《The Hunter Killer | Book 1: S.T.E.L.L.A. [A LitRPG Saga]》 Chapter 1 - Winterfalls As the first rays of sunlight spilled across the horizon, my steps were relaxed and carefree. The weather was heavenly, and the scent of blooming flowers was thick in the air. With an energetic bounce that seemed to radiate from deep in my soul, my mind was made up. I was going to see the outside world today come what may. It was my last chance at freedom before my duty to the family took firm hold of my destiny. Tomorrow, I would become an adult. My father had told me times beyond counting how within our home of Winterfalls, as long as I didn¡¯t go past the magical barrier that surrounded the city limits, no danger could find me. ¡°Xazorus, your life is here within the city,¡± my father reminded me earlier this morning as I sprung out of my bedroom. He must have sensed the defiance that bloomed within my chest so had wanted to head me off before that feeling took hold. ¡°I see youth¡¯s energy flowing through those veins, but don¡¯t you doubt the importance that you follow in my footsteps just as I followed that of our grandfather. We live, we die, and we never question the blessing given to us by the gods. You will find happiness in our work. You will be happy, always.¡± Even though I had risen early to not have been seen, my father, whether by accident or deliberately, was sure to make sure I didn¡¯t get out of the house without his words of warning. Still, something was different about this day and the desire to be truly free ran rampant through my lungs. Another sensation flittered through my chest for the briefest of moments, it was an ache that I could not place. It was like a foreboding of evil deeds like I had been snatched away from¡­ Well, regardless, that feeling was easily squashed by my confident optimism. This day was going to be an important one, I could feel it. Still, my family would see that my wild-spirited nature would be forcefully tempered like steel hissing in protest as it was plunged into a blacksmith¡¯s oil if they had anything to say about it. I let my ambitious feet guide me further and ever closer to the wild world that seemed to be shouting my name. Grimacing inwards as I remembered his warning, no one called me by my full name as Dad always did. Everyone else, even my mother, just called me Xaz and that¡¯s the way I liked it. In my mind, it matched the ravenous silver-eyed gleam anyone found within my stare. Nothing seemed to escape my often-curious eyes for they matched my unfettered nature. Little did I know just how much that curiosity was about to change the only life I¡¯ve known. Growing up in Winterfalls, along with dozens of other trade families, was the life I had been born to. The town was not overly large, so little that only a single stone-paved road ran down the middle of it. The buildings to either side that held the varying goods for sale were spaced so close together that I found it harder and harder as the years progressed to be able to sneak in between them. It was a favorite pastime of mine to worm my way between the buildings and around town to my mother¡¯s incessant dismay that more than one chore had gone undone. With little muscle showing beneath my drab cotton clothes, tomorrow I would turn eighteen and reach the age of adulthood. This meant that I would firmly find myself standing beside my father in his shop selling wares to the passing ¡®Hunters¡¯ who would find their way to Winterfalls. I had been taught since as far back as I could remember, I would eventually take my father¡¯s place in the family store and, in time, I would marry, have a child, and the next generation of tradesmen would continue on. That¡¯s how it was for every family here. Generation after generation, from father to child, and shop to shop. This was the norm and, as my spirit lamented, was the life that I was born into. Still, today it felt¡­ different. Perhaps I would finally meet a Hunter, even as elusive as they seemed to be in this remote section of the Kingdom. The last time a Hunter passed through was well before I was ever allowed into our shop. Finding myself standing just before the edge of town, with my short-cropped brown hair waving briskly in the fresh air, I was greeted by a near-transparent barrier between me and the wilderness beyond. My eyes moved upwards and traced the protective dome that arced up over all of Winterfalls. I hesitated for what seemed like a lifetime, even though in reality only a few seconds had passed. No one went beyond the barrier, not unless you were a Hunter or an approved caravan merchant. I was neither of course. ¡°It¡¯s not safe. You are not allowed out there, Xaz,¡± this time it was my mother¡¯s voice that came unbidden to my thoughts. She had tried countless times to hound this fact into me. She had been successful up until this point. ¡°You step one foot outside and you¡¯ll no longer be protected. If I ever hear of you being out there, I¡¯ll make sure you regret it, not to mention remember it for a good long time. Don¡¯t you doubt that, young man.¡± Once again, those warnings found their way into my thoughts, but nonetheless my feet remained planted to the ground, and I stood transfixed. My eyes looked beyond the protective dome and my imagination was already evading those words. No one left town, not once in the memory of my short years on this planet. Still, a feeling nagged at me to disobey. Tomorrow I would become a man and would forever be bound to my family¡¯s fate. About to turn and let my fate be decided, a ray of sunshine broke the slight cloud cover, hitting my face and basking me in warmth. Any caution that had tentatively reached my feet was overwhelmed by that radiance. The barrier shimmered briefly as I passed through, like passing through a still rippling waterfall, yet there was not an ounce of pressure as I stepped through. No warning sounded. No shout of outrage hailed my impertinence to tradition. Outside, the scent of spring and blessed nature flooded into every single pore. Where just moments before I had been warmed by the sun, now I was a flower basking in it. I felt alive like I had never experienced before. It seemed to be nothing short of a perfect day. A few rolling clouds lined the sky with most dotting the sun as it traveled up from the horizon to the east. Looking one last time over my shoulder before my adventurous feet took me bounding away from home, a worry as quick as a thought lanced through my avid mind. Maybe it would have been a good idea to borrow my father¡¯s leather armor. He rarely, if ever used it nowadays. My father last donned it over a decade ago when he made the long journey to another village with his wares. I could picture the hard leather in my mind, a dense layer of dust covering it from long years of disuse. Yet, worry didn¡¯t hold me for more than a moment. My soul had been right. There was danger out here. Even though it was far too early for anyone to be wandering nearby, a final look behind me was not enough to stop me. My feet propelled me forward. My choice had been made. Heading south on the stone road, since nothing had jumped out to attack me, I wondered, not for the first time, if my parents were just being over-protective. Still, it would be prudent to have some modicum of concern for my safety, right? The grass was tall on the side of the ancient road and matched the earthy-toned clothes that accompanied me on my journey. ¡°At least it could help me blend in well with the bending grass.¡± I mused aloud. Stepping off the main road and into the evergreen grassland, I traveled with quick steps. Even though I was disobeying my parents, I wasn¡¯t planning to stay out here forever. Days earlier, I overheard of a nearby river, and I was interested in seeing that spectacle. ¡°Yes,¡± I joked to a random fern, ¡°A river is quite a wonder to behold considering where I come from.¡± The smile on my face was likely larger than I would care to admit. Comparing the feelings flowing through me to how it felt just yesterday was night and day. Not being able to quite place a finger on it, I was once again reminded that for an unexplained reason, it never felt right back there. It was like an almost haunted feeling that nagged in the back of your mind and made you feel like something was just not right. ¡°I don¡¯t belong there,¡± the words tumbled from my lips, almost as if unbidden. Where did that come from? The thought felt like it was hidden behind a barrier not too unlike the one protecting Winterfalls. Though, even as I tried to focus on it, the feeling slipped through my mental fingers. The breeze on the air brought in a sweet aroma and that dark sentiment evaporated and was carried away. Trees, the grass, and the hint of running water tickled my tongue as I greedily took it in. I was close and the bubbling of water rushing over rocks grew stronger in my ears. Breaking through tall grass that came up to my waist, a wide river finally came into view. It was ten paces across and at a steady pace. Judging it for a moment, it was too deep and did not appear that I would be able to simply ford my way across. Not to mention the lack of desire to finally head home with my lower half drenched in ice-cold water. Not giving it more thought, I urged myself further downriver hoping something would appear that would allow my curious nature to see what lay on the opposite bank. Not long after, my luck solidified as I spied a downed tree spanning across from one bank to the other of the flowing river. Judging from the fact that the tree¡¯s leaves were bright green with life, the tree must have only fallen within the past day. Recalling a storm that had passed through recently, it was easy to deduce that strong gusts must have been the cause for this once proud tree to topple over. Taking this as yet another good sign, I carefully worked my way over and used the tree to make my way across. ¡°You¡¯ve got this,¡± I said aloud as I carefully balanced, my arms stretched out wide. Not blessed like my father with his thick runner¡¯s legs and broad shoulders, I did make it up with the grace that my mother displayed whenever a festival dance came to our small town. Even with the danger of the rapids below me, crossing the tree seemed rather trivial as my feet found firm purchase with the damp bark. Jumping the final few feet, I touched down on the opposite bank with a courageous smile wide across my face. Turning around to relive the not-so-daring victory, a dreadful noise reached my ears. It was a howl of pain, but with such a degree of anguish, unlike anything I had ever heard before. Icy dread and panic flooded my chest, tensing all of my muscles in an instant. Without conscious awareness of the defensive movement, I was crouched low, eyes wide, trying to determine what was happening. More than a little out of my depth, fear held me tight. This wasn¡¯t supposed to happen and the icy feeling numbing my limbs was exactly what my parents tried to futilely warn me about. Another emotion though flared brightly for a moment, urging me onward to find the cause of the now muffled sounds coming from only a stone¡¯s throw away. Creeping so slowly that not even the crush of a dried leaf disturbed my heightened senses, my feet invariably took me ever closer to the direction of the tormented sound. Still not able to garner anything past the dense copse of maples, the sound of pounding against flesh became all too apparent. The horrid impacts were like a waking nightmare given form in the light of day. With each strike, my body flinched involuntarily and, without realizing it, my steps soon matched the pace of those heavy blows. Blood pounded in my ears and hammered my temples. Fear gripped me tighter unlike anything I had experienced in my short life, but, still, my feet brought me closer as if of their own accord. Someone was being brutally beaten to death and even my inexperienced mind could guess that it wasn¡¯t long before that person¡¯s heart gave out. ¡°Where is it? I know you have it!¡± a deep voice bellowed up after a particular bone-crunching blow landed. ¡°Save yourself the pain and simply tell me.¡± Another devastating strike landed before the speaker continued. ¡°Otherwise, you¡¯ll find that I can carry this on for a very long time.¡± There was no way that would happen, my fragile mind screamed. If I was on the receiving end of those attacks, I would have perished long ago. As if in response to my unasked question, a flash of azure light flared brightly. Magic, my mind screamed. They had magic! The curious part of my mind urged me to witness this never-before-seen miracle, yet the icy fingers of dread warred within my chest threatening me to bolt like a frightened deer. My curiosity won out and the shape of a man could be made out between the maple trees now only several paces in front of me. ¡°See,¡± the voice now said soothingly, but the tone was false even to my inexperienced ears. ¡°Now, shall we begin again?¡± At last, I was close enough to take in the horror beyond. In a grass clearing as wide as our city¡¯s square, were two frightening men. The first was a tall bull of a man who was clearly the speaker as his demeanor screamed that it be from a remorseless predator. He was holding a bloody ruin of a man in a mailed gauntlet, inches away from his unshaven face. The strength that radiated out of the jet-black armor he wore was palpable and easily apparent with the ease at which the beaten man was held off the ground. He was tall, well over my average height, and had a dastardly set of plate armor with protruding spikes jutting at odd angles. The effect was terrifying to behold. With a wicked-looking sword sprouting over his shoulder, his midnight hair and dark sun-scorched skin were all at odds to the man held so casually before him. From ebony boots to his spiked hair, this man gave off an aura of pain, brutality, and barely contained rage. In direct opposition, the other person was unlike anything his aggressor was. In one fluid motion, the poor man was thrown violently to the ground in contempt. The force of the throw staggered my senses as a bone-crunching sound reverberated through the air and was strong enough to cause the impact to reach the ground beneath my feet. Coming to rest on his back, he coughed up a mouthful of bright red blood. Underneath the copious amount of blood, the dirty blonde man had a lean, yet well-muscled frame. His tanned leather armor, though speckled with blood, looked well maintained though it was proving quite useless against the beast standing so casually nearby. If it wasn¡¯t for the bruised face and blood-matted hair, I suspected he may have been considered to be quite handsome by many of the young ladies from home. One eye fully swollen shut and blood running profusely down his face, he looked to be a man teetering on the edge of death. ¡°I got rid of it, Marth. I¡¯m done with this life,¡± the struggling man spoke through even more blood he coughed up. ¡°Not all of us are like you who can only derive pleasure from harming the innocent people of this world.¡± Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. Walking forward with a vicious backhand that surely split the dying man¡¯s lip, the enraged man shouted in outrage. ¡°The name is Duke, fool! And the people of this world are fodder just as you are,¡± he screamed in response. ¡°They exist solely for my pleasure. I can do whatever I want, whenever I want!¡± The man paused a moment, seemingly on the edge of unleashing such violence that would only stop with the life of his victim consumed by its hunger. He continued, suddenly calm once more. The swift change in mannerism was jarring. ¡°The same goes for what I am about to do to you if you do not tell me where your accelerator is. I know it¡¯s nearby.¡± With a deliberate motion, Duke reached over his shoulder, slowly pulling the blade from its scabbard. The blade was as dark as his armor and a sheen seemed to radiate just across its surface. ¡°You are a fool, Stouter. This world is meant to be our destiny.¡± Duke inched forward, now leaning to hover over the prone man, ¡°and yours is about to end.¡± If his tone could have taken a deadlier edge to it, it did just as his next words sounded like they had been grated across gravel, ¡°One last chance, fool. Tell me where it is and I¡¯ll cease your pain in one swift thrust.¡± ¡°You must think me the fool if I would trust a single word uttered from your foul mouth,¡± Stouter did his best to rise, but whatever strength he might have had was beaten out of him. Sapped of all remaining strength, it was all he could do to prop himself on a single arm. ¡°We both know you take pleasure in what you do and nothing I do or say will change what is about to happen.¡± Firming his will to the inevitable fate before him, Stouter continued with disdain tinging his final words. ¡°I chose this life, unlike you and so many others, to end people like you. One day, mark my words beast, you¡¯ll find true justice from someone just like me.¡± ¡°Not today,¡± Duke kneeled low, placing the blade across Stouter¡¯s throat, and purposely placing his hand inches above the resolute man¡¯s heart. ¡°¡­ and not ever.¡± With a motion faster than my eye could follow, the sword sliced across Stouter¡¯s exposed throat which was swiftly followed by a line of bright blood. Defiance never left the dying man¡¯s eyes, even as Duke spoke a single syllable and a gout of fire lanced from his hand. It pierced the man¡¯s chest in a rush, causing devastation to the armor and flesh beneath. An instant grimace of pain screamed across Stouter¡¯s face. With what was surely agonizing seconds for the prone man, the resolve never left his glare as he stared at his enemy. In moments, his body fell against the hard ground beneath him and stilled with finality. The image of Stouter¡¯s final defiance and courage in his final gruesome moments stirred something deep within me. As if some tenacity of his spirit had just crossed unseen through the distance between us, my own essence shifted in response. In the face of death, the man had ended life on his terms, without fear and an unwillingness to show anything but determination to his enemy. Unknown to me, I had just been changed irrevocably thereafter. Stouter¡¯s fervent courage pierced every fiber of my being. Duke stood up and slashed his sword downward at his side, flinging blood to spray against the ground near him. Incomprehension flittered across his face as if he couldn¡¯t understand even an ounce of the fortitude that had just been revealed. Whereas the final act of defiance had bore a hole into my soul, this man was only bewildered by it. The brute, with what looked like practiced ease, replaced the blade at his back. With the deafening silence that suddenly oppressed the clearing around us, terror finally gripped me tightly as the finality of what had just transpired reached my stunned mind. Fear of betraying even the slightest whisper to the man before me kept me as motionless as a statue. With a careless motion, Duke reached down, placing a hand directly on the dead man¡¯s chest, holding it there motionless for several beats of my heart. As the metallic tang of blood reached my nostrils, my pounding heartbeat was once against noticeable as it hammered behind my ears. Loud enough that it seemed to threaten to cross the small distance between us and reach Duke¡¯s ears, he was just hunched there motionless as if pondering something I could not detect. ¡°What?¡± Duke asked in agitation. ¡°This is all junk, hardly worth considering.¡± Speaking to the cooling body under his bulky form, he continued. ¡°I would have thought someone with such an advanced accelerator would have been able to find at least some loot that was worthwhile.¡± Suddenly, as if never there, several pieces of Stouter¡¯s armor simply¡­ vanished. Blinking in astonishment, where before was a leather armored form, only a bruised and mangled body remained. It was not possible. I could only stare blankly as my mind raced, trying futilely to understand what just happened. Nothing like that should be possible, my mind screamed. Duke had just somehow removed the dead man¡¯s armor, piece by piece, in what should have taken minutes, not mere seconds. In the span of three beats of my heart, nearly everything had been taken. All that remained was a barely recognizable figure with bloodied underclothes. Duke straightened to his full height, towering over the body, and for no apparent reason lashed out a vicious kick. As the armored boot connected, Stouter¡¯s lifeless form bounced away like a carelessly discarded toy tossed from a child¡¯s hand. The strength behind such a simple kick was shocking. Such a casual blow could have surely taken my head clean off. ¡°No one will ever remember your name,¡± Duke spat on the ground in frustration. ¡°They called you the Fortunate, what a lie.¡± Turning an eye to his surroundings, like he was trying to unravel a mystery, he continued. ¡°Make a final scan, Felix,¡± Duke spoke out of the corner of his mouth as if speaking to something on his shoulder. It was then that I spotted a small lump clinging there. Black as his armor, it looked nothing more than an unusual aspect of his equipment. ¡°Are you sure the accelerator is nowhere nearby? This fool wouldn¡¯t have given away something so valuable.¡± My body had locked in panic when Duke¡¯s eyes roved close to where I was hiding. As he spoke, my lungs began to burn for lack of oxygen, but the fear of what this monster would do if he found me kept the air locked behind my still lips. I dared not even blink until his gaze moved back toward the clearing. Deliberately breathing in slowly despite my desperate need, life-giving air blossomed in my chest. Please do not look over here again, I prayed internally. Even as ridged as I had been, the urge to bolt from cover had threatened to overwhelm me. If he looked in my direction again¡­ I doubted my panic wouldn¡¯t betray me. As if called to motion by his statement, the undistinguished lump rose over Duke¡¯s shoulder at that moment. Spreading out tiny wings, the object took shape and looked like nothing more than a small bird that proceeded to hover inches above the armor, wings flapping slowly. When twin beams of pale cobalt light emitted out of the thing¡¯s eyes, my breath was once again caught. The creature spun in a small circle, and slowly covered the entire area in the cone of light that was emitting from the twin blue orbs behind its crow-like beak. The light reached out to everything in a vertical arc. ¡°Negative, Duke,¡± a raspy voice uttered. The words had a mechanical element to them yet were surprisingly elegant. Then as if drawn by my fear, those eyes passed between the two trees acting as anchors to my panicked mind. My heart missed a beat and my fingertips dug furrows into the bark. My heart was near to bursting from the sheer terror coursing through me. Those blue, uncaring eyes locked onto mine and hesitated. Staring me down, the voice, for what seemed like an eternity at that moment, continued before resuming its circuit. ¡°Nothing of significance detected.¡± A burst of pale light engulfed the bird before it vanished completely like it had never existed. As Duke held out an armored hand, the unremarkable lump was once again perched on a shoulder, and uttered just a single word, ¡°Map.¡± An eerily similar blue glow sprung upwards from his palm into a projection of images that I quickly recognized. Even at this distance, realization dawned on me. It was a depiction of the surrounding countryside, complete with the nearby stream and even a small outline of my hometown. ¡°Such a pitiful area, with mobs barely high enough to pose a threat to a level one Hunter,¡± Duke continued, disdain evident in his voice. ¡°Why did the fool even consider hiding here? Felix, give me information for this NPC village.¡± ¡°Sir,¡± the same raspy voice replied, but this time without the fanfare of the tiny flying creature. Remaining as an indistinct bump, the voice was nonetheless as graceful and clear as before. ¡°Small settlement. Designation: Winterfalls. Reported to contain multiple merchant families with approximately fifty residents. All are marked as Appropriated Homo Sapiens, Non-Player Characters. Level designated as Beginner levels one through three.¡± Duke''s other hand appeared to manipulate the projection. It spun around, looking to expand outwards for a hundred miles before finally focusing closely on the village. ¡°Lead me there. Perhaps the fool hid it there.¡± The image winked out and Duke, making one final glower down at Stouter¡¯s body, made his way out of the clearing. A thankful feeling flooded my chest when his path took him well beyond the trees I cowered behind. Even when the fleeting sounds of his passing faded far into the distance, I held still for many minutes, fear holding me still. Finally able to coax motion into my drained limbs, I made my way over to the body. A mix of revulsion and anger filled my chest as I stared down at the broken form. The body was beaten to a pulp and a dark stain of blood soaked the entirety of the man¡¯s shirt. The tang of blood and sweat was thick in the air. Pity for a man I would never know overcame me and tears welled up around the edge of my vision. I couldn¡¯t understand how someone could so casually, so brutally end another person¡¯s life. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± the words came out just above a whisper and seemed hollow to the unmoving body before me. Kneeling, I reached out and gently placed a hand on the man''s shoulder. Overwhelmed with emotions, tears continued to stream down my cheeks unchecked. Not knowing how long after, my tears finally stopped flowing. My head bowed low, continued to experience sorrow for this poor soul. What happened to him was not right. It should never have happened. Why had that Hunter¡­ done this? None of it made sense to me at that moment. The brutality and careless hurt inflicted on another threatened to pulverize my fragile mind. Nothing had prepared me for the devastation and realization of what had just happened. Having been only a few paces away from death shocked me to the core. Sure, Hunters had been explained to me over the years, but it was nothing close to what had happened. The promise of safety our home had offered and, even just this morning had been beaten into me by my parent, seemed stale and empty. We were merchants who would occasionally sell our goods to the ¡°friendly¡± Hunters. The notion of being friendly would hardly be the reflection that I would carry out of this field. Something finally caught my attention through the swirl of emotions and thoughts waging through my muddled mind. A soft, steady hum was coming from nearby. Glancing at a thick tree about fifteen paces away, I narrowed my gaze. The sound was so low that I could barely register it, but there was no mistaking it now. Something was over there. Had I not been silent for so long, I doubt I would have heard it. Now though, the sound was undeniable. It wasn¡¯t the sound any animal would make, not to mention the precise pause of a second between the humming. Giving one more glance to Stouter¡¯s form below me, I stood, making my way over to the tree. At first glance, nothing looked out of the ordinary. The tree was as wide around as I was, with a bough full of vibrant, jade leaves. The humming was certainly coming from it, perhaps from within it. Walking a circuit around the base, listening keenly for any change in the sound, I finally noticed a small depression waist high off the ground. There was a small hollow, naturally looking knot in the bark deep enough for me to reach inside. Peering through the shadow within was a metal egg-like sphere, similar to that of an apple. As my hand inched forward, the humming intensified in energy such that the vibration carried up through the ground to my feet. The thrum reached upwards into my chest and seemed to reverberate there for a moment in time with my beating heart. Then something close to my heart resonated in sync with the pulsing power. Feeling no danger or apprehension whatsoever, pushing past any remote hesitation, I grabbed the sphere. It was warm to the touch like it was a stone warmed under a noon sun. A fleeting memory from my childhood flittered through my mind¡¯s eye, of holding a beautiful newborn pup, as I held the object. It imparted the joy of holding a new life just about to be born into the world. Peace and empathy replaced any sadness or fear that lingered within me. It was extinguished so completely that it took my breath away in its purity. Glancing a look back to Stouter, understanding dawned upon me that this was the object that Duke had been desperately looking for. ¡°Contact detected,¡± a voice spoke with the gentle tenderness of a child. It took only a moment for me to realize it was coming from the sphere held softly in my hands. ¡°Appropriated soul detected. Removing masking protocol.¡± The humming intensified, its pulses coming only a fraction of a second apart. A connection, unseen in my vision as I peered down at the now shining egg, linked the two of us, irrevocably and unconditionally. The feeling of safety, peace, of joining burned brightly. The glow encompassed my body, its warmth coursed through me as the pulse sped faster onward until it was one continuous stream. ¡°Accelerator Integration Initiated.¡± As brightness began to overwhelm my vision, the egg¡¯s shell split vertically from its base, opening like that of a flower. White light burst forth, and poured directly into my eyes, into my chest. All sensation vanished and my world became pure white. An untold amount of time later, text in large letters appeared in that endless brilliance. Scrolling quickly as if typed by an unknown hand, yet at the same time it also sounded clearly in my head as if read by a refined and cultured voice. System Message: Accelerator integration has been initiated. Please remain calm as this pairing process is completed. Notice! Anomaly detected. Attention! Non-designated, appropriated non-player character detected. Aborting accelerator integration. Notice! [System Override Successful] Pairing process¡­ 10%... 50%... 90%... Please stand by¡­ Interface successful. Welcome Hunter # 1,342,918. Current Location: Prime World ¡°Echo¡± Character Status Name: Xazorus ? Title: The Free Level: 0 [!] Race: Error # Non-designated, appropriated NPC # Reputation: Views ¨C 0, Followers ¨C 0 Attributes Strength: 5?? Dexterity: 5?? Constitution: 5 Intelligence: 5? Charisma: 5 Health: 50?? Mana: 50? Stamina: 50 Spells: # Error ¨C Level 0 # Abilities: # Error - Race Undefined # Skills: # Error ¨C Level 0 # The brilliant light gradually faded from existence, returning my surroundings to the grassy clearing. Confused and a bit dazed, not knowing how much time had passed, I found myself sitting on my butt. Feeling a weight in my hands, I looked down at the shards of the metallic egg lying around my cupped hands, presumably parts of the egg from moments before. Lying inside my hands, was¡­ a tiny dog. It was curled up in a ball and as I continued to watch, it stretched out lazily to about a foot in length from head to tail. It was covered in short, curly black hair that was velvety soft. Its eyes were a deep brown and shone with such a deep, inner intelligence that it took my breath away. Our eyes locked and each of us saw something profound within the other. For an instant, our newfound connection carried the weight of the world between us. Her tail, for I realized it was female, wagged ever so slightly, brushing against my palm. ¡°Hello,¡± her feminine voice smiled up at me. It was lovely and melodic. ¡°My name is Stella.¡± Chapter 2 - Stella Words caught in my throat and a surprised expression was plastered across my face. Not to mention the fact that my eyes were as wide as saucers. My amazement jumped a few levels as the small dog floated up a few inches in the air. My now empty hands, relieved of their weight, remained motionless, still cupped as my eyes followed her up further until she hovered up to the level of my face. ¡°Hi,¡± was all I could muster in response, my voice far less elegant. In actuality, it sounded more like a drawn-out question. A smile stared back at me, no other words forthcoming until words appeared again in my vision. The message was spaced evenly between us, like a pop-up message from an old computer screen. The window was translucent, complete with a small border encompassing it ¡°What, what¡­ is¡­ how do I¡­¡± My mind felt like it was sputtering. Unknown to me, two conflicting lifetimes of memories were warring with each other. One part was saying humorously, ¡°That¡¯s just an instant message,¡± and, ¡°Oh cool, it¡¯s floating in front of me. Weird. ¡± The part of me that had been my only known existence was desperately asking, ¡°What the hell is a computer?¡± The effect was quite unsettling. Warning ¨C # Error # - Race Selection Required. After reading the message, my muscles locked ridged as if I was suddenly and completely changed into a statue. The inability to move or turn my gaze away from the message, nor shout in surprise to the animal behind it, threatened to bring my jumbled mind crashing down in flames. Struggling with all my might, fear gripped tightly until the realization dawned on me that I was, at least, still breathing. For some reason though, I was not able to move any other part of my body. ¡°I apologize for the suddenness of that,¡± Stella tilted her head to the side as if looking around the message between us. ¡°But you¡¯re not supposed to be picking a race right now. The System is¡­ a little confused because we¡¯re in the world.¡± She was speaking as if I knew everything that was happening to me. Swiping her paw in the air, Stella continued. ¡°Looks like you¡¯re required to choose your starting race and the System won¡¯t let you do anything else until you do. I know you have a ton of questions, so please bear with me. All of your questions will be answered, I assure you. To get this moving, think race selection.¡± Had I been able to control myself, I would have been hyperventilating. What the hell was happening? It was as if my brain was moving at a thousand miles an hour while simultaneously trying to walk through molasses. How can you understand and not understand what¡¯s being told to you? ¡°Think race selection,¡± Stella repeated, her voice soothing. That helped calm me, at least a little so I took a deep mental breath and thought race selection, feeling like an idiot all the while. Please make your race selection. Warning ¨C This choice is irreversible. Well, that certainly wasn¡¯t helping my mood, but before my eyes the window changed, and proceeded to list dozens upon dozens of races, not to mention combinations of races. What the hell was a ¡®Galgonian¡¯? The list seemed endless but failed to include any information beyond the name. With an inability to utter the questions I had flitting through my mind, I resigned to the situation and had ¡®Human¡¯ highlighted. But, the second half of my mind was warring for dominance and was pulling me towards another listed a few lines down. ¡®Half-Elf¡¯, it showed. Both aspects of my mind understood that one. In my haste of going through the massive list, I had seen other races that I had been familiar with, such as dwarf, goblin, or even orc. Both parts of my psyche were finally in lockstep as I knew what those were. Other than half-elf, my twin selves outright dismissed all of those. I liked Humans, I was one. I could agree with my other self. For a reason I wouldn¡¯t fathom at that moment, my mind was being pulled towards that half-elf option. The feeling was as if, whenever presented with this type of choice in the past, that¡¯s what I always picked. My new companion, Stella, was hovering patiently behind the window giving me as much time as I needed. Seeing as I couldn¡¯t speak and was still locked ridged, it made sense. So, as the seconds passed and without any other thought on the matter I chose. Selection: Half-Elf. Confirm this as your Hunter race? Y/N Mentally selecting yes, a cool sensation in my toes began traveling upwards, touching every part of my body up to the top of my head. In the wake of this magic, and thankfully without any pain whatsoever, my body changed. My muscles, which were previously akin to that of a skinny youth who barely engaged in any physical activity, became well-defined and taut. Under my shirt, I felt my stomach muscles flex. My legs grew longer, suddenly feeling like I could pounce away like a gazelle in a fraction of a moment. My cheeks flattened and my jawline had an edge that felt like it could now cut stone. My curly dark locks, which had been tussled daily by many a villager, straightened and became a shade lighter. Beyond feeling stronger than I had ever felt a day in my life, the other most notable change was my eyesight. My vision had always been fine, but now, well it was as if I was wearing glasses for the first time and fully realizing how perfect my eyesight could be. Everything was crisp and I could suddenly make out the tiny drops of dew clinging to the small blades of grass a good twenty paces away. It was a miraculous change. Reaching my hands up, my ears now had a slight point that reached up to the few clouds that were lingering in the sky above. In a matter of seconds, I went from a lanky youth to a young, fit man. ¡°Well, actually a half-elf now,¡± I said aloud with a hint of wonder that tugged the corner of my lips upwards. Limbering up, my body felt like I was ready for a small marathon, ¡°This feels good.¡± ¡°You look good,¡± Stella said as she appraised my new form, her tiny head looking me up and down. ¡°Like going from the runt of the litter to the prized foal from a prodigious bloodline. It suits you.¡± ¡°What, what?¡± I asked with a bit of trepidation edging into my voice. ¡°How do I know¡­ No, why did I pick half-elf as a race? A part of me wanted to choose that, like I¡¯ve done the very thing a dozen times before. Just what is happening to me?¡± My mind swam through possibilities, but before she could even consider forming an answer, an ocean of memories came crashing down upon me like an avalanche, burying me beneath its crushing weight. A life locked behind a veil of impenetrable darkness had been granted a pathway and, like a blazing beacon of light, that meteor reached the deepest corners of my psyche. Simultaneously overwhelmed, yet also narrowed down to smaller than a needle point, twin lives that were worlds apart were slammed irrevocably together. Memories, experiences, and aspects of who I was from Earth charged a blazing path through my mind. I remembered everything. Everything before a life on this world. In the first few moments, it was as if two aspects of who I was were preparing to wage a war, where I innately knew neither could or would be victorious. Yet, as the seconds ticked by, two completely different sets of memories found a rhythm, stepping forward in this new world together. Footsteps into the past, a life on earth, and footsteps from the present, as Xazorus, had fused irrevocably together. Realization and understanding dawned. Like two life-sized puzzles that had never meant to interact, much less be aware of the other, combined in new and wonderous ways, creating a wholly unique and singular being. I was still Xazorus, yet I was also¡­ more. I had two lifetimes of memories, two births, two sets of parents, and two lives that were so unlike the other that before neither would have been able to recognize the other. The name of my previous life from Earth flittered in my mind but was then lost to the eddies that silently formed near the countess dams of memories, only to be overflowed as new pathways and new ideas were absorbed into who I now was. My former life was no longer locked away, as time passed, my twin lives, my existence, solidified. It simply yielded to who I was now, in this moment. Confusion gave way to acceptance. Fear turned into a strength that radiated from the core of my being. Before I had been two, with a universe separating each other, now I had become one. ¡°I¡­ am¡­ Xaz.¡± Acceptance, this is who I now was. Before I could ask Stella for guidance, several messages speared in my vision, one after the other as I read each in turn. Abilities (Unlocked): Darkvision, Keen Senses Traits (Unlocked): Adaptability, Mind and Matter, Accelerated ¡°Okay, I need some help here. Stella? That¡¯s your name, right?¡± My eyes focused beyond the message to the inquisitive eyes of the poodle floating there. She nodded. The window in front of me minimized, my desire to know more about my situation seemed far more pressing. Stella¡¯s smile never faltered as it was clear I was struggling inwardly, her patience helped calm my nerves somewhat. ¡°You¡¯re an accelerator? Who and just what are you exactly.¡± With a cheery voice Stella responded, ¡°My name, my designation, is Stella. My name is an analogy for the unique accelerator that I am. It stands for Sentient, Terrestrial, Exploration, Life, and Logistics Accelerator.¡± While she spoke, Stella took a step back in the air and then settled gently on the grass in front of me. Taking a seat, her voice took on the quality of a trusted instructor. While I processed what she was saying, another part of my mind was amazed at her graceful ability to fly, or float, or whatever she did. Nothing I could sense or feel explained how she was able to do that. There was no gust of wind or sound while she had moved. For her, it looked as natural as walking. ¡°While I can feel and am aware of who and what I am, most would call me simply an artificial intelligence,¡± she continued. ¡°My role as an accelerator is to assist a Hunter as you progress through this world and beyond. That¡¯s what you have now become, a Hunter. Through me, you can access the Game interface like your character status, inventory, system messages, and a myriad of other useful tools that we¡¯ll be discovering together. As you grow in power, levels, and experience, so will I." The most interesting part of what had just been explained was that I had understood everything Stella said. The lingo, the new words that the person I was just this morning would have had no way of comprehending, but now¡­ Now, I knew so much more, frighteningly so. It felt like my mind was accessing memories from something outside my life, yet it was my life. While disconcerting as it was to be able to access all of this, the memories allowed me to comprehend what was happening. ¡°Here, let me show you,¡± Stella said and waved a paw. As she did, the message that had previously minimized itself reappeared. As my eyes took in the message once more, she continued. ¡°Focus on certain words within the System message and you¡¯ll be able to pull up additional information.¡± Following her advice, more messages popped up one after the other. Darkvision (Ability) ¨C Grants the ability to change vision to allow sight in near-total darkness. Maximum vision in low light is 300 feet. Maximum vision in near-darkness is 100 feet. Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Keen Senses (Trait) ¨C Grants enhanced visual and auditory acuity. Adaptability (Trait) ¨C Grants a 10% bonus to all ability scores to represent your varied and adaptable nature. Mind and Matter (Trait) ¨C Through the combination of your elvish and human heritage, you are equally suited to both the mental and the physical. You are versatile. You are capable of advancing far in either of these pursuits. Grants a 10% bonus to experience earned towards the advancement of all skills, abilities, and spells. Accelerated (Trait) ¨C As a Hunter, you receive 4 attribute points to distribute per level. You¡¯ll go far, Hunter. Fight well. Notice! Extreme affinity detected with the unique accelerator, S.T.E.L.L.A., Racial Bonus upgraded to Extreme Acceleration. Extreme Acceleration (Trait) ¨C Your ¡®Accelerated¡¯ ability has combined with the unique Accelerator known as S.T.E.L.L.A. to magnify the number of attributes you receive per level. As a Hunter, you now receive 6 attribute points to distribute per level. You¡¯ll go farther, Hunter. Crush your enemies. ¡°Nicely done,¡± Stella said as the last message closed. ¡°Now that your abilities have been unlocked, let¡¯s take a look at your level. Like your race selection, this would normally have been completed before you entered the world, but this one is far easier. Focus on the blinking icon at the bottom left of your vision, the one that looks like a golden up-turned arrow. Mentally click on that and we¡¯ll get that taken care of.¡± As I selected the blinking icon, as an afterthought Stella added, ¡°Keep in mind that you can only level up when you are out of combat.¡± Level Up! Congratulations on reaching level 1. You have 6 attribute points to distribute. Please make your selection now. ¡°Excellent. Now, as a Hunter, whenever you level you can grow stronger. How you wish to do that is entirely up to you and is measured through the ability scores that you saw before when your character status was displayed. As a half-elf, and because I am a unique accelerator, the typical number of points you receive has been amplified. You should note that typically only Human Hunters begin in this world. Normally, if you would have chosen a half-elf race, you would have been seeded elsewhere.¡± Stella motioned with a paw as if waving that last thought away. ¡°We can talk about that later. For now, let¡¯s look at your abilities scores and get more information on those. Mentally select each characteristic and additional information will be displayed.¡± Following her advice, additional messages were displayed. Strength is one factor in determining how much damage is inflicted with melee weapons, skills, and abilities. It also impacts total carry weight before suffering movement penalties and, in part, total Stamina. Each point of Strength grants 0.5% increased damage with melee attacks, an additional 4 pounds of carry weight, and +5 Stamina. Dexterity is one factor in determining how much damage is inflicted with ranged weapons, skills, and abilities. It also impacts accuracy, the likelihood of scoring a critical hit and dodging incoming attacks. Each point of Dexterity grants 0.5% increased accuracy, 0.5% increased critical strike chance, and 0.5% increased chance to dodge. Constitution is one factor in determining maximum Health, the regeneration rate of Health, and, in part, total Stamina. Each point of Constitution grants +10 Health and +5 Stamina. Intelligence is one factor in determining maximum Mana, the regeneration rate of Mana, and the ability to successfully cast spells. Each point of intelligence grants +10 Mana. Wisdom is one factor in determining Mana regeneration, magical resistances, and, to some extent, resistance to mental attacks. Charisma is one factor in determining the overall ability to influence those around you. It also impacts the price of goods and services from NPC merchants, as well as the likelihood of earning hidden quests and rewards. Each point of Charisma grants 0.5% improved prices of goods and services from NPC merchants, and a chance of receiving hidden quests and rewards. Luck is one factor in determining the likelihood that an event, situation, or similar instances will have a positive result. ¡°Okay,¡± I sighed, just a hint of exhaustion in my voice. ¡°I feel better with those descriptions, they seem pretty typical. Strength affects how hard I hit, as well as how much I can carry. Dexterity determines how accurate I am with my attacks and will help me avoid being hit in turn. Constitution impacts my total health pool and, in combination with my strength, how long I can fight. Intelligence governs my mana, how many times I can cast spells, and, well, if I can even use a spell or not. Wisdom is most mana regeneration and magical resistances. Charisma marks how positively I can connect with other people, like how much I might be charged when buying something. Finally, luck, makes it likely for good things to happen to me. Is that about right?¡± With a nod, Stella agreed with my assessment, ¡°Yes, but as the System mentioned, there are many factors that come into play here. There are a thousand subtle ways that your attributes touch everything around you. If you think about it, it¡¯s kind of hard to narrow down all that you are to just these five ability scores. For ease of use though, that¡¯s what we have. Now, you have six points to distribute since you¡¯ve reached level one. I see your hesitation, for now, I would recommend that you try for a balanced approach until you can figure out what you want to do.¡± ¡°I think that¡¯s a good idea.¡± Looking over my attributes, a plus symbol was next to each and I was able to play around seeing that I could change them around with ease. ¡°Let¡¯s put one into strength, one into dexterity, and two into constitution. Having more health right away seems like a good idea. Last, let¡¯s put the final two points into intelligence. I¡¯m not too worried about wisdom, charisma, or luck for now, but that could change later. I guess we¡¯ll find out.¡± After using all six points, an option to confirm appeared which I selected. As soon as the level-up was confirmed, a rush of warmth flooded throughout my body. The change was similar to when I changed to a half-elf in how quickly the change took. My muscles became slightly larger and more defined. I felt healthier like I could run a mile without needing to pause for rest. For my intelligence, well that was harder to distinguish, but my mind did feel clearer like I could focus that much more than I had seconds before. ¡°Damn, that feels nice,¡± I uttered as I arched my back. My eyes closed as I took in a deep breath. Cool air entered my lungs, and I felt more at ease. It was like I had just woken from the best night of sleep of my life. ¡°Does it feel like that every time,¡± I asked, opening my eyes to witness Stella floating upwards. Her motion reminded me that I was still sitting on slightly damp grass, so I picked myself up. Stella¡¯s gaze looked over my body, nodding her head in approval at the changes. ¡°Sure does. Take a look at your new attributes and also bring up your new health, mana, and stamina pools.¡± As she spoke, I focused once more on my status page. While the changes seemed minor, they would only get better as time went on. Attributes Strength: 7? Dexterity: 7? Constitution: 8 Intelligence: 8? Wisdom: 6 Charisma: 6 Luck: 6 Health: 75?? Mana: 75?? Stamina: 75 Confused at my health and mana, I looked over to Stella who was patiently waiting. ¡°Why do I only have seventy-five health and mana? My constitution and intelligence both show the new value of eight. Before when they showed to be five, I had fifty for both. Shouldn¡¯t they both be at eighty now?¡± I had an idea of why this could be, but it would be best to ask my resident expert, wouldn¡¯t it? ¡°It¡¯s from adaptability, one of your traits,¡± Stella must have seen the slight confusion that crossed my features when she mentioned the word ¡®trait.¡¯ I had only dimly considered the word before. This had been a lot of information to unpack, even if part of me had a solid guess of what this all meant. She continued without a hint of irritation in her voice, ¡°A trait is a special power granted by the System and can vary greatly depending on the race you¡¯ve selected. Different from an ability which can usually be toggled on and off with a thought, a trait gives a bonus that is almost always constant.¡± ¡°Wait, so you¡¯re also saying that everyone who picks a Human, for example, may not receive the same traits and abilities?¡± I asked. ¡°If that¡¯s true, then are any of mine good or noteworthy?¡± It''s not like I could change what I had been granted after all, but the thought nagged at me. Darkvision would likely be handy down the road as being able to see in the dark would certainly ease any anxiety one would normally fear at the lack of seeing anything. Keen senses, well, it seemed underwhelming at first. Being able to see farther and smell better was nice, but it wasn¡¯t game-changing, per se. Then again, I could be wrong. I didn¡¯t lie earlier when it felt like I could see everything around me for the first time. I certainly didn¡¯t want to go back to before that trait was unlocked. For adaptability, receiving a straight ten percent boost to all stats seemed awesome, but in this blank canvas of a world, was that percentage high or was it low? The same went for mind and matter, ten percent experience could be awesome, or it could be crap. Leveling too quickly could sometimes be bad for you, well, as far as I seemed to recall. Finally, there was extreme acceleration, now that one seemed quite powerful if I just looked at the bonus it gave. Compared to a base human, I would be receiving half again as many attribute points. A fifty percent bonus there would make a world of difference as the levels added. Stella must have caught on to my internal musings because she hadn¡¯t responded to my question right away. Seeing my eyes reach back up to hers, with a slight smile she responded. ¡°Normally this type of information may not be available to Hunters. There are varying degrees of rarities with Accelerators. We¡¯ll talk about that later, but as I am considered unique, I have much more access to the System and information behind the scenes, so to speak. Sadly, darkvision and keen sense are listed as common, so nothing to be excited about. Still, with your vision ability, it can mean life or death if you are ambushed at night. So don¡¯t let the common tag worry you.¡± A breeze came through nearby trees and for a moment I caught the scent of burning wood, but I quickly put it out of my mind. Stella didn¡¯t seem to notice other than her curly locks gently caressing her small frame. ¡°Your adaptability is rare. The ten percent bonus is higher than you normally see and flat percentage bonuses can be hard to come by. Well, other than when you reach certain thresholds with your attributes, but we¡¯ll get to that later. Mind and matter is rare for the same reasons. Now, your extreme accelerator that¡¯s listed as epic quality.¡± Stella smirked at that and puffed her chest out. Her jaw worked back and forth in satisfaction at that, ¡°Feel free to thank me for that one.¡± She seemed honestly proud of herself, not at all arrogant, just happily prideful so I was inclined to agree with her. Stella had been incredibly patient and kind with me thus far, her light humor and charm was already feeling endearing. ¡°Thank you,¡± I said as the corners of my lips curled upwards. My eyes were drawn to my interface and I noticed three bars to the bottom right of my view. The top bar was red, which I understood represented my health. Below that was a blue one that clearly represented my mana. Below both of those was a green bar, and the knowledge I had unlocked made me easily guess it to be my stamina. Spotting a small folder, I found that I was able to open it at will, pulling up previous System messages. Stella¡¯s eyes had followed my gaze exactly so I got the sense she could see exactly what I was looking at. Well, she did say she was responsible for these connections, right? So, that made sense. She continued guiding me along, ¡°Your interface is fully customizable and is incredibly user-friendly. If you wish additional details to show up, simply think about it. For example, for those three resource pools, for health, mana, and stamina, think about adding the numeric value or percentage remaining. Or, you could have both if you want.¡± The percentage remaining sounded good to me, so with Stella¡¯s guidance, I made the change. Now, a white one hundred percent sat in the middle of the three bars. It had an old-school RPG-vibe to it. Role-playing game, yet again I was astonished I knew exactly what that was. ¡°So, you¡¯re my accelerator, and you¡¯ll help me through this game,¡± I looked inquisitively at Stella. ¡°But, can I ask why? What do you gain from all of this?¡± Before answering my question, Stella turned in the air towards the crumpled form of the man Duke had murdered. Her shoulders slumped in defeat, and she let out a long sigh. ¡°He was my friend. Other accelerators would have just called him ¡®master¡¯, but he was more than that to me. His name was Stouter the Fortunate. Before the end¡­ yeah, he knew his life was coming to an end. Duke was hot on his trail, but before he¡­ before Duke found him, Stouter charged me with finding someone like him. Someone who is so unlike the thousands of other Hunters that ravage these worlds. Only a person of like spirit could have heard my call. That someone is you.¡± Stella turned to face me, a serious expression coming over her canine features, ¡°Someone who has the will to end the Game.¡± Chapter 3 - A Hunter and his Accelerator ¡°You¡¯ve said that a few times now,¡± I moved over to join Stella closer to Stouter¡¯s form. It was clear to me that she still had strong emotions about seeing her former companion nearby, but I could also tell that she was trying to be stoic for me. The temptation to reach a hand out and place it on her shoulder came over me, but I wasn¡¯t sure that she would appreciate that from me just yet. Her eyes which had been downcast, jumped up for a split moment to look at me before dropping back down. I continued, ¡°So, what is this Game?¡± ¡°Well, the Game is a universally broadcasted, world-spanning multiplayer interactive conflict between players known as ¡®Hunters¡¯, monsters less formally known as mobs, and countless Appropriated Non-Player Characters. These NPCs have been seized from across the 103,964 Incorporated Galaxies, hence the ¡®appropriated¡¯ designation. You may be familiar with the Game''s architect as it¡¯s similar to many of the VR-MMORPG in your world.¡± Stella¡¯s voice started friendly like she was explaining something she had done a hundred times before. But, as she talked about the non-player characters, her tone was more laced with derision. ¡°Hunters pay a one-time exorbitantly high entry fee to compete in the Game and begin by choosing a new race, one of the hundreds available when their game life begins. Their goal is to rise in reputation and levels all for fame, glory, and incredible prizes.¡± Stella¡¯s voice raised a few octaves at this last part, reminding me of over-the-top commercials trying to ensnare new customers for one product or another. My intuition was likely not far from the mark. With a shake of her head, Stella continued, ¡°If a Hunter progresses well enough in their starter world, they may be able to ascend to new worlds that offer new challenges, spells, items, and even greater rewards. Top Hunters attract views and followers. These are people of countless races from across the universe who pay monthly fees to tune into their favorite Hunter. As certain milestones are reached, Hunters can earn rewards to help them in their journey. The Game is entirely open-ended and without limits meaning that the Hunter can do just about anything. This can take the form of Player vs. Player encounters, Player vs. Environment, Player vs. NPC, or any other type of interaction desired. I should say that most Hunters are not nice people. You saw Duke, so you get the idea. He is one of the worst, but is hardly an outlier when it comes to what most Hunters choose to do.¡± My mind raced with all of this information. Once again, a part of me was dumbfounded and had a hard time comprehending what Stella was sharing. Yet, the part of my mind that had been unlocked knew exactly what she was talking about. Thankfully, my fragile mind was coming to terms with all that had happened to me, so even as she spoke the part of me that was overwhelmed was fading into the background. ¡°That sounds like games I¡¯ve played. Sorry, I have a hard time talking about my life that was just unlocked in my mind and what I was only just this morning. In that older life, I spent a great deal of time playing massively multiplayer online role-playing games, MMORPGs. We only just started dabbling in VR games, but I, like the people you just described, tune in and watch people play.¡± ¡°If you are anything like Stouter,¡± Stella said with a slight nod in Stouter¡¯s direction. ¡°Then I doubt you have much in the way of similarities with some of the people who enjoy watching Hunters wreak havoc as many do. Anyways, as you may have gathered, you and I are unique within the Game. First, again I am an Accelerator. An Accelerator is what enables all Hunters the ability to interact with the Game via a system interface I connect into. This enables them the ability to acquire super-human-like abilities, spells, and skills. I am also wholly unique as I am both sentient and sapient, whereas typical accelerators only have the capacity to think and reason. Very few, if any, are able to feel emotions like I can. Common and uncommon quality ones are no better than virtual personal assists. You will come to find that true artificial intelligences like myself are extremely rare and prohibitively expensive even for the wealthiest Hunter. Actually, regardless of the money invested, Hunters do not get to choose their accelerators. Duke could be from a multi-trillion-dollar family, but could have only started with a common rarity version. He¡¯s likely upgraded far since then though.¡± ¡°Second, this is where you come in, your new unique status within the Game,¡± Stella appeared more at ease as she continued. ¡°Well, at least as of about an hour ago, you were previously known as one of these Appropriated Non-Player Characters. As I said, true artificial intelligence is prohibitively expensive, even more so considering the size of the Game and the numerous worlds that it spans. So, to truly make the Game as realistic as possible, the Syndicate Authority designated it acceptable to... appropriate individuals from species that have not yet attained faster-than-light capabilities. These unlucky few are forcibly abducted and implanted with new memories." "Typically, that person was in a life-or-death situation at the time they were taken," Stella continued. "But, honestly that doesn¡¯t make it any better in Stouter and my opinion. Any memories from their former lives are hidden deep in an inaccessible part of their mind. Once implanted into the Game, these ¡®newly spawned¡¯ NPCs live out a life designed for them by the System and continue as if that is the only life they have ever known.¡± Stella¡¯s face was filled with compassion and empathy. Leaning her head forward slightly, she spoke softly, ¡°You¡­ before meeting me, were one of these NPCs. I¡¯m sorry, please know that I truly am.¡± At this revelation, everything started clicking in place. This explained why two sets of memories rattled in my mind. One was from the life I had awoken to just this morning was artificially implanted. The other was from another world, my actual world. My true home. That brought a question screaming to mind and, in an instant, I spurted it out, ¡°How long have I been an NPC?¡± A sudden pressure in my skull as my mind tried to determine the truth threatened to overcome whatever truce had been reached in this short amount of time. Stella¡¯s paw waved in the air at a screen that wasn¡¯t visible to me. She must have found what she was looking for because her eyes came back into focus on me. Her expression was hard to read, was that sorrow or relief at what she had just discovered? In a cautious voice, she answered my question. ¡°From what it says about your NPC status, you only joined the world this very morning. You have an extensive backstory, growing up in Winterfalls, but¡­¡± ¡°None of it was real,¡± I finished for her. Waring emotions flared through me. Confusion, gratitude, and even anger flashed in an instant. My parents, the love and joy I felt towards them¡­ was fake? The conflicting emotions threatened to bring my once again fragile mind crashing down. Tears welled in my eyes, blocking my vision. I was dimly aware of my knees hitting soft grass as sadness overtook me. As tears flowed, Stella must have landed in front of me, a gentle paw rested on my leg. We didn¡¯t know each other, and had only just met, but her comfort reached my heart and helped me in that moment. My hand reached out and held her tight as I continued to cry. A soft voice reached my ears, ¡°Nothing like this has ever happened in the Game. Never, not once, in the millions of Hunters across the thousands of worlds, has one such as yourself become a Hunter. I understand your pain, your sadness.¡± She must have shifted her weight as her paw pressed harder on my knee and shifted slightly from side to side. Her other paw must have been moving through her system interface once more, but I couldn¡¯t be certain as tears blocked my vision of her. She was just a small, solid black form to my eyes. ¡°Give me a moment, I¡¯m checking to see if I can help you with this. You have two set of memories fighting one another within your core and I know it feels overwhelming. I think I can help you. This type of pairing with an accelerator and an Appropriated NPC has never happened in the history of the game so I¡¯m requesting assistance to help guide us both through this.¡± The pressure behind my eyes and the ball of pain inside my mind began to ease with each word she spoke. Thankfully, and in only several short moments, all pain had passed. Only a slight feeling of sadness remained in my chest. It was still there, but it no longer overwhelmed me. ¡°What did you do,¡± I asked. ¡°The System allowed me to temporarily partition certain aspects of your mind. Essentially, you will still be aware of those emotions, but with only a fraction of their intensity. This will allow you to quickly access memories from either life-span while also not limiting your ability to move forward.¡± Stella answered in a quiet voice. ¡°This change is not permanent mind you, plus I doubt you would want that anyways. This change will slowly allow you to process these emotions over the course of the next several weeks.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a whole hell of a lot better, thanks,¡± my heart still raced, but was coming back to normal. Short, quick gasps of air gave way to a deep inhale as my hand brushed back my hair. ¡°That felt like the worst migraine I could imagine. It was like my mind had driven off a cliff. I¡¯m glad you could do something to help me there.¡± Stella nodded at my appreciation. Having questions that still needed to be answered, I continued. ¡°How can¡­ They, this Syndicate Authority, as you called it, be allowed to do this?¡± The thought of a galaxy¡¯s worth of civilization having the willingness to abduct people to unwillingly partake in a game was very unsettling. Sadly, a part of me could understand why it was so easy for them to do this. Shaking my head, images of organized dog fights, horse races, or even something as simple as a zoo came to my mind. Apparently, the difference between being considered an animal or an enlightened species was being able to travel faster than light. No small feat of engineering, no doubt. Still, the idea that it was acceptable to steal a lifeform and implant it into a game was hard to digest. ¡°It¡¯s far too easy to overlook the suffering of those you consider inferior,¡± I voiced the thought aloud, answering my question in the process. Stella bobbed her head in agreement. ¡°Unfortunately, it can be boiled down to money. The Game allows the rich an outlet to explore their deepest fantasies, no matter how perverse. It also allows the poor to see through the eyes of a Hunter, enabling them to live a life beyond their means and, in a small way, experience the power granted by the Game. For others, it¡¯s a way to escape from their lives and live a fantasy. For the Syndicate, it enables the flow of currency from all across the galaxy.¡± The fluttering of disbelief stuttered in my stomach and was quickly evolving into anger. ¡°I¡¯d love to say this is all impossible to believe, but just an hour ago I had no idea my mind had a cache of memories locked away.¡± Aghast at the utter indifference that this Game, its Hunters, and the people who paid to watch¡­ I could only shake my head. My family wasn¡¯t related to me at all. ¡°So, every person in my village, my parents, they¡¯re all from another world?¡± ¡°Yes and no,¡± Stella said as she bit her lip. ¡°Most humans you¡¯ll find in this world will be from your planet, but there are dozens of different races on this continent alone. This planet is almost twice the size of your own, with a half-dozen continents spanning across it. While we¡¯ll find mostly humans here, it doesn¡¯t mean that other races, like elves or dwarfs, won¡¯t show up. Usually, each race in the game is taken from a single planet or a single solar system.¡± ¡°This is going to take some getting used to,¡± I admitted. ¡°So, I¡¯m a Hunter now. Just what I¡¯m going to do with that knowledge, is another question altogether.¡± My mind felt like it was clicking together to form a more coherent base second by second. I could also recall I was starting to piece together the last moments of my former life. I remember being alone, feeling vulnerable and then¡­ nothing. Just darkness. Ignoring that thought for the present, I turned my attention back to Stella. ¡°So, why did Stouter want someone like me?¡± ¡°Stouter realized too late that the Hunter known as ¡®Duke the Brutal¡¯ was on to him. That devil of a man is a famous Hunter. His real name is Duke Xander Marth, although he is far from being a real Duke.¡± Stella said as she began to pace around in the air nervously. ¡°Mind you information about other Hunters is limited, but from what I¡¯ve been able to gather, Duke was the rich son of a man who owns an interstellar trading federation. Within the Game, he has one of the largest swaths of followers. He is known for his brutality towards both Hunters and NPCs alike.¡± Stella paused mid-step and let out a huff of air. Her face had a mask of repulsion plastered on it. ¡°Somehow, Duke became aware of my presence and, unknown to us, began hunting Stouter. This is infuriating because Duke shouldn¡¯t have been able to learn about me. I can only think that he had some type of outside help, but that shouldn¡¯t be possible with the safeties in place. Another mystery is why he wants me at all. Sure, I¡¯m a unique accelerator, but he probably has an epic accelerator or greater of his own at this point.¡± ¡°And Duke finally caught up to him here,¡± I said as I looked at the small clearing around us. ¡°Yes,¡± Stella said with pursed lips and then turned back to face me. ¡°Thankfully we had just enough time for Stouter to hide me in that sphere that you found me in. It was a magical item that we found early on. Stouter knew he wouldn¡¯t be able to best Duke. Before encasing me, Stouter instructed me to find someone to continue our work. Had you not found me as you did, who knows how long it would have been before I was found. We knew that it could take decades or more for the right type of Hunter to come along, but we never imagined fate would bring me to someone like you. Now that we¡¯ve found each other I intend to complete my master¡¯s last desire. Through me, you can gain levels, advance powerful skills, earn abilities, and even learn spells. All of this in the hopes that you will one day be able to bring down the Game,¡± Stella paused briefly before finishing. ¡°From the inside.¡± When she finished speaking, and with a flick of her paw, a new message popped up. Skills (Unlocked): None Spells (Unlocked): Ready for selection. ¡°Wait, I¡¯ll get to cast spells?¡± I asked as that realization finally dawned on me. Stella smirked at my enthusiasm. ¡°Yes, at level one, depending on your intelligence score, I get to help you choose from a list of basic beginner spells. Later on, either through leveling, finding spell books, or even from certain quest rewards you¡¯ll be able to learn more. Let¡¯s see¡­ so, with an intelligence of eight, you can pick four starter spells.¡± This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°So, if I had more intelligence, you could have¡­ helped me learn more than that?" I asked with a slight grimace. The math wasn¡¯t that hard. For every two points into intelligence, I would be able to learn an additional spell. ¡°Sorry, I wish I had known this earlier. Still, nothing to fuss over now. What¡¯s done is done.¡± Another question popped into my head, ¡°Is the ratio of spells per intelligence at the start the same for all Hunters?¡± ¡°No, this is another bonus of having me as your accelerator,¡± Stella responded. ¡°Human Hunters are normally only able to learn one spell for every four points into intelligence. Elves are a little better at one spell for every three points into intelligence. With me, and considering your race choice, you are allowed one for every two points. This is because I am able to enhance your mental skills far beyond that of a normal accelerator.¡± ¡°Nice.¡± Eager anticipation coursed through me as I rubbed my hands together. ¡°Ok, what spells can I learn right now.¡± Stella flew to my side as a new window appeared, it was quite extensive. ¡°Here is the list of options. Remember these are all considered beginner spells, so don¡¯t expect to be able to call down a meteor just yet.¡± Her paw waved and the list scrolled through the options. ¡°Now, you can¡¯t actually choose the exact spell you want, just the category. For example, see here, you can choose a minor fire-damaging spell. Picking that could give you something that shoots a flame from your hand, or you might be able to summon a small bead of fire. There is no way to know. They do this to add some random element to what all Hunters start with.¡± ¡°What does the ¡®minor¡¯ part of the spell represent?¡± I asked. Everything on the list started with that in its name. ¡°Spell strengths are divided into six tiers. The lowest would be minor which means the spell is typically for characters between levels one and fifteen. Next, comes lesser which is for Hunters between ten and twenty-five. Then comes average spells, that¡¯s for levels twenty to thirty-five. This is followed by enhanced, levels thirty to fifty-five, greater for fifty to seventy-five, and grand for seventy to one hundred. Finally, anything over level one hundred would be considered master rank spells.¡± ¡°Got it,¡± I said as I motioned through the list before me. ¡°There certainly is a nice variety. It would be nice to pick specific spells, but I believe I can make do here. Stella, I¡¯d like to pick the minor healing spell, minor fire spell, minor crowd control spell, and minor defense spell.¡± Choosing a healing spell so that I could heal damage was a no-brainer. I was only starting on this new path that had opened before me and I felt it was important to give myself the best ability to remain alive. Next came the ability to do some type of magic damage. There were options for others, of course, but fire was pretty standard and the idea of flinging around fireballs was just too inspiring to pass up. While I could have chosen something more damage-orientated for my third spell, having a crowd-controlling ability seemed like the right choice considering it was just me and Stella. I wasn¡¯t even sure she would be able to engage in combat. Crowd control would allow me to take on multiple enemies at the same time, hopefully taking something from a two-versus-one battle to a one-versus-one, at least for a short while. Finally, the defense spell was more of a gamble. There could be hundreds, if not thousands, of defensive spells that could be granted. ¡°Done,¡± Stella said with a quick nod, and at her word, a new system message appeared in my vision. However, before I could read it, information flooded into my mind. Instantly, the knowledge needed to cast each spell had been downloaded directly into my brain. It was an interesting experience. While I consciously knew that only a split second had passed, the knowledge I had just gained made it feel like I had spent weeks of dedicated training to learn the intricacies of casting each spell. ¡°Wow,¡± was all that I could say at that moment. Congratulations! You have been granted the following spells; Minor Healing Wave, Minor Firebolt, Minor Restless Slumber, and Minor Deflection Shield [Minor Healing Wave] A wave of healing energy flows over yourself or to a target within 25 feet, healing for 10 plus n health, where ¡®n¡¯ equals intelligence. Cost: 10 mana. Cast Time: 1 second. Cooldown: 1 second. Plus 5 feet maximum range and plus 2 base healing per spell level. [Minor Firebolt] A bolt of fire shoots from your palm striking a target within 100 feet, causing 10 plus n spell damage, where ¡®n¡¯ equals intelligence. Cost: 5 mana. Cast Time: 1 second. Cooldown: 1 second. Plus 10 feet maximum range and plus 2 base damage per spell level. [Minor Restless Slumber] Causes a target within 100 feet, and all enemies in a small area around the target, to fall asleep for a maximum of 60 seconds. Note that any damage inflicted on a sleeping target will cause it to immediately awaken. Cost: 20 mana. Cast Time: 3 seconds. Cooldown: 10 seconds. Plus 10 feet maximum range, plus 1 foot area of effect, and plus 1 additional target per spell level. [Minor Deflection Shield] Surrounds your body in an imperceptible magical barrier which has a high chance of deflecting the next incoming physical attack. The probability of deflection is dependent on the strength and angle of the attack. This effect lasts for 2 seconds or until triggered. Cost: 5 mana. Cast Time: Instant. Cooldown: 2 seconds. Plus 1% increased chance to deflect an incoming attack and plus 0.5 seconds maximum duration per spell level. ¡°Awesome,¡± I said excitedly, reading over the spell descriptions. ¡°Those are pretty much what I was hoping to get, though I am not so sure about the deflection shield. Thankfully, it¡¯s an instant-cast spell and, from what I understand, I only have to will it to bring it forth. Seems like an ¡®oh shit¡¯ ability. I¡¯ll just need to remember to use it just before getting hit. I had been hoping for something that was longer lasting, but I¡¯ll take what I can get.¡± ¡°That reminds me,¡± I turned to Stella. She had been looking over the spell descriptions with me and turned as I orientated on her. ¡°As I was thinking about picking a crowd control spell, I was curious if you were going to be able to help me in combat. The sleep spell will help if I fight a few monsters close together, but are you able to join in as well?¡± ¡°Sadly, for you, not directly,¡± she laughed. ¡°I say ¡®for you¡¯ because, well, look at me. I¡¯m tiny. What could I do, paw at them ferociously?¡± The image she painted brought a smile to my face; I wasn¡¯t going to lie. Stella continued, ¡°An accelerator is not permitted to engage directly in combat. Likewise, we are unable to be targeted directly by monsters, or mobs as they are commonly called, which I am entirely grateful for. Know though, that while I cannot directly assist, I will be able to in other ways. Just don¡¯t expect me to go biting anything, alright?¡± This last part was said with a slight wink in my direction. ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± I said with a chuckle. ¡°I¡¯ll do the fighting for us. Just help out when and however you can. This feels all new to me, yet at the same time does feel familiar.¡± ¡°I will do just that. First. I¡¯d recommend you try to armor up. You are woefully ungeared,¡± Stella said as she eyed my lightly clothed form. ¡°Pull up your inventory. To do that, just think ¡®inventory.¡¯ Then, let¡¯s see if we can get you something to give you at least a modicum of protection.¡± Taking her advice, I thought inventory and a new screen appeared that showed an analog copy of myself wearing only ¡®worn shoes¡¯, ¡®cloth shirt¡¯, and ¡®cloth pants¡¯. Looking over the lifelike image, I noticed multiple empty slots for pieces of equipment. It reminded me of old role-playing equipment inventory screens. ¡°Looks like I can wear a total of¡­ eleven pieces of equipment. Plus a necklace, two rings, and two earrings. So, how do I get more equipment?¡± At my question, Stella nodded toward her friend¡¯s body with a slight grimace. ¡°He doesn¡¯t need it anymore and, from what I can tell, Duke didn¡¯t take everything.¡± With a quick questioning look back to Stella, who nodded in response, I knelt next to the still body. Remember what Duke had done, I gently rested a hand on the man¡¯s shoulder. It was cool to the touch and a feeling of awkwardness passed through me. It felt¡­ disrespectful, but thinking of it, Stella had been his friend. She was all alright with this and I was quickly finding myself trusting in her. Being so close to Stouter, a question reached my lips. Not turning to look at Stella, I asked, ¡°Stella, now that I am a Hunter, what happens¡­ if I were to die?¡± Stella¡¯s voice was soft as she replied, my mind¡¯s eye seeing her eyeing up her friend. ¡°The same as anyone. Whether you¡¯re a Hunter, a monster, or even a non-appropriated, death is death. It¡¯s permanent.¡± Her voice had a depth to it that hinted at the sadness she felt in that moment. Her friend had just died and here I was asking about myself. A feeling of shame flushed my face red. I was thankful to not be facing her. As I closed my eyes, she continued. ¡°This is a world of magic so anything is possible. Nothing I have seen so far hints at death being anything more than final, but one day we¡¯ll be able to do something about that.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Stell,¡± I said, my eyes firmly shut. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for your loss.¡± ¡°I know it.¡± I heard her take a deep breath. ¡°It¡¯s okay, I appreciate you saying that.¡± With her blessing in mind, I willed information to appear as I opened my eyes. A new window appeared, opening a similar one to my inventory. Now, they were side by side and I understood intuitively. Stella had been right; Duke hadn¡¯t taken everything. Nothing was spectacular, but compared to my clothing, it would make a big difference if I had to fight anything. You have found: Leather Tunic, Leather Pants, and Leather Riding Boots. Leather Tunic. Quality: Average. Rarity: Common. Type: Leather. Slot: Chest. Durability: 20/20. Armor: 8. Effect(s): None. Leather Pants. Quality: Average. Rarity: Common. Type: Leather. Slot: Legs. Durability: 18/18. Armor: 5 Effect(s): None. Leather Riding Boots (Supple). Quality: Above Average. Rarity: Common. Type: Leather. Slot: Legs. Durability: 24/25. Armor: 3. Effect(s): Plus 5% movement speed. Moving my hand back and forth, I transferred each piece from Stouter¡¯s inventory to each corresponding slot on my equipment page. At the same time, I moved my worn clothes to Stouter¡¯s page, and, in a blink, I was wearing leather armor and Stouter was in more than his underclothes. Other than the slight wear on the riding boots, the armor was in pristine condition. The leather was supple and moved easily with me as I stood up. It was form-fitting and had a pleasant leather scent to it. If I didn¡¯t know any better, I¡¯d have said it had been tailor-made for me even though Stouter looked a head taller than I was. The armor was comfortable, even more so as it came complete with its set of underclothes on its own, which was an unexpected but welcomed bonus. ¡°I am sorry, Stella. I have nothing to bury him with,¡± I said apologetically as I gazed down at his body. I truly wished there was more I could do for this man. Though we never met, the man had already made a significant and lasting impact on my life. Without his sacrifice, I would never have known what I was before, what my true life had been I was stolen away for me. Stella didn¡¯t respond. Instead, she glided close to Stouter¡¯s form and licked him lightly on the forehead before lying down, resting in the crook of his neck. In moments, soft whimpers and sobs reached my ears. I knew that Stella was an artificial intelligence, but, at that moment, she was simply a grieving friend. She was no less than any other person I had ever known, regardless of the life I had led. She was suffering and I felt her pain, deep in my chest. Tears welled up in my own eyes as I once more knelt, this time close enough to lay a comforting hand on her small form. I made a promise to myself that I would live up to the hope that Stouter had placed upon Stella and, in turn, upon me. ¡°I promise you, Stella, I will do everything in my power to avenge him. We will ensure that Stouter¡¯s sacrifice was not in vain. I am so very sorry.¡± With that, my head bowed to gently rest on hers. Minutes passed unspoken, as we grieved together. I willed all of my compassion, my support, to surround and help heal her pain. My heart ached in rhythm with hers. After a time, Stella¡¯s eyes looked up to mine and our shared bond grew. Stella¡¯s chocolate eyes, with boundless motes of life held within, peered into the silver resolve of my own. In that moment we wanted the same thing, not only to bring justice to her master, but to bring about an end to the suffering the Game brought to everyone in this world and all those worlds beyond it. The ribbon of our souls, connected through the gaze of the other, intertwined. Together we would shake this world, this game, to its core. Neither of us would be the same thereafter. We would see to it, together, until the end. Notice! The bond between Hunter and Accelerator is more than a simple bond or pairing. While most Hunters will never find the depths such a connection can truly bring, you and your accelerator have connected beyond what others can only dream about. Your desires are linked and, for both, you have been irrevocably changed. Over time this bond may strengthen further but, in the immediate, you will experience the following benefits Notice! Your Extreme Acceleration has evolved into Exalted Acceleration! Exalted Acceleration (Trait) ¨C The bond you share with the Accelerator known as S.T.E.L.L.A. has deepened and has evolved this trait into a higher tier. As a Hunter, you now receive 7 attribute points to distribute per level. You¡¯ll go far, Hunter, very far indeed. Stella¡¯s eyes brightened with an inner light and then faded back to their normal chestnut. ¡°Thank you, Xaz.