory?”

“Time,” Thea said. “Your world has to advance to level one. Once you do, you’ll be able to access the shop. Then you can purchase an inventory.”

Jack scrunched his face, still not understanding.

“Level and rank are different?” Jack asked.

Thea smiled; it was not Jack’s turn to ask.

Five minutes later, Jack listened as Thea explained the situation to Sylo. He was hesitant at first, opting to charge head-first at Jack, but found himself flat on his ass without a single memory of how he’d gotten there. Then, he listened. He still didn’t believe Jack, however, if Jack had wanted to cause him harm, he already had every opportunity.

“How can he cure something that even the greatest healers swear is untreatable?” Sylo protested to Thea.

Thea had no answer.

“You can pay after,” Jack said. “Shall we begin?” Jack stepped up to Sylo. “Turn around,” he said, placing both his hands between the man’s wings. “This is going to hurt,” Jack informed him as he opened his mana until his flesh started to melt. “Here we go,” Jack prepared Sylo before flooding the poor creature with his mana. Jack did not hold back. He could tell the Altarian body was more robust than a human’s. And, the disease that plagued him had spread to every inch, every bone, every muscle, every tendon, every cell of his blood. So, Jack did what he knew how to do. Piece by piece, he rampaged through Sylo’s body, tearing apart his flesh, his organs, and his bones. Healthy organs sprouted in the wake of the destruction. Strengthen bones. Uncorrupted blood. Piece by piece, Sylo’s body transformed.

Jack knew the pain would be monstrous, and yet, Sylo only let out a small grunt.

Thirty minutes passed.

Both Thunder and Lightning had fallen, and unlike the other players, had not appeared in the waiting room to respawn. The humans had lost much ground, falling back to the second layer of defenses. They called for Jack’s help but heard no response.

“All set,” Jack said, sealing his mana and stepping back from the sweat-soaked panting Sylo.

“Sylo?” Thea asked. Her trust in Jack wavered. Why exactly had she trusted him so easily?

“You—” Sylo turned and looked with wide-eyed wonder. “It’s not possible.”

Ding!

Jack’s jaw nearly hit the floor.

~Subclass <1> Assignment~

Divine Doctor

A Divine Doctor transcends the traditional realms of medicine.

“Holy shit,” Jack chuckled.

“He did it,” Sylo said. “The disease is gone. Purged. Destroyed.”

Jack raised his hand with closed eyes and re-released his seals. He poured his powers into skills that had just appeared in his mind, but he felt as if he had known them since before he was born. He didn’t need the system. The skills were his own. He drove his mana to act on his behalf. He was the conduit, conductor, and power source.

“What is he doing now?” Sylo glanced at Thea.

“I’m not sure,” Thea said, looking worriedly at the slightly deranged face that had poked through.

“Do we just—let him?” Sylo asked.

“I think so,” Thea answered.

Jack blinked and his eyes filled like two white-hot suns. He raised his right hand and flicked with his wrist, drawing a glyph in the air. The marking flamed to life with fiery energy and then swam across the space, burning itself into Sylo’s chest.

“Still?” Sylo grimaced.

Thea nodded.

Jack smiled with compassion, care, and curiosity. He blinked again. A rush of light raced from his hand, through a flaming mana-thread, and into Sylo’s fresh tattoo. The space burst with light. Thea shielded her eyes. Sylo tried to step back but found his body wouldn’t move. Jack blinked, eyes snapping to normal. The tattoo on Sylo’s chest peeled from his skin and then fell to the ground vanishing into dust.

“A gift,” Jack said. “I earned something invaluable in healing Sylo. This was only fair.”

“Sir,” Sylo fell to a knee. “I failed to see your greatness. Thank you for this blessing. Thank you for this kindness.”

Jack waved a hand. “As I said. You’ve given me something I’ve dreamt of.”

Thea rushed to Sylo’s side, placing a hand on his chest. “That’s impossible,” she echoed. “How can you have grown so much. And the purity of your wind veins. You!” she turned to Jack but faltered as she faced his two massive wolves.

“Try not to die so quickly again this time,” Jack said to Thunder and Lightning, tickling their chins. “Thunder, don’t rush into it. Use your agility. Remember that Trid is neither Robin nor I. Use them how you can. You needn’t protect them. This is training for you. Do whatever you can to win.” He scratched between Thunder’s eyes and then beneath before sending the wolf off. “And you. Let it out. Use all of your power. Go until you have nothing left. Test your limits. Blast the tower with all of your power. Try to rip their heads off without them seeing you. Whatever you want. All out. I want to see your mana hit zero. Yeah?”

Lightning licked Jack’s face and her eyes flashed with a raging storm.

“Go,” he commanded.

The wolf darted toward the lanes.

“They’re on their way,” Jack informed his teammates who sighed in relief.

“Are you a healer or a tamer?” Thea asked. “A dual class on a newborn world.”

“Neither,” Jack said.

“But those were your wolves. You summoned them.”

“Yup,” Jack said, receiving his reward from Thea. “Who says that skills are locked to specific classes?” Jack noted. “I can shoot a bow without being an archer. And I can swing a sword.”

A wave of energy radiated from the middle lane.

“A demonic-pill,” Sylo shook his head, raising his hand in shame.

“Seriously?” Thea grunted. “There isn’t much time.”