"Nothing's happening" Adam skeptically said. Had Chris and Zane lied to them ?. Chris also started slightly sweating, he knew very well that Zane had never tried to heal a human, much less a mage before.
Clara had her eyes narrowed as she stared at her wound 'The pain is gone ' she thought.
'She is healing but at a very slow pace' Zane realized.
What he didn't know was that the body of a mage was at least a thousand times stronger than the deer he had tested his ability on. So it was obvious for Clara to need more mana to heal.
Zane and Chris had gone on a hunting spree before coming to the city. Zane had done so in order to have enough mana for emergencies because he didn't know how long they would stay in Willow City.
'Here goes!' Zane thought as he began pumping mana into Clara, he didn't put a limit on his mana and just kept putting more. He was however keeping a close eye on the wound..
<(- 4639 Mana)>
The mouths of the three hunters opened wide as the wound started closing at a very fast pace. The half-an-arm long, 5 centimeter deep wound was gone in less than three seconds
Clara had a radiant smile on her face as she lifted up her arm and closely inspected it. She then walked over to her teammates "Can we talk" she said. David, along with Adam stood up and followed Clara to a corner of the tavern.
"Do you know what's going on ?" Zane asked Chris, who was smiling like an idiot.
"They are deciding whether to accept us into their group or not" Chris said.
Zane furrowed his brows "But i never requested to join their group"
"Ohh don't worry about that you with me now, I will take care of everything"
"No you don't understand, I don't want to join a hunter group" Zane explained.
Chris narrowed his eyes "Zane I want to become a mage as fast as possible and the sooner you become a mage the sooner I become a mage."
"What does that have to do with anything" Zane asked.
"We need money dude. My business is good and all but it won't generate enough money to make you a mage, except if you are okay with waiting a couple of decades, which i am not." Chris explained.
"Actually where did you think you where going to get the nine remaining mana cores?" Chris quizzed.
"I never thought about that " Zane confessed, a little embarrassed.
Zane wanted to ask Chris about what their job was going to be, but he stopped himself as he already came up with the answer himself. Zane decided to listen in on the conversation of the hunters, however turns out he was too late as they where already making their way back to the table.
As soon as they sat down, a waitress arrived with a couple dozen bottles in a crate and put them in the middle of the table. "Enjoy gentlemen" she giggled as she walked away.
"I would like to enjoy you" Chris muttered under his breath.
"So, Zane we have a proposition for you" David said before he took a sip from the bottle he had taken from the crate.
"I'm listening" Zane said.
"Our team needs a healer and we want you to join us"
"Why me?" Zane questioned, his business mind was kicking in.
"Because we need your capabilities and you need money to buy mana cores."
"I get that but I don't think am not the only one who can use healing mana so why not get someone else?" Zane asked.
"Healers able to heal mages have to at least be at the high mage realm, and no high mage would want to follow around a group of mages like us for gold coins." David said.
Zane smirked "So your team needs me David. That makes me valuable to you" he sat back on his chair with his hands together. David rubbed the bridge of his nose in frustration. He had underestimated Zane.
"What's your offer ?" Zane asked as he reached for a bottle.
"20 coins per mission" David said with confidence.
Chris was about to say something when Zane lifted his forefinger as a sign for him to shut up.
"We want 30 coins each" he announced.
David was confused "What do you mean 'We' ?" he asked.
Zane narrowed his eyes "I am not joining without Chris" he said. David's question had told Zane that they where only recruiting himself without Chris.
"What? but we only need you." Adam said before looking at Chris " No offense dude but you are useless when it comes to hunting"
Chris didn't reply and just shrugged his shoulders. He was betting on the fact that Zane would be adamant that he should come with.
"That's where you are wrong Adam" Zane said "Chris is useful"
"How so?" Clara asked.
"Because without Chris you don't have a healer" Zane said confidently.
"We will give you 50 coins per mission if you are alone" David offered.
Zane was about to answer but hesitated, which made the hunters smile but Chris frown. "No, either you take both of us or none of us" Zane said. Chris released a sigh of relief.
"Fine!, but we won't go out of our way to save your life Chris. I'm sure you understand " David said.
"Okay " Chris said dismissively.
"So how does this work exactly. Do you have a contract ?" Zane asked.
"What's a contract?"
"Forget it, how do we do things. What are my responsibilities?"
"All you have to do is follow us around when we are on a job. If anyone gets hurt it's your job to heal us, that's it" Adam explained.
"Okay but i have a condition" Zane said.
"I want to hunt a few animals per mission" he continued.
The hunters where slightly surprised.
"Why ?" David asked.
"As i don't really have an elemental affinity, I don't know if I'm going to be able to cast any spells. So I want to practice fighting without magic" Zane half lied.
"Understandable " David said. "So do we have a deal?" he said with his hand outstretched for a handshake.
"Deal! " Zane shook his hand.
"Our next mission is three days from now. "
The group spent the rest of the evening talking and drinking. Zane really felt like he was back on earth with his group of friends the only difference here was that none of these people where his friends.
They where only entertaining him because he had something to offer them. Zane had long since been taught the way this world worked. Everyone chased power and would do anything to achieve it, it was a dog eat dog world.
Apparently even killing someone was not even a crime. That was why those guards didn't care about what happened to Zane that time. However that was only for outside the Cities, some rules still applied inside the city wall.
After a few hours of drinking, Zane learnt the hard way that Chris was not a good dancer. The tavern eventually closed at midnight and the group said their goodbyes. That was when Zane noticed that he and Chris where homeless.
After paying the owner of the Dancing Rum a few gold. Zane and Chris slept in the tavern's basement.