¡± Together we rose from the ground, Stella now floating a foot away, peering intently up at me. ¡°Here, he would have wanted you to have this.¡± Her body shone with a blue-white glow for an instant before an item appeared floating between us. ¡°Before putting me into slumber, Stouter could store a single item within me. It was the only epic-quality item he possessed. It feels right to pass it on to you. ¡®May it help protect and guide you in your new quest, friend.¡¯ That was one of the last things he said to me.¡± Between us hovered a three-foot-long double-bladed axe. Its handle was wrapped in a dark leather with golden wire crisscrossing its entire length. At the base was a pommel shaped like that of a mace, with a dozen protruding blunt spikes a thumbnail in length. Grasping the weapon, the leather was buttery soft and smooth to the touch. Yet, the grip was such that I got the keen sense that the hilt wouldn¡¯t budge in the hand, regardless of the ferocity of battle. Putting the axe in motion, I was amazed at its fluidity and how natural it felt, almost like it was an extension of my body. The balance was absolutely amazing and, even though it felt as light as a willow stick, impressed upon me the strength held in the material. Twin crescent axe heads connected on the haft, sweeping downwards aggressively. Holding it out before me, the twin beards reminded me of a bird of prey, diving lightning-fast towards its prey. Securing the two blades, at the top of the weapon was a multi-tiered golden gap holding everything firm. Bringing the weapon closer to my eyes, a Damascus-like steel had countless waves and dark patterns that were awe-inspiring. The twin crescents were edged in more gold and were razor-sharp. Peering closer, I made out tiny intricate runes curving down its length. Each glowed with an azure energy. The presence of the weapon felt¡­ unyielding as if it would tear down a mountain if put to the task. It was without a doubt the most impressive weapon I had ever seen. Mana-Steel Battle Axe of Freezing (One-Handed Axe) Quality: Exceptional. Rarity: Epic. Type: Slashing. Slot: Primary. Durability: 10,000/10,000. Speed: Very Fast Effect(s): Adds 24 to 64 damage per attack. Melee attacks and skills with this weapon have a chance to inflict frost damage. Further, there is a small chance that upon impact the wound will flash freeze, causing additional damage and vulnerability. Once triggered, this effect has a 30-second internal cooldown. Secondary Effect(s): Plus 20% attack speed. The axe was quite simply incredible and had magnificent craftsmanship. It was a work of art. ¡°Thank you, Stella. This will help us for sure in the coming days. Stella was about to respond when a sound resounded around us, like a shattering of a million pieces of glass. The jarring noise reverberated around our small valley causing us to wince reflexively. Turning in the direction of the sound, horror etched across my face when realization dawned. It had come from the direction of Winterfalls, my home. Stella followed as my racing feet carried me beyond the tree line, out towards the river. A lazy plume of smoke drifted upwards, as wide as a house, higher and higher into the sky. Even as I watched, one then another, followed by over a half dozen plumes added to the skyline. ¡°What?¡± I uttered with muted surprise. ¡°Oh no. No, no, no, no, no.¡± My home was burning. Chapter 4 - Malignant Goblin Invasion We moved to leave the small glade, quickly leaving behind the innocence of my former life. Once past the tree line, the weight of my new axe caught my attention. It was well-balanced, but trying to sprint with it did not intuitively come to me. While it was a one-handed weapon based on the item description, my body wanted me to hold it with both hands and as close to my chest as possible. Stella must have noticed my awkward gate and so proactively shared some useful information. ¡°Handling that weapon won¡¯t feel natural until you pick up the axe skill. Right now, without any proficiency in the weapon, it will be difficult to carry and fight with. Don¡¯t worry though, you should pick up the skill very quickly once you¡¯ve used it in combat.¡± That was a little worrisome as we were actively trying to get back to my home which was clearly under attack. Seeing me stumble slightly over an exposed root, she continued. ¡°Bring the weapon to your hip and think about attaching it to your belt, that should help for now.¡± Frowning at Stella¡¯s emphasis on a belt I didn¡¯t have, I slowed my pace and glanced down. Sure enough, no belt. ¡°Ah, I don¡¯t have a belt,¡± I said with an inquisitive look in her direction. ¡°Just¡­ trust me,¡± she said in slight exasperation. Shrugging, I did as she instructed and to my surprise a thin leather belt appeared the instant my axe came close enough to my hip. ¡°Thanks,¡± was all that I could say. Refocusing on the task at hand we made our way to the fallen tree I had crossed earlier. As we moved together, I kept getting distracted as Stella ran through the air, as if she was running on a solid surface. That will take some getting used to, I mused internally. Crossing the felled tree was far easier this time around. Even though it seemed a simple matter before, my newfound dexterity and balance made it a breeze. In no time, we were across and sprinting once again. The billowing smoke caused a tightening in my chest, but there were no additional plumes of smoke. However, many buildings that were burning were now not. Unfortunately, I was not sure if that was a good thing or not. We were about to pass beyond the tall grass and onto the road leading home when Stella glided in front of my face and motioned for me to pause. ¡°I know it¡¯s important that you get in there, but if Duke is there¡­ You¡¯re not ready to face him. His level is significantly higher than yours, you are only level one after all.¡± She sighed and glanced over her shoulder. ¡°He would kill you with just a single spell and then that¡¯s it." Stella¡¯s voice was deep with concern. Her concern slowed my racing mind. The anxiety boiling in my chest. The pressure to race into the obvious danger ahead pressed into my skull. ¡°I can¡¯t just wait here,¡± I said through gritted teeth. Stella was right and I knew it. ¡°That¡¯s my family, my friends in there.¡± I knew now that this life had never actually happened. I had apparently only been in this world a single day, but still. I had a literal lifetime of memories with everyone ahead stored in my psyche. No matter what new truths had been thrust upon me today, my soul wouldn¡¯t allow me to remain idle while my loved ones were in danger. At that moment, both aspects of myself came to a decision; I would fight to protect the ones that I loved. It was as simple as that. Stella¡¯s fearful eyes never left mine and a soft sigh escaped my lips. Without conscious thought, I leaned back on my previous life and closed my eyes. Taking deep breaths, I allowed the panic of action, of fear, to still be in my heart. Holding each breath for a moment before exhaling allowed me to center myself. Feeling the ground beneath my feet, my connection to the world, I relaxed. In only the span of a few seconds, I felt better. Calm and cool once more, I opened my eyes. ¡°You¡¯re right, Stella. We can¡¯t just rush in. If Duke is there, we wouldn¡¯t stand a chance. What do you think we should do?¡± While I felt grounded, Stella was my guide now, so I trusted in that. ¡°Let¡¯s take it slow and find out what we can before engaging in anything. If Duke is there¡­¡± Stella said and left the last part unspoken. ¡°We won¡¯t be able to fight him,¡± I finished her thought. Still, I couldn¡¯t help but add, ¡°Yet.¡± We left the tall grass, edging slowly closer to town, holding to the edge of where the grass touched the side of the road. The feeling of a knife cutting through me ached in my side as a shout of agony reached my ears. Hurrying our pace slightly, I did my best to remain as silent as possible. We crossed into town and instantly felt something was off. With a start, realization dawned. The magical barrier was missing. There had been no shimmering barrier, no feeling of passing under a thin waterfall. The protection that had kept our town safe for hundreds of years, was simply gone. The thought that something else might be in town was quickly confirmed as guttural grunts wafted around us. Peeking around the corner of the building, I spotted multiple hunched creatures lopping and dashing through the street. They were not human, easily discernable by their unusual gaits. It reminded me of a gorilla bounding around, but these creatures didn¡¯t have any fur at all. Instead, green skin covered in thousands of warts and puss-filled sores greeted my vision. ¡°Stella, what the hell are those?¡± I whispered with revulsion. A half dozen short creatures were hunched over what I could only assume were bodies. Each was greedily stuffing handfuls of flesh into their rotting mouths. Blood and viscera covered everything; the gremlin-things, the bodies, and the street around them all. As my eyes took in the horror, a chat bubble appeared at the bottom of my vision. Stella: We can use your chat function if we want to be a little stealthier. It has a limited range, but just think about what you want to ''say'' and the system will type out the message. As for those creatures, I am not sure. I¡¯ve never seen them before. You have the ability to glean small bits of information about them as a Hunter. Just look at it intently and think Inspect. As disgusting as the monsters were, I did as Stella instructed. Inspect, I thought. [Malignant Goblin] (Level 3) Ravaged by a feral disease for countless years, these goblins no longer care for the finer things in life. Self-preservation, tactics, and just about everything has given way to the desire to feed. Often appearing in packs, these goblins now only live to hunt, kill, and feed. In any civilized lands, these creatures are immediately killed on sight and wary adventurers would be careful to avoid their infectious bite, lest they become no better than the ravaging monsters these have become. Beyond the six goblins before us, the street was empty. Nothing else moved, shop doors stood ajar. Other than the grunts of these vile creatures, nothing else stirred. Quickly identifying each in turn, I discovered the goblins ranged in levels. The lowest being at two and the highest being level four. Festering wounds dotted almost every square inch of the creatures. A gust of wind brought with it the scent of rotting flesh. The gangrenous smell nearly brought bile rushing up my throat, but thankfully I was able to hold it down. Mixed in, with the boils and lack of any semblance of intelligence, they seemed no better than a pack of rabid animals. Unfortunately, the ravaged bodies that lay underneath each spelled out the damage each could inflict. Preparing to step out from cover, a spell formed on my lips, and a message appeared unbidden in my vision. New Quest ¨C Defend the Defenseless Time is of the essence here. Unfortunately for the population of Winterfalls, even these low-level goblins pose a lethal risk to even the most veteran of its citizens. Years of belief that the town¡¯s magical protection would keep them from harm, combined with the lack of any town guards, or any form of weaponry, it¡¯s only a matter of time before the entire population is swept clean at the hands of these monsters. Take up your axe, your spells, and your wit to save your friends and family. Only you can stem the tide of diseased and rotten flesh. Objective One: Slay Malignant Goblins, 12 of 12 remaining. Objective Two: (Unknown.) Rewards: Variable, depending on the number of surviving citizens. Taking my axe from my belt, I was caught by surprise as the nameplates of the goblins changed from Malignant Goblin to including actual names for each. Well, not names I was used to per se, but names, nonetheless. I turned my gaze to Stella, floating off my shoulder, and raised an eyebrow. Bumpo [Malignant Goblin] Grumish [Malignant Goblin] Rutnut [Malignant Goblin] Pusgut [Malignant Goblin] Toothlip [Malignant Goblin] Hank [Malignant Goblin] Stella: Yeah, yeah. That¡¯s me. Goblin one, two, and three seemed boring. So, I made it better. You¡¯re welcome. She was wearing a smug, self-righteous grin, her head held high. My stare finally reached her. Stella: Fine, fine, I can change it back if you like. Xaz: It¡¯s fine, for now. Let''s just not do it again unless we discuss it first, yeah? It''s a little distracting. Oh, and what¡¯s up with ¡®Hank.¡¯ That seems a bit out of place, don¡¯t you think? A little of the smugness returned to her face at my comment. Stella: Well, he is the least disgusting of the group so I thought his name should reflect that. His face is slightly less¡­ gnarled. Mouthing, ¡°Least disgusting,¡± I shook my head from side to side. Every one of the leprous creatures was unquestionably revolting. It was hard to imagine any could remain alive with the number of open sores and half-rotten bodies. If I didn¡¯t know any better, I wouldn¡¯t have been surprised if one of their arms would fall off just looking at them, each rotten to the core. Nothing else for it, my task was clear. I had to defeat each while being careful to avoid being bitten. Now, I had to take them out. Seeing the level disparity and the number of enemies far stacked against me, I only really had the advantage of surprise on my side. Xaz: Stella, how far away is that nearby group? Stella: Bumpo is 44 feet away. The farthest goblin, Hank, is 52 feet away. Xaz: Thanks. So, my plan is to use my crowd control spell and hopefully help us bring the odds a little more even. Hopefully, we¡¯ll just need to fight one or two of them at a time. What do you think? Stella: A sound idea, it¡¯s good with me. Xaz: Okay, let¡¯s do this. All of the goblins were within range of my spell, though its description showed that it would only hit creatures right around the initial target. Bumpo, Grumish, and Rutnut were all gathered close to one another, so hopefully my first spell would hit all three. I¡¯d certainly get at least two of them with my restless slumber spell, but with the ten-second cool down, before I could use the spell again, there was some risk in using it. Still, if my first spell went unnoticed, I was planning on using it again right away on the further goblins. Such was the advantage of crowd control spells. Instead of having to fight all six at once, I would be able to break the group into smaller, much more manageable groups. Well, I was hoping that would become the case here. Eyeing up the spell description, the only downside I could see was the significant spell cost associated with casting it. I had seventy-five total mana and the spell cost twenty. If I could cast the spell twice, I would be down to less than half mana remaining. The risk was worth it though, it was highly unlikely I could fight six of the creatures at once. Nothing else to ponder, the knowledge of how to cast the spell sat firmly in my mind. The spell had a three-second cast time and I was required to maintain eye contact with the initial target. Additionally, while words needed to be uttered during the incantation, they could be whispered. The goblins, enjoying their meal, were stationary and I doubted I would have a better opportunity once they finished. Moving my fingers in intricate patterns, arcane syllables escaped my lips. It was unlike any language, but each word carried power that vibrated the air around me. Thankfully, the goblins had made no motion that I had been detected. The ease of casting the spell came as both a surprise but also felt like I had used the spell dozens of times before. It was like knowing how to type and speak Spanish at the same time, while having never done so before. Feeling like I had done so countless times before, the three seconds elapsed, and the spell was completed. Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. A dark transparent cloud formed at the final word, hovering directly a foot over my target¡¯s head. It was a few inches thick and about ten paces wide. A slight haze descended, almost like what rainfall looks like at a great distance, reaching down to envelop three of the feasting goblins. As the magical power touched, it looked as if the energy was drawn into a drain. The dark miasma rushed downwards into each and, after a moment, the cloud disappeared into their minds. Instantly, all three paused, their hands stilled within a chest cavity, or motionless at their lips. The goblins Bumpo and Grumish fell silently, slumping over the bodies beneath them. Rutnut wobbled drunkenly from side to side for a second, before he too fell to the dirt, his body making a meaty slap against the paved road. All three now had red health bars displaying under their nameplates, likely becoming visible that I was engaged in combat. Unfortunately, the sound of Rutnut¡¯s fall was loud enough to attract the attention of the Pusgut and Toothlip a dozen paces away. Each had paused to look cluelessly at their companions. Furthest away, Hank either didn¡¯t care or hadn¡¯t heard as he continued with his meal, to my continued revulsion. Thankfully, I was not in direct line of sight of the two peering goblins, who were now turning their eyes to their surroundings. While the monster¡¯s description hinted at an overall lack of intelligence, even these dumb creatures knew something was amiss. After waiting the full ten seconds, my spell''s cooldown completed so the spell once again tumbled quietly from my lips this time targeting those two goblins. Confident my spell was now wide enough to impact both, I was slightly dismayed that Hank wouldn¡¯t be within range as well. Once again, a dark cloud of energy formed and sprinkled down onto their heads. As the spell took hold, Pusgut dropped to the ground like a marionette with its strings cut. Sadly, Toothlip had turned his head upwards as the spell formed and sneered angrily up at it. Even as the magical energy swirled down to cover his head, a gore-covered hand swiped up in a vain effort to disperse the magical power. A distressing sensation, like the feeling you get when seeing a red X marking an error on a test, passed through me at the same time a message appeared in my vision. Resisted! ¡°Crap,¡± I uttered aloud. At the sound, Toothlip darted his gaze directly at me, he had heard me. A bone-curdling screech, as high pitched as one would normally imagine a goblin would make, marked me as the creature¡¯s next target. The goblin¡¯s shout was garbled as blood and guts were expelled from his mouth. Even as it finished, using all four limbs, it charged. The sight was as disturbing as it was terrifying. It was like I had just been spotted by a zombie for the first time and it would stop at nothing to tear flesh from my bones. I only froze in animalistic fear for a moment, thankfully. My next spell flashed in my mind as I began casting minor firebolt. Even with the one-second cast time, there was plenty of distance between us. A bolt of plasma flew from my outstretched hand as the spell was completed. The rampaging monster charged heedlessly into it, not even attempting a dodge. The speed of the spell was fast enough that, even had it tried, the spell would still have connected. The bead of burning power slammed into the creature¡¯s chest and blasted outward like a blooming flower. Skin blackened and scorched as the spell¡¯s touch. When the energy dissipated, a softball-sized wound was revealed. Dark, green blood the consistency of syrup bubbled down the monster¡¯s chest as a message appeared in my vision. [Minor Firebolt] Damage dealt 18. Though Toothlip stumbled from the impact, he was able to keep his feet beneath him and took up his charge once more. His health bar had dropped a small amount, but any pain that must have been inflicted by the spell had been ignored. Eyeing the distance between us, I wouldn¡¯t be able to get another spell off before it reached me. Hefting my axe, I prepared for the creature¡¯s charge. With the manic goblin bearing down on me, unbridled rage foaming from its mouth, a part of me expected anxiety and fear to lance in my chest. It didn¡¯t arrive and even as the truly horrifying creature grew closer, I felt strangely at ease and ready for it. This battle felt all too common like I had done it a hundred times before. Confidence unlike anything I had known in my life as Xaz, firmed the grasp on my weapon¡¯s handle. It planted my feet to the stone beneath me. The goblin dashed at full tilt, both taloned hands reaching out to me. With a deft motion, I side-stepped just as he was about to make contact. Right behind the momentum of the move, my axe came whistling around at waist-high. Unfortunately for the doomed creature, Toothlip had lowered its head at the last second, as if he intended to jump through me and bear me to the ground. My weapon connected with absolute devastation to the goblin¡¯s skull. The creature''s forward charge came to a brutal and abrupt end. A damage notification flashed in my vision but with everything happening so quickly that I missed the number. Quest Update: 11 of 12 goblins remaining. Looking down at the now very dead goblin, it must have been a critical hit. My fire bolt spell had only caused a small drop in the monster¡¯s total health pool and, while certainly powerful, my axe wouldn¡¯t normally have caused that much damage to end the fight with such finality. The fight wasn¡¯t over, so I put the thought out of my mind. Trying to bring my weapon to bear once more, I, unfortunately, found the weapon stuck deep in the goblin¡¯s skull. Wrenching with all of my strength, the weapon pulled away with a meaty squelch. The pungent aroma of death and decay reached my nose. Not sure if it was coming from the creature¡¯s split skull, the goblin¡¯s ravenous body, or perhaps a combination, my attention came back to the numerous goblins still present. Hank was still¡­ enjoying his meal, while the other four were on the ground sleeping. As I was considering the next course of action, Rutnut, who had wobbled on his feet before began picking itself back off the ground. That didn¡¯t make sense as the spell should last a full sixty seconds, right? Looking at Stella, she understood my unasked question. ¡°He must have partially resisted the spell which is why he is getting up so soon. Also, the spell lasts a maximum of sixty seconds, it can end earlier than that depending on the monster. You should have a little time yet before the other two wake up.¡± ¡°Thanks,¡± I replied, not fearing the volume of my voice. It was clear that Hank had no intention of turning away from the bloody mess it was shoveling into his maw. Coming fully to his feet, Rutnut looked right at me. Like his fallen brethren, a look of utter hatred for the living filled its bloodshot eyes. With a howl, it charged, all lopping fury and the promise of a painful death. This time, unfortunately, his howl finally pulled Hank¡¯s attention. His gut swollen to a grotesque size, Hank looked at his fellow goblin before its mindless eyes found mine. Coming to its full height with long pieces of what looked to be intestines pulled away from his victim, it yelled in rage. Well, he tried at least. The mouthful of flesh was lodged firmly in his throat and sounded more like a squelching rumble as gory bits were forcefully ejected in the bellow. Then it too began racing towards me, though not as quick as Rutnut. Apparently, it had feasted far too much to move as swiftly as his friend. A crazy idea popped into my head. Perhaps inspired from memories of my past life, I deemed it worth the risk. Rutnut needed to be defeated as quickly as possible. Hoping I wouldn¡¯t regret this, I dropped my axe, feeling it slam to the ground next to me. I should have some time to finish off the one barreling towards me. So, with no small trepidation, I held out both hands and began casting two separate firebolts simultaneously. I hoped the combined spells would be enough to drop him dead before he got to me. Where before the spell had come so fluidly, these arcane words felt like they wanted to come to a jarring halt and then leap away with each syllable. Intuitively, I knew that double casting the spell caused the somatic components to be delegated to a single hand and the necessary arcane phrases had to be repeated in short intervals, the attempt felt like trying to speak around a mouth full of bread. Thankfully, I was able to power through the awkward feeling. Even through all of that, it was amazing to see the confident movement of my fingers that was needed to successfully complete the spell. It was like each hand was a mirror opposite of the other. After the one-second cast time, to my surprise, a single much larger bolt of plasma wailed toward my target. Before the spell had caused a slight sizzle of the air, whereas this time, it was a howl that matched the ferocity of the goblin bearing down on me. The spell connected much as before, but the impact was far beyond what I was expecting. I was hoping this new bolt would slam into him, hopefully finishing it off. What actually happened was a single large ball of fire the size of a football impacted Rutnut¡¯s lowered head causing it to burst with crimson energy. What remained after the spell vanished, was as if someone had punched a gaping hole through the goblin¡¯s forehead, while simultaneously scorching the entire head to a blackened crisp. Damage dealt 154 (CRITICAL)! The goblin crashed lifelessly to the ground, his body sliding forward to leave a sickly-green trail behind it. Its head nothing but a ruined mess. My eye caught the damage notification, pulling my eyes downward to read it. Realizing the distraction for what it was and how costly it could be in battle where a moment¡¯s hesitation could bring ruin, I mentally commanded the message to remain hidden while in combat. Taking a moment to glance at my mana bar, I had regenerated a few mana since my first spell and was sitting at twenty-four percent remaining. That was pretty low and I was reminded to be careful of my spell usage for the rest of the fight. The immediate danger was obviously the fast-approaching goblin. Thankfully, the other three goblins were still sleeping and didn¡¯t pose a risk just yet. ¡°How long do I have before they start waking?¡± The voice shot out the question as fast as I could speak. Stella responded just as quickly, ¡°At most, you have about 29 seconds before the other three begin waking up.¡± Feeling the need to close the distance so that I could turn my attention to the sleeping goblins after finishing Hank off, I retrieved my axe and charged in my own right. While Hank was coming at his top speed, I was approaching at a jog. Once more, just as we were about to collide, I sidestepped and brought my axe forward with as much force as I could bring to bear. This time though, Hank had not tried to leap into me. Maybe it was because I was charging at him, but as I moved out of his direct path, he was still able to reach across my body with a blood-soaked, glistening hand. His wicked claws raked painfully against my chest. Even as those claws tried to bury in my chest, my axe buried into his lower chest, finding a crease right above his swollen belly. Thankfully, my armor held and only the bludgeoning itself caused a small amount of damage to my health pool. The goblin was far less fortunate. The power of the blow, coupled with his forward momentum, tore him in half. As the goblin''s chest was blown backward by my mighty swing, his abdomen continued its forward momentum. The opposing forces ripped through any strength his skin could muster and his distended belly ripped open. With a sickening noise that sounded like the tearing of a bloated waterskin, his lower half sloshed its contents on the ground behind me. I had killed the beast with a single strike. Not willing to look back at the ruined corpse, my eyes looked forward to our final combatants. Quest Update: 9 of 12 goblins remaining. Time was of the essence so I ran towards the closest sleeping goblin without any pretense of stealth. As I approached, signs of it waking emerged. As the enemy¡¯s hands fought to clear lingering mental cobwebs, my axe cleaved down once, then another and another, ending the creature¡¯s life in mere seconds. Each stroke caused utter devastation, parting rotten flesh as easily as if it were barely there. Green blood and vitriol were shot from each strike. With a final stroke, the creature¡¯s head was lopped off in a gory spray of blood. The realism of each attack was staggering. A part of me wanted to curl up in a ball at the vicious coup de grace, but another part of me need only look at the gory piles of flesh that had just earlier this morning been that of friends. Perhaps even family. Quest Update: 8 of 12 goblins remaining. As I was looking down upon the now headless corpse, one of the nearby goblins began to pick itself off the ground. The nameplate showed this was Grumish, who was facing away from the dastardly deed I had just committed. That would not last long. Spying the mound of flesh that Grumish had just used to prop himself up, anger overwhelmed any squeamish nature trying to worm itself into my soul. One long leap brought my axe arcing across at the fiend. The rabid creature turned, our eyes connecting. Before disease-filled eyes registered what was happening and rage could overtake them, my weapon dove forward. Instinct would have driven any other creature to try to take defensive action, trying futility to avoid the life-ending attack barreling towards it. Grumish instead simply reached gangrenous hands towards my face, as if reaching out to a delicious treat that was standing before it. Grumish took the axe in the chest, blasting any air within out in one powerful strike. A slight look of confusion came over the creature¡¯s face as if it couldn¡¯t comprehend what just happened. My axe had been buried up to the shaft. Unfortunately, Grumish was not yet dead, though he was likely mortally wounded. His hands continue to drive greedily towards my exposed face. Trying at first vainly to tear my weapon away, it finally gave way, bringing with it a geyser of dark blood to spray across my body. With the goblin''s perilous charge, I could take another swing at the monster, probably killing it, but I would risk the beast''s sickly claws digging into my flesh. Recalling the goblin¡¯s awful description and the risk of contracting whatever disease it carried made my decision easy. I stepped back and brought my axe up defensively, fending off its rapidly weakening strikes. A fountain of blood welled from the creature''s wound and covered the entirety of its body as it moved feebly. The creature only took a few vain steps, still trying to rend my flesh, before it too dropped dead to the ground. The wound from my axe had caused such a bleeding effect that its life drained out in seconds. Quest Update: 7 of 12 goblins remaining. By this time the final goblin, Pusgut, was up and had turned rage-filled eyes in my direction. While it was still slightly fatigued from my spell¡¯s effects, its hatred for anything living came blaring out with a throaty howl. As it charged, the plan that had been so successful thus far came to mind. It was incredibly effective against creatures that had no thought for self-preservation. Such overwhelming force these goblins could bring to bear could certainly take down unprepared or untrained combatants, but if anything had been shown here, I was neither of those. As Pusgut ran at me, I went through the motions of casting minor firebolt. Just as I had done several times now, I stepped aside at the last moment. Instead of using my axe though, I continued with my spell and the firebolt tore away from my hand, slamming into the back of the goblin¡¯s head. He was momentarily stunned by the impact, but the battle was far from over. Stepping into the motion, my axe swung down at Pusgut¡¯s exposed neck. The weapon connected heavily, sinking in deeply when a flare of azure magic raced from the weapon into the wound. In an instant, the goblin¡¯s neck was frozen solid by the weapon¡¯s magic. As his body fell forward, my axe was ripped free to shattering effect. When the goblin¡¯s body hit the ground, its head rolled forward several more feet, still partially frozen before it, too, stopped moving forever. Chapter 5 - Fury and Loss Quest Update: 6 of 12 Malignant Goblins remaining. Now that combat was over, my eyes could finally take in the devastation around us. Nearly every other building was on fire, billows of smoke swirling uncaringly to the sky above. What was once a sight of serenity and familial bonds had changed to a hellscape. Numerous bodies were littered in front of many of the shops like some carelessly discarded trash. My heart ached, but I steeled my will. That would need to come later. The ache and a simmering boil of rage gave way to that of confusion. The goblins only fought with tooth and nail. Not one gave any indication that they could bring magical energies to bear. That meant that Duke had been the cause of the fires, but the question as to why went unspoken and unanswered, at least for the time being. In the seconds it took to take in my surroundings, my mana, which had been sitting at just seventeen, ticked up a few points. Given the ferocity of the battle with these six creatures, I was thankfully uninjured, having regenerated the couple of points I had lost from the goblin¡¯s nails that had racked across my chest. It had not been able to penetrate my armor so hadn¡¯t broken the tender flesh below. A new message popped up in my vision, now that I had been out of combat for a period of time. The message was an interesting one and hinted at the usefulness of the system and the new tools at my disposal. Congratulations! New Skill Unlocked: Dual Casting. You have gained the ability to cast two spells simultaneously. Mana cost will be 2 times the combined mana cost of the spells minus n%, where n equals skill level. Spell damage will be 1.5 times the combined spell damage plus n%, where n equals skill level. Further, when used in combat, some spells can be combined to create new and interesting effects. Note ¨C Only spells requiring one hand to complete the somatic gestures can be dual cast. ¡°That¡¯s a useful ability,¡± I said to Stella as I read the description of my new skill. ¡°Seems like it can cause quite the punch if that last firebolt had anything to say about it.¡± Stella nodded at my words. ¡°At level one, it doubles the mana needed to cast the two spells individually. So, with your firebolt, casting the spell back-to-back would cost ten mana and would do thirty-six points of damage. When dual cast, the combined mana cost becomes twenty and will do a whopping fifty-four points of damage.¡± Stella must have seen some hesitation cross my face as she said this last part. ¡°I see what you¡¯re thinking, but hold on. Casting via dual casting does use a lot more mana, but it greatly increases your damage potential.¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t I do more damage overall casting firebolt four times? That would add up to the twenty mana points of just using dual cast once, right?¡± I asked. ¡°Yes, casting firebolt four times would cause over seventy points of damage, but it would take you at least seven seconds to cast it perfectly. Remember, the spell has a one-second cast and cooldown time. So, your damage per second, or DPS as most call it, is just over ten for this amount of time.¡± I could tell Stella was excited as she continued, ¡°Now, in comes dual casting. For twenty mana, with just a single second cast time, you will do fifty-four damage, or¡­ fifty-four DPS. That lowers, of course, with the cool down if you wanted to cast again, but at the cost of more mana, you will be doing so much more damage per second. And, it only gets better as this skill gains levels.¡± She was right, of course, I mused. ¡°So, if I have the opportunity to cast spells at my leisure, casting the spell back-to-back is more efficient, but takes longer. When in a dire situation though, where every second and each point of damage can be the difference between life and death, dual casting allows me to put out more damage far faster.¡± ¡°Exactly right.¡± ¡°Thanks for helping me break that down, Stell,¡± I said as I pulled up the next message waiting for my attention. Dual casting wasn¡¯t something I could do a lot of right now with my now measly-looking mana pool of seventy-five points, but would come in handy for sure. Plus, the new skill being awarded, would help if I ever got too low on mana. Congratulations! New Skill Unlocked: Axes. You have gained the ability and proficiency to use all types of axes. While using an axe, gain plus 2% damage and plus 1% attack speed per skill level. ¡°There we go,¡± I said, swinging my axe far easier than just a minute ago. ¡°Now it doesn¡¯t feel like I¡¯m trying to move around half-drunk.¡± The damage bonus of the axe skill wasn¡¯t much, but, like with everything, it will grow in power with time and practice. Plus, the handling of the weapon came more intuitively. It was as if the proper way to hold the weapon and align my body while moving had been downloaded directly into my memory. Experience Awarded: [Malignant Goblins] x 6 (level range 2 to 4) Level Up! You have earned enough experience to advance to level two. You have 7 attribute points to distribute. Fight well, Hunter! Slay all that stand in your path! Congratulations! [Minor Firebolt] has increased to level 2. Congratulations! [Axes] has increased to level 2. Congratulations! [Minor Restless Slumber] has increased to level 2. Congratulations! [Dual Casting] has increased to level 2. After reading the level-up notification, a golden light poured down upon me, covering my entire body. Arching my back, my eyes closed as the sudden influx of radiant energy was absorbed by every cell in my body. It felt like standing under a full day¡¯s worth of warmth and brilliance from the sun after having been in darkness for months. It was exhilarating as the energy coursed through me, bringing a sense of utter relaxation and refreshment that filled every square inch of my body. After a moment that seemed to last minutes, the light disappeared, and my awareness returned to my surroundings. Checking my character sheet, my mana, health, and stamina had been completely restored. ¡°That was incredible. Does that happen every time I level?¡± I asked, a smile still beaming brightly on my lips as I reflected back on the feeling. ¡°Sure does, it removes most negative conditions that can be inflicted on you.¡± As Stella¡¯s words reached me, a soft spike of panic hit me when I recalled that these goblins could inflict such an affliction. Seeing my panic, she continued. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you didn¡¯t contract anything and, even if you did, the level would have removed it. Only incredibly powerful curses and the like wouldn¡¯t be removed so you don¡¯t have anything to worry about just yet." ¡°How much experience do I need to reach level three?¡± I asked, already looking ahead to the next one. ¡°Hah, wanting more already? No worries, you only need a total of three thousand experience points. The last battle netted you just over a thousand, so a few more like that, and you¡¯ll get there.¡± Stella replied, her eyes looking out to the burning buildings around us. Nodding my thanks, my eyes also turned to see where we should go next. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right, the message said I had attribute points to distribute.¡± Pulling up my character sheet, I saw that I had seven points to spend. A ¡®plus¡¯ symbol was next to each of the seven attributes listed there. ¡°This early, I probably couldn¡¯t go wrong adding more to my constitution even though we didn¡¯t really take much damage against these goblins, but that luck won¡¯t hold out forever. Hmm. Likewise, my intelligence will impact how powerful my spells are¡­ So, what do you think? Putting all of my points into constitution and intelligence for now?¡± ¡°It would seem wise. We obviously have six more goblins to defeat, not to mention whatever that hidden objective is. I¡¯d say go for it.