Reform: Chapter Four - Brush your teeth

Job Name: On The Job Training: Construction
Job Rank: B-Tier
Job Location: Reim
Job Rewards: 200 xp 15,000 huang
Job Overview: A manager for a construction company with contracts all over Reim is willing to train individuals in your workforce program if you do him a favor. He has a plot of land where he would like to build a retirement land, unfortunately, a bandit camp sits on that land. Clear the camp and secure the deal.

Enemy Name: Barney's Bandits x 5
Rank: C-Tier
Needed damage to take down: C-Tier
Abilities: Swords deal C-Tier damage.
Brush your teeth - Parries a single ability that deals up to C-Tier damage away at 10 m/s.
Recess - Deals two swift strikes at 15 m/s to deal C-Tier damage combined

Enemy Name: Barney
Rank: B-Tier
Needed damage to take down: B-Tier
Abilities: Scythe deals B-tier damage
Zazzy Lamel - Performs an upward strike that deals B-tier damage at 20 m/s.
Spinny Strke - Performs a 360 degree spin while extending his scythe at 15 m/s to deal C-tier damage.
Tway - Parries an ability that deals up to C-tier damage away at 10 m/s.

There was an unexpected missive requesting Azix to meet the owner of a construction company. Curious at the summons, he had gotten dressed before heading to the meeting. He arrived at a large stone building, a sign hung near the entrance that proclaimed it 'Oroloham's Construction Co.' He blew out a breath and opened the door, stepping into a reception area. Presenting the missive, the lady at the desk pointed to a row of seats and told him to wait.


Ten minutes later, a man as tall as he was wide, walked into the room towards Azix. His short black hair was slicked back and the man played with his thick black beard as he glanced over the orange magician. "Marquis Niraj? The name is Albus Oroloham, but most call me Oroloham." He stated while offering his hand.

Azix stood up and accepted the hand with a firm shake. "Please, call me Azix. It is nice to meet you Oroloham."

The large man beckoned for Azix to follow and led him through several hallways to his office. Taking a seat behind a desk piled with building plans and other papers, he gestured for Azix to sit. "I am sure you are curious as to why I sent for you. I heard about your ideas and how you got approval from the council. It seems you have run into some difficulties finding places to train your workers."

Azix raised a brow, news must have traveled fast. He should have expected it after spending a few mornings going to various businesses trying to find more partners for his initiative. "That is correct. Most seem to think the risk too great to support it."

Oroloham grunted, "I am sure many find the poor distasteful, as well." He waved off the matter, "The point is, I asked you to come because I believe in giving people a chance. When I heard of your ideas, I wondered at the kind of person you would be. When I heard that you were from Kou, my curiosity was piqued."

He settled into his seat and rested his hands behind his head, "You know, I walk the streets and even though people say Kou has taken over, it doesn't feel like it. There isn't a huge Kou presence like one would expect. I hear people talk of how horrible Kou is, but I don't see that reflecting in reality. Then you come along, pushing for things to help the people. What is it Kou is after, Azix?"

"I can't speak for Kou, but I am after change. I saw how the people that lived in the slums were treated and it made me angry. I don't tell many people this, but when I die, I want to leave behind a better world for those yet to be born. As a magician, I have power to make an impact. While I may not have the power of a Great General who commands the will of thousands of men, if I conjured a fireball, it could still hurt someone or burn a house down. With that power, I use it to fight for others, to help them. I saw an opportunity to improve the conditions for everyone in Reim and looked for a way to do it."

Oroloham listened quietly, his grey eyes studying Azix carefully. He clasped his hands on the desk before him when Azix had finished speaking, "A childhood friend of mine developed a gambling problem and ended up losing everything he had. After that, he became homeless and even though he had learned his lesson, no one would give him a chance. He was murdered in the slums by some teenagers who thought it was funny to beat up the homeless. This was years ago, before I had built up this company and had the power to help him."

With a sigh, he came to his point, "So, I believe in giving others chances. I am willing to train these people and hire them, depending on their performance. But, I ask a favor before I do that."

Thank Ilah, Azix had finally found someone else to help with training them. Even better, was offering to hire them based on their work. Azix leaned forward, "What is it you want me to do?"

Oroloham searched through the mound of papers on his desk and pulled out a few maps. He pointed to a location near the coast to the south-east, switching to another map to show a specific location. "My wife and I would like to build a beautiful home on that plot of land, but bandits have claimed it. My wife believes this is 'the spot' to build the home and I have been at a loss. If you could clear them out, I will partner with your workforce program."

Azix offered Oroloham his hand and the two men shook, "Deal."

Oroloham walked Azix out, but before he turned back inside, he pointed at the magician. "Also, the leader, Barney, is known for his scythe. Bring that to me as proof."

