Chapter 290 290 Baseball?



Wolfe activated the spell for them both, bringing back his cargo pants and boots from yesterday with a black tank top but giving Priya a cute blue sleeveless dress with Celtic knots decorating all the hems and the collar.

"What is this? Am I going out somewhere fancy?" Priya asked as the new clothing formed, and she released the spell that she had been wearing.

"It was on the list of suggestions for new summer outfit amulets that the Witches were talking about at breakfast. What do you think? There is still a full coverage barrier. It's just made with Air Magic and invisible." Wolfe explained.

"It's not too bad, just a bit breezy compared to what I've gotten used to since the Air Magic lets wind through as long as it's not damaging to the wearer." Priya shrugged.

"That was the idea. Since it's supposed to be properly hot here through the summer, everyone will need ventilation without spending their Mana to control their own temperature. But if you would like to use your armour spell to cover a rock or other magical creation, I will give it a swat with the staff and see what happens."

Priya created a rock with Earth Magic and covered it in three layers of defensive spells, then tossed it underhand toward Wolfe, who turned to aim the swing away from her.

If the rock hit the trees, it should be fine, but it could be a bit painful if the Lightning lashed out unexpectedly and hit Priya. His armour should hold, but that didn't mean that you wouldn't feel the spell at all.

With a resounding crack that echoed through the village, the staff hit the stone, and the barriers around it collapsed. Lighting engulfed the rock for a split second, and then it exploded into dust before vanishing as the spell was broken.

"Who knew that baseball could be an extreme sport?" Priya laughed.

"I guess we can call that a definite success. Here, take the staff, so we can see how it reacts to other users. I just need to grab an actual rock to test on unless you want to make and protect one for me."

Priya created a softball-sized rock covered in the same three layers of defensive spells and tossed it to Wolfe. She then took the staff in a baseball batter's stance and prepared for her turn at the game.

It was comically large for the purpose, but Wolfe served her an underhand pitch, and the staff flicked out at the projectile, sending another crack of thunder through the area and drawing a number of witches out onto the walkways near the spire.

"What are you two idiots doing? You nearly scared me to death. I thought that we were under attack." A witch yelled from the walkway above them.

"Sorry, weapons testing turned into baseball with magical weapons," Wolfe yelled back, making the witch laugh at the absurdity of his words.

Now that they knew it was safe to come in, the scouts who had been hiding outside the door made themselves known, waving to the duo in the yard and coming over to pass their messages since Priya and Wolfe were closer than the old Witch Shack where they usually traded information for potions.

"Oh, perfect timing. Come on over. We have something to ask you all." Priya called as they began to approach.I think you should take a look at

She dug a stack of papers out of the bag she had brought today's test weapons in and prepared to hand them to their guests like a street busker handing out store flyers.

They were the lists of all the skilled trades and other positions that needed to be filled around the Den. Not every village would have anyone to spare, but if they did, they could consider working here with the Witches.

Priya was hoping to get a good selection of new talent from the other villages in the Fae Forest and fill in the gaps of knowledge that the Witches were missing. Unfortunately, most of the Witches went straight from the Academy to the Military and hadn't had time to learn real trade skills yet, so these workers would be valuable sources of knowledge in the Den.

Priya took their daily intelligence report letters and traded them the papers, then began her prepared speech.

"The Den is short on a lot of skilled trades since we are all soldiers who gathered together during the war. So, we are hoping that if there are any skilled workers in your villages that you can spare without hurting your people, you will encourage them to apply here.

We will pay and treat them well, there is no need to worry about mistreatment, and they will be free to return home whenever they wish." She explained.

"You can grab your potions when you leave. I know you still need the vials, and I can see the scratches on some of you, so I know that the monsters aren't entirely agreeable out there." Wolfe added.

The man with the deep but mostly healed cuts on his arm chuckled. "I came across a Crag Wolf on the way here. They're irritable at the best of times, and spring is pup season, so she likely had a den of her own near where I found her. Good thing I had a healing vial with me, but she left me alone once I started to run away."

One of the scouts' tails was beginning to swish at a furious pace as he stared at the sheet, so there must be some hope that there were available workers for the application process.

"Did you have someone in mind for a job?" Wolfe asked the feline mutant.

"More than one. I am our village's master carpenter by trade, and I have entirely too many children. But there are three, two boys and a girl, who haven't found full-time work using the skills I've taught them. We were thinking of bringing them around to see if they could find a spouse in the other villages, but the Den might be a good spot to get them settled as well."

Priya smiled. "Is it common to take the kids around between villages to get them married?"

The scouts all nodded.

"When you're in a small village, you have to go for a walkabout to find a partner. You can't very well marry your own cousin or sister every generation." One of them joked with a wink at the scout to his left.

"She's not my sister. She was my stepsister." The man next to him muttered while the other scouts laughed at the inside joke.