¡± Getting the thumbs up from Stella, so to speak, the decision was made. Using the interface, I put 3 points into constitution and the last 4 points into intelligence. That brought my health pool to 105 and my mana pool to 115. Just that single level made me that much more durable and stronger for my fights to come. I still had six more goblins to take out before the quest ended, so I needed to keep moving. Looking back to the goblin¡¯s corpses, I remembered that each could have loot on it. Checking the nearest, a loot window appeared showing that the goblin had a single silver coin and several copper coins. Interestingly, as I transferred the coins to my inventory, the total coins moved to a specific section. I wouldn¡¯t need anything to carry the coins which was welcomed since I only had a pair of tiny pockets on my leather pants. Pulling out a coin, each was as large as one would expect, about the size of a thumbnail. Turning it over in my hand, one side of the coin carried the likeness of the current king, or so my dad had told me, and the other had an aerial view of our continent. After checking the six bodies, I ended up with a total of forty-four copper and twelve silver coins. Beyond the coins, I did find a minor healing potion on the highest-level goblin. Inspecting it, the system informed me that it would restore twenty-five health immediately upon drinking it. Even though I had a healing spell, the potion could be a blessing if mana ever became an issue. The potion was a tiny vial, about the length and width of a finger, and the liquid within had the appearance of blood but flowed swiftly when I moved it around. It was the perfect size, so I placed it into a pant pocket for easy access later. In order to loot, I had to regrettably touch each disgusting creature in turn. When I was finished, specks of their blood which was a sickly-green and tacky substance with the consistency of a syrup, dotted my hands. Taking a moment to wipe my hands on the ground, I quickly found the activity to be futile. Not even shaking my hands out worked, with a few drops nearly landing on Stella¡¯s dark fur, much to her dismay. Thankfully though, there wasn¡¯t any indication that I had become infected so there was that, at least. Kneeling over the final goblin, my eyes peered out, trying to figure out which building contained my parents'' shop. The fire was still greedily rampaging the town and had even leaped to a few adjacent stores. There, my parents'' store was just a block down. As we walked, dread began to fill my veins as worry wormed its way through my intestines. The building wasn¡¯t on fire, but as we got closer, it was clear that the store hadn¡¯t gone undisturbed. Sprinting the rest of the distance, I could only hope I wasn¡¯t too late. That deep fear was realized, however, as I fast approached our front door. The windows flanking on either side were smashed in and several hunched forms were moving awkwardly within. The shop was surprisingly dark for this time of day. My father always had plenty of magical light to brighten the store. He had explained how he wanted a warm and welcoming greeting to anyone gazing in. So, when the rough, animal-like grunts greeted my staring eyes, terror gripped the corners of my heart. The creatures were not moving with any sense of urgency like they had when I was first spotted earlier. The sound of something feasting on flesh froze the blood in my veins. A passing thought shot through my mind. My parents, at this time of day, would have only been in the store. They would have been cleaning and preparing goods, like they always did. There was nowhere else they could have been. My mind didn¡¯t want to acknowledge it, but with each passing second the truth came crashing down. The door was broken inwards, shards of glass strewn everywhere. It was like a great beast the size of a horse had kicked it inwards. With soft, measured steps, the glass crunched beneath my soles. What I saw sent bile racing up my throat and stole my breath away. Three goblins were hunched over closely together, hungrily tearing something apart with long flourishes of their racking claws. Worse yet, another three goblins were rampaging the back of the shop. It was as if a hurricane had come through the store, countless bottles, gleaming silverware, everything my father carried littered the floor. Even as I came within a few paces of the nightmare scenario unfolding before me, none of the creatures acknowledged my presence. With greedy, hungry maws, my family was being devoured piece by piece. Blood, the vastness, and the spray of raging rapids covered everything nearby. My parents, my family, the only life I had known in this world was being swept away in the currents of brutality. A rage, unlike anything I had ever known smothered me, overcoming any fear I could have possibly felt as I gazed down upon two people who had meant everything and, yet, nothing to me. ¡°Xaz¡­¡± Stella¡¯s voice was a hint above a whisper and was edged in caution. I was only a few feet away from sharing my parents'' fate. Yet, my soul refused to allow that to happen or even remotely be considered. These beasts were dead, they just didn¡¯t know it yet. My axe fell limply from my hands, crashing to the floor with such a noise that it sounded as if it foretold of the destruction of the world around me. My soul wanted to unleash everything upon these fiends. One of the goblins peered up at the noise, pausing its meal to investigate the sound. A bit of gristle was hanging limply from its gore-covered mouth. My intention was to cast my firebolt spell, one from each hand, perhaps even as a dual cast. Yet, my fury wouldn¡¯t be satisfied with something so simple. Words tumbled from my lips, my hands twisting in intricate gestures with effortless grace. I wanted their world to burn, so my dark desire bloomed into the spell form. All three nearby fiends were now peering at me quizzically, dumbfounded looks scaring their wretched faces. The thought of an enemy walking so near, so casually couldn¡¯t penetrate their simple minds in the moment before I completed my casting. This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. When the last word escaped my lip, it didn¡¯t end there. I held onto that final syllable, holding onto the sound, and turning it into an endless scream as I poured all my will into it. Mana flooded out of me. Like a great geyser that mirrored the hurricane of anguish my soul felt, a conflagration of hate was called forth. Flames, as if from the plane of fire, cascaded out of my palms. My fingers curled and quivered with the effort. It wasn¡¯t a firebolt, not even a fireball, that had been summoned. Instead, it was as if twin torrents of flame had been called to envelop my enemies. The flames burned scorching hot, launching across the distance to consume whatever it touched. Those three feasting goblins were the first to feel my wrath. Whatever screams they may have tried to call in that instant were drowned out by the fiery tornado that thundered into them. Within seconds, they were no more than charred husks. The last three goblins howled, their screams not loud enough to be heard, leaped over the counters and broken glass in an attempt to reach me. They didn¡¯t make it within five feet. My breath came in fast, ragged gasps then. Only a half-dozen or more seconds had passed before the power winked out, my mana fully depleted. Tears were streaming down my cheeks and I could barely see. Even though my spell had cut off, the pain I felt was not so easily quenched. Still, the spell had utterly annihilated them. Nothing remained, but six blackened corpses that were no longer recognizable. Stella flew up, floating beside my face. ¡°Well¡­it was a good thing I didn¡¯t name those ones.¡± Her tone was light-hearted, and soft. She was trying to be cheerful, but for me, it was as if all the happiness had been drained from the world. After another second, she asked, ¡°Xaz, are you alright?¡± When I didn¡¯t answer, she glided forward a foot, looking down at the ruined bodies of my parents. ¡°Did you know them?¡± She turned, her eyes peering into mine. Worry was plain across her canine features. When she first spoke, my mind hadn''t processed the words in my shocked state. Finally, her questions pierced my consciousness. Through a lump in my throat, I turned to her, ¡°I did¡­ They were my parents, in this world at least.¡± I fell to my knees just as multiple notifications popped up in my vision, but were automatically minimized. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Xaz.¡± Stella glided down before me, resting her front paws on my thighs. Tears continued to rain down and, soon, Stella¡¯s own combined with my own. My hands came forward and gently grabbed her small body. Without resistance, I cradled Stella in my chest as I buried my face in her soft, curly locks. Gentle, reassuring messages reached my suffering mind, time passing unbidden as I grieved. An unknown number of minutes passed until I became aware once more. Stella had at some point reached her paws up to cradle my neck, her black hair slick with my tears. ¡°Thanks, Stell,¡± was all that I could manage. ¡°Of course,¡± she replied. She glided back a little, stopping to hover just a foot away. She glanced down, then again to peer into my eyes, ¡°I¡¯m so sorry.¡± Nodding in response, I wiped tears from my eyes, before standing back up. It was then that I finally took in the devastation my spell had caused. My new spell had destroyed the goblins, but also did damage to the store around them. Beyond the charred husks, blackened shelves and items were fanned out in front of me. Seeing the notification icon blinking in my vision, I mentally clicked on it, trying to take my mind away from the pain of losing my parents. Quest Update: 0 of 12 goblins remaining. Quest Notice! New Objective Added. Quest ¨C Defend the Defenseless Objective One: Slay Malignant Goblins, 0 of 12 remaining. Objective Two: Defeat ¡°Gitnatch the Horrifying¡± Rewards: Variable, depending on the number of surviving citizens. Experience Awarded: [Malignant Goblin] x 6 (level ranges 3 to 5) Congratulations! New Skill Unlocked: [Channeling] [Channeling] You are now able to continually cast an applicable spell. Mana cost will be 3 times the base mana cost of the spells minus N%, where N equals skill level. Spell damage will be 1.75 times spell damage per second plus 3N%, where N equals skill level. Further, when used, some spell effects may create new and interesting effects. Congratulations! New Spell Unlocked: [Minor Flamethrower] [Minor Flamethrower] A continuous flame shoots from your hand and engulfs a cone shaped area within 25 feet, causing 22 plus 2N spell damage, where ¡®N¡¯ equals intelligence. Cost: 15 mana. Cast Time: Instant. Recast Time: N/A. Plus 1 foot maximum range, plus 4 base damage, and 2% chance to inflict burn status per spell level. Skill: [Channeling] has increased to level 2. Spell: [Minor Flamethrower] has increased to level 2. Looking around, it seemed that anything non-magical had been brought to zero durability and destroyed. Only blacked and scorched items remained where dozens and dozens of items had been before the goblin attack. Still, there were several potions and likely magical items around the store that remained unharmed. Kneeling once more, I wanted to see if I could positively confirm my parent¡¯s identity. My fear was confirmed after inspecting each body in turn and being greeted by a system prompt showing my parent¡¯s name followed by the word ¡®corpse.¡¯ I rested a hand on each to say goodbye, when a loot window popped up. Within the window I saw little other than two wedding bands, which I promptly put in my pocket, and to my absolute surprise a magical item. You have found: {Infused Bag of Holding}. Taking the item out of my father¡¯s inventory, I inspected the item fully, this time noticing the word ¡®soul bound¡¯ had been attached to its description. The bag was about a foot tall and wide. The material was incredibly soft, almost like it was made up of the most delicate fur imaginable. It was a dark blue, so much so that it was almost black. As I held it, it had almost no weight. {Infused Bag of Holding} (Soul bound). Quality: Exceptional. Rarity: Legendary. Type: Bag. Durability: Indestructible. Properties(s): This magically infused bag appears to be no different from a medium-sized coin pouch. However, the interior connects to an extradimensional space and is considerably larger than its outward appearance would suggest. The bearer of the bag will be able to transfer items inside and out seamlessly, regardless of the size. The bag can hold up to 500 pounds, not exceeding a volume of 100 cubic feet. The bag weighs 1 pound, regardless of its contents. ¡°My dad had this?¡± I asked, shock and confusion evident in my voice. ¡°How? When did he get this?¡± Finding the bag had come as a complete surprise. Never had I seen it before today, at least that¡¯s what was what my years of memories told me as I tried vainly to recall ever laying eyes on it. No matter how hard I tried, I simply could not recall this ever being in his possession. ¡°Bags of holding are actually quite common,¡± Stella said as she glided to hover inches away as I handled the bag. She eyed it up before nodding. ¡°Well, at least for merchants. For a Hunter, they are nearly impossible to find in their first world, though it can happen with some luck. From what I know, all merchants are granted a bag of holding to help store their wares and goods. Sure, you¡¯ll find things on shelves, which can be stolen, but when a Hunter wants to buy something, the System pulls up an inventory window that peers directly into the merchant¡¯s bag of holding.¡± Stella made eye contact with me before placing a paw on the bag. Amazement was clear in her expression, ¡°This is unheard of, at least for someone of your level. First, it¡¯s soul bound to you. It doesn¡¯t work that way for Hunter¡¯s lucky enough to actually nab one. It can be stolen like any other item they possess. Typically, it comes from a high-level quest reward or from like a treasure chest buried deep beyond some high-tier boss monster. Second, they are never this good. This is a legendary tier item. The amount of storage you have here is like¡­ the power of a maxed flare spell against a candle. I wouldn¡¯t expect something of this quality until well beyond new Hunter worlds.¡± ¡°The only thing I can think of here is that you could only loot this item because it came from your in-game father. One day, when you would have taken his place, running this store, it would have been given to you. The Game likely considers this essentially like an heirloom item. No Hunter can possess this or get it off a merchant¡¯s body. That''s why it¡¯s very rare for a Hunter to kill a merchant NPC. They would lose access to it. No one can take this from you, no one can destroy it, and no one can access it unless you wish them to. This is an incredible item, Xaz.¡± ¡°That it is,¡± I said when Stella finished speaking. While my in-game parent and I were not actually related, we had memories that spanned almost eighteen years together. If I could, this bag would stay with me and allow me to carry a part of them with me. ¡°Thanks, Dad.¡± Playing around with the bag, I quickly found that it attached seamlessly to my belt, connecting magically like two magnets snapping together. Moving around the store, no matter what I did, it wouldn¡¯t come off unless I intentionally tried to remove it. ¡°That¡¯s not going anywhere. Okay, Stella, let¡¯s see what else we can find before moving out.¡± Checking out each dead goblin rewarded me with an additional 67 copper and 23 silver pieces. I also found several additional potions, including a new mana potion. The mana potion was similar to the healing potions in that it restored 25 mana when taken. I then took time to carefully inspect the entire store, looking for anything that was not completely destroyed. You have found {Minor Potion of Healing] x 2, {Potion of Healing}, {Minor Mana Potion} x2, {Mana Potion}, and {Ring of Constitution +1}. Knowing that my father also had a small safe built into the floor in the back room, I collected an additional 4 gold pieces, 47 silver pieces, and 87 copper pieces. The coins went into my inventory and automatically stacked with each other. Those would help in the coming days as my supplies were very limited at the moment. The ring granted a single constitution point and, after placing it on a finger, a small surge of energy expanded outwards to my body. Feeling a bit healthier, my new health total reached 115 points, the same as my mana. {Ring of Constitution +1} Quality: Average. Rarity: Uncommon. Type: Ring. Slot: Finger. Durability: 500/500. Properties(s): Plus 1 constitution. Random odds and ends that were not destroyed were scattered around the shop, all others being non-magical. Some went into my bag, while others I equipped onto my character. I added a dark brown, hooded cloak, as well as a leather belt that improved my armor class by one point. Equipping the belt didn¡¯t change any appearance from the one that had appeared earlier, but at least it gave a little more protection. With only a final glance at the store, and my parent¡¯s bodies, we left the shop. Only the final goblin needed to be put down. The wrath I had felt earlier had dropped to a simmer but was still ready to boil over if I wasn¡¯t careful. A boss fight was not something that should be taken lightly, so with a deep breath I promised myself to not lose my cool in this next engagement. Stepping away from the store, I found myself once again alone. Nothing stirred and many of the fires had put themselves out. Many of the buildings were damaged beyond repair, but I had only eyes for either Duke or the goblin boss. Stepping down the road, no sound greeting our passing, other than the soft blowing of the wind and the occasional crackling of fire. The day was still quite beautiful though the scent of death and burning wood dampened that somewhat. With a glance over my shoulder, I looked back upon where we had first ambushed the group of goblins, a few hundred feet behind us now. Their broken forms lay unmoving. Bringing my attention back, we moved along the edge of the road and occasionally looked into a shop front, some with their doors crashed inwards, or at others now a smoldering ruin. The boss had to still be around, thanks to the updated quest notification, so it was only a matter of time before we found it. Hopefully, we saw it before it saw us. I also felt more and more that Duke was no longer in town. The place was too quiet. From what I could gather, Duke must have come in fast and hard, trying to find Stella. Not finding her, he appeared to have left just as quickly. That was for the best, I knew, at least for now. I was wholly unprepared to take on an experience Hunter. I was only level two after all. Who knew how high he was? Holding my axe tightly, ready for anything, we went from shop to shop, my eyes always open. My mana bar caught my eye and it was abysmally low, having only naturally regenerated a small amount. My MP had regenerated a few points and I was sitting at just 26, or roughly 17% of my maximum total. Considering how useful my spells had been with the goblins, it was best that I was best prepared for the boss fight as I could. So, without another thought, I pulled out a pair of minor mana potions and chugged them down. The potions were actually quite refreshing and had a sugary taste with a bit of peppermint dashed in. I tossed the empty bottle back into my inventory thinking I could probably make use of it down the road. Restoring 50 additional mana points, I jumped up to 66% mana. That should do. I was regenerating about one mana point every three seconds. I would have to ask Stella later how that was determined, but we had greater things to worry about right now. The further we walked through town, the more worried I became. Where was everyone? It was as if every soul had up and vanished. Sure, I could have gone into one of the buildings that hadn¡¯t burned to the ground, but I thought it unlikely the boss would be in one. Or, if he had, I doubt he would be moving around as quietly as we were. If anyone was alive, they were likely hiding themselves as they had no defense against even the lowliest monsters. We only had a small part of town to check out, so if the boss was still around, we would find him soon. It was either that or if he left, I would assume my quest would get updated. ¡°Stella,¡± I whispered as she floated silently nearby. My eyes were doing their best to soak up every possible sign of movement around us. ¡°Any idea where this boss is?¡± ¡°No, unfortunately,¡± Stella said in a voice just above a whisper. When she suddenly gasped loudly beside me though, I flinched and stopped firmly in fright. ¡°Damn, sorry. That reminds me. You do have a map that you can access, though it won¡¯t show mobs on it until you¡¯ve inspected them. If you want, I could also have a mini-map show up in your vision.¡± ¡°Please, that would be helpful,¡± I said as soon as my heart stopped pounding in my chest. ¡°Though do try to be careful to avoid scaring the wits out of me. I thought you spotted this boss charging at us or something.¡± ¡°Yeah, sorry about that,¡± she said apologetically. With that, a small square map appeared at the top right of my vision. It was easy to manipulate with a thought and I set it to rotate as I moved, instead of the north-south setting it had started with. I was able to zoom in and out with a mental command. I ended up having it show about two hundred feet out, wide enough to see the road and any nearby building. It wasn¡¯t long until we started finding villagers. Unfortunately for us, they were no longer breathing. Moving closer, we found bodies torn apart as if something had literally ripped off arms and legs. It was horrifying. Others had jagged tears in their flesh and what looked like large bite marks. We were close and based on the size of the wounds, whatever it was, it was likely twice as large as the goblins we had already faced. That was an intimidating thought. Stella and I made eye contact, her expression must have been matching mine perfectly. Neither of us was looking forward to whatever was capable of this level of cruelty. We were about to come around a bend in the road, so I eyed up my mana. It must have filled up to full at some point. Ready as I would ever be, we stealthily crept around the corner. It was then when we saw him, and my imagination of what we were going to face was not disappointed. Chapter 6 - Gitnatch the Horrifying The gigantic creature had just walked out of one of the last shops in town and, to my utter horror, was carrying a severed arm in his oversized hands. The boss appeared to have gnawed on it recently if the blood covering his face had anything to say about it. The goblin boss was tall enough that I would probably only come up to his chest if I stood before him. The freakish creature must have easily weighed over three hundred pounds, if not far more. He had corded biceps and bulging shoulders akin to a body builder, but his distended stomach contrasted with his otherwise muscled frame. Though he reminded me of the goblins we fought earlier, his boils were less pronounced and less bloody. It almost looked like they had healed over recently. The giant wore an oversized leather tunic and had an animal hide kilt that reached down to just below his knees. The creature looked capable of tearing me in half, which was no doubt how he had happened across the arm that he continued to munch on occasionally. Gitnatch the Horrifying, [Malignant Goblin Taskmaster] (Level 7 - Boss) If malignant goblins survive long enough, the feral disease that has ravaged their bodies begins to enhance their physical prowess. While these taskmasters care little for self-preservation, these brutes still regain a modicum of their former intelligence. Due to their enormous strength, Taskmasters accrue a pack of followers and roam the land searching for prey. When they find it, the Taskmaster allows their less evolved kin to strike first before striking deeper on their own, looking for weaker targets. A Taskmaster is a force of nature whose strength rivals all but the largest species in the world. They are often compared to giants and likely could stand toe-to-toe with one. While they can no longer transmit the disease that has fundamentally changed their minds and bodies, their newfound strength and pure ferocity have brought them levels above their kin. If you find yourself facing one of these creatures you would be wise to run before it notices you and decides your bones would make for a nice toothpick. Stella looked to the creature then back to me, ¡°Sorry. He already has a name. I¡¯m not touching that. No, no thanks at all.¡± We watched as the boss made his way to the center of the road before hunching down, once more taking great bites out of the severed arm. It wouldn¡¯t be long before it was entirely devoured. The beast had not yet noticed us, and I wanted to keep it that way for now. My voice barely above a whisper, I looked to Stella. ¡°How strong is my deflecting shield? Can it withstand one of his attacks?¡± ¡°Well, yes. The spell is capable of deflecting most attacks, but just look at him. Stronger attacks or even those from powerfully enchanted weapons would do little until your spell is at a far higher level. With his likely sky-high strength score, I¡¯m guessing, at best, it would deflect it only slightly and, at worst, breakthrough entirely.¡± Stella was shaking her head back and forth as she said this. It was clear she was nowhere near confident enough for my spell would be strong enough. ¡°Based on the description we just read, and seeing him in person¡­ I wouldn¡¯t count on it is all I can say.¡± ¡°I hope it doesn¡¯t come to that,¡± I said with a defeated sigh. ¡°My initial game plan was trying to cast restless slumber on it, but I¡¯m guessing spells like that are less effective on boss monsters.¡± Stella nodded her agreement beside me. ¡°I think our best strategy is to do as much ranged damage as possible and then fall back on my battle axe." ¡°It¡¯s too bad he¡¯s outside your new flamethrower spell. I bet he wouldn¡¯t like it any more than the smaller goblins did.¡± Stella said, still unable to take her eyes away from the dire creature. ¡°Ok, let¡¯s do this,¡± I said as I mentally placed my axe into my inventory. It would be back in my hand at a thought, but this battle called for magic first. Crouching low, I prepared to dual cast minor firebolt. Man, I need more damaging spells, I thought. My hands twisted, as if in a dance, as I whispered the words of the spell. My eyes never left the boss as my spell completed. A large ball of flame was sent hurtling forward like a speeding arrow. It roared like an angry lion to my ears and quickly crossed the distance between us. The boss turned to see what was happening and dropped the little that remained of the severed arm. The spell was coming in to strike his chest, so I was able to see the mob¡¯s eyes squint, almost as if it was trying to figure out if the spell was a flying enemy or something. Just before the spell connected, his eyes widened in comprehension. His mouth fell open, pieces of gore tumbling down the front of his tunic. He tried to bring an arm up, possibly to deflect the bolt, but it had not reacted quickly enough. The bolt slammed into him, knocking him back a step. Reflexively the giant threw a hand backwards to stop falling over from the powerful impact. The liquid ball of flame tore into his tunic, biting deeply and flash-boiling the flesh beneath. He howled in pain even as the heat from the spell sunk deeper into his body before dissipating. Damage dealt 71, the damage notification flashing in the corner of my vision. ¡°Sixty-five percent health remaining,¡± Stella said next to me, her form crouched low and tense beside me. It looked like someone had punched a hole into the creature''s chest. His tunic had a fist-sized hole, the edges blackened and burned. Blood oozed slightly underneath, but it almost looked cauterized from the intense heat from the spell''s magic. Hate-filled eyes looked in our direction as the boss came to his full height in one swift flex of his leg muscles. It snarled defiance at me before beginning its charge, murder curling its lips and drawing his eyes into a deep glower. My spell''s cool down elapsed so I was already deep into a dual spell casting once more. The boss¡¯s intelligence showed itself then whereas its smaller brethren had not shown that capability. Instead of charging headlong at me, it veered off to the side with one long stride, only to come back across the other way in a zig-zag pattern. As my spell finished, with a great heave, the giant tossed the severed arm in our direction, somehow having picked it up unnoticed by either of us. A second ball of roaring plasma blasted away, eating up the shortening distance between me and the charging monster. The creature¡¯s eyes had been watching my hands so as the spell flew, he tried to dodge to the side. The attempt was partially in vain for his mobility was nowhere near as high as his strength stat. It wasn¡¯t all for naught however, as the fire blasted into his shoulder instead of his neck. The damage must have been lessened as Stella updated me on his remaining health. ¡°He¡¯s down to thirty-eight percent!¡± Stella shouted out, her form flying higher in the air to avoid being anywhere near the boss when it reached us. The boss had come to a stop from the impact. Yet, with a blood-curdling scream, this time coming through from the pure outrage that flashed across his face, it moved to rapidly close the final distance between us. Terror welled in my chest, threatening to make me run for my life, but my courage held. Doubting I would be able to complete another spell before it reached me, I pulled my axe from my inventory. Its weight and balance helped calm my nerves somewhat. Thinking of the tactics I had used against this creature¡¯s kin, but keeping in mind the boss¡¯s strength, I formulated a plan as the final feet closed between us. Setting my feet, I was as prepared as I could be to meet the creature¡¯s mad rush. As the boss neared, it reached up one of his massive arms, and swung down with all its might. The intent was clear, to bury me under the avalanche of its weight. The blow could no doubt shatter the stone beneath my feet. I needed to time this perfectly. Seeing the thickly corded muscles towering above had me doubting I could sustain even one blow from this mighty creature. Inches away from death, I acted. My feet moved me to the side just as the power of my instant cast minor deflecting shield flared a crystalline barrier between us. The magic of the spell was fully transparent but caused the boss''s arm to appear refracted, almost as if looking through a multi-faceted diamond. The boss corrected for my movement, his fist following me. Unfortunately, I hadn¡¯t dodged far or nearly fast enough. The giant¡¯s lips curled in expectant victory as his sledgehammer of a fist was inches away from crushing through my collarbone. His attack struck my magical barrier¡­ and my luck held. The giant¡¯s fist rebounded away with incredible force. His arm was thrown violently across his body and, with him running at an all-out sprint, his body twisted dangerously. With a crash, the boss fell heavily to the ground, the left side of his face sliding painfully across the paved road. Not hesitating a moment, I struck down with my battle axe. Once, then twice in rapid succession. His momentum carried him too far as I had initially hoped to attack his vulnerable head or neck. Instead of a lethal coup de grace against a prone target, my attacks slammed into his exposed back. My attacks were still causing significant damage when Stella shouted out a warning. ¡°Watch out!¡± Stella tried to call out a warning, but it was too late. Her warning hadn¡¯t come fast enough. Even as the monster arched its back from the powerful impacts of my axe, his massive arm was swept back towards me with frightening speed. Just before his blow connected with my mid-section, my axe¡¯s special effect triggered as my third blow landed. A deep blue light flashed from the axe, crashing down into the deep wounds I had caused. Before I could see what effect the magic had, the goblin¡¯s arm slammed into my side, just below my rib cage. Azure light flashed in my vision but was lost to me as I was sent spinning away. The blow felt like a massive boulder had crashed into me. My vision tumbled as the sky and ground rapidly changed places. Finally cratering into the ground, my breath was blasted out of my lungs. My vision exploded in sparks and threatened to blacken into unconsciousness. Even in my dulled mental state, I knew if I passed out, I would never awaken. Fighting with everything I could muster; panic crushed my chest as I found I was unable to draw a breath. A notification was blinking insistently in my vision and pulled up unbidden, its message important enough to bypass my earlier settings. Hoping that it wasn¡¯t a precursor to my death, I read the message as I continued to futilely attempt to take a breath of lifegiving air. Notice! Debuff Added: [Minor Collapsed Lung]. [Minor Collapsed Lung]. Your left lung has partially collapsed. You are unable to draw breath for the next 9 seconds. Panic welled up within me. Not being able to breathe was horrifying, but the thought of the boss striking down to deliver the coup de grace on me passed through my mind. I wasn¡¯t sure what the boss was doing exactly, my eyes were firmly closed from the pain, but I knew it was only a matter of time before he was back in the fight. Completely helpless, it was all I could do as I rocked back and forth in pain, desperately trying to force air into my lungs. Even with my eyes closed, I could see my health bar. It had dropped to half with that single blow, I wouldn¡¯t be able to take another. Stella was shouting vainly next to me, but it sounded muffled and distant to my pain-addled mind. Finally forcing my eyes wide, I did my best to roll away several feet before trying to attempt to stand. My legs were quivering violently, but I had made it to my feet. Surprisingly, my axe was still in my hand. I looked in the direction of where I thought the boss was. ¡°You¡¯re okay, you got him.¡± Stella¡¯s words finally registered. The battle was won. As the debuff timer finally reached zero, I knelt to one knee, taking in deep breaths of air. Still laboring to breathe, I found the body of the goblin lying a half dozen feet away. That had been too close. ¡°Damn it, that hurt,¡± I was finally able to utter. It had felt like my lungs had been glued together. The fear and panic had blocked out anything else. If the boss hadn¡¯t been killed there at the end, I doubt I would have been able to muster any type of defense even if it simply tried to stomp down on me. Coming to my feet once more, I was bent over, hands on my knees as I was finally able to slow my breathing. Several notifications blinked away in the corner of my vision. I was thankful I was still around to be able to view them. Experience Awarded: Malignant Goblin Boss ¡°Gitnatch the Horrifying¡± (level 7) ¨C 800 experience Congratulations! You have successfully completed the quest ¡®Defending the Defenseless. Objective One: Slay Malignant Goblins, 0 of 12 remaining. Objective Two: Defeat ¡°Gitnatch the Horrifying¡±, 0 of 1 remaining. Objective Three (Hidden): 24 of 47 residents of Winterfalls have survived the goblin raid. Calculating Rewards¡­ Please stand by. My breath caught as I saw the hidden objective. Nearly half of the people I had known and grown up with were dead in what seemed like a matter of minutes. Words from my parents echoed in my mind about how we were safe as long as we didn¡¯t go outside the town¡¯s protective field. All it took was one Hunter to bring that safety crashing down. The realization that I would likely be dead too had I not decided to venture out of town this morning crashed into me. I would have been in the shop with my parents and would have ended up just as they had, turned into a snack for those dastardly devil goblins. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. My mind was conflicted once more. Seeing myself dead beside my ¡®parents¡¯ in all likelihood, but, in reality, I had only been transported to this world just this morning. If it wasn¡¯t for the partitioned mind that Stella had placed earlier, I would be spiraling to the ground in regret and misery. Those emotions were still there but pushed behind a type of mental barrier. I wondered curiously if that barrier would come crashing down like the one that was supposed to protect everyone within Winterfalls. Time would tell, I supposed. Stella had said that it would slowly fade over the coming weeks. Feeling centered once more, I made my way over to the corpse of the boss. He was face down and unmoving. His left hand was at an odd angle, no doubt from the final blow that had sent me careening. The massive goblin¡¯s back was altogether different from the rest of his body. My axe¡¯s special effect had, quite literally, froze his entire torso solid. ¡°Does the axe¡¯s ice effect normally do that?¡± I asked in surprise. We had seen the weapon¡¯s special effect come into play once before on one of the goblins from the first group. Sure, the area hit had frozen, but it was minuscule compared to this. Further, when the boss had swung back at me, bringing every ounce of strength he could muster, even considering the awkward angle had come at a devastating price. From what I could tell, my weapon¡¯s freeze combined with his attack caused the ice to shatter his lower spine. His back looked like a pane of glass with a spiderweb of lines shooting out in all directions. Frozen blood was beginning to melt and was dripping like some type of red slurry. When it finally melted, it would probably look like a small stick of dynamite had exploded. ¡°No,¡± Stella answered as she swiped a paw in the air as if looking for some piece of information on an invisible display in front of her. ¡°We saw the damage it did before, but this¡­ Normally the ice effect will only cause additional damage and potentially a movement speed debuff. Essentially, the nearby skin will freeze, but certainly not to this degree. From what I see from the system, now that it¡¯s actually happened, can only happen when the creature is at very low health. The entire wound freezes solid enough so that it can spread several feet out in all directions. Against a lesser enemy, it would more or less be instant death. With the boss and his high constitution, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to move for at least a few minutes.¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m glad that it did. If he had gotten up, there would have been nothing I could have done to stop him from killing me,¡± I said as I returned my battle axe to my inventory. Kneeling, I placed a hand on the boss and willed his inventory to appear. A familiar window appeared showing he had three gold and thirty-four silver pieces. The tunic he was wearing was also there and to my surprise was magical with some interesting statistics. His kilt was nothing special, just some animal hide that I had no intention of taking. Everything went into my bag of holding, except for the tunic. I willed that to appear in my hands. Right as it appeared in my outstretched hands, the system message appeared showing me the calculated rewards from the quest we had just completed. Congratulations! Due to saving more than half of the remaining residents of Winterfalls, your rewards have been improved and you have earned a hidden quest reward. Quest Experience Awarded: You earned 1,500 experiences (base 1,000). You have earned a quest reward, {Hide Bracers of Toughness +1}. You have earned a hidden quest reward, {Ring of Blind Rage}. Level Up! You have earned enough experience to advance to level 3. You have 7 attribute points to distribute. Fight well, Hunter! Slay all that stand in your path! Upon reading the last message, golden light poured down over my body, bringing with it a feeling of serenity, as if I had just woken after basking for an hour under a noon day¡¯s sun. My health, mana, and stamina all filled to their maximum and any lingering weakness from the boss¡¯s blow vanished in an instant like some distant memory. My eyes returned to the leather tunic in my hands, and to my surprise, it had actually shrunk in size compared to what I had been expecting. There was no way that this human-sized tunic would have fit the boss. I looked over to Stella, motioning to the leather equipment with a questioning nod. ¡°Anything magical in nature, unless it specifically says it cannot, will shrink or grow to fit whoever holds it. It''s quite handy actually.¡± Stella answered my unspoken question. ¡°Nice,¡± I said as I willed the tunic¡¯s information up. {Troll Hide Tunic of the Bloodless}. A tunic made from the treated hide of a Dust Troll. When equipped, the user is empowered with a lesser version of rejuvenation that greatly decreases all bleed effects, as well as increasing health regeneration. Quality: Well-crafted. Rarity: Uncommon. Type: Leather. Slot: Chest. Durability: 430/500. Armor: 15. Effect(s): Blood loss from bleed effects is severely decreased. The effect of Constitution is doubled when calculating health regeneration, with the effect doubling further outside of combat. ¡°That¡¯s a nice upgrade,¡± Stella whistled as I equipped the leather tunic. It had stitching that ran down the sides and I had to slip it over my head to wear it. ¡°Ha, you know you could have just equipped it automatically in your inventory screen, but please do that more often in the future. I can only imagine what you¡¯d look like trying to equip a full set of plate mail.¡± Ignoring Stella¡¯s joke, I looked over my new armor. It was tan in color and was devoid of any fur, for which I was grateful. Having something so itchy close to my skin would not have been pleasant. ¡°Say, that reminds me, how is health, mana, and stamina regen calculated.¡± Stella was floating around me, giving my new chest piece a close inspection. She hovered to the hole my spell had caused earlier and, at first, ignored my question. ¡°Yup, just as I suspected. Your magical items will slowly repair themselves, well as long as the damage is not too severe. The damage from your spell is already closing itself. If you look, I bet the durability of the tunic went up a point or two.¡± I checked that in the item¡¯s description and found that it had done just that, going from four hundred thirty remaining durability to four hundred thirty-two in just a short time. ¡°That¡¯s certainly an advantage over non-magical items,¡± Stella continued without pausing. ¡°As for your question, it''s pretty simple. The system calculates how many points you regenerate over a minute. So, with your constitution of twelve, you regenerate twelve health per minute or about one every five seconds. With this tunic, that is increased that to once every two and a half seconds. Even better though, outside of combat it doubles that so closer to one health per second.¡± She hovered a little higher, coming to eye level with me. Her expression held some importance that I wasn¡¯t quite grasping. I could hardly be blamed though; I did just become a hunter after all. She seemed to see that in my eyes, ¡°So, even if you¡¯re on death¡¯s doorstep, outside of combat, in about two minutes you¡¯ll be fully healed. That tunic acts like you¡¯re sitting at something like sixty constitution at level two! Without the tunic, it would take you closer to ten minutes right now to fully heal.¡± Okay, that caught my attention. Stella finally saw what she was looking for in my eyes so motioned for me to take a look at the rest of the gear I¡¯d acquired from the quest. This time I equipped my new bracers from my inventory screen and they appeared instantaneously on each wrist. Both were a darker tan with a smooth, fine fur lining under where they touched my skin. Both were extremely comfortable and felt like they wouldn¡¯t budge when the straps were tightened. Looking them over, I had been expecting a pattern or some symbols marking them, but in actually were just plain leather without any fancy embellishments. {Hide Bracers of Toughness +1}. A fine pair of leather bracers made from a supple material provides some protection from incoming attacks. Quality: Above Average. Rarity: Uncommon. Type: Leather. Slot: Wrist. Durability 500/500. Armor: 8. Effect(s): Plus 1 constitution. ¡°Oh, I should also add¡­¡± Stella had an embarrassed smile showing her teeth. ¡°Next time be mindful as there are cursed items in the Game.¡± Giving her an exasperated look, she waved away concern. ¡°Yes, yes, I know I just said you can equip stuff quickly. I¡­ forgot about the whole cursed item thing is all.