[646/1500]

Night fell as he arrived flying on his Magic Carpet over the lush, mountainous terrain below. In the distance, Azix saw the moon's reflection glittering off the ocean. Barney's camp on top of a cliff, he descended lower. A group of men had gathered around a roaring fire and their drunken laughter echoed on the wind. Behind the men were a series of rectangular leather tents that were raised up with what appeared to be bones, rib bones from a rather large creature to be exact.

Landing about a hundred meters from the camp, Azix stepped off the carpet and wrapped it over his belt, tucking in the ends to secure it. He flipped the hood of his black cloak over his head and walked closer. His Staff of Refractions hung at his belt, hidden beneath his cloak. Azix surveyed the area around and had to admit, it was a beautiful place to build a home.

The bandits noticed him by the time he was within thirty meters of the campfire. Barney sat cross-legged with his scythe resting against his shoulder and took one look at Azix. He gestured with a tip of his head and Barney's bandits leaped up with their swords. The boys moved to intercept Azix and stopped ten meters in front of the magician.

Azix continued to walk towards the men, throwing his cloak off over his shoulder with a flourish. A breeze picked up, blowing it up and over the edge of the cliff. With a smile on his lips, Azix manipulated his arms to grow longer and create extra joints. "Swiggity Swooty!" Two arms flew forward, contorting at weird angles, to smack two of Barney's bandits in the face at his outburst.

"BRUSH YOUR TEETH!" the two boys exclaimed, as they raised their swords, batting Azix's hands away.

Azix was distracted by the comment, wondering if he had something in his teeth. The other three Barney's bandits charged forward and with two swift strikes shouted, "RECESS!" Their swords bounced off Azix's Borg, creating rather large cracks through the magoi-reinforced shield.

'What are they babbling about,' Azix wondered to himself. His arms retracted to their normal proportions and jointions. Grabbing his staff, Azix raised it up towards the boys and conjured a Large Force Wall between them. He gently pushed his staff forward in the air to send the wall of force in retaliation towards his attackers.

The three bandits shouted, "Brush your teeth!" Three swift sword strikes deflected the translucent wall of force and the spell fizzled out.

Azix resisted the urge to check his breath, instead he conjured his Clear spell and ran forward. The spell burst outward from Azix, sending a wave of force crashing into the three Barney's bandits. They flew back and landed in the soft grass with a thud. The last two bandits ran forward, lashing out with their swords to get revenge for their comrades.

Azix was already conjuring a giant Shadow Right Hand at his side, five meters in size. The shadowy, skeletal hand flexed itself into a fist and flew forward into both bandits. Skin met the force of shadow and Azix swore he heard it take the breath out of them.

Standing over Barney's fallen boys, Azix breathed into his hand to smell his breath. He noted the faint aroma of the manju he had eaten on the way here, but no unpleasant smells. "Maybe it's your breath that is kicking."

[1222/1500]

[200/300]

Spoiler:

Azix came to a halt five meters away from Barney who was now standing, spinning his Scythe around his body in a show of skill. Barney glared at Azix, "Do you regularly come to a man's camp and beat his guests?" Without giving the magician time to respond, he spun around in a full circle while lashing out with his scythe.

The Spinny Strike broke Azix's Borg and the magician took a step back. "Do your guests have an obsession with hygiene?" He reformed the Large Force Wall, sending it towards Barney.

"TWAY!" Barney shouted as he struck the wall with his scythe, breaking the spell apart. The bandit leader ran forward and leaped up in the air, raising his staff upwards as well. "Zazzy Lamel!"

The scythe tore through Azix's right arm and he heard a bone break from the blow. He let out a cry as he stumbled back, catching his feet underneath him. He conjured Kage Youshiki, sending a mass of shadows rushing towards Barney. From the mass erupted two tendrils which stabbed forward into the man's chest.

When the tendril's pierced into Barney's chest, the bandit crumpled on the ground, defeated. Azix dropped to his knees and clutched his arm tightly. Through the pain, Azix forced himself to tear off a strip of his shirt and wrap it around his wound, tying it off tight. He grabbed Barney's scythe and pulled out his Magic Carpet to find a healer.

-----

After his wounds were treated, Azix returned to Remano and requested a meeting with Oroloham. Upon receiving the scythe, the two discussed schedules for training the workers. It was agreed that he could train fifty people across several sites at a time and would provide transportation for them if any jobs were out of the capitol.

With the schedule hammered out, the two men shook hands in agreement and Azix took off towards the slums. He had been using an abandoned house as a meeting place for the workers and it was there he met with several of them to inform them of the news. Azix had created a similar network like the Grumptoes with his workforce program, but it still needed to be organized with an official building and staff to oversee duties.

The workers he spoke with were sent to gather those not working at the stables. Throughout the day, Azix assigned people to the construction jobs, giving them directions where to meet every morning that Oroloham had given him. When he was finally done, Azix headed home with plans to make sure everyone showed up in the morning.

[1500+/1500]

[160/300]

Spoiler: