As we passed to the other side of the teleport gate, the views of Lushingfort were upon us again as well as what the others said was around the 3 month mark of them being adventurers.
"We are literally like a quarter of the way to being adventurers for a year, isn't that exciting!!"
Jax had said, seemingly energetic after his bones had healed and he was finally released from his body cast. Aiden and Selene seemed more down, though that seemed to mostly stem from the fact that Aiden had to spend another 5000 gold to get us back to Lushingfort and Selene had to spend 8000 gold to repair the destroyed transmission. Selene and Aiden both got scolded by the elven mechanic who was apparently a class called Technomancer. Selene got scolded because she destroyed the transmission to the extent it needed a full replacing, while Aiden got scolded because after months he never even gave the vehicle a title other than vehicle. He ended up naming the vehicle the A.T.V, it apparently stands for Alchemist Transport Vehicle.
As we drove down the street I found myself watching over the sides of the trailer, behind me Jax, Thalia, and Liora were all hanging out. Jax was running alongside the trailer, something about his muscles getting small in his recovery. Thalia seemed to be making a small wooden doll out of a block of wood using a small knife, and Liora was engrossed in a book with a cover that read "The 7 stars"
I found myself relegated to people watching, my mind drifting back to the last time we were here. I didn't trust Jax at the time and was worried that he was trying to kill everyone, Victor had been with us before his whole big reveal thing to be, I don't even want to think what, and We had been traveling back to just visit Aiden's home for a bit and leave before the whole necromancer dungeon thing. Even still it was strange to think about things. I'm an adventurer now, I have paperwork and everything marking me as a person. Just a month ago I would have been chased out of town, and lived in the woods based on what I could hunt, and now I'm just allowed into places like restaurants to order food. Hot water, clean bedding, safety when I sleep. These are common for people in towns, but growing up basically alone because of the system screens they are luxuries. Yet even still, something had me worried.
"Wooooooh, can you believe I'm already tired from that? Hey Aiden, when we wake up tomorrow, we have to put some extra effort into our conditioning, I feel like a wet noodle."
Jax said as he jumped back into the trailer and stretched out, patches of sweat soaked his fur, but based on his smile he seemed to be enjoying himself, and yet there was still a strange feeling of unease on him.
"Im gonna head up to the Ballista purch."
I said moving past Jax and heading for the ladder. As I began to slowly climb, both because the A.T.V was shaking, and because I still wasn't completely confident in the way that Jax showed me on how to use them as Liora asked.
"Why? Don't you have trouble with ladders?"
"For as much trouble I have with them, it's better than smelling Jax all sweaty, he reeks."
I hissed as I managed to get to the top just barely and laid out taking a few moments to breath as I slowed my heartrate from the both confusing and necessary effort of climbing. Below me, the others settled in as from the roof I could hear Aiden muffledly explaining the way to properly drive to Selene as she asked questions and seemed to get confused on some things. I looked up at Sera and Malt as I asked them quietly so the others wouldn't hear.
"Hey Sera, Malt, why is that bad feeling that was on Jax before still there?"
They seemed to take a moment before they turned back.
"Well, it's because of the warlock class's hidden attributes."
Malt said, crossing his arms as he laid back as if leaning on an invisible wall.
"That and what your feeling is the remnant insanity inside Jax's head. It never fully goes away, it's like a fire where no matter what you do the embers won't go out. Once there is fuel they will flare back up and he may act just like before."
Sera said, putting a hand on her cheek as she gave Jax a pitying look. What Sera said sparked as something important, but my mind was drawn to what Malt had just said.
"Wait, Malt, what do you mean by hidden attribute?"
Malt glanced over with a raised eyebrow as he shrugged.
"It's something that the system grants, but doesn't explain, basically every class has a hidden benefit and flaw, warlocks are sensitive to malice, and since insanity is so closely related, you can feel those embers inside your friend. Your flaw is that you're more susceptible to outerworld effects, think angelic and demonic stuff."
I glanced down at Jax as I tried to strain my eyes, wondering if It would be possible to see the embers of insanity in his form, but before I could Jax looked up at me and gave me a smile before he set his head back down to take a nap. I turned back to Malt as I asked.
"Do you know what the hidden attributes of the other's classes are?"
He took a moment to scratch his chin as he said.
"Well alchemists are able to identify what they did wrong in brewing potions, Wind mages are favored by wind elementals, and Mutants can help people regrow lost limbs or regrow their own. The only negative one I know off the top of my head are the warlock one, and I know Mutant struggles against magics that change their form like polymorphing spells."
I nodded as I glanced at the others. However I found myself staring down at Jax, a mix of worry and pity as Malt lightly elbowed Sera and said.
"Looks like somebody is getting Stockholm Syndrome."
Sera whipped around as she had a look of mixed annoyance and anger as she said.
"That is not what is happening here, in no way is she a hostage or captive here, plus that mutt is way below her!"
Malt held up his hands in mock surrender as I felt a pang of annoyance that despite understanding their words, the system didn't explain what Stockholm Syndrome was.
"Hey, she didn't exactly ask to join this party, one minute she was in the woods, the next Jax saved her and she started traveling with them, while it may not be a captive situation, it loosely fits the bill here."
Malt said, chuckling as he flew back and out of the way of a loose punch that Sera threw. Not wanting to be stuck listening to their bickering I began to tentatively make my way down the ladder as Sera got a hold of Malt and began to shake him by the collar.
"Gods there are days I wonder if your actually a demon!"
She roared as Liora looked up from her book.
"Changing your mind on the ballista perch already?"
She asked glancing up as if looking for what was wrong with it.
"Malt and Sera are fighting about me having Stockholm syndrome, whatever that means, and I didn't want to listen to the bickering."
Saying this seemed to catch both Thalia and Liora's attention as they both stared at me, their mouths slightly open in surprise as their hands stayed midway through what they had been doing. They slowly glanced down at Jax, their expressions frozen on their faces as they then looked back up at me before both doubled over, little bits of sound escaping their mouths as barely restrained laughter as they shook with the effort. I stare down at Jax, suddenly worried what Stockholm syndrome meant.