¡± Giving a slight chuckle to her embarrassment, I popped the hidden quest rewards ring into my hand and inspected it. This we had earned for saving over half of the villagers after all, so I was hoping it would be good. It was a simple silver band with a single tear-drop ruby-colored gem. As I stared into its depths, a feeling of fury flickered through my mind but it dissipated like the wind. {Ring of Blind Rage}. Quality: Superb. Rarity: Rare. Slot: Finger. Durability: 1000/1000. Effect(s): Upon activation, this ring causes the user to receive the ¡®Blind Rage¡¯ effect. While under this condition, Strength and Constitution is doubled for the duration. Unfortunately, an undesirable side effect comes with this effect. When under ¡®Blind Rage¡¯ the user feels a violent, uncontrollable wrath, and is only able to focus on a single target. Until the effect wears off, nothing else matters by the rage; pain, conscious thought, all else is sent to the dim recesses of your mind. That target must be eliminated as quickly and violently as possible. If the target of your rage is defeated, a nearby target is automatically selected. Note ¨C This effect does not distinguish between friend and foe! You have been warned. This effect lasts 120 seconds. Cooldown: 30 minutes. That was an impressive ring that brought about an incredible strength and constitution buff. Sadly, the drawback meant you¡¯d basically turn into the Hulk for a pair of minutes. Wading into battle without conscious thought or restraint could be disastrous. ¡°This would need to be an item of last resort,¡± I said as I looked at Stella. ¡°I¡¯d become nothing more than one of these goblins and look how that turned out for them. Still, if I have no other choice, it could save my life.¡± A thought popped into my mind and I quickly added a follow-up thought. ¡°This thing wouldn¡¯t make me try to kill you, Stella, would it?¡± ¡°No,¡± Stella said in a cool voice. ¡°I cannot be targeted by a monster, NPC, or Hunter. We¡¯re protected by the system unless we¡¯re not bonded to a Hunter.¡± ¡°Alright then. Well, next up is level three,¡± I said as I rubbed my hands together. "Next, it¡¯s time to level up.¡± I said then pulled up my attributes Strength: 7 Dexterity: 7 Constitution: 13 (*) Intelligence: 12 (*) Wisdom: 6 Charisma: 6 Luck: 5 My constitution and intelligence were coming along nicely, but both had something I hadn¡¯t noticed earlier. Both had an asterisk mark. When I focused on each in turn, and right as I was about to ask Stella about it a new message popped up in my vision. After I did, both asterisks no longer showed up on my attributes page. Constitution Threshold Reached. Effect(s): Plus 5% increased chance to resist physical stun effects. Health regeneration increased by plus 5. Intelligence Threshold Reached. Effect(s): Plus 5% increased chance to resist magical mind-altering effects, such as charm, sleep, etc. Mana regeneration increased by plus 5. Looking over my attributes once more the asterisks had both disappeared, though I could pull up the information again by just focusing on the metrics. ¡°Nice, both of those threshold bonuses are excellent. It makes me want to get the bonuses from each of my attributes, but, Stella, did I get those threshold bonuses for reaching ten in each attribute?¡± Stella was currently hovering over my left shoulder, peering at the same message as I was. ¡°Yup. Even better is when you get to the fifty-point threshold bonus. The benefits become that much stronger as you reach higher and higher thresholds, and no, I won¡¯t spoil it for you just yet.¡± She had a teasingly wicked smile on her mug of a face. I could only shake my head and allow her smugness for now. ¡°Fine, keep your secrets,¡± I said with a sidelong glance. She didn¡¯t get the movie reference which I couldn¡¯t blame her for. ¡°So, I¡¯m thinking of putting three points in both Strength and Dexterity to reach those thresholds. Anything I should know before doing so.¡± ¡°No, not really. You should be aware that most Hunters specifically focus on two, maybe three, attributes at most though.¡± Stella replied. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s something I¡¯ll need to keep in mind, but, if I remember right, our accelerator bonus with attributes is quite higher than a normal Hunter gets, right?¡± ¡°Yup,¡± Stella replied. ¡°The number of attributes a Hunter gains is the same for all hunters at the start of the Game, though you got a lucky break since I¡¯m your accelerator, and the system rewarded you with a higher amount per level.¡± ¡°Cool, that¡¯s what I thought. So, with the bonus attribute points per level, we have from our ¡®Exalted Acceleration¡¯ I have some wiggle room compared to other hunters with where I put my attribute points. This means that even if I focus on three attributes, I¡¯ll likely remain competitive with Hunters who mainly focus on two.¡± ¡°Eventually, you may want to settle on two as our advantage would be even stronger than an average Hunter,¡± Stella said with some emphasis. ¡°Definitely something to keep in mind.¡± I said, rubbing my jaw in thought. With all of that in mind, I decided to put three points into both Strength and Dexterity to reach the ten-point threshold. The final point I placed into Charisma, figuring I could bring it to the threshold when I reached level four. I wasn¡¯t quite sure what type of character build I wanted yet, but it wouldn¡¯t hurt to balance myself at first and get as many threshold bonuses as I could. Charisma may not seem important, but I had found in my other life the bonuses it could bring when interacting with other people. This world would probably be no different or so hoped. After confirming my selection, I reviewed the new asterisks that appeared. Strength Threshold Reached. Effect(s): Plus 5% increased damage from all melee-based attacks, skills, and abilities. Maximum carrying capacity increased by 25 pounds before suffering movement penalties. Dexterity Threshold Reached. Effect(s): Plus 5% increased accuracy with all ranged attacks (including spells), skills, and abilities. Plus 2% chance to score a critical hit, attack speed, and ability to dodge incoming attacks. I was making excellent progress all around. Several system messages were queued and blinking in the corner of my vision so I opened them up. Reputation Achievement: You have reached over 1,000 views. You must have done something right to grab this kind of attention. Keep doing it! Congratulations! You have been rewarded by the System based on the contributing factor that has recently increased your viewership. You have received +1 Strength, Intelligence, Wisdom, Charisma, and Luck. ¡°Well, that¡¯s just awesome,¡± I said in happy surprise. ¡°I had no idea there were bonuses for views and, I assume, my favorites too.¡± I was just a little ashamed I had barely given it any thought earlier when I first pulled up my character sheet. Looking at it now, my current ¡®Reputation¡¯ showed me at 1,104 views and 11 followers. The number of views was increasing even as I watched it, albeit very slowly. ¡°Another benefit of being a Hunter, don¡¯t worry I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll find out about that too soon,¡± Stella said, again with a cute smug attitude. She was feeling well apparently and I didn¡¯t want to rain on her parade. Though, as the adrenaline of battle faded, subtle noises reached us. Townsfolk was coming out of hiding. As several approached, realization struck me. These were people that, until this morning, I thought I had known my entire life. My happiness at seeing friends was shaken a little with confusion when I was greeted with more than one, ¡°Thank you, Hunter. You¡¯ve saved us!¡± Turning to Stella, I gestured to people who just days before freely called out to me by my name, usually to ask me to slow down from wherever I was heading. ¡°Oh, yeah, about that¡­¡± Stella said with a single squinting eye. She pursed her lips as I turned to face her directly, my eyes wide in expectation, waiting for her to explain just what the hell was happening. ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Chapter 7 - Farewell Winterfalls After just a few minutes, the town had become alive with activity and people. Many were trying desperately to put out what fires remained, but, for the most part, the damage had done its work and those buildings that had been wreathed in flames were beyond saving. Duke had apparently searched and destroyed only shops and storefronts in search of Stella. So, while many people were killed, most had been hiding in their homes. Had I not come though, I doubted anyone would have been spared by the goblin-kin. Anyone who knew me well enough from before I had been transformed into a Hunter had come up to me directly, but were addressing me mostly as a Hunter. I was a bit surprised that they now treated me differently, but Stella helped me understand what was happening. ¡°They are able to recognize you now as a Hunter by just looking at you, so even though they have long memories of you, the fact that you¡¯re a Hunter has become front and foremost in their minds,¡± Stella said when I had a moment to speak with her alone. ¡°Plus, remember that you are no longer human, but a half-elf. My guess is the System stepped in and adjusted their memories to avoid any conflict of you being an NPC before all this. Nothing like this has happened, so it¡¯s going to be hard for us to predict how people who knew you before are going to react.¡± ¡°Yeah, I get that. It¡¯s just odd, you know?¡± I replied as another person I had known for years approached us. ¡°That¡¯s Alder, he¡¯s the parent of a friend of mine. He could be a bit crotchety at times. We did get into trouble more than a few times as we played near his shop.¡± Alder was a tall man, towering a full foot over my now-lithe frame. His thick auburn hair started to show gray at the sides. ¡°Thank you, Hunter Xaz. You¡¯ve saved us from those deviling creatures. Without you, I doubt my family would still be alive. I am forever in your debt,¡± he said with genuine appreciation. I had never seen this part of him before. Usually, he was curt and stern with me, though I was usually up to no good with his son, Darrien. Darrien and I had forged a strong bond early on, even though he was a couple of years younger than me. I hesitated a moment, unused to the level of respect and gratitude being shown. ¡°You are welcome, Alder. I¡¯m glad that your family is safe. Where is Darrien, I haven¡¯t seen him yet.¡± ¡°He¡¯s back at our shop, thankfully it wasn¡¯t set on fire like so many others, though several of those damn goblins had rampaged within making quite the mess.¡± As he spoke, Alder had pointed out to the south. His store was mid-way through town and I hadn¡¯t recalled seeing it when I was hunting for the boss. ¡°But, how did those creatures even get in here? We were supposed to be protected.¡± ¡°I believe a Hunter, named Duke, was somehow able to take down the barrier. That allowed the mobs in.¡± I said with an undertone of anger at the mention of Duke¡¯s name. Everything that happened here was Duke¡¯s fault. I was caught off guard slightly though when I spotted Alder bearing a confused look. ¡°Monsters. They were the ones that were able to get into town.¡± Stella said a moment later, understanding the man¡¯s confusion before I had. That¡¯s right, these people didn¡¯t know game terms so didn¡¯t understand that ¡®mob¡¯ meant monster. ¡°Well, I¡¯m glad that another Hunter came to our aid. If there is anything I can do, please do not hesitate to ask. We owe our lives to you, as well as your flying friend.¡± Alder said then eyed Stella before finally reaching out a hand to me. ¡°You¡¯re quite welcome, Stella and I are glad that we were able to stop these creatures before any more harm could come to our town.¡± I shook Alder¡¯s hand, he had a firm grasp before he turned in the direction of his shop and left. Alone with Stella again I found myself a bit surprised at how well everyone that made it was taking this whole disastrous affair. Stella must have been able to discern my inner thoughts, so hovered up to my shoulder, the both of us watching Alder depart. ¡°My guess is that this is not the first time something like this has happened. You have no memory of an attack, but most Hunters are not friendly. People like Duke are far more common, unfortunately. I think that¡¯s why most are able to move on so quickly. Either that, or there are some behind the scenes happening with the System.¡± ¡°I suppose it could be worse,¡± I said. ¡°A lot of people died today, but the living need to keep on living. I wish there was more that I could do.¡± ¡°You already are. Duke¡¯s gone now and, unless I miss my guess, the protective barrier on the town will restore itself soon enough. The question is, what are you going to do?¡± Looking out at the devastation was unsettling, yet, hope remained. I could see it in the eyes of those doing their best even now to repair what had been broken. The town would move on. My duty, what I felt in my heart, was firm. I knew what I needed to do. ¡°We need to find Duke. I want to make sure he is not able to do this again.¡± I turned to Stella who was floating over my shoulder. ¡°He killed my family, my family in this life, and I intend to make him pay for that.¡± Stella nodded at my words. I could see the resolution in her eyes at my proclamation. ¡°And I will help you do that.¡± ¡°So, let¡¯s find out what we can about Duke. Maybe someone saw him leave and we can pick up his trail. We¡¯re not strong enough, yet,¡± I empathized the word. ¡°So, before we head out, let¡¯s see if we can gear up a little. Some of the stores are still up, though I have no idea what they sell. It never seemed important to me before today.¡± ¡°Sounds like a plan,¡± Stella replied. The sun was shining directly overhead with just a few clouds here and there. We made a difference today. We had saved lives. With Stella by my side, I knew where my journey would take us. I had a mission and together we would find Duke. We would make him pay. We reached out to anyone nearby and inquired if anyone had seen Duke in all the chaos. We were close to the north exit of town, so I was confident he would have left somewhere around here. One person, Grace, a midwife I had only met once before shared she had seen Duke through her second-story window. He had been going from store to store leaving destruction and fire in his wake. She spied him heading out of town when he paused for a moment. To her, it looked like he was casting a spell when the magical barrier surrounding the town flared a brilliant red and then shattered into a million pieces. He left right after, never once turning back. Grace said that it was an hour later when the goblins arrived. No one was able to muster any type of defense against their brutality and it was all everyone could do but to hide and pray they wouldn¡¯t be found. I thanked Grace for her help. We knew now where Duke had left, but I wanted to gather more information and, hopefully, gear, before we followed. We walked south, following the main road as it curved this way and that. Many nods and shouts of thanks followed up as the survivors continued to salvage what they could. Stella and I stopped at several of the stores, to see if the owners would be interested in selling any of their goods. Without hesitation, we were ushered in gratefully. Most of their items were just everyday things, with just a few things being magical in nature. While speaking with store owners, I found that it was indeed Duke who had killed my parents. The goblins that I had run into were just there to feast on what was left. A neighbor told me how he saw Duke in my parent¡¯s store making angry demands and ¡®having to find it¡± before he ultimately took their lives. There was no way my parents could have known anything about Stella and had no way to defend against Duke¡¯s sword as it felled them both where they stood. It was hard to hear in detail what had happened, but it felt like I needed to know. Even more, my need to bring vengeance against the evil man became more resolute. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Xaz,¡± a neighbor, Zypher, who lived across the street from my parent¡¯s shop had said. I had known the elderly man my whole life. I often spent time playing in his backyard with Darrien. The friendly man had always enjoyed watching us whirl around the playground he had built for his own son, so many years before. Zypher placed a hand on my shoulder before pulling me into a warm embrace. I hadn¡¯t caught that he didn¡¯t use my title, I was only aware of his sympathy and compassion. He had always been friendly to me, unlike so many other adults. He had once told me how I reminded him a lot of his son. I had never met his son, unfortunately. He had died years before I had been born. I didn¡¯t realize it before now, but Zypher had been like a second father to me. ¡°I¡¯m glad you made it through all this, Zypher,¡± I said after our embrace. ¡°I¡¯ll be leaving soon to hunt the man who killed my parents and brought such destruction to our lives.¡± ¡°I believe you,¡± Zypher said, a single tear running down his cheek. ¡°Before you go though, I¡¯d like you to have something.¡± I followed him to the back room of his house. Opening a door, we saw a room full of bookshelves. I had never been in here before. The room was a dozen feet across and was filled with the smell of dried ink and parchment. I took in great breaths, filling my lungs with the inviting aroma. ¡°I once had a store, much like your fathers. Though I never could find one with any interest in this book. I think it will help you on your journey to bring justice for all of us.¡± Zypher reached out and took a dusty book from one of the shelves, handing it to me. It was heavier than I expected, with a thick weathered leather cover. The writing on the front was unlike any I had ever seen before. Zypher nodded at me when I looked back at him, so I inspected it. You have found: {Tome of Minor Heat Blood}. {Tome of Minor Heat Blood}. Quality: Well Crafted. Rarity: Uncommon. Type: Spell Book - Consumable. Durability: 100/100. Properties(s): Teaches the spell [Minor Heat Blood]. Note ¨C This is a single-use item and will be destroyed when used. After reading the tome¡¯s description, the spell name was highlighted in my vision. Hoping it would give more information, I mentally selected the spell. Sure, enough the description popped up and I was thrilled at the spell¡¯s potential. [Minor Heat Blood]. A blaze of magical energy strikes a target within 100 feet. The target is afflicted with the ¡®Heated Blood¡¯ debuff which causes the victim¡¯s blood to come to a near boil. After 30 seconds, the target''s blood cools and the debuff expires. This spell causes 10 plus n spell damage immediately and every 6 seconds thereafter, where ¡®n¡¯ equals intelligence. Cost: 15 mana. Cast Time: 1.0 seconds. Cooldown: 1.0 second. Duration: 30 seconds. Plus 10 feet maximum range plus 2 base damage per spell level. ¡°This is an incredible gift,¡± I said in sheer amazement. My mind was already racing with the possibility of this spell. It was much like my firebolt spell in that it caused damage, but whereas I would need to continue to cast firebolt over and over to do damage to an enemy, I would only need to cast this spell and it would slowly drain the health from a target. My eyes returned to Zypher and I offered him my sincere appreciation. ¡°Thank you, truly. This will help me, of that I have no doubt.¡± ¡°Well, go on and use it,¡± Zypher said gesturing at the book, a bright smile on his lips. ¡°It¡¯s been a long while since I saw one of my magic books being used. I remember always being in awe, though I never had the privilege myself.¡± There was nothing to it. Holding the book, I simply thought of my desire to learn the magic within the book and a new message appeared. Do you wish to learn the Spell: [Minor Heat Blood]? Note ¨C This spell book will be destroyed in the process. Yes/No? Selecting yes, a wind picked up around me, slowly at first, but then picking up speed. Only I was affected as I could see Zypher''s clothes not drift an inch while mine were swirling at this point. The tome opened of its own accord, now lying flat on my two open palms. The pages started turning and my eyes were drawn to the mystical symbols drawn on the pages. Fast and faster the pages turned and, with each new page that flew by, knowledge was implanted in my brain. What felt like years of memories studying the spell, how to articulate my hands in times with the magic phrases, everything down to the finest detail was seared into my mind. It was entirely painless thankfully. When the final page turned, the book slammed shut and turned to vapor, its magical properties spent in teaching me the spell. It was an exhilarating experience, to say the least. I just knew how to cast the spell, as if I had always known but only recently had uncovered the long-forgotten memory. With Zypher right there, I decided to wait to talk with Stella once we left his home as I had many questions for her about the spell. Based on the description, it is what is known as a ¡®damage over time spell¡¯, or DOT for short. In the right hands, they could be used to devastating effect. If I could learn several of these spells, I would have the ability to ¡®stack¡¯ DOTs on my enemies and, as the damage added up, it would essentially cause a monster to bleed to death. Or, in this case, have their blood boil. That image wasn¡¯t all that pleasant to think about, but what different was it than flinging firebolts at a nearby goblin, right? Zypher''s smile was as wide as ever. ¡°May that spell serve you well. In the meanwhile, you look less clothed than the Hunters that came through back in my day.¡± He gestured for me to follow him to another room and opened a tall dresser wedged in the corner. After a moment of hunting around at the plainclothes within, he found what he was looking for. The older man turned and held out two short pieces of fabric. They were the color of a late morning sky and appeared delicate to the touch. Looking at them closer, each was about half a foot in length and was cylindrical in shape. I was a bit confused as to what they could be until I inspected them. {Sleeves of Minor Intelligence}. Imbued within the weaves of this fabric is a subtle arcane energy that seeks to empower its user. The age of the material has soaked in ambient mana, further strengthening the enchantment. Quality: Well-crafted. Rarity: Uncommon. Type: Cloth. Slot: Arms. Durability: 100/100. Armor: 2. Effect(s): While worn, intelligence will be increased by +2 ¡°Here, let me show you how to use them,¡± Zypher said taking hold of the two sleeves. He had me put a hand through one, bringing it up my arm to touch my leather tunic. ¡°Think about equipping it and it will magically attach to your equipment." Doing as he instructed, the sleeve attached itself without fanfare. To my surprise, a thin shirt appeared under my tunic. Zypher repeated the process with my other hand and within seconds both were firmly attached to my new undershirt as if it had always been there. Feeling the shirt, it had a similar fabric to the sleeves, reminding me of silk. ¡°If you ever remove the sleeves, the shirt will vanish as if it had never been there. While the sleeves offer a very small amount of protection, the shirt underneath will not.¡± Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. ¡°Thanks, again, my friend,¡± I said. ¡°I will make good use of these gifts.¡± We left Zypher''s home shortly after. The man followed us to his door and, with a final wave, we continued our way through town. Stella and I spent perhaps another hour, speaking with anyone who showed interest. As with earlier, people were saddened with the loss but optimistic about rebuilding the town stronger. Stella again reminded me that the System was helping them heal from the raid which had me shaking my head at the thought. ¡°At its base, this is still a Game, and it wouldn¡¯t work well if the next Hunter that came through found the residents unable to carry one. And, no, before you ask, the System no longer modifies your memories. You¡¯re truly free now.¡± We didn¡¯t speak too much after that. We stopped at a few of the remaining stores before deciding we had gathered enough supplies to wander out after Duke. In my bag of holding were several more mana and health potions, both the minor and regular variety, several weeks¡¯ worth of travel rations, and water skins. The only other magic item we had been able to find was a ring of intelligence which granted one more point in that attribute. It was a small bonus, sure, but better than nothing. Waving back at the only home I had known in this life; we took the north road out of town following in Duke¡¯s unseen footsteps. Where he had left only pain and suffering in his wake, I felt secure in the knowledge that we had helped mend some of those wounds. Passing through the reformed protective barrier eased my conscience somewhat. It was my hope that my friends and their families would never have to be at the mercy of such a villain. That hope though was fleeting while men like Duke remained to do as they wished to those unable to protect themselves. With Stella by my side, I hoped to grow enough to challenge and defeat any who thought like Duke did. The barrier would protect them now, I hoped I would be able to protect them beyond what we did today. As we walked north, I inspected my new spell again. Stella could tell I was excited about its addition to my repertoire, so I shared my inner thoughts. ¡°I always liked these types of spells,¡± I said, excitement clearly evident in my voice. ¡°Unlike normal damaging spells, this one does its damage over a period of time. Instead of a bolt of fire striking and inflicting damage all at once, these spells work kind of like a poison. Now, I only have this one so far, but imagine if I had five of them damaging the boss goblin back there.¡± ¡°Yeah, I can see the advantage,¡± Stella said happy to add in. ¡°Direct damage spells cause a spike of damage all at once, then again once you cast it again, much like hitting something with your axe. The damage only comes when you hit the enemy. Damage over time spells, by contrast, will do consistent damage over a period of time. The advantage is that you can cause several DoTs at the same time. The damage you are capable of dealing ramps up over time and usually will be more in the end. If we take your firebolt spell, you spend five mana for twenty-eight damage currently. Your heat blood spell, at the cost of fifteen mana, will deal one hundred thirty damage, but over thirty seconds.¡± ¡°Yeah, and if I would have had that spell with the boss, I could have cast it and then gone on the defense,¡± I said as the imaginary battle floated in my head. ¡°Then, I could have added in an additional hit here and there if the opportunity presented itself. The boss slowly bleeds to death, essentially, and I can add damage on top of that. Direct damage spells and melee attacks have large spikes of damage, but the amount of damage I can inflict is static, not considering critical hits though. I see myself starting most battles from now on with heat blood and then having options of what to do next pretty open.¡± ¡°Sounds like you can¡¯t wait to get more of them,¡± Stella chucked at my enthusiasm. ¡°You bet I do,¡± I replied. Stella tilted her head a little to me, before finally adding, ¡°Don¡¯t forget that you can dual cast that spell too.¡± That stopped me in realization, my eyes going wide with the possibilities. ¡°Oh, yeah! I totally forgot about that.¡± We carried on for another hour, making small talk here and there, but always on guard. Duke had something like a half a day¡¯s lead on us and, as Stella mentioned, he could have a type of movement spell or ability. There was no way for us to know just how far ahead he was. In my gut, I knew we would catch him eventually, so we would just need to remain vigilant as we followed in his footsteps. The gravel road mostly kept a northerly direction, taking us next to a small forest or rocky outcropping at times, but it was easygoing. We had mostly an open picture for miles ahead of us and still no hint that Duke was around. At one point Stella caught me eyeing up my new sleeves. ¡°You¡¯re starting to look the part,¡± she said. I laughed, turning an eye her way, ¡°The part?¡± ¡°The part of a Hunter,¡± Stella continued confidently. She gracefully flew ahead then swiftly turned around, flying backward, all the while eyeing me. She brought a paw up against her cheek as if she was deep in thought. ¡°Well, not a very intimidating one just yet. I suppose that¡¯s a good thing since it''s my understanding that most Hunters would rather kill you than look at you. Well, that¡¯s what Stouter always said, anyways.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take that as a compliment,¡± I said, once more trying vainly to figure out how Stella was able to fly around without a peep of sound or power emanating from her. System stuff, I guessed. ¡°It¡¯s unfortunate that most Hunters come here only with the intent to harm others. I just can¡¯t see myself doing that. I always wanted to try to make some type of positive impact on the world around me.¡± Stella paused in the air until I caught up to her before turning around and taking what was becoming a customary position over my shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m glad that I found you. You remind me a lot of Stouter, you know. I bet he would be happy that we found each other.¡± It was amazing to see how real and personable Stella was. She explained early on that she was artificial intelligence, but it never felt that way. Her easy-going nature, her empathy, everything about her was alive, unlike any machine I could imagine. Had I not known she was an accelerator, ignoring her ability to fly around effortlessly, I would swear that she was a real talking, albeit miniature, dog. ¡°I¡¯m glad I found you too, Stell.¡± Even though today had been among the worst in my existence, this small friend was a sun among that darkness. ¡°So, what do we have to eat?¡± Stella asked, catching me off guard. I chuckled at the random question, ¡°You know exactly what we have, we bought it together.¡± Pausing a moment, I turned to her. ¡°Can you even eat anyway?¡± I genuinely didn¡¯t know the answer to that one, now that I thought about it. Opening my inventory, I found the travel rations we had purchased before leaving Winterfalls. Taking one out, it was not too bad actually. Rolled up in a thin piece of cloth was some jerky, various nuts, some dried fruit, a particularly hard piece of bread, and a slice of salted ham. ¡°Well, of course, I can.¡± Stella turned a nose to the ration, giving it a few small sniffs. As she brought her face closer to it, I held it out for her wondering what exactly would happen. ¡°I don¡¯t need a whole lot, as you can imagine. In actuality, my body doesn¡¯t need any food to sustain me, though I¡¯ve found with Stouter that I quite enjoy a good slice of meat. That ham does look tasty. Do you mind?¡± Shaking my head at the question, I wasn¡¯t particularly hungry at the moment myself, so I handed the ham to her. Stella bit the corner of the ham and, to my amazement, set the piece down in the air in front of her, giving it a big sniff one more before taking biting off a piece. She raised her head and gulped it down, all the while the other part of the ham just floated in the air. Once she was finished with that, Stella ate the remaining ham in short order. She smiled and let out a satisfied grunt. ¡°So,¡± I inquired with a hint of amusement in my voice. She must have picked up on that as she immediately turned to me, her eyes narrowing. ¡°Where does that go¡­ How does it, you know, make its way out?¡± Stella hadn¡¯t stopped narrowing her eyes as I finished my question. Her small body was perfectly still before she finally answered, her voice flat and monotone. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you like to know,¡± I turned away shyly, my face turning a slight shade of red. Seeing my reaction, she apparently got the effect she was hoping for, she sprung up doing a quick circuit in the air. The swift move caught me off guard. ¡°Ha,¡± Stella yipped in triumph. ¡°Nothing happens actually, the System does its magic, and poof, it¡¯s just gone. Thankfully, I get to still enjoy the taste.¡± ¡°Nice,¡± I said, amused. ¡°I guess I¡¯ll finish off the rest of it then. You know, you eat the best part and all.¡± Stella winked at my comment before we continued on our way. The rest of the ration was pretty good. I wasn¡¯t always one to enjoy nuts, but the seasoning and salt hit the spot quite nicely. ¡°Pushing food as we go along is a good idea,¡± Stella said after I finished up the hard tack. To my surprise, even though it was the hardest piece of bread I¡¯d ever eaten, had a nice flavor to it. It had just the right hint of salt to it. ¡°With your troll tunic, your health regeneration is doubled outside of combat, and food, like that ration, will do that and more. Higher quality food which we¡¯ll find later on will have even better bonuses. For now, though, when you eat and drink what we bought from Winterfalls, it will increase your mana and health regeneration by two hundred percent.¡± ¡°Good to know. That will help me get back into fighting shape faster. Is there a limit, though? Like can I eat in between back-to-back fights?¡± That could be a bit overpowered though if I could quickly get to maximum health, stamina, and mana by taking just a minute and swallowing a ration, granted I would have to have enough stores of the stuff. With my bag of holding, that was a distinct possibility, though it might be more than I could afford right now. ¡°Not to the level you¡¯re thinking,¡± Stella said as she flew just over the top of grass stacks on the side of the road. She was running her paws just enough to lightly tap the tall stalks of grass and occasionally tapped a flower or dandelion, causing a bloom of white seeds to go flying behind her. ¡°You can only eat as much as you¡¯re used to doing. So, you can¡¯t just keep stuffing food in your mouth unless you want to have it come back up in, let¡¯s say, undesirable ways.¡± ¡°Got it,¡± I said. ¡°In a way, I¡¯m glad it works that way. I could see ways to take advantage of that if you could just eat however much you wanted to nab the regeneration bonus.¡± ¡°Uh huh,¡± Stella confirmed. She was buzzing around, this way and that so it was a little hard to hear her. After another moment, she glided back over, taking a spot a few inches above my shoulder. ¡°Foods good to get you back into fighting spirit if you know you¡¯ve got something big coming up and you have a few minutes beforehand.¡± We continued following the road in silence for some time, both of us taking in the sights and, quite honestly, splendor around us. Fields of beautiful grasslands seemed to dominate the world around us. It was approaching early evening so we would need to consider finding a place to settle down soon, but the cool, crisp breeze and fresh scents of flowers in the air were refreshing. Glancing up at the sky I found rolling clouds that were drifting lazily causing the waning sun to peak out from time to time. It was alive around us with a flurry of bees, birds, and small wildlife. All were bounding around in a chaotic, yet calming manner. Several flights of birds were flying above making small, chirping noises to each other as they passed by. I was about to ask Stella to help find a spot where we could rest for the evening when the road ahead bent around a sparse collection of oak trees. It looked well enough for me. Stella was humming a tune to herself as our footfalls carried us closer. ¡°This is looking like a nice place to try settling down for the evening. Let¡¯s keep an eye out for where we can set up camp,¡± I said as we were a few dozen paces away from the bend. Stella nodded her head at the thought and once we came around, we saw the road turn into the small forest before us. The trees were spread out sparsely, their boughs waving briskly in the breeze. Trying to eye up a good place to bunk down, an unusual scent hit my nose. The trees had been growing denser and taller as we progressed, casting shadows all around us. We looked at each other and bunched up our noses. ¡°What is that? It smells like¡­ burnt garbage?¡± ¡°Yeah, whatever it is, it¡¯s quite revolting,¡± Stella said, her eyes scanning our surroundings. Both of us tried to figure out what was the cause of the rancorous odor. It was like someone set a bin on fire that was full to the brim with rotten seaweed and gangrenous flesh. ¡°Let¡¯s be on guard. We need to figure out what that is before I could even consider getting a wink of sleep,¡± my tone had dropped to a whisper and we both took on a careful demeanor. While this world was obviously full of beauty, it also carried a dangerous side. A flash of goblin teeth flashed in my mind''s eye before I willfully shut the memory out. I was crouched low and making a conscious effort to cause as little sound as possible. The sun, though I couldn¡¯t see it anymore past the copse of leaves, was dipping even lower in the sky. It would be dark in less than an hour, I guessed. The road ahead bent around to the left, entirely out of sight. We wouldn¡¯t be able to see what was ahead until we came around it. The smell was stronger than ever and nearly had me gagging. I motioned for Stella to pause as I needed to settle myself or I was sure my stomach would give us away to whatever was up there. Breathing through my nostrils was worthless with the horrid stench as strong as it was. It was all I could do to not vomit, so I settled with breathing through clenched teeth. That would have to do. Trying to think of what we could do to remain unseen; I spotted a small gap in the trees to the left an idea hit me. Xaz: Let¡¯s try going quietly through just there between those trees to our left. Do you see it, that small gap? Stella: I see it. Xaz: Ok, follow me, but keep quiet. I¡¯m hoping we can cross through those trees and get a sight of what¡¯s ahead if the road continues around. Let¡¯s be careful. I have a bad feeling about this. Dread was filling my chest. The smell was rank with death and decay but had something extra to it unlike anything I could place to it. Creeping forward, we pressed into the trees wound tightly around us. There was enough room to maneuver, though I lamented having to fight in here if it came to it. The sound of running water reached our ears, so I pulled my battle axe out, gripping it tightly. Stella had landed on my shoulder, her small paws gripping tightly to my leather tunic. Certain there was a small stream ahead, the smell of burnt refuse was ever present, though my nose was going numb to it, thankfully. Doing my best to avoid snapping a tig or crushing a pile of dried leaves, we eventually spied the area opening up ahead. As expected, the road had come right around ahead of our position before coming to an elevated wooden bridge. The bridge was just wide enough to allow a wagon to pass over it. It looked sturdy and well maintained though sections were covered in a green moss. It spanned over what was likely a small brook about a dozen feet wide given the length of the bridge. At the edge of the tree line, we didn¡¯t have an angle to see down on the river, but even if I could, my eyes wouldn¡¯t have left what was before the bridge. Even back when we had entered the forest, I had started seeing small signs of someone having passed through before us. The many oak trees above had surrendered numerous leaves that covered patches of the road here and there. I was hoping the long foot strides carrying the piles of leaves forward with them had confirmed Duke passed here, his heavy boots leaving clear signs of his passing. Compared to those signs earlier, the one before the bridge looked like a tornado had gone through instead. It looked nothing unlike someone who had been turning long, wide circles, almost as if in a dance. The pattern in the leaves before the bridge had swoops and swirls, back and forth. If I didn¡¯t know any better, I would have said someone had battled here as I spied the large arcs in the leaves and other smaller, tight circles. The more I looked, the more I was sure of it. Someone had been moving and spinning back and forth in tight circles causing ruts to appear as they did before us. As the realizations connected in my mind, a pair of notifications popped up in my vision, one after the other. Congratulations! You have acquired the skill: Tracking. Your diligence in studying the world around you have unlocked a new ability for you to gleam secrets from those who have come before you. You are now able to better spot footprints, tracks, and other signs of passage. This passive skill will automatically highlight important aspects of your vision. No detail too small shall escape your sight as this skill grows! Each level in this skill will increase your chance of noticing something interesting by two percent. Congratulations! You have acquired the skill: Stealth. Your slow and careful approach has allowed you to remain undetected by hostile forces. As you increase this skill, you will become harder to be detected. It is rumored that masters of this skill are invisible to the world around them! Each level in this skill will decrease your chance of being detected by an additional two percent. Additionally, damaging attacks and abilities while using Stealth will cause 50% more damage, increasing by two percent per skill level. My muscles froze tight as I read the last message. Well, if that doesn¡¯t scream that something¡¯s ahead, then I don¡¯t know what does, I thought dryly. Chapter 8 - Moss Troll With my new tracking skill working passively, green areas in my vision were highlighted as my eyes scanned the ground before the bridge. Additionally, some intuitive information was included as I made connections between the swooping lines someone¡¯s movement had kicked up as they danced around the area. There was certainly a flow to the battle that raged some time ago It looked like a tall man in heavy boots, judging by multiple gouges and marks of the stone underneath, had faced off against a slightly larger humanoid creature. Whatever the second creature had been though was less certain to my eyes though. In places where I would now expect to see footprints, there instead now seemed to be broken beds of moss, some a few inches wide and others as wide as my hand. It was as if someone took a handful of clumps of some green moss and flung it around. As I continued to take in the screen, I soon noticed a large misshapen lump of moss a few feet off to the right of the bridge. To my eyes, it appeared nothing, unlike someone who had taken several trash bags full of discolored moss and dumped it into a pile half as tall as I was. Taking a few quiet strides out to investigate, a sensation built in my head. It wasn¡¯t painful, but more like a pressure was starting to build. Just as I noticed it and paused, the pressure lessened and then was gone entirely. Confusion had my eyes peering out intently. Nothing for it, I once again moved ahead, as silently as I could. The pressure started coming back and felt almost as if something in me was reacting to some external factor. It was hard to describe. As I moved closer to the pile of moss, the pressure built. Pausing once more, trying to make sense of it, the sensation dropped drastically almost as if it only increased when I was moving. Something¡¯s not right, I thought to myself. The next time I moved my boot, it scrapped across a stone that had been buried under some leaves causing a slight crunching sound to be heard. Immediately, the pressure in my head spiked and an almost overwhelming sense of being spotted flared in my mind. That was it! It was from my new Stealth skill, I thought furiously. Confidence bloomed at the thought, the pressure was directly related to the likelihood of being discovered while in stealth. Pausing once more, I took in my situation. It was clear that someone had fought with something not too long ago, perhaps a few hours or more at most. From the pungent smell, at least one of the combatants had likely been set ablaze based on the scent of burnt flesh. Though, where was the body? Next to consider was the awareness of my stealth skill queueing me on. Something or someone was nearby, perhaps Duke himself, but I doubted it. Duke wasn¡¯t aware that I was trailing him so why would he stick around. That left one option, either whatever he fought while passing through or something that had been attracted by the sickening smell. While I remained motionless, though fully exposed in the middle of the road, the pressure from my stealth skill was highly muted. Who or whatever was nearby could not or had not spotted me. Knowing I couldn¡¯t remain in the open indefinitely, I inched forward to get a better look at the moss pile. With every step closer, the pressure built but then receded when I stopped moving. Then I stepped on a crisp, dried leaf¡­ There was no doubt in my mind. Whatever was impacting my stealth skill was either under the moss or behind it. No matter how hard I looked though, I couldn¡¯t determine what it was. I was close enough to look down under the bridge and the stream that was flowing underneath. It wasn¡¯t that deep, likely a few feet of water to the rocky stones beneath. Still, nothing alive as far as I could tell. The only thing that was kind of out of place was the pile of moss to the right of the bridge. As I continued to look, another lump of moss was just to the right support pillar of the bridge. That pile though was blackened, and I knew it was the source of the burning smell. Even as I looked, small wisps of smoke curled up lazily in the air. The desire to move closer to that bed of death was kept in check by my stealth skill. From my current angle, I was able to see small bits of the burnt moss slowly falling to slide into the stream below, creating small eddies of black and brown goo that were slowly drifting away with the current. If it wasn¡¯t for my stealth warning me of a nearby presence, I doubt I would have thought anything of it. In fact, I guessed that Duke likely had a similar reaction when he passed through the area. That was it, I thought. I was literally making the same mistake Duke had. Whatever fought him appeared to have either died or had been scared off, though I was hardly as powerful as my nemesis was, no doubt. With that realization, the large bed of moss looked more and more out of place. It wasn¡¯t natural. Everything before me was hinting that the misshapen moss only several feet away was dangerous. So, thinking it wouldn¡¯t cause any harm I purposefully thought Inspect while looking at it intently. Nothing happened. Either it was truly nothing or, perhaps, it had a stealth skill a lot like mine. If it had a stealth skill, my guess was that I would be unable to glean any information about it with Inspect. Feeling confident in my plan of action, I held out a palm towards the pile. My flamethrower spell was instant cast, so one way or another we would find out what it contained. Instantly, a gout of flame shot out of my hand striking the mound and the flame curling around it like a pair of greedy hands enveloping it hungrily. An instant after the flames touched the moss, it exploded upwards throwing the green substance like a volcano. A damage notification lanced across my vision. At the same time, I became aware that whatever that was had been inflicted by Burn. Even though the spell would be cast continuously, the sudden and violent explosion caused me to lose concentration of the spell causing it to wink out as if it had never been. The pressure in my temples from my stealth skill also instantly vanished, though I had somehow been made aware that the damage-increasing effect from hitting while in stealth had been triggered. Flinching backward from the torrent of excess moss flying all around, the wish that I could have maintained the spell raced in my mind as I eyed what now towered above me. Even as I spied the massive creature, damage notifications from the burn debuff passed in my vision. Damage inflicted from Burn, 27. With a quick thought, my system interface stopped the message from directly appearing in my vision. Green eyes stared down at me, while I looked back in amazement. Our unstable stalemate was broken as I sensed the burn debuff damaged the creature once more. Instead of a damage notification, I was somehow made aware of the damage and its intensity from the System. Based on the feeling, the damage was not overly large when compared to how powerful the beast appeared. As the tickle of damage bit the beast two things happened at the same time. First, I overcame the shock the creature¡¯s sudden presence had shackled me with and thought Inspect. It hadn¡¯t worked before, but perhaps it would now. Second, the moment the text appeared in my vision, the monstrosity charged heedless and uncaring of the tiny flames eating away at the creature¡¯s mossy hide. With the threat the massive creature posed as it barreled towards me, all rage and fury unleashed, I didn¡¯t read the message like usual. Instead, the system stepped in to help me understand the peril this creature posed to someone of my insignificant level. The information washed over me, and I was aware of its contents as if it had been downloaded so directly, I understood it in the same instant. Moss Troll (Level 15) Like all troll-kin, Moss Trolls are a blight wherever they reside. These large, feebleminded creatures are as ugly as they are fetid. Moss Trolls enjoy spending their days hunkered with misshapen lumps of the moss that cover every inch of their body, awaiting to ambush any prey that stumbles across their path. Don¡¯t let that green moss deceive you, for underneath lies a rock-hard, powerful creature with the strength to rip even a grown bull asunder. Moss trolls enjoy dragging their shattered and broken prey down within the flows of a nearby river before taking massive bites of flesh that will turn any river blood red. Moss Trolls, unlike most of their kin, have no access to magic. Instead, any mana that it could have possessed is instead turned into additional health points. Weary should be any Hunter misfortunate enough to lay eyes upon this devastating creature. Trolls were a staple in most fantasy worlds so I was acutely aware of how powerful they could be and just how dire my situation was. Trolls were notoriously difficult to take down and could easily take down foes with their sheer ferocity and ability to regenerate health. There was no way of knowing if trolls in the Game were similar, but in the seconds I had before the beast reached me, I felt it prudent my impression of the enemy was correct. The only hope that sparked in my mind was whether this creature shared the same weakness of the trolls of my memory; their weakness to fire. I had a split second to decide on how I would react to this fight. Thankfully, my flamethrower spell had caused the troll to be inflicted with a burn which, I hoped, meant that it couldn¡¯t regenerate as long as it was up. The creature¡¯s health pool was massive, so I decided to take advantage of the burn status. I was reminded of my new damaging spelling as it shared the same pattern of damage, striking at the monster¡¯s health pool every six seconds. With the readily apparent difference in strength, height, and likely health pool, I needed all the extra damage I could muster. With a thought, my axe was stored back in my inventory even as both of my hands came up ready to dual cast my new spell, Minor Heat Blood. Even as the troll charged ever closer, my fingers whirled through a complex series of gestures as if they were mirror opposites of the other. The ground shook with each thunderous footfall, fear trying to spike its way into my mind to disrupt the spell casting. Somehow, thankfully, I was able to maintain my concentration and complete the necessary verbal and somatic components of Heat Blood. Unlike the magical energy that normally proceeded most of my spell attacks, this power was akin to superheated air blasting towards the troll, leaving a haze of distortion between us. Lightning-fast, sweltering heat impacted the troll¡¯s chest and burrowed into its chest, stopping it in its tracks. The air between us cooled as quickly as it had been heated, leaving a half dozen paces between the two combatants. The beast looked to its chest and then leveled its glowing jade eyes at me. What I could only describe as a quizzical look passed over the troll¡¯s disproportionate face, almost as if it was trying to comprehend what had just transpired. Then it happened. Awareness of the damage my spell caused crashed into my psyche even as the troll howled in pain, its massive hands flinging outward and its trunk-sized head rocketing backward. The sound of boiling steam held under intense pressure sounded from deep within the creature¡¯s colossal chest. The outrage in the beast¡¯s bellow caused me to flinch in response. When the creature¡¯s raging eyes met mine once more, I realized this fight was far from over. My subconscious was aware that the amount of damage my spell had inflicted was far higher than I had expected, especially considering the spell¡¯s description described it as ¡®causing the target¡¯s blood to simmer.¡¯ Boiling was altogether different. That was a thought for another time, I realized in horror as one of the massive paws of the enraged troll came swiping down at my face. A shout at my side from Stella reminded me I wasn¡¯t alone here. ¡°Health remaining at seventy-three percent!¡± That got me moving. I had little time to think, but I knew by doing over one hundred damage every six seconds with the combined effects of my dual cast heat blood and the burn debuff. All I had to do was play for time as the damage added up, though with the utter hatred and ferocity that was the troll barreling down on me, I could hope to do little else. Bringing my axe back to my hand, I used it in an attempt to parry the obviously overpowered swing coming down upon me. The strength of this creature nearly overwhelmed me as I attempted to redirect the attack. It far out leveled me, but I felt with the damaging spells ticking away at its life, I might just bring it down along with a few swings of my powerful axe. Back peddling, it was all I could hope to do as I backed away from the troll¡¯s brutal claws and tried to get past my frantic attempts at parrying and dodging. It was as if I was nothing more than a thick reed trying to survive the gales of a hurricane. I wasn¡¯t fast enough as the troll¡¯s claws finally connected, pain exploded in my shoulder. Feeling the razor-sharp nails penetrating my flesh caused me to cry out in pain. I cried out in pain and dropped my guard. That felt like it was a mistake. You have suffered 37 damage. You have suffered 31 damage. Those notifications were not minimized, and the hot agony of the damage nearly brought me to my knees. My shout of pain dropped my guard enough that the troll¡¯s fist was unimpeded as it slammed into my chest, blowing me backward and causing even further damage. Worse yet, a new message appeared and nearly stopped my heart as realization dawned at its meaning. Cold, icy dread slipped in my veins. The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. Notice! You have been poisoned. You will suffer 15 damage every 6 seconds for the next 30 seconds. ¡°Xaz!¡± Stella¡¯s shout was distant but was able to break through the pain I was suffering. My eyes flashed down to my health bar, which was sitting at what seemed to be a measly seventy-two points. Quick mental math showed me that the damage from the poison alone was going to deal slightly more than that. In the next thirty seconds alone, seventy-five damage would be enough to end my life, let alone the raging beast that was still standing a half dozen paces. Even now, it was bellowing to the sky in apparent victory. Regardless of any damage the troll seemed sure to inflict upon me, its poison alone was going to kill me. My only hope was my sole healing spell, Minor Healing Wave. ¡°Careful, that poison is enough to kill you!¡± Stella¡¯s voice was closer now as if she was just next to me. My eyes never left the feral creatures roaring in triumph. Didn¡¯t I already know that, I thought without voicing it. My immediate concern and only hope was to get a heal off. Unfortunately, the troll was soon to return to finish the job. Even now, its massive arms were coming back to the ground, surely enough to tear the life from my body. I had no choice, I had to get a heal off or nothing else mattered. The only problem was my simple healing spell wasn¡¯t likely to make enough of a difference. It healed for around twenty-eight health the last time I had checked. It also took a full second to cast and couldn¡¯t be immediately recast. That wasn¡¯t enough. So, I had to look to another skill to hopefully pull me through this battle; channeling. You have suffered 15 damage from Troll Poison! Ignoring the damage notification was easier than I thought, it mattered little with my plan set. Thankfully, the troll¡¯s moment of victory gave me the time I needed. One hand holding my axe for dear life, my other waved in the air as magic escaped my lips. The spell completed and I channeled minor healing wave. The enchanted syllables pulled the rest of the troll¡¯s attention. It starred daggers at the utterance as if my words held its very existence in contempt. Healing energy washed through me for a pair of seconds, but then without my conscious realization the spell cut off. My lips stilled and my hand went motionless. Nothing else mattered as the troll was once more bringing down its blackened claws hurtling toward my small frame. The troll must have believed it was delivering a fatal blow as it put everything into the attack. All the strength it could bring to bear was an instant from slamming into me. The attack looked to be capable of splitting a boulder, but it never touched me. My mind had quieted out everything else, all external stimuli were silent to my ears. I was committed to the fight, everything else was secondary. A single sidestep was all that was needed as the giant¡¯s hand slammed into the ground with crushing effect. Then, I countered. I cut into my enemy¡¯s strength; my axe cut him down without mercy into the depths of his spirit. A memory of my past life flew through my mind, as quick as lightning. The image of a sword representing truth and true justice flickered there as my axe connected. In a fight for your life, nothing else matters more than to cut down your enemy. As the troll bellowed and crashed forward, my axe bit deeply. I cut so deeply that the troll¡¯s arm was sheared off. You have been healed for 46 HP as your health begins to regenerate. I was aware of the message, feeling immensely better, but my focus never wavered. I found that the spell cut itself off. Instead, I found a buff icon on my screen but had no time to check it out as the troll howled in pain. How it howled! Second, the troll reached its remaining hand and clamped it over the stump of an arm that was gushing out blood. ¡°It only has eleven percent health remaining!¡± Stella¡¯s form darted out, circling the mighty beast¡¯s body. She couldn¡¯t damage the creature, but perhaps she could try distracting it. That¡¯s what it looked like anyway, or perhaps she had something similar to adrenaline pumping through her veins as well. Once more, the troll bellowed, this time in pain and outrage as its thick arm fell to the stones below. Part of me understood my damaging spells would be enough to finish the creature, but it wasn¡¯t quick enough in my eyes. Feeling the monster¡¯s unbridled rage turn back on the thing causing it so much agony, I needed to both create some distance between me and the feral, dying creature while also closing the door on its life as well. So, I did both. Stepping back, I threw my axe at the creature¡¯s chest with all the strength I could muster. It landed with a meaty thwap and sunk deep into its chest. In the same instant, awareness of my spell damaging the beast on the inside flashed in my mind. It was enough and the giant troll toppled backward, thudding into the ground, dead, even as moss blew outwards from the impact. Exhaustion and relief brought me to my knees. The troll¡¯s body twitched slightly and small waves of power drifting upwards from the creature signaled my heat blood spell ending. The area around was dead silent now with the conclusion of our battle. It took me a moment to realize I was not in any pain, whatsoever. In a matter of seconds, my wounds had healed over completely. Rotating my shoulder in experimentation, it was as if they were never there. The lingering sensation of cool energy that had concentrated on where I had been wounded faded from my awareness, ¡°Um, Stella?¡± confusion evident in my voice. ¡°How¡­ am I not hurt, let alone alive?¡± Before she could respond, I was bombarded with System notifications. As my eyes scanned the messages, it was clear, this battle had been so worth it. Experience Awarded: Moss Troll (level 15) ¨C 1,800 experience points. You have earned a new achievement, ¡®You''re Lucky You¡¯re Not Dead!¡¯ You have defeated an opponent five times your level! This is a rare feat as most Hunters have little chance against such superior opponents. Fare well, as this feat is unlikely to be repeated and for good reason. Congratulations! You have been awarded 4,000 experience points. Level Up! You have earned enough experience to advance to level 4 and level 5. You have 14 attribute points to distribute. Fight well, Hunter! Slay all that stand in your path! Congratulations, you are now able to select your initial Hunter Class. Connect with your accelerator for more details. Congratulations! New Spell Unlocked: [Minor Boil Blood] [Minor Boil Blood] A blaze of magical energy strikes into a target within 100 feet. The target is afflicted with the debuff "Searing Blood" which causes the victim¡¯s blood to boil at an extreme temperature causing massive internal damage. After 60 seconds the target''s blood cools and the debuff expires. The spell causes 20 plus 2n damage immediately and then every 6 seconds thereafter, where ¡®n¡¯ equals intelligence. Additionally, spell damage has a small chance to stun the target for 1 second. Cost: 45 MP. Cast Time: 1.0 seconds. Cooldown: 1.0 seconds. Duration: 60 seconds. Plus 10 feet maximum range, plus 4 base damage, and plus 1% chance stun to target per spell level. Congratulations! New Spell Unlocked: [Minor Regen] [Minor Regen] A wave of healing energy flows into a target within 30 feet. The target receives the ¡®Minor Regeneration¡¯ buff which heals the target for 22 plus 2n health immediately and then every 6 seconds until the spell expires, where ¡®n¡¯ equals intelligence. After 30 seconds the spell ends. Cost: 30 mana. Cast Time: 1 seconds. Cooldown: 1 second. Duration: 30 seconds. Plus 1 foot maximum range, and plus 6 base healing per spell level. Spell: Minor Regen has increased to level 2. Spell: Minor Flamethrower has increased to level 3. Spell: Minor Healing Wave has increased to level 2. Skill: Axes has increased to level 3. Skill: Dual Casting has increased to level 3. Skill: Channeling has increased to level 3. Skill: Stealth has increased to level 2. Skill: Tracking has increased to level 2. Spell: Heat Blood has increased to level 2. Spell: Boil Blood has increased to level 2. I was a bit taken aback by everything that had just been awarded, ¡°That¡¯s an incredible haul.¡± Two new and, honestly, quite powerful spells were among the best of the bunch, not to mention earning two levels from a single fight! Worry and a hint of exhaustion were evident in Stella¡¯s posture. ¡°I¡¯d say congratulations, no really, I am happy for you, but that was far too close. That achievement, well, it¡¯s an extremely rare accomplishment that most Hunters never see. Getting this low is about the only way it happens and, even then, no one would expect a level three less than a day Hunter to defeat a level fifteen gigantic troll!¡± Some exasperation seeped out of her words there at the end. ¡°Sorry, I just¡­ I don¡¯t want our journey to end so quickly. If at all, if I can help it.¡± Stella¡¯s last comment was said under her breath, but not low enough that she didn¡¯t intend me to pick it up. She was sitting in the air next to me, her head staring upwards with her eyes firmly closed. I placed a hand gently on her small shoulders, ¡°Neither do I, Stell. We got lucky. I¡¯ll be more careful next time.¡± ¡°Well, we survived, so to the victors go the spoils.¡± Spoils indeed, I thought. Kneeling near the troll¡¯s body, my nostrils screaming that they were not yet nose deaf to the smell, I reached out to place a hand on the body when a slight movement caught my eye. ¡°Oh, no you don¡¯t, you son of a bitch,¡± I said with a tinge of heat in my voice. ¡°What,¡± Stella asked as her head swung down. She looked at me, then her eyes followed my gaze before widening as she saw the threat that was trying to wriggle away to safety. The arm that I had looped off the troll was trying desperately to reach the relative safety of the calm stream, no doubt hoping to live another day. In quick order, my hand lanced towards the mossy flesh and flames leaped away to engulf the still-living limb. In a second, it blackened before ¡®falling¡¯ over, truly dead. Not canceling the spell casting, I turned the spell to the troll¡¯s body and immolated it for several seconds to ensure it was also truly dead. ¡°I¡¯m guessing trolls, like from the legends from my world, can only really be killed permanently with fire,¡± I said when the fire of my spell gutted out, taking any last vestige of troll life with it. ¡°It would appear so,¡± Stella said as she flew closer to the scorched limb. She appeared hesitant to get too close, for good reason considering I had received the system notification claiming we had defeated the mob. ¡°Though, I have never encountered one myself, nor had Stouter, to my knowledge.¡± ¡°Ok, then.¡± With that taken care of, I reached down a hand once more, lightly touching the smoldering troll¡¯s corpse, willing its inventory to open. Spoils indeed. Congratulations! You have received {Bracers of the Moss Troll}. {Bracers of the Moss Troll}. Quality: Above Average. Rarity: Rare. Type: Leather. Slot: Wrist. Durability 1000/1000. Armor: 8. Effect(s): Wearing these bracers will increase your constitution by plus 1. You will also have improved resistance to disease debuffs, plus 10%. Secondary Effect(s): Health regeneration is increased by plus 3 every 60 seconds. This effect is doubled outside of combat. ¡°Definitely an upgrade to my other bracers,¡± I said as I stored my not-so-old Hide Bracers of Constitution and equipped the new set. The leather wrapped around my forearms of its own accord, which was a bit creepy, and was dark emerald in color. Each had the appearance of the moss troll¡¯s skin, but no actual moss grew on it. It was more of a cosmetic sentiment, I guessed, though I was equally thankful I wouldn¡¯t have flecks of the green substance falling off any time I moved. Remembering the burned moss bed from earlier, and now suspecting it was actually a dead troll in its own right, we walked closer to the bridge. My palms were ready to fling fire once more should it wasn¡¯t actually dead, we found as I suspected. It was indeed another troll¡¯s corpse with its life burned away from what was surely a fire spell from Duke¡¯s arsenal. While the body was not as crispy as the one we just defeated, it did have a significantly large hole blasted straight through its misshapen head. Studying the body, I guessed that Duke had killed the creature with a singularly powerful spell before ending its regenerative properties with something like my own minor flamethrower. On a whim, I reached down and brushed my fingertips over the body. ¡°Well, would you look at that,¡± I said in astonishment. ¡°Apparently, Duke couldn¡¯t be bothered to even loot the thing. Damn, I bet even he would be regretting that if he could see those bad boys.¡± You received Blood of the Moss Troll x2. Congratulations! You received {Emerald Moss Troll Earring}. {Emerald Moss Troll Earring}. Quality: Superb. Rarity: Rare. Slot: Ear. Durability 1000/1000. Effect(s): Wearing this earring will increase your constitution by plus 5. Additionally, you will regenerate an additional plus 5 health per 60 seconds. Secondary Effect(s): Your wounds will regenerate at twice the normal rate while you are out of combat. Notice! System message - This item''s secondary effect will not stack with your Troll Hide Tunic of the Bloodless. Only one such effect can be applied. Immediately equipping the earrings, my Constitution shot to twenty points which brought my health total to two hundred points. I felt healthier than ever before, vitality surging throughout my body for several seconds as my stats were increased. Further, after a quick inquiry with Stella, my health regeneration was around one point per second. Even better, if I ever swapped out my tunic, I would keep the doubling effect outside of combat. As it stood now, I would fully heal from just a single health point to full in less than two minutes. A thought struck me as I remembered one small message among the slew of system notifications from before. I turned to Stella, excitement fluttering in my chest. ¡°So, what¡¯s this initial Hunter class business?¡± She beamed back at me, matching my excitement, ¡°You¡¯re going to love this part.¡± Chapter 9 - Tier One Class Selection ¡°The choice of an initial class is the first real step for any aspiring Hunter,¡± Stella said. ¡°The choice can, in my ways, define the path you¡¯ll take from this day forward. You are given an array of classes based on the skills and spells acquired since the last upgrade. Since this will be your first time, everything you¡¯ve acquired is available to you. When a Hunter earns level five, a tier one class becomes available. As you grow in levels, and learn new spells and skills, you¡¯ll be able to further specialize your class. Everything you¡¯ll become starts with this choice.¡± ¡°How often does this happen?¡± I asked. ¡°The first tier is unlocked at level five. Tier two classes are available at level ten, and then tier three classes at level twenty. There are certainly more down the road, but that information is not yet available to me at your current level. I would imagine as we reach higher levels, we¡¯ll be able to see when the next tier opens up beyond that,¡± Stella said before continuing. ¡°Most of the time a Hunter continues down a specific path like a Fire Mage at level five choosing to become an Inferno mage at ten, and then perhaps a Hell Caster at twenty. Ultimately, though, the choice is yours. Each time you choose a class you are able to specialize in one spell or skill.¡± ¡°Definitely something to look forward to,¡± I said. ¡°It¡¯s pretty interesting that my choices are defined by what we¡¯ve been able to do so far. A part of me wishes we were able to get other spells back in Winterfalls to have even more options.¡± ¡°Many Hunters likely do just that,¡± Stella agreed. ¡°Trying to get as many spells as possible before hitting a new class tier would seem a wise investment. ¡°Yeah,¡± I said as I eyed our surroundings. Nothing stirred so now would be as good of time as ever to pick my first Hunter class. There were likely hundreds, if not thousands of skills and spells within this game world, so the myriad of classes were no doubt endless. As Stella confirmed, I would be on the lookout for any spell I could pick up in the future. The more I had the more doors would open up in the future. ¡°Ok, hit me. What classes are available?¡± Stella smiled at me as I rubbed my hands together. ¡°Happy to,¡± Stella said with a chuckle, obviously feeling my eagerness. ¡°Oh, but don''t forget about distributing your attribute points from reaching level four and five. You can do that now or later, if you''d like.¡± I laughed, a small portion of my eagerness going a tad flat at the abrupt shift. Not to be deterred, I gave Stella a mischievous look, ¡°Thanks, I can do that right away. Alright, let¡¯s see where I am first.¡± Pulling up my character sheet was simple and, as I looked at it, I was reminded of the progress I had made from just this morning. Character Status Name: Xazorus. ? Title: The Free. Level: 5. Race: Half-Elf. Reputation: Views ¨C 3,298. Followers ¨C 36. Strength: 11. Dexterity: 10. Constitution: 20. Intelligence: 16. Wisdom: 7. Charisma: 8. Luck: 7. Health: 200. Mana: 160. Stamina: 155.? Spells: [Minor Healing Wave] level 2, [Minor Firebolt] level 2, [Minor Restless Slumber] level 2, [Minor Deflecting Shield] level 2, [Minor Flamethrower] level 2, [Minor Regen] level 2, [Minor Heat Blood] level 2, [Minor Boil Blood] level2. Abilities: Mind & Matter, Dark Vision, Exalted Acceleration, Keen Senses, Adaptability. Skills: Dual Casting level 3, Channeling level 3, Axes level 3, Tracking level 2, Stealth level 2. Resistances: Disease 15% Thinking back on my last fight with the troll, having a great deal more constitution seemed a wise decision. Having earned two levels simultaneously, meant I had fourteen attribute points to distribute. My highest stats were constitution and intelligence and, not seeing a better choice at the moment, I decided to split my points between those evenly. Having more health and mana wouldn¡¯t be something I would likely regret. After all, more constitution meant a higher health pool, among other things. Likewise, it was clear that my magic played a vital role in my survival, so I would also need to increase that. The choice wasn¡¯t really all that difficult. Mentally distributing the points, and with the ten percent bonus from my Adaptability trait, brought my total Constitution to twenty-eight points and Intelligence to twenty-three. With the increase confirmed, my health pool shot upwards to two-hundred eighty with my mana pool near to two-hundred thirty. Seeing my Stamina increase as well, nearly to two hundred points, I was reminded that Constitution played a role in that resource pool. Though, I wasn¡¯t finding it particularly useful and certainly not limiting at this point. Perhaps it was because I primarily used my magic in combats, but time would tell as I learned more martial skills. ¡°Alright, with that,¡± Stella looked to be reading an invisible screen before her before continuing, a bright smile plastered on her canine mug. ¡°Notifications coming at you.¡± Notice! The following options are available to be selected as your Tier 1 Hunter class. Please know that this change is irreversible and these particular classes may never become available again. Follow your path and choose wisely, Hunter. Please select your Tier 1 class. Note - After selecting a Tier 1 Hunter Class, any additional levels gained thereafter will automatically increase several attribute points as indicated in the class descriptions below. Options Available: Spell/Skill ???Tier 1 Class Axes >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>? Berserker Minor Boil Blood >>>>>> ?Necromancer Channeling >>>>>>>>>>> ?Channeler Dual Casting >>>>>>>>>>? Spell Slinger Minor Heat Blood >>>>>> ?Thaumaturge Minor Deflecting Shield >>? Divergent Minor Firebolt >>>>>>>>> ?Magician Minor Flamethrower >>>>? Fire Mage Minor Healing Wave? >>>>? White Mage Minor Regeneration?>>>> ?Revivalist Minor Restless Slumber >>? Enchanter Stealth >>>>>>>>>>>>>>? Rogue Tracking >>>>>>>>>>>>? Stalker Seeing the list of all the spells and skills I had acquired, along with the corresponding available classes, reminded me of everything that had transpired in such a relatively short period of time. I had been just a plain non-player character just earlier that morning after all. So many options were available to me, though, my gut helped me eliminate some of the choices right off the bat. My eyes passed over Berserker which was available because of the seriously bad-ass axe I had received from Stouter and Stella, I felt confident my desired Hunter path was carried through the use of magic and spell casting. So, Berserker, Rogue, and Stalker were all out of the picture as they were certainly all melee-based. Several other choices didn¡¯t strike a chord with me either so were initially discarded. Still, the more I thought about it, this choice was going to have profound and lasting effects on my future in this world. ¡°Hmm,¡± I said with some hesitation. Stella gazed at me uncomprehending my internal thoughts. ¡°So, could you show me a few of these, though I doubt I¡¯ll be picking them. I want to see everything available, though I¡¯m ninety-nine percent confident I¡¯m going to choose a magic-based class.¡± ¡°No trouble at all,¡± Stella said as I asked for information on Berserker, Rogue, and Stalker. She continued speaking as the information appeared in my vision, though I kept my attention fixed on her as the information she shared was quite interesting. ¡°It¡¯s quite normal that some classes are dismissed out of hand. In fact, most Hunters already have a particular class type in mind when they first enter the World and take it slow, avoiding level five, until their desired spell or skill has been learned. While this can lead to the early deaths of some Hunters, most are able to at least choose a class similar to what was originally desired.¡± Nodding at Stella, I turned my attention to the three classes presented from the martial and physical skills I had learned to this point. As I expected, none were down the path I was seeking, though my eyes did hover over the Rogue for a period of time. Magic called to me in this world, but sneaking around and attacking my enemies from the shadows did have a certain appeal to it. Maybe one day I would adapt some of those elements into my new life, only time would tell. Berserker ¨C Class Description ¨C The Berserker is a whirlwind of ferocity, utilizing axes of all types to destroy any foe unwise enough to stand against the storm of wrath that boils to the surface whenever battle commences. Berserkers excel in combat, capable of delivering heavy damage while shirking off, or downright ignoring, the damage their foes can inflict in return. Axe skills level 50% faster. Damage dealt with axes is increased by an additional 50%, all damage resistance is increased by 25% and maximum health receives a persistent 25% increase. In early levels, a Berserker will be able to enter a raged state, further increasing damage dealt to their foes, but at the cost of less control over one¡¯s animalistic nature. Plus 2 Strength and plus 1 Constitution per level. Rogue ¨C Class Description ¨C The Rogue strikes from the shadows with overwhelming physical damage, often ending a fight before their target even realizes death has descended. Rogues excel in delivering large amounts of damage while in Stealth and primarily use daggers, short swords, and, eventually, poisons to devastating effect. All martial skills level 25% faster. Damage dealt while in Stealth is increased by an additional 50%, Stealth no longer drains Stamina and the Rogue is 25% harder to detect. In later levels, a Rogue will bypass most, if not all, defensive measures designed to keep out enemies, whether magical or physical in nature. Plus 1 Strength, Constitution, and Dexterity per level. Stalker ¨C Class Description ¨C Similar to a Rogue, the Stalker prefers to strike at foes from great distances while remaining undetected. Stalkers excel in raining damage upon their foes while remaining safe against all but the longest-ranged counterattacks. Ranged skills level 50% faster. Damage from ranged attacks is increased by an additional 50%, accuracy from ranged attacks is increased by 25% and maximum stamina receives a persistent 25% increase. In later levels, a Stalker ability to strike from afar will exceed all but the most powerful of attacks, and almost no foe can remain hidden from their tenacious determination. Plus 1 Constitution, Dexterity, and Luck per level. ¡°Thanks, Stell,¡± I said after reviewing each in turn. Each was interesting in its own right, no doubt, but was not in line with where my heart was taking me. ¡°Okay. Let¡¯s get serious. Can you give me information for all the other options?¡± ¡°Yup, here you go,¡± she replied before several pages of notifications bombarded my vision. Necromancer ¨C Class Description ¨C While a Thaumaturge focuses on both direct damage and damage of time spells, a Necromancer primary focuses begins with their damage over time spell line. Necromancers excel in causing massive amounts of damage over prolonged battles. Damage over time spells level 50% faster. Damage of time spells deal 100% additional base damage and are 25% harder to resist. In later levels, a Necromancer will also begin to dabble in spells that can bring undeath to his slain enemies, forcing them to rise and serve the caster. Plus 1 Intelligence, Wisdom and Luck per level. Channeler ¨C Class Description ¨C A Channeler¡¯s focus is to continuously rain down devastating magic upon their enemies, never relenting or allowing their enemy to counterattack. They excel in turning any direct damage spell into a continuous stream of raw energy. The channeling skill and all direct damaging spells level 25% faster. Channeling requires 50% less mana to cast and deals 50% additional damage. In later levels, a Channeler begins to understand the unending depths of the arcane and can create new, more powerful, effects through force of will alone. Plus 1 Intelligence, Wisdom and Luck per level. Spell Slinger ¨C Class Description ¨C A Spell Slinger¡¯s primary focus is to overwhelm their opponents with an endless barrage of spells. They excel at being able to continuously cast spell after spell to all that oppose them. All spells level 25% faster. Dual casting spells require 50% less mana to cast and deal 50% additional base damage. In later levels, a Spell Slinger begins to understand the unending depths of the Universe and can create new, more powerful, effects through force of will alone. Plus 1 Constitution, Intelligence, and Luck per level. Thaumaturge ¨C Class Description ¨C A Thaumaturge¡¯s focus is centered on their ability to damage foes through destructive and damage over time spells. They seek versatility as opposed to a narrower focus like with other spell casters. Direct and damaging over time spells level 25% faster. Both spell types deal 50% more base damage and are 25% harder to resist. In later levels, a Thaumaturge will fine-tune their destructive talent into assaulting large groups of enemies. Plus 1 Intelligence, Wisdom and Luck per level. ?Divergent ¨C Class Description ¨C A Divergent¡¯s focus is primarily on defense, never allowing physical and magical attacks to land. Ever elusive, the Divergent is an exceedingly difficult foe to lock down and can escape even the most powerful attacks by the smallest of margins. Defensive spells and skills level 50% faster. Counter-attacking spells and skills deal 25% additional damage, are 25% harder to defend against, and dodge is increased by a flat 25%. In early levels, a Divergent begins to understand the most inner workings of arcane and physical deflection and will begin bending all attack types back upon their foes. Plus 1 Intelligence, Wisdom and Luck per level. This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. Magician ¨C Class Description ¨C A Magician¡¯s focus is primarily to throw out spells of destruction, regardless of spell type. A Magician never stops in their desire to acquire all types of magic. Direct damage spells level 25% faster. Direct damage spells deal 50% more base damage and are 25% harder to resist. In later levels, a Magician begins to dabble in the art of summoning elemental creatures to do their bidding, serving as both defender and fighter to any that would try to bring harm to the caster. Plus 1 Intelligence, Wisdom and Luck per level. Fire Mage ¨C Class Description ¨C Unlike a Thaumaturge, the Fire Mage¡¯s focus is centered on their ability to damage foes solely through fire-attuned spells. They seek a singular focus and never stray from the sweltering power that blazes from their core. Direct damaging fire spells level 50% faster. Fire spells deal 100% more base damage and are 25% harder to resist. In later levels, a Fire Mage will fine-tune their destructive talent into assaulting large groups of enemies. Plus 1 Intelligence, Wisdom and Luck per level. White Mage ¨C Class Description ¨C A White Mage¡¯s primary focus is on the rejuvenation and restoration of others. They seek to cure the most virulent and destructive curses and diseases, while also harnessing curative power that can restore even the most damaged wound as if it never occurred. Healing spells level 25% faster. Restorative spells heal 50% more base damage and include a 25% regenerative effect of the health restored. In later levels, a White Mage¡¯s power crosses into the divine and will allow even those in the footsteps of death to continue fighting for a short time. Plus 1 Constitution, Intelligence, and Wisdom per level. Revivalist ¨C Class Description ¨C A Revivalist¡¯s primary focus is on the rejuvenation of others. They seek to overwhelm any curse, disease, or poison with sheer regenerative magic, usually outlasting all but the most epidemic level of spells. Regenerative spells level 50% faster. Regenerative spells heal 100% more base damage and last 25% longer. In later levels, a Revivalist¡¯s healing powers will be capable of healing beyond a target¡¯s maximum health, to an extent, and will keep a target alive unless all traces of their restorative magic have been spent. Plus 1 Constitution, Intelligence, and Wisdom per level. Enchanter ¨C Class Description ¨C An Enchanter¡¯s focus is on mesmerizing and charming all those around him, bringing order and control to even the most disorderly of battlefields. They become experts in magical manipulation of both friends and foes. Crowd Control spells level 50% faster. Crowd Control type spells are 100% harder to resist and last 25% longer. In later levels, an Enchanter will begin to understand the complexities of controlling the minds of their enemies, causing them to fight and die at the behest of the Enchanter¡¯s whims. Plus 1 Intelligence, Wisdom, and Luck per level. ¡°Wow,¡± was the only thing I could say to begin with. My available classes and choices were a bit overwhelming to say the least. ¡°It¡¯s hard to know where to begin. Each one brings with it a lot of power, with some going down a singular path like fire magic, or damaging over time spells, while others are broader like all damaging or healing type spells.¡± Stella nodded at my assertion and remained patient, floating next to me. Her eyes never left me, seemingly ready to answer any question that I may have. Her calm demeanor helped relax some of the budding anxiety welling in my stomach. Information overload was high and the feeling of how impactful this decision would be for my entire future threatened me with indecision. My eyes met hers, a hint of terror in mine giving way to her unwavering support. Something passed unspoken between us and a bit of her calm crept into mine. Holding a deep breath for a moment, I let out a long sigh. I wasn¡¯t alone in this and I trusted Stella to not lead me down the wrong path. Nodding my appreciation at her my eyes once again read over the many options. ¡°I¡¯m not going to lie, I¡¯m drawn right away to the Necromancer class. The feeling I had when I cast my heat blood spell against the troll, and then when it turned into boil blood sparked something, right here,¡± I said as I gently tapped my chest. ¡°I don¡¯t want to move too quickly, so let¡¯s go through each if you don¡¯t mind, before I... we, make this choice.¡± ¡°I¡¯d be happy to,¡± Stella said, again with a calmness in her voice that stilled my not-so-racing mind now. ¡°But that reminds me though, know that when you pick one of these classes, the corresponding spell or skill will become specialized.¡± ¡°Specialized?¡± I inquired, prompting Stella for more information. Stella pondered a moment before continuing, ¡°Specializing in a spell or skill further develops the power it can bring forth into the World. For spells, it can increase the damage dealt, bring about new effects, increase its duration, or all of the above really. For skills, it is quite similar, but essentially makes it more powerful. There is no way to know for certain, as the System makes the changes the moment after you select your new class. So, I can only make an educated guess with your options, though I hesitate to as I could be way off the mark. Perhaps what would be most helpful now is if I explain how it went for Stouter when he selected his tier-one class. At level five, with the same axe you now wield, Stouter selected the class linked to his axe skill. For him, the available class was called a Sanguine Warrior.¡± ¡°Well, that just sounds awesome,¡± I said bluntly. ¡°It certainly was,¡± Stella continued. ¡°His class increased damage caused from one-handed axes, while also drastically increasing the blood loss from his slashing attacks. Even better, any bleeding effects caused by his attacks healed him for a small portion of the damage over time component. Additionally, it stated that in later levels blood loss from his opponents would in turn empower Stouter further, granting a haste-like effect for a short while.¡± My eyes widened at the benefits of such a class. Stella nodded appreciatively at my response before continuing, ¡°The specialization that went in tandem upgraded his simple axe skill into a ¡®hemorrhaging axe.¡± Essentially, this caused nearly all of his attacks to gain a powerful bleeding effect and, as you can imagine, it harmonized well with his new class. He was a force to be reckoned with, all the while regenerating damage with every swing of his axe. Up until the end, he only had difficulty with monsters that were incapable of bleeding, like one particularly tough rock elemental I won¡¯t get into right now.¡± ¡°I can imagine how powerful he was at his prime. I¡¯m all the more encouraged to see how my own spells will be specialized when we get to that.¡± I was feeling quite a bit better and had calmed greatly as I listened to Stella talk about her friend. A touch of excitement touched my eyes, as I once again focused on the choices before me. ¡°So,¡± Stella said seeing the gleam in my eyes. ¡°Which class would you like to talk about first?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s do Necromancer last, so¡­¡± I said, scrolling through the list. ¡°Let¡¯s start with Channeler and Spell Slinger, as they are a lot like each other. Both are impressive in that they would allow me to cast a lot of spells in succession, either one after another or one long stream of power. The drawback, though, is choosing either one would hamper the benefit from having such a powered axe, which has been a bit crucial to our success so far, I¡¯m not unhappy to admit.¡± ¡°Uh huh,¡± Stella nodded at my spoken thoughts. ¡°Also, it likely wouldn¡¯t work with any damaging over time spell that you mentioned you are enjoying so far. Either class would help you not have to worry about running out of mana as you would otherwise when using those skills constantly, but also comes with the cost of not leveling up as fast as the other classes.¡± ¡°Ok, moving on then,¡± I said as my eyes lingered on another two similar classes. ¡°I¡¯m certain we can rule out both White Mage and Revivalist. Both would do wonders in a group, sure, but each is more of a support class. I don¡¯t see us teaming up any time soon.¡± This last comment had me looking at Stella pointedly. ¡°With how most Hunters are, I highly doubt it,¡± Stella replied. ¡°People like you and Stouter are uncommonly rare, from what I can see. While the System doesn¡¯t grant me knowledge of specific Hunters in the world we now share, I do know how most will operate. Best guess is another Hunter would attack you if given the opportunity eighty to ninety percent of the time, though Hunter versus Hunter is not as common as you might expect.¡± ¡°Good to know, I suppose. Usually player versus player, as I¡¯ve known it in my past, can be quite dangerous when compared to fighting monsters at similar levels.¡± My eyes scanned the list, looking for other classes that were similar or I could rule out easily. ¡°Magician and Fire Mage were pretty common spell caster types from my past life. Fire spells can also be quite powerful, though I¡¯m curious if many higher-level mobs will have more resistance to that type of magic as I¡¯m used to.¡± ¡°Yes, fire resistance is one of the more prevalent resistances later on, but the innate ability those two classes have that lower resistance balances some of that out,¡± Stella said as she hovered next to me, eyeing the system message with me. ¡°The Magician¡¯s ability to later on call forth a pet elemental does feel intriguing,¡± I mused. ¡°Even more so considering what we just talked about with the likelihood of grouping up with other Hunters,¡± Stella affirmed. ¡°Still, between fire magic and my damage over time spells, I think I¡¯m leaning more towards the latter,¡± I said with a small shake of my head. ¡°So that leaves Divergent and Enchanter next, as I¡¯m unlikely to pick Thaumaturge over Necromancer.¡± ¡°Divergent could be interesting,¡± Stella strode forward with the next options to consider. ¡°You can¡¯t be killed if you can¡¯t be hit, after all.¡± ¡°True, but that defensive role seems more reactive in nature,¡± I said, running my fingers through my dark hair. A glimpse of the fading sun shone through the leaves over our heads, reminding me that we would soon be at nightfall. ¡°I feel like I want to be more, I don¡¯t know¡­ active in a fight. I¡¯m sure it would be hell trying to fight someone like that, but it doesn¡¯t speak to me, you know?¡± ¡°No, I get it,¡± Stella said as she nodded. ¡°So, that leaves us with Enchanter, and Necromancer of course.¡± Pursing my lips, I nodded back to Stella. ¡°Enchanter seems pretty badass. Being able to control the flow of battle can be paramount. If we ever had to fight a group of enemies, which seems likely as we¡¯re currently solo, it looks like I would be able to lock most of them down and only have to fight one at a time. Even better, later on being able to charm an opponent and turn it against its friends is the definition of turning an enemy¡¯s strength against it.¡± Stella turned away from the list and we locked gazes. She voiced her concern about the class, just before I did. ¡°All great benefits, though this class, more than others, would be quite vulnerable at lower levels. Sure, resistance to this type of magic is granted with the class, but one badly failed resistance could quickly lead to your demise.¡± ¡°True enough,¡± I agreed. ¡°Though, if we could make it to higher levels, an Enchanter would be a very powerful class, I have no doubt about it. Like some of the other available classes, this is more of a support class. I feel like only later on would I become a truly viable solo class. Don¡¯t get me wrong, this one is at the top of the list, but I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a good fit for me in the here and now. Oh, and I only have a single crowd-controlling spell currently so the class would essentially be wasted until I got more powerful ones.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll start earning spells soon when you level, but we¡¯ll get to that a little later,¡± Stella countered which had me looking at her curiously. ¡°For now, I think you¡¯re right. We need you to be powerful and able to be a solo Hunter for what could be a long time. So, that leaves Necromancer, what do you think?¡± ¡°Well, let¡¯s take a quick look at Thaumaturge,¡± I said before looking together at the Necromancer class. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t ignore it because Heat Blood feels weaker to my new boil blood spell.¡± Stella nodded for me to continue. ¡°Thaumaturge feels similar to Spell Slinger in that spells wouldn¡¯t level quite as fast as the other classes, but it had the versatility that could be a huge benefit as I continued to progress. I can see myself casting both direct damage and damage over time spells in the near future, so would suit my spell casting pretty well. I also like that later on a Thaumaturge looked to be able to take on large groups of monsters, likely damaging them all for some serious numbers. That was all well and good, but as we¡¯ve mentioned I¡¯m a solo Hunter currently, for the foreseeable future. Taking on such large groups could be akin to suicide.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Stella bobbed her head. ¡°Necromancer.¡± ¡°The way I read it, especially considering what it gains ¡®in later levels¡¯, seems to be a powerful solo class. In my experience from my past life, it was almost unparalleled in that respect. Only something like a Magician could come close. I knew that here, the Game, wouldn¡¯t line up like those that I¡¯m used to, but I believe I¡¯m close.¡± Stella nodded at this, so I continued my train of thought. ¡°Not only that but there¡¯s something about these damage over time spells that just speaks to me. The ability to cast it, then weave in other damaging spells, or even apply my powerful axe to my foes¡­ just feels right, you know? Even better, if I get to summon a skeleton pet later on, it makes it even more powerful.¡± ¡°Finally,¡± Stella said when I paused. ¡°Such a class that specializes in a certain type of magic, this one DoTs, you¡¯ll level those spells at the fastest rate and be doing twice the base damage. The extra ability to lower enemy resistances to these types of spells is sugar on top to sweeten the deal.¡± ¡°Yeah, I think that¡¯s the sum of it,¡± I said as I mentally selected Necromancer. A yes/no option appeared, ensuring I confirmed the selection. Turning to Stella, we locked eyes once more. I knew the choice was ultimately mine to make, but I would be a fool to not let Stella¡¯s guidance help guide me. She nodded at me, a slight smile on her fur-covered face. I made my choice and selected Necromancer as my class. Congratulations! Tier 1 Class Unlocked - As a Necromancer all of your damage over time spells now level 50% faster and deal 100% additional base damage. All spells of this type now automatically bypass up to twenty-five magical and non-magical resistances. All spells of this type have had their tooltips and information automatically updated. Class bonuses will be retained permanently, regardless of future class choices. Welcome, Necromancer. The World is open to you unlike ever before. Let your enemies tremble as your power consumes the very essence that holds them to their mortal coil. Congratulations! You have specialized in the Spell, [Minor Boil Blood]. It has been upgraded to [Lesser Blood Boil], *Specialized*. [Lesser Blood Boil] (*Specialized*) A blaze of magical energy strikes into a target within 100 feet. The target is afflicted with the debuff "Lesser Searing Blood" which causes the victim¡¯s blood to boil at an extreme temperature causing massive internal damage. After 60 seconds the target''s blood cools and the debuff expires. The spell causes 80 (up from 40) plus 2n damage immediately and then every 6 seconds thereafter, where ¡®n¡¯ equals intelligence. Additionally, spell damage has a small chance to stun the target for 2 seconds each time damage is applied. Cost: 45 mana. Cast Time: 1.0 seconds. Cooldown: 1.0 seconds. Duration: 60 seconds. Plus 10 feet maximum range, plus 8 base damage, and plus 1% additional chance to stun the target per spell level. Specialized Effect added, ¡®Blistering Surge¡¯ debuff. ¡®Blistering Surge¡¯, If the target dies before the spell ends, the target¡¯s veins violently burst outwards, showering all nearby targets within a 10-foot radius in boiling blood. Those enemies received 35% of the remaining damage divided evenly among them. Note ¨C This total damage dealt cannot exceed the original target''s maximum health. Note - As a Necromancer, the spell automatically bypasses up to 25% magical and non-magical resistances and deals 100% additional base damage. Utterly stunned, my jaw was hanging open as I read my specialized spell¡¯s new description. ¡°Hot damn! Shit,¡± I exclaimed as I threw my hands out wide. Paying no mind to the startled Stella just off to my side, my eyes read and reread the spell''s information. ¡°This is my absolute new favorite spell. Not only does it last twice as long, but essentially has a huge area of effect to all nearby creatures if the monster dies early.¡± ¡°But why did it become a ¡®lesser¡¯ version?¡± I continued, ¡°I¡¯m not complaining, mind you. It was just unexpected.¡± ¡°Yup, each new class tier and new specialization is one of a Hunter¡¯s most important power gains. Just wait until you reach level ten and get a tier two class,¡± Stella said with a fierce grin. ¡°As to the lesser upgrade, I¡¯m guessing it''s because the system upgraded the spell''s total duration. Higher tier spells usually do significantly more damage or, in the case of DoTs like this one, they last quite a bit longer.¡± ¡°No kidding,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯m betting that unless a mob is something akin to a boss-level monster, this spell is going to wreak havoc on them and, with that fantastic specialization, anything unfortunate ally around it.¡± Finally able to take my eyes off the spell¡¯s description, I turned to my floating companion. ¡°I fucking love it.¡± That brought an abrupt laugh to Stella¡¯s lips, ¡°Oh my, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve heard you speak like that yet.¡± Shaking her head in amusement, I could only shrug in response. Eying the spell and feeling its power ready to spring forth at my command was exciting. That giddy part tingling with excitement dampened for a moment though. If the stark reminder of what happened to my family in Winterfalls hadn¡¯t crept back into my mind, I would have said I was quite enjoying my time with Stella thus far. Shaking those memories away, at least for now, I reoriented on my present circumstances. It was as if I was finding my rhythm, my stride in this new World, in this Game as a fresh Hunter. My life had been turned upside down, not to mention feeling like I had been thrown off a cliff, but in this moment, I felt at ease with Stella hovering by my side. I reached over and pulled her close, before placing her on my shoulder. She nudged the underside of my hand, prodding me to gently stroke her tiny neck. She seemed to be matching my mood equally. ¡°It¡¯s you and me, Stell, up against the World. Are you ready to get back onto the hunt?¡± I asked as I arched my back, limbering up. Stretching my neck side to side, I readied myself. My axe¡¯s reassuring weight in my hand, my magic ready on my lips. ¡°Absolutely,¡± Stella replied simply. I had a confident grin on my face as we gazed out at the world around us. The sound of rushing water next to us gave us courage. The gentle breeze of the air whistling through the forest, abound with thousands of vibrant leaves, steadied our resolve. We were just getting started, but now, more than ever, determination lanced through the space between us. Stella and I, together, would bring justice to those who sought to bring harm to others in this World. Duke was one such Hunter and would focus our direction, for now. Though, any wicked Hunter that crossed paths with us would feel the touch of our valor. I was going to be a Hunter who would strive for truth, about himself and those around him, and use the strength granted by the System to achieve that end. I was ready for war. Chapter 10 - Cave of the Twitching Stalkers A short while later, the ¡®troll¡¯ forest was receding into the distance. Once more, we were greeted with a sprawling grassland as far as the eye could see. An occasional small spruce of trees, or lone pine, dotting at irregular intervals. Not a single soul or enemy could be seen so we agreed to continue to travel under the mid-day sun. A thought stirred in my mind so I turned to my floating companion and voiced it aloud. ¡°Stella, I¡¯ve been thinking about how I unlocked both boil blood and my regen spell during the troll fight. I also unlocked my flamethrower spell earlier, so I was curious if the dual casting and channeling skill will always unlock a new spell, or is that fairly rare?¡± Stella sat down in the air, though continued moving forward with me, just a foot over from my shoulder. After a second that looked like she was debating how to answer, she responded, ¡°It¡¯s not too uncommon, especially with lower-level spells. For most Hunters, it can be a reliable way to unlock new spells, though the System may not unlock a new spell simply by using it a single time.¡± I raised an eyebrow at that, so Stella added what I was actually just thinking, ¡°Perhaps it would be wise to do some experimenting?¡± ¡°Sounds good, though I wonder if I¡¯m going to regret not doing this earlier,¡± I said with a slight frown. Stella caught my meaning right away, looking downward with a tilt of her head in apparent embarrassment. I pressed the thought, seeing her reaction. ¡°You know, before reaching level five and having the system grant me even more classes that I could have picked from.¡± ¡°Yeesshh,¡± Stella muttered through clenched teeth. ¡°Ha, well. Any suggestions on what I should try?¡± I asked with a slight shake of my head. There was no point in poking the bear now, what¡¯s done was done. Plus, if I was honest with myself, I would have likely chosen Necromancer anyway. ¡°Hmm, good question,¡± Stella said, pressing a paw against the side of her mouth as if in thought. Stopping in the middle of the road, I turned to face her. ¡°Your healing wave, firebolt, and heat blood spell have all resulted in either upgraded versions or similar spells. Looking at what you have, I¡¯d say to try with your minor deflection shield. It¡¯s a one-and-done, instant-cast spell, but perhaps we can get something that¡¯s more of an ongoing buff from what I see in the data behind the scenes. ¡°Sounds like a good idea as any. If we¡¯re looking for something more of a sustain shield buff, channeling would seem to cross that goal. Dual casting, on the other hand, feels like it would just make the deflection more powerful. Alright, here we go.¡± There were no verbal or somatic gestures required for the spell since it was cast instantly. I essentially willed it into being, drawing upon my mana pool to bring the magical effect to life. My first attempt resulted in the deflection barrier springing into being and was held around my body for the two seconds the spell lasted. My second attempt had the same result. ¡°I can will it forth, but¡­ it¡¯s like I feel it well up and spring out from my body and then I lose control of it. There¡¯s nothing to channel, if that makes sense.¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± Stella mused. ¡°Sounds like you¡¯re casting it and then willing it to last longer, but not actually bringing your channeling skill with it. Try this, focus your mind solely on your channeling ability, hold it and then cast deflection shield with the intent to maintain the channeling aspect.¡± ¡°Sounds easy enough,¡± I said as I settled into a lower stance. Taking a deep breath, I closed my eyes. This time, I willed the channeling skill forth. Nothing happened at first, but then I felt it. It was as if my mind had mentally grabbed onto an invisible rope in the darkness. I could sense its texture as if it was made of a thick liquid that wanted to squirm this way and that. It wanted to be released. As I continued to mentally hold the elusive cord of energy, it felt as if the cord reached down into my chest and touched the core of my power held within. Instinctively, I knew the cord of power represented the skill to channel my magic, the mana within me, to bring forth a continuous stream of power with whatever spell I connected it with. Holding that mental image, I willed minor deflection to stream through the cord of mana. My power responded. My eyes opened just as a fountain of energy flowed out before me, the deep color of my mana pool. It started as a thick stream, at chest height and as thick as my arm, before wrapping around me in a cocoon of protective energy. In the next instant, the elliptical sphere shrunk down to a scant hairsbreadth away from my skin before disappearing from view altogether. Congratulations! New Spell Unlocked: [Minor Shielding]. [Minor Shielding]. Surrounds your body in a skin-tight magical shield which increases your armor rating by 25. This invisible barrier also has a small chance of outright deflecting some physical blows. Duration is 15 plus n minutes, where ¡®n¡¯ equals intelligence. Cost: 20 mana. Cast Time: 3 seconds. Recast Time: N/A. Cooldown: N/A. Plus 2 armor class per spell level. ¡°Not too bad,¡± I said as I tried to feel the now invisible barrier. No matter what I did, I wasn¡¯t able to cause the power to flare in response, even after punching myself in the arm. ¡°I¡¯m guessing it only works against aggressive attacks, right Stella?¡± ¡°Um, yes, that¡¯s what I¡¯m seeing on my end,¡± Stella said she looked blankly at the air just in front of her. I still wasn¡¯t able to see whatever it was she was capable of pulling up with her personal interface with the system. ¡°Another thing to note, that spell will only work against non-magical attacks, so keep that in mind.¡± ¡°Still, it¡¯s a nice addition and helps improve my armor class. With the spell active, that brings me to¡­¡± I said as my inventory screen came up. ¡°Fifty-eight AC almost doubled from what I had before. With my intelligence, it will last a whopping thirty-eight minutes. Though, when the effect wears off, will I notice it right away?¡± I asked. I was a little worried the spell would drop and I¡¯d forget to recast it, meaning I would be less protected in our next engagement. ¡°You¡¯ll notice it for sure. The barrier will appear suddenly before dispersing, like dust on the wind,¡± Stella said as a paw swiped the air. She then turned to me before adding, ¡°I¡¯ll help remind you too when it¡¯s going to wear off, that way you¡¯re not left unprotected. Stouter had a very similar spell and it''s perfect for lower levels and will help keep you alive. I also read that it will not stack with the original deflection spell.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a shame, but I feel like I¡¯d rather keep this one up. While the instant cast of the other one was nice, I have a feeling I¡¯d forget to use it in the flurry of combat.¡± Stella nodded along with my reasoning. ¡°Plus, it will get stronger over time as it levels. Alright, for my next trick, I¡¯m really hoping to do something else with my firebolt spell. Flamethrower is great, but I¡¯ll be honest, I would really love a fireball spell.¡± Stella pulled up another one of her invisible screens, flashing a paw around in the air. ¡°Normally, a spell can only be upgraded, but that¡¯s more of the norm than a hard rule. Let¡¯s see what we can do. The Game does take multiple factors into account, such as your intent, so it can¡¯t hurt to try. Stouter didn¡¯t have a fireball spell, so walk me through what you¡¯re looking to have happen.¡± ¡°You know,¡± I said a little taken aback. Fireball was a staple spell from my previous life, but perhaps it wasn¡¯t as well known here in the World. ¡°Well, think of the firebolt spell, but a lot bigger and I mean by a lot. Instead of a tiny pitch of fire, think of one that¡¯s a foot or two in diameter and explodes when it hits something.¡± ¡°We can work with that,¡± Stella said with a nod of her tiny head. ¡°As I said, your intent comes into play. So, try casting your firebolt while using the dual casting skill, but don¡¯t simply release the spell. Instead, hold the spell at the cusp of completion. Let the power grow for several seconds. If this works, you¡¯ll feel something click inside, then release the spell. That tree, there, seems to be a good target for you. A tiny firebolt would barely singe its rough bark.¡± Nodding at her guidance, I followed the advice on how to create the desired effect. Minor Firebolt had a one-second cast time, so I steadied myself as the words and motions to the spell came to mind. Triggering my dual cast skill, I began. Arcane words and syllables escaped my lips as my hands twisted in the air, mirror images of the other. Just as the last word left my lips, I mentally held onto the energy. To my surprise, it worked exactly as Stella predicted. My eyes opened wider as a small pitch of flame grew from the size of a runt avocado to a softball, then elongated into the size of a football. The flaming sphere vibrated with contained energy, and then it happened. Something just clicked and I understood the spell could not be held any longer. Looking at the tree a dozen paces ahead, I release the spell. With my palms cradling the ball of flame, I pushed outwards towards my target. Now the size of a soccer ball, the pitch of plasma hurtled away. The results were spectacular. A spell accelerated away at incredible speed as if a diving peregrine falcon. Unfortunately, I hadn¡¯t realized that the angle of my hands had too much of a downward trajectory. It detonated with spectacular force, striking the ground halfway to the lone tree. The area erupted in a torrent of flame as the spell exploded in all directions. Unfortunately for me, the concussive blast threw me backward. Blinking in confusion, my ears were ringing loudly. Finding myself sitting on my butt, my gaze instantly shot over to Stella who was floating several feet away. I couldn¡¯t hear her past my ringing ears, but by the bobbing of her shoulders, she was having quite the laugh at my expense. ¡°Delete that footage!¡± I yelled while pointing a stern finger in her direction. Stella still wore that damned smug grin when my hearing finally cleared a minute later. A new system message displayed across my screen as I swear, she asked me to ¡®please do that again.¡¯ Nope, not happening. Congratulations! New Spell Unlocked: [Minor Fireball]. [Minor Fireball]. A ball of liquid plasma shoots from your palms to strike a target or area of your choice within 100 feet. Upon contact, the fireball explodes dealing damage to all targets within 15 feet. Each target struck is damaged for 40 plus 3n health, where ¡®n¡¯ equals intelligence. Objects and creatures struck by the spell have a moderate chance of being inflicted with the ¡®burning¡¯ debuff, causing additional damage over time. Cost: 30 mana. Cast Time: 2 seconds. Cooldown: 1 second. Plus 10 feet max range, 8 base damage, and 1% additional chance to inflict burn per spell level. ¡°That was enjoyable,¡± Stella said as she settled down next to me. Raising an eyebrow at her, she shrugged her shoulders. ¡°Well, for me at least. You did get a new spell, so¡­ congrats!¡± ¡°Your concern is touching, Stell,¡± I said shaking the last remnants of cobwebs from my head. My health had certainly taken damage, but my natural regeneration had already refilled anything I had lost. ¡°That¡¯s got quite the punch to it.¡± ¡°Over one hundred damage to anything around the impact site,¡± Stella said as she tilted her head in apparent victory. ¡°Though the damage does drop off a little towards the maximum blast range. Up for another go,¡± she asked as she limbered up next to me. If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°Perhaps later.¡± Dusting myself off, I stretched gingery. Nothing ached, so I was happy with that. My new spell would do wonders against groups of enemies though it was clear from my little accident, that I would need to be careful in tight quarters. ¡°All for science,¡± I said to which Stella tilted her head up at me. ¡°Never mind. Alright, let¡¯s get a move on.¡± Stella hummed an innocent tune as she glided around effortlessly, never straying too far away. The tune sounded suspiciously like something powering up over time before reaching an explosive crescendo. Taking a calming deep breath, I did my best to ignore her cute smugness. The dirt road ahead passed near a hill, a few football fields away. Thus far, we were taking a mostly north, northeast direction since leaving the woods. Looking up at the sun, I guess it was an hour or so afternoon. ¡°So much has happened in just a few hours,¡± I said, eyeing the bright world around us. ¡°It¡¯s hard to believe really. In my previous life, nothing comes close to this.¡± Sure, while I had played my fair share of virtual reality video games, each was a cheap imitation if you viewed it side by side with this World. It was no wonder why so many in the galaxy wanted to either be a Hunter or experience a part of it through their eyes. Stella had mentioned my followers could watch us experience all of this from a third-person perspective, to a first-person, and anything in between. Stella didn¡¯t pause her gliding about to respond but did stop humming. After another minute, she flew close by before finally hovering just over my shoulder. ¡°It is a wide world out here,¡± Stella said finally. I nodded in agreement. A dozen or so paces away from the small hill next to our path, Stella suddenly stood fully, going motionless causing me to stop myself as I turned a questioning eye her way. Stella sniffed the air several times, her tail held erect behind her. Her sudden shift in demeanor certainly caught my attention, bringing me on guard instantly. Without thinking more into it, I intoned my new shield spell, renewing it to its full duration. I crouched low, looking in all directions as I tried to figure out what caught Stella¡¯s attention. ¡°Stella?¡± I questioned after seeing nothing nearby other than the mound of earth to the side. It peaked some ten feet higher than ground level but looked spectacularly unremarkable. ¡°Is everything alright?¡± Finally, she turned her head to face me, a serious expression on her little face. ¡°I smell something, odd. It¡¯s just a slight breeze on the wind, but it¡¯s there. Something sickly sweet with a hint of¡­ sweat? It¡¯s very peculiar.¡± Her eyes then locked on to something just a foot in front of her. As I watched, her eyes moved side to side as if reading something. ¡°Yup, there we go. I just became aware of an ¡®Interesting Location¡¯ nearby. Here let me mark it on your mini-map.¡± With a motion of her paw, my map updated and flashed briefly. An orange star appeared, over the top of the nearby hill. Mentally clicking on the icon, a message appeared before me. You have discovered an Interesting Location, Den of the Twitching Gnolls. (Note - recommended party size; 2, recommended level; 9.) ¡°Okay, so what¡¯s an interesting location?¡± I asked after reading the message. Based on the recommendation given, this one was beyond my current capabilities. ¡°Do we need to avoid this area, and do you have any information about these twitching gnolls?¡± Stella looked to the hill before returning to a message only she could see, ¡°It¡¯s essentially a mini-quest area that¡¯s usually full of a particular monster type. That one is apparently full of twitching gnolls. I¡¯ve never come across a twitching variety, but Stouter and I did face off against a small group of gnolls in the past.¡± Stella paused a moment before continuing, ¡°The recommendations are a little high for us, but compared to where Stouter was at your level, you do have a significant advantage in stats, spells, and gear. I think we could take it.¡± ¡°Any idea what the rewards would be for looking into that? I¡¯m guessing we would have to clear it out, right?¡± I asked with a hushed voice as I activated stealth. This quest area was just next to use, clearly within eye sight of anything nearby, but I thought it prudent to at least take some precautions. Stella, seeing my defensive actions, hunkered down next to me. In a lower voice, she responded, ¡°The rewards for such mini-quests depend on a lot of things, such as difficulty and the requirements to complete it, but are generally considered worth doing, if you can. Since we¡¯re a bit under-leveled, not to mention being solo, it should notably increase the rewards. We could get closer and when we¡¯re within a small range a quest notification should pop up.¡± ¡°Alright, let''s sneak our way to the top of the hill. If what we see looks too strong, we can come back here, skirt the area completely and continue after Duke. While I¡¯m not inclined to leap headlong into every distraction in our hunt for Duke, we do need to level up.¡± ¡°Sounds good,¡± Stella replied with a nod. With that settled, we slowly made our way up the grassy knoll. Continuing forward, we found ourselves atop the hilly mound. Hearing what sounded like muffled yelps and grunts, I crouched low while looking for any sign of movement. Our best guess was the sound was coming from what could be a small opening on what would have been the opposite side. Stella raised a paw in the air next to me, bringing our small band to a halt. Looking towards her, a system notification appeared in front of me. New Quest ¨C Cave of the Twitching Stalkers. You¡¯ve stumbled upon the home of a group of Twitching Gnolls. These gnolls pride themselves on their aggressive attacks toward adventurers, Hunters, and NPCs alike with barely a touch of stealth and a heavy splash of violence. This particular group has been raiding the countryside for months, waylaying many unsuspecting souls. With each victory, they grow bolder and range further and further out. Eventually, the gnolls will find their way to the nearby town of Nemmil. Should that happen, the townsfolk have little ability to ward them off. Do you have the strength to eliminate this dire threat? Objective One ¨C Defeat All Twitching Gnolls. Current progress 0 of (Unknown). Objective Two ¨C (Unknown). Rewards: Experience and a class-appropriate spell or skill. So, an unknown number of these twitching gnolls, plus a hidden objective. Based on our last quest, it was pretty easy to see that the final objective was defeating the boss of the area. Just like with the goblins that ravaged my hometown. Still, it could be anything really, so I¡¯d need to be ready for a change if it came. ¡°Hey Stella,¡± I whispered and pointed to the second objective on my screen. I knew that Stella could see whatever was displayed there. ¡°Any hints about objective two? Could it be we need to rescue some villagers based on the quest¡¯s description or, more likely, just another boss fight? I¡¯m a little hesitant to continue into that cave with an unknown number of enemies, it was nice knowing how many goblins there had been.¡± ¡°Information being hidden in quest objectives is pretty typical in later levels. This area is recommended for level nine, remember. As to your question, unfortunately, this is all we have to go on for now,¡± Stella responded. She had hovered right next to my ear so she could keep her voice low. ¡°If we get into too much trouble we could retreat, but what are the consequences if we fail or abandon a quest? Getting a new spell or skill would be awesome for us as it would increase my effectiveness and flexibility in future battles, but we need to weigh risk versus reward here.¡± ¡°Retreat is always an option and there wouldn¡¯t be any negative consequences unless the quest specifically stated it,¡± Stella answered. ¡°If it gets too difficult, we could leave, but just know there would be nothing stopping these gnolls from following us either.¡± Nodding my head at her explanation, I found myself weighing our options before coming to a decision. ¡°Unless you feel strongly otherwise, I say we go for it.¡± Stella bobbed her head and didn¡¯t add anything further. We moved quietly to what looked like a small outcropping which I hoped was the entrance to the gnolls cave. We stopped at the overhang, nearly on our bellies as we peeked over the side. Nothing moved and the noises we heard from earlier sounded to have retreated deeper inside. Making our way down the side, we came upon the face of a cave. Mud and torn clumps of grass surrounded the outside. My tracking skill activated and highlighted over a dozen sets of tracks, each looked to be barefoot with what I guessed were small talons jutting from five appendages. The cave¡¯s tunnel tilted downwards and was dark after a few dozen paces in. Thankful for my half-elf heritage, my dark vision was going to be helpful here. Stealth still active, we descended into the gnoll''s lair. The tunnel curved this way and that as we continued down, soon found ourselves in complete darkness. The mud below our feet had finally fully dried, now no more than dried caked dirt as we pressed further in, which was thankful for us as it was no longer made with big squelches with each footfall. With how dark it was, I had a question for Stella, but instead of the possibility of my voice carrying an untold distance in the tight corridor, I opened a chat message with her. Xaz: Hey Stell, do you know if gnolls have a similar racial bonus to my dark vision? I¡¯m not sure how they would be able to see in here without having torches or something like that. Stella: I don¡¯t believe they do. The gnolls I faced off with Stouter in the past had torches in their inventory when we looted them after one battle. Though, there really are no assurances here. We never faced this twitching variant, so it certainly is possible. They may have something akin to low-light vision considering they live deep underground. When we finally find one and inspect it, we may get more information from that. I nodded and continued as silently as we could. Not long ago, the voices of what sounded like dogs were steadily increasing in volume so we were getting close. My dark vision had lightened the tunnel, almost as if it were under a full moon¡¯s light. It was hard to distinguish colors, but there was no risk of tripping over anything unseen. The deeper we traveled the less light there was, so I guessed if we were truly in total darkness the trait wouldn¡¯t have anything to amplify. There was no danger of that happening here though, but my eyes did pick that up with each new turn and bend of the cave. While the ground was now a loose gravel with an occasional jutting rock. The walls and ceiling were a combination of thick earth and stone, all of it looking to have been created naturally. As we continued downwards, not probably a few hundred yards beneath the surface, the tunnel became more reinforced with natural stone. The noise of the gnolls was far louder now and it was easy to identify they were likely just a few dozen feet ahead. The tunnel finally leveled out, no longer angled to take us deeper. Around a bend ahead, a firelight peeked around the corner. As quietly as possible, I peeked my head around the bend to find the tunnel opened up to about the size of a large two-car garage. Standing near the far end, were six humanoids with scraggly fur covering their entire bodies. With large jutting snouts and oddly bent legs, they looked like I had expected. The stench of their unwashed and mud-caked bodies was covered somewhat by the scent of cooking meat. In the middle of the group was a large boar turning on a spit above a blazing fire. The gnolls had their backs to us and were arranged in a semi-circle around their dinner. Around the gnolls were odd, mismatched furniture pieces ranging from chairs to crates, and even something that looked like a broken dresser. On the farthest opposite wall was a large wooden door that was clearly not made for the cave. Instead, it was wedged in place with bent hinges that had been nailed into the rocky surface. The place was a mess with torn clothing, shredded barrels, and sacks of what looked to be flour thrown about haphazardly. Many of the pieces didn¡¯t match so I guessed they had been tossed atop other loot after each new successful raid. Thankfully, there were no bodies of humans or other races as far as I could tell. Wanting to know more about our enemies, I stared intently at the closest gnoll and thought Inspect. Twitching Gnoll (Level 7) For many Hunters, the word ¡®gnoll¡¯ sparks imagery of a yipping dog-like creature with bare-to-the-bone brains to match. The twitching gnoll, though, is quite a bit different from their lesser-evolved kin. Twitching Gnolls, over the centuries, have evolved with overdeveloped adrenal glands. As a result, they are constantly bombarded with overwhelming shots of adrenaline. As a result, they are in a constant state of overexcitement and are always, always, twitching. Hence their fitting name. Unlike their smaller cousins, twitching gnolls have double the strength and four times their ferocity. Unfortunately for the gnolls, this constant state of alertness means twitching gnolls can never find even a wink of sleep. Worry not for the gnoll, however, as their brethren take delight in taking turns in knocking pack gnolls unconscious to temporarily address this biological defect. Still not aware of my presence, the gnolls carried on in their yipping language while one diligently turned the boar over the fire. Eyeing up the room, a plan began to formulate in my mind as a smile tugged at the corners of my lips. What a perfect place to test out my new fireball spell, I thought with an evil grin. Stella caught my look, but not its meaning as she peered at me uncomprehendingly. Raising an eyebrow, I mouthed the word, ¡°Fireball¡± before tilting my head in the gnoll¡¯s direction. Her eyes opened wide and, looking once more at the gnoll band, nodded her head, now with a devilish grin to match my own. Chapter 11 - Boiling Blood The naturally formed room was close to twenty paces across, with the rocky ceiling about half that. To the eye, it looked to have near-perfect dimensions for a wonderfully placed explosive blast from my new fireball spell. Having seen it in action a bit too close for comfort, this time I would need to be mindful of where I wanted to spell to detonate to not recreate that embarrassing event. With the low ceiling, there was a chance the explosive force could blast the spell power back downwards since the thousand tons of rock and stone overhead would never budge to such a low-level spell. I would need to be mindful in the event that happened. With a plan firmly planted in mind, it was time to begin. The gnolls were conversing among themselves by means of high-pitched yips and throaty growls, not to mention an occasional snap of the teeth at another, but not a single one had looked back towards where we were hiding. Narrowing my eyes in concentration, I began casting, my voice low. The arcane words of the spell reminded me of the slow, yet unrelenting, rumble of crawling lava fields. I had first considered dual casting the spell, but that would likely push the explosive force to well beyond the confines of the room, so had instead opted for the simple version. The gnolls wouldn¡¯t be finding it so simple, I suspected. These beasts really should have been worried that one day their actions would bring about a true Hunter; that they would become prey. Surprise was a wonderful tool to have in a battle, especially when you found yourself outnumbered six to one. As the final arcane word escaped my lips, sounding like a guttural gust of wind, I pushed forward with all my might, my eyes eyeing a foot in front of the closest enemy. The ball of liquid plasma shot away with incredible speed, bathing the room in vibrant burning colors. Red and orange hues flared, following the fireball as it flew true. A pair of the gnolls started to turn at sudden addition to the only light in the room, but could do little more as the spell impacted behind them. With a thunderous BOOM, the spell detonated, turning the room into a fiery inferno. Mimicking the birth of a small star, fire blasted in all directions and, as I had predicted, the cave ceiling rebounded the explosive force back downwards. Thankfully, we were well outside the expanded hellscape that had momentarily been summoned. In an instant, the conflagration winked out of existence, leaving behind a sweltering heat that smelled of ash and sulfur. Feelings of damage notifications reached my subconscious, having been minimized based on my earlier system settings. Stella had earlier said the spell would cause just over a hundred points of damage to anything caught in the blast. Seeing the carnage before us, it was significant. Every single gnoll has been blasted back towards the far end of the room, many thrown heavily against the stone walls. I was intuitively aware that three of the gnolls had been impacted by the spell''s secondary effect and, even as I watched, were taking burning damage. Most of the furniture had caught on fire and the boar, blissfully cooking earlier, was nowhere to be seen. Before my enemies could even think about standing up, I was already deep into my next spell casting having begun right as the fireball detonated in their midst. After the one-second cast time, Lesser Boil Blood completed and a sizzling haze soared from an outstretched hand to thud soundlessly into the nearest gnoll. That creature¡¯s health was low, so I intoned a dual cast minor firebolt, hoping it would finish the creature off. My plan was to rely on lesser blood boil¡¯s specialization to help finish the battle quickly. Completing the spell, the firebolt rocketed at the same target, slamming painfully into the lower back. The creature howled out in pain, both its vicious clawed hands reaching backward ¡°That gnoll has a quarter health remaining,¡± Stella shouted at my side. ¡°One tick of boil blood will finish it.¡± Targeting another nearby gnoll, another boil blood flashed out as many of the fiends were finally reaching their feet with bloodshot eyes ablaze in pain and outrage. As that spell completed, I immediately followed it with another dual cast firebolt, bringing that one¡¯s health close to redlining. If my timing and plan worked out as intended, each and every gnoll was about to have its life snuffed out in spectacular fashion. In a perfect world, only three seconds would have passed since my initial blood boil, but this wasn¡¯t a game. Here, every small nuance, each subtle movement took away from a perfect sequence of spell casting. Making eye contact with an enemy, its gnashing yellowed teeth bared dangerously, its hot breath promising retribution, all of that is enough to quicken your pulse to racing. A sudden spike of fear and anxiety swarming your stomach¡­ everything screaming that this is not a game and that every moment of hesitation can bring ruin down on you. If I die, I am gone, forever. There is no respawn. There is no reset. I do not get to start over. With six rabid gnolls moments away from pouncing and tearing me to ribbons, at that moment, I could only hope I had been quick enough. The promise of death was reflected in each pair of the outraged gnolls, each promising a brutal end to my journey. There was a moment of stillness as the dying light of the burning embers of the once mighty fire started winking out. Timbers of burning wood had been blasted backward, the same as the gnolls, with most actually being burnt to ash from the extreme heat of my spell. Long shadows cast by the towering gnolls stretched greedily back at us, growing wider by the moment as darkness descended. The first gnoll¡¯s health points reached zero as lesser boil blood took its last vestiges of life. Unfortunately for the gnoll, it didn¡¯t simply drop to the floor. Instead, a scream tore out of the beast¡¯s lungs at such a volume its vocal cords must surely have burst under the strain. The gnoll threw out its powerfully muscles arms wide, its canine muzzle thrown back from its powerful bellow. Then, like a geyser, the monster¡¯s veins blasted outwards, tearing through whatever tattered armor remained. Thick, blistering blood lanced out like living missiles, the searing liquid burning as if a caustic acid. The cry of pain had stolen the attention of the surviving gnolls, each turning a questioning eye toward their dying comrade. Like a fire hose had been turned loose, the sweltering blood showered each bewildered gnoll in utter sanguine horror. The effect of ¡®Blistering Surge¡¯ was abrupt and devastating. As if showered in a torrent of boiling acid, each remaining gnoll recoiled in sheer agony as the liquid burned into their faces, their chests, and every exposed part of their bodies. Then, the second gnoll affected by lesser boiling blood died. Another blast of scorching blood erupted towards the remaining enemies. Even before the first coat of blistering destruction could begin to cool, another torrent of demon blood washed over them. I remember once reading that having boiling water spilled on an already scorched skin caused the pain to be amplified beyond reckoning. In the last moments of their pitiful lives, these gnolls suffered that agony. Only a moment after this final surge crashed over them, each toppled over dead. For a brief moment, looking down upon the lifeless bodies of the gnolls, regret flooded through me after witnessing what our foes had suffered. Stella, seeing a look of shock on my face, floated between me and the deceased gnolls. Blocking my view, Stella pulled my eyes up to meet hers. ¡°Xaz, I urge you to not feel pity or remorse for these vile creatures.¡± Her tone held a certainty to it, her eyes mirrored that resolve as she continued, ¡°Do not forget that those creatures have no doubt taken many lives, causing untold suffering in their raids upon the nearby town and its villagers.¡± My gaze wanted to turn away from her stoic face, to deny her words and to look upon the absolute horror my power had wrought. These were certainly enemies, who wouldn¡¯t have hesitated a moment had the tables been turned. Still, doubt remained. The panic, the fear, and the pain I had witnessed was¡­ horrifying. I wanted them to die. My breathing quickened as a question hammered from deep within my mind. A question that needed to be answered before I could take another step further. ¡°Are these,¡± I choked up as uncertainty tightened my chest. ¡°Are these things just like I was? Were they stolen from their homes and brought to play the role in this damn Game? Am I killing people just like I had been? Just like my parents, my friends¡­ my loved ones?¡± There it was, spoken aloud as my enemy¡¯s bodies lay ruined before us, skin blistered and blackened. Stella didn¡¯t immediately answer, seeing my internal struggle play out. ¡°When I killed those goblins in town, I felt¡­ righteous. I was relieved and excited at our victory over those evil creatures. I revenged the deaths of my family and the families of people I had known my¡­ this whole life. With these gnolls¡­ there is only a system message telling me they were evil. It¡¯s not the same. It doesn¡¯t feel the same.¡± I was reminded of what Stella had told me earlier that day, that all NPCs in this world were a lot like me, stolen from their homes to play the role of a helpless person at the mercy of any Hunter that came around. But, what about these monsters? In taking their lives now. My eyes had drifted to the floor as all light had vanished as the remaining embers expired, ¡°Am I no better than Duke?¡± ¡°No,¡± Stella said in such a definitive tone that my eyes shot back up. Her voice brokered no argument. ¡°These creatures are similar to you; in that they were brought from their past lives to play a role within this world and this Game. That¡¯s where your similarities end. Unlike you, your family and friends, these despicable beasts were not stolen away from their homes.¡± Stella was shaking her head now as she spoke. ¡°They were not stolen away in the night to live out their lives in an unknowing stupor, to be at the mercy of any passing monster or decrepit Hunter.¡± ¡°No,¡± she continued, her tone softening as if imploring me to heed her words. ¡°You must know, for your own sake, that you should feel absolutely no pity for any monster we will face.¡± She sighed. Her rigid posture relaxed. ¡°I wasn¡¯t sure how to broach this. You are not like the typical Hunter. Most Hunters wouldn¡¯t even give a damn or spare a moment¡¯s thought about those that they slay as they travel across this world seeking ¡®fame and glory.¡¯ You are so much different from other Hunters.¡± ¡°While friendly NPCs are¡­ were like you, mobs are entirely different.¡± Stella came closer, and had she been bigger it felt like she would have placed both paws on my shoulders to stress the importance of her next words. Instead, she held out a paw, her tiny pads showing as if reaching out to me. ¡°Becoming a monster in the Game is a choice. They don¡¯t have to pay any fee; they don¡¯t get whisked away unknowingly. They choose to become a monster, in all literal sense of the word. I mean this when I say, that only a monster can become a monster.¡± Stella paused to let that sink in. Confusion passed across my features as she continued. ¡°Only the very worst of the galaxy, across any civilization, can become a monster here. Across the thousands of galaxies, only those individuals on death row for truly unspeakable crimes are even given the opportunity to escape their crimes. These inmates, instead of facing their eminent fate, are given a small chance at freedom. Instead of being vaporized, or blown into the void of space, or whatever sentence was levied against them, many instead volunteer to become a monster in the Game.¡± Stella paused once more and looked down before finally bringing her eyes back to mine. ¡°Like NPCs, their memories are replaced. But, while they remember nothing of their past lives, they instead get to live out their deepest fantasy. The life of a monster allows them to carry out their desire for violence and brutality. No normal monster is allowed to remember who they were, where they came from, or what they had done. For these cruel, twisted individuals, they begin a new life here. You should know that they are always ¨C always ¨C more criminals than available monsters. But, once they¡¯ve chosen the option to become a mob, it¡¯s only a matter of time. They wait and eventually get transferred to one of the Game worlds. Instead of receiving the punishment ruled by their own civilization, they get to play out the fantasy here.¡± Stella held my gaze firm in her eyes. ¡°So, I tell you once more, do not feel an inkling of remorse, or pity, for what you¡¯ve done here. For what I hope we will continue to do together. These criminals deserve to have their final judgment carried out, by us.¡± We waited in silence for a brief moment, her words sinking in. Stella looked hesitant for a moment, before letting out another long sigh. ¡°I would be remiss to say one more thing. You should know that bosses and elites are a small exception to no memory rule. Only the very worst, the most abhorrent, heinous, and atrocious criminals can become one of these special monsters. Those ones, the true predators among their species, are the ones placed inside the most dangerous mobs in the Game.¡± Stella took a deep breath and finally finished, ¡°Unlike regular mobs, those monsters are allowed to retain a portion of their former selves. That portion, though, is the worst part. It¡¯s the aspect that had already made them a monster among their own people. They carry that raw savagery from the moment they are spawned. While they don¡¯t know who they are, they understand at some level this is all a game. That¡¯s why their brutality can be so staggering.¡± Stella seemed overwhelmed with everything she had shared, as if a burden had been carried on her soft shoulders knowing the truth behind every mob that she has witnessed Stouter, and now me destroy. Stella turned in the air, facing the gnolls that had been slain. Her shoulders rose and fell with her breaths. A thought dawned on me. Was I the only one to consider the foes that I had vanquished? ¡°Did Stouter ever ask you¡­¡± I trailed off, unable to finish the question. I felt nothing but appreciation towards her friend and didn¡¯t want to tarnish his memory. Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. ¡°Only you,¡± Stella replied. Her head tilted to the side as she looked down upon our shared enemy¡¯s bodies. ¡°I said before that you are so unlike any that I have seen or even heard of. Stouter and you shared a common pursuit in ridding this world of its demented Hunters, but only you thought enough to ask about these beasts lying before us. For a Hunter, slaying monsters is part of the game and not given a second thought.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to become so emotional,¡± Stella continued as her gaze reached the floor. ¡°I know so much about this world, about the Game, and it¡¯s a heavy burden. You and I are so alike. It seems like I¡¯m in a dream about to wake and then be reminded about the truth of what happens here, what happens all over the galaxy. I, unlike you, have no ability to bring about a change. I can only be a guide regardless of how much I want to bring about that change. Stouter was an amazing man, an amazing friend. But¡­,¡± she paused. ¡°Until I met you there seemed to be a horizon that he and I would never have been able to reach together. We were limited in what we could accomplish. I can¡¯t quite describe it right, but with you, I see no horizon. I see that, together, we can do so much good in this world. And then hopefully the worlds beyond.¡± Stella turned around and gazed into my eyes, as if searching for something. At that moment, it felt like we were indistinguishable from each other. We were one, alike in mind and spirit. Nodding at her, I spoke what I felt deep in my chest, ¡°We will. Together.¡± We held each other¡¯s gaze, seeing a resonance cross the distance between us. We knew what needed to be done and we would see it carried out. ¡°Thank you, Stella.¡± System Notification: You have been granted a new title, ¡®The Just.¡¯ Through your deepening connection with your Accelerator, and most importantly of yourself, you¡¯ve come to a tipping point in your life that will affect all of your future decisions. You have come to understand the depth of the evil that is before you; the vilest creatures any galaxy has known. You have vowed to yourself that you would be the arm of justice against such unlawful beings. You are now, Xazorus the Just. ¡®The Just¡¯ - Title benefits: Permanently increases your reputation gains with Lawful aligned individuals and settlements by plus 10%. When I now looked down at the disfigured corpses, I didn¡¯t see victims. I saw them for what they truly were; monsters. Knowing what mobs truly were, I now had another objective; to destroy any monsters that I could. I would let justice be done upon them. Seeing a blinking icon, I mentally clicked on it and notifications lit up my vision. Quest Update: 6 of (unknown) gnolls defeated. Experience Gained: Twitching Gnoll x6 (level ranges 6 to 9) ¨C 2,550 experience Skill: Stealth has increased to level 3. Spell: Minor Fireball has increased to level 2. Spell: Lesser Boil Blood has increased to level 3. Spell: Minor Firebolt has increased to level 3. It had been several minutes since the battle ended and thankfully nothing had come to investigate the commotion. The thick wooden door remained unmoving though some of the fire had blackened the edges. Feeling better now from our conversation, I was ready to continue on our quest. Walking over, we looted each gnoll in turn. As I moved through the pack¡¯s gear, most of the equipment worn had suffered extensive damage and had little value. Though a few pieces were undamaged which meant they likely had higher durability, perhaps even magical. Among the rubble and within a few weather coin purses, we walked away 18 silver and 74 copper pieces richer. Additionally, we found several interesting items, though I could only equip one as the other piece of equipment had a strength requirement I did not meet. Still, the dark cloak I was presently admiring, felt secure as I placed it over my shoulders. Power coursed through my body with the slight increase of attributes the cloak brought with it. {Royal Cloak of the Roving Magi}. Quality: Well-crafted. Rarity: Rare. Type: Cloth. Slot: Back. Durability: 987/1000 Armor: 8. Effect(s): Wearing this cloak will increase Dexterity by plus 2, Intelligence by plus 1, and grant plus 10% resistance to magic. ?{Plate Pauldrons of the Adventurer}. Quality: Above Average. Rarity: Uncommon. Type: Plate. Slot: Back. Durability: 478/500. Armor: 23Requirements: Strength 20(unmet). Effect(s): Wearing these pauldrons will increase Strength plus 1, Constitution by plus 2, but will lower movement speed by minus 5%. ?Gnoll Brew of Adrenaline. Quality: Poor. Rarity: Rare. Type: Potion. Properties(s): Imbibing this potion will cause a temporary increase in Strength (plus 5) and Constitution (plus 5) for 5 minutes. Additionally, the drinker is immune to all mind-altering effects for the duration. Note - these effects are doubled for gnoll races. Buried in a broken box of clothing, mixed in with other tattered garments was a deep blue, velvet cloak outlined with silver runes along the trim. It weighed far less than I expected, though the magically reinforced fabric felt as if it could stop a knife point. The pauldrons were made out of layered steel with additional protection stacked over the top of the shoulder, creating a flat pyramid shape. It looked to be able to protect the neck from swiping attacks quite well, though the strength requirement prevented me from using it right now. The gnoll brew was disgusting, to say the least. It smelled of copper and a wet dog. While the buff was incredible, I feared that attempting to ingest the brackish fluid would immediately trigger my gag reflex even if only a single drop touched my tongue. I equipped the cloak, then stored the unusual potion and plate armor in my inventory. Equipping the cloak triggers a self-adjust feature, bringing the smooth fabric a few inches off of the ground. Taking out my battle axe, I gave it a few test swings, finding it didn¡¯t impede my movement in the slightest. Satisfied, we continued to peer about the rest of the fragmented room. Again, most of the boxes and furniture had been tarnished by the flames, not to mention the explosion, meaning most were little more than charred husks. An undamaged chest we had not yet rummaged through stood against a far corner, so I worked my way over to that, lightly stepping over the dead gnolls. Suddenly hearing barks and yapping coming from behind the door, it appeared several more of the vile dogs were making their way to us. However, because of the lack of agitation or rush in the rudimentary language, it didn¡¯t sound as if they were in any rush. The sound was growing louder by the moment, so we had precious few seconds to prepare. Dropping into sneak once more, I positioned myself to the right of the doorway while summoning my axe to my hand. Eyeing the hinges on the massive door, I knew that it opened into the room towards where I hid, so I would be granted a small amount of cover before engaging our newest opponents. With only seconds remaining, I settled on a plan to close the door behind the mobs so that none could flee when combat started. I didn¡¯t want one running back down and bringing more reinforcements. By the sound of their conversation, there were at least two, perhaps three, gnolls about to open the door, but there was no way to be certain. I would need to make due. I could only hope it wasn¡¯t another group of six otherwise I would need to make a hasty retreat. With barks right behind the door, the realization that my poor position would hinder my ability to run back up the tunnel if it came to that. Damn it, I thought. We should have talked about what we would do if something had come up here. Nothing for it now, but to wait and hope my luck held against these new foes. With how close I would be to whatever came, melee combat would be unavoidable so I summoned my powerful axe to my hand as my breathing quickened. Guttural laughs and barks sounded like beating drums in my ears, trying to warn my primal side to flee while I could, but I held my position. Right before the door began to swing inwards, I remembered seeing my mana bar was low from the last engagement, so I quickly summoned and chugged down a mana potion downed it. It tasted like cinnamon. The door started opening inward, but debris slowed its movement. With a grunt of effort, the door was forcefully pushed fully inward, nearly slamming into me, and briefly blocking my view. Two quick yips of surprise rebounded through the room as three gnolls charged in, one each quickly moving to their fallen brethren. Not waiting another moment, my adrenaline jolting my body awake as if trying to match the jerking movements the gnolls displayed while seeking any signs of life from the still corpses, I acted. In as low of voice as I could muster, I began casting lesser blood boil on the nearest gnoll. The yips of outrage masked the sound of my spell casting, granting me that precious second to complete the necessary gestures and arcane words. As the spell completed, not even waiting to see the spell reached the target, I was already onto my next spell. Knowing boil blood had a one-second cooldown, I opted for the weaker version. A different surprised yelp sounded, signaling my spell had taken hold as heat blood finished. A palpable wave of heat flew to the middle gnoll, causing it to bolt straight up, its ears twitching violently. Panic threatened to overwhelm me as all three gnolls turned to face me, my stealth now surely broken. Each lowered into an aggressive stance, arms and wicked claws pressing outwards towards me, as my final spell completed. One final lesser heat blood lanced towards the furthest target as all four combatants moved. As the gnolls leaped, not one showing any hint of pain, I rammed into the towering door with all my strength. It slammed shut, sealing me with furious canines. My plan had been successful, none would be able to escape or call for aid, but that also meant I had no path to escape. With my back to the door, the three rampaging beasts created an impenetrable defense I would be unable to cross. My now seeming ill-conceived plan had effectively trapped me, moments away from being torn to ribbons. The body of the fallen gnolls and odd-shaped detritus between us all had given me enough time to complete my final spell casting of the battle. Even seeing the bloodthirsty monsters barreling towards me, I had enough wits to cast minor regen on myself. You have been healed for 0 health (78 overheal) as you begin to regenerate. The first gnoll came in hard and fast, claws racking the air in front of my face. After completing my spell, I had shifted, trying to get near to the same corner I had hidden earlier hoping that, at most, only two gnolls would be able to fight me at once. I never got that chance. As the first gnoll came, its claws extended like obsidian talons, I had to set my feet to parry the attack. Even as I defended, the strength of the blow staggering me, the creature¡¯s other hand came crashing down upon my shoulder. You have suffered 21 damage! The gnoll shot its head forward at frightening speed, its teeth reaching for my face. Juking my head to the side, I had barely time to instant cast my deflection spell, causing the gnoll¡¯s head to miss wide. The gnoll¡¯s movement, in combination with my spell, took the beast off balance. There was barely enough room to bring my axe across to slash into the gnoll¡¯s exposed throat. As the first gnoll reacted to the vicious wound, pulling away and trying to staunch the deep wound, another of its comrades lunged forward with both clawed hands outstretched. The mob intended to pierce both of my shoulders simultaneously, thereby denying me any mobility or ability to counterattack with my powerful axe once more. Thankfully for me, right as the fiend was about to plunge those dark punch-daggers home, lesser blood boil¡¯s stunning effect triggered. Instead of driving talons into my chest, the beast spasmed in pain before crashing to the ground as if hit by a stun gun. Target stunned! Duration: 2 seconds remaining! The third gnoll approached from the right, this one coming in teeth first, and by all appearances to bury me beneath its bulky body. The stunned gnoll had given me enough room to maneuver, so I was able to jump clear even as my axe slammed into the side of the first gnoll, who was futilely trying to steam the foaming blood escaping the wound in its neck. I was able to move far enough that the gnoll¡¯s snapping teeth slammed closed within a whisker of the mark, catching only air. The third gnoll was faster than I had expected, however. Even as the beast¡¯s jaws slammed closed near me, I had not anticipated the creature¡¯s claws that racked painfully across my stomach and chest. In two lightning-fast attacks, five rows of talons landed against my armor, before breaking through to bite deeply in my unprotected flesh. You RESISTED unknown disease! ¡°Stun wearing off in one second,¡± yelled Stella. ¡°The first gnoll¡¯s health is redlining!¡± The gnolls that had pierced my torso, dug its nails in deeper while simultaneously chomping down on my shoulder as if he was biting down on a man-sized chew toy. The pain was excruciating and panic threatened to overwhelm me. Before I blacked out, Stella¡¯s comment registered and I acted out of desperation. With teeth still clamped down on my shoulder and claws trying to dig deeper into my side, I lunged with my axe, swinging a diagonal attack left to right. The blow landed hard on the first gnoll who had, at that point, dropped to a knee. Though, the move cost me. I stumbled as the gnoll latched to my side and attempted to bury me beneath its weight. It succeeded and I fell backward onto the unyielding stone, the weight of the heavy gnoll slamming atop me. My body exploded in pain as we hit the ground. My vision erupted in showers of bright sparks, the unrelenting agony threatening to steal my vision entirely. It felt like the gnoll was trying to rip my sides apart. The stench of the gnoll¡¯s breath was hot on my neck, it was all that I could do to stay awake. I was in so much pain that I missed a notification trying vainly to tell me the first gnoll had succumbed to its wounds. My eyes popped back open as the gnoll''s crushing weight vanished. It took me a moment to realize it had jumped away and with such force that I took minor slashing damage as its claws jerked out of my flesh. I opened my eyes to see the first gnoll bursting at the seams, blood still gushing towards my other enemies. The gnoll that had tackled me was reeling back in pain, its hands covering its melting face. In the corner of my vision, I likewise saw the other gnoll falling backward as it clawed at its own face as he futilely tried to dislodge the foul liquid. Then, it too died, bringing forth yet another burst of blood. Though, this shower only had a single target remaining. Blistering lifeblood flew to cover the still howling creature, covering him completely. In moments, he too finally succumbed and died, landing with a heavy thud off to my side. Relief flooded through me my regeneration spell continued to combat the piercing wounds that seared painfully across my body. I could barely breathe, though I would be hard-pressed to say if it was from the crushing weight of the gnoll, the painful ache of my wounds, or the anxiety I felt after realizing how close I had been to death. My healing spell worked on the worst of my wounds as I lay there, staring up at the blank ceiling. When the healing was completed, I waited the necessary cooldown time before casting it once more. Blissfully cool magic coursed through my body, speeding along my recovery as my wounds continued to knit themselves back together. Stella gently floated close, her eyes taking in my blood-soaked clothes. ¡°Are you OK, Xaz? That looked really painful.¡± ¡°Yup,¡± I replied, amazed that I was able to still draw breath. That had been far too close. Instead of saying the obvious, I tilted my head enough to see Stell at the fringe of my vision, ¡°That really, really, sucked.¡± Chapter 12 - The Perfect Ambush My breathing slowed as I continued to stare up at the jagged rocks protruding from the cave ceiling. Even though my health had long since been restored, whispers of phantom pains still lingered where the gnoll¡¯s talons had scored deeply into my chest. Hesitant to move, Stella¡¯s presence reminded me that we needed to continue on. It was possible that even more gnolls could show up at any moment. Coming forward, I rested my hands on my knees as I took stock of what happened. A mixture of relief and shock lingered. My hands felt over my chest, but thankfully finding only unbroken flesh beneath the small holes that remained in my leather tunic. ¡°That had been close,¡± I exhaled, letting go of the tension. ¡°I¡¯m going to be a bit sad though if my armor is ruined.¡± I wasn¡¯t truly upset about my leather garb. In actuality, I was worried about how close it had really been there. A part of me wanted to ask Stella how low my health had been, but I thought better of asking. ¡°It certainly took a durability hit,¡± Stella said as she flew close to eye the damage. Five pairs of punctures showed beneath her inquiring eyes. ¡°It¡¯s magical though, meaning that it will slowly repair itself over time. Though if something is damaged badly enough, even powerfully enchanted gear won¡¯t be able to recover past a certain point. You can¡¯t see it, but I can see those small tears are already working. In a day or so, you won¡¯t even be able to notice them.¡± ¡°Better the tunic took the brunt of that,¡± I said, finally coming to my feet. I had been expected to feel a little light-headed, perhaps a bit queasy, but quite the opposite reached me. My magic had really healed me to top condition, to which I was very thankful. Anywhere else, without that magic, I probably would have bleed to death after passing out from the pain I had endured. Looking around at the death surrounding us was a sight to behold. Looking upon the large wood door, I shook my head. ¡°That was not a good idea, not at all. Slamming the door shut had me cornered with no room to maneuver.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t stress yourself overly much, you had little time to consider what to do when that group showed up.¡± Stella was following along at my side as we worked our way through the new carnage. ¡°I am a firm believer that we learn the most from our mistakes,¡± I said, kneeling low to inspect one of the gnoll''s bodies. There was a sheen of a thick, mucus-like substance running down its jaw. ¡°It reminds me of a saying, ¡®Those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it.¡¯ I certainly don¡¯t want to find myself surrounded by even one of these beasts ever again. I was barely lucky enough to make it out of that.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just gonna say it,¡± I said as I rested up against the rough stone wall. The smell of smoke sat heavily in the air, a combination of the scattered embers from the firepit and the singed furniture from my fireball. ¡°How that second battle went was on me, I can do better. I was too preoccupied with worrying that one of them would turn and run at the first sight of us. I feared that any reinforcements would have overwhelmed me. Apparently, three was enough, so a self-fulfilling prophecy, right? Cornering myself allowed for no flexibility or a chance to adapt to the flow of the battle.¡± ¡°That did seem to be the case. You triumphed nonetheless, so that should count for something.¡± Stella said with an encouraging tone. ¡°It was more luck than anything else.¡± I ran my hand through my matted hair. Whatever had been covering the gnoll has unfortunately transferred to me, and I was covered in it. ¡°I was lucky to have boil blood¡¯s stun effect trigger when it did.¡± I pressed my back hard against a flat spot on the stone wall, the momentum pushing me away. ¡°We¡¯re in this together, so feel free to call me an idiot if you see me making another huge mistake.¡± Stella smiled, a lighthearted chuckle following right her head, ¡°I won¡¯t be calling you that any time soon. Remind me to tell you about some of the mistakes Stouter made. Now that, that was stupid.¡± ¡°I look forward to it,¡± I said while tilting my head towards her. As we moved around the room, I pulled up my waiting notifications and the advantages of surviving such an intense battle with mobs far higher level than I found myself. Quest Update: 9 of unknown gnolls defeated. Experience Gained: Twitching Gnoll x3 (level ranges 8 to 9) Spell: Lesser Boil Blood has increased to level 4. Spell: Heat Blood has increased to level 3. Spell: Minor Regeneration has increased to level 3. Spell: Minor Deflecting Shield has increased to level 3. Spell: Minor Shielding has increased to level 2. Stella was hovering close to me and began giving me small furtive glances. Hearing several small sniffs in the air, I turned upon her, ¡°Yes?¡± The question in hung in the air. Stella scrunched up her face, looking me up and down. ¡°So, anything we can do about that¡­ stink?¡± Stella inched forward, pressing her small muzzle close to my sleeves before flinching backward with some speed. ¡°You smell like someone took your clothes, covered them in gnoll spit, and locked them in a chest to bake under a noon sun for a month.¡± Stella looked at me, expectantly. After half a minute, with no response forthcoming, she raised her eyebrows. ¡°Well?¡± she pleaded. ¡°You can¡¯t just stand there; I won¡¯t have it.¡± ¡°What am I supposed to do? I¡¯m more than willing to do something¨Canything¨Cbut,¡± I looked around frantically. ¡°Do you see a shower here, ¡®cus I sure don¡¯t.¡± Stella did something on a screen I couldn¡¯t see, shaking her head the entire time, before a leather bag appeared in the air between us. It fell to the ground immediately and I could hear water sloshing around inside. Stella looked quickly down and back up at me as if that said everything. ¡°It¡¯s a waterskin,¡± I said slowly before comprehension dawned. ¡°You can¡¯t be serious?¡± What followed next was several furious minutes where Stella¨Csomehow¨Clevitated the waterskin, with at least another pair to follow, above me with the ice-cold water crashing helplessly against increasingly drenched form. When it was said and done, Stella barked a laugh as she trotted up to hover next to me. I had ended up giving up, surrendering to the inevitable, simply standing motionless while Stella emptied another waterskin. The last one, fell empty to splat against the top of my head. and had been motionless face. We just stood there, seconds ticking by. Stella tilted her head to the side, coming closer to me once more before taking a quick whiff. ¡°Better,¡± she said simply. ¡°Let¡¯s agree to never discuss this again,¡± was my simple monotoned reply, not a hint of emotion present in my voice. Level Up! Congratulations on reaching level 6. Tier 1 class characteristic attributes have been applied. You have 7 attribute points to distribute. Note ¨C Now that you have chosen a tier 1 class, please know that at level 7 you will be able to select a new spell that is class-appropriate. This option becomes available again when you attain level 9. ?As I finished reading the notification like every time before, a golden light that usually accompanied a level-up radiated around my body. In an instant, I was completely restored. I froze at the realization, my head twitching to the side. I was no longer soaked to the bone. My eyes looked down upon my completely dry clothing, the ice-cold water fading to memory. ¡°Stell?¡± the question barely escaped my lips, the word barely a whisper. I sensed more than felt, that Stella wasn¡¯t moving either. Seconds passed by, neither of us taking a breath. ?¡°Nope,¡± Stella replied, with the quickest shake of her head I had ever seen. ¡°We agreed not to talk about it.¡± ?She knew it! My teeth ground in petty frustration. With the level up, there had been no need, not one reason, that we needed to clean the gnoll ¡®gunk¡¯ off my body. I hadn¡¯t needed to feel the cold embrace of water as Stella ¡®got rid of the dastardly¡¯ smell. Had she known all along what was seconds away from taking care of it for us? My eyes narrowed imperceptibly as I moved to face Stella, a finger of my right hand slowly raising into the air. I paused, letting out a long sigh as I plotted if it was worth it. ¡°Consider yourself lucky,¡± a tiny smile tugging the corner of my lips the only hint that I wasn¡¯t going to hold a grudge. ¡°¡­ this time, little one.¡± With that proclamation, judgment forestalled for now, Stella began moving around with her normal grace. ¡°Okay,¡± I said as Stella hovered close to my head. ¡°Let¡¯s figure out where to put these new attribute points.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t forget about the extra points,¡± Stella said as my character sheet opened in front of us. ¡°Now that you¡¯re a necromancer, you get those three free points each level.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right,¡± I exclaimed, any possible resentment blown from my mind at her words. ¡°I had forgotten about those!¡± ¡°So, charisma, wisdom, and luck are all your lowest currently, all at eight points,¡± Stella said as she waved her paw, highlighting the three stats. ¡°It would seem prudent to put at least two into charisma to get it to the next threshold, but should we do the same for Wisdom and Luck? In a pair of levels, those will reach it on their own.¡± My thoughts were mirroring Stella¡¯s. I would like to know the bonuses of for wisdom and luck, but with how close the last battle was, the points were better spent elsewhere for now. Nodding my head in agreement, I responded. ¡°We¡¯re going to be heading into a new town after clearing this cave, so I¡¯d like to know what we¡¯re working with when it comes to the charisma bonus. I¡¯ll put two points there and the rest between strength, constitution, and intelligence.¡± ¡°Why strength?¡± Stella asked. ¡°I get the other two for the extra health and mana, but why strength?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to become a one-trick pony, well two in this case. Health and mana are of utmost importance right now, but I want to put more muscle behind my swings with my axe. I get a sense, with the tight corridors of these tunnels, I¡¯ll have some melee battles to contend with,¡± I said. With no further thoughts from Stell, the decision was made; one point into intelligence, with two going into constitution, strength, and charisma. Confirming my choice, I was rewarded with the expected system message. Charisma Threshold Reached. Benefits: Non-hostile creatures, such as non-player characters, are 5% more likely to offer a hidden quest or divulge additional information during interactions. You are also 5% more likely to persuade someone during those conversations. ?¡°Nice,¡± I said as we read the message. ¡°Oh, I¡¯ve been thinking, is there any way to reset my attribute points? In my ¡®past life,¡¯ if you didn¡¯t plan well with your character development, it could go badly and it could seriously hinder your future growth. So, some games allowed the player a way to start over and redistribute their points, though it was generally quite expensive to do so. I know I earn more points overall because of our connection and our superb ¡®exalted acceleration¡¯ trait, but are you aware of anything that would allow us to respec?¡± Stella thought for a moment before answering. ¡°It¡¯s not out of the realm of possibility, but I wouldn¡¯t count on it. I¡¯ve never heard of such a thing, though my access is somewhat limited until we grow stronger. And, you¡¯re right, you¡¯ll have the advantage against other Hunters when it comes to attribute points as long as they¡¯re not too high a level. Well, unless they were blessed beyond belief with a stronger accelerator than Moi,¡± Stella huffed. ¡°So, doubtful, to say the least.¡± I chuckled good-naturedly at her self-praise. Looking one final time at my character sheet, my highest stats were constitution, now at twenty-nine, and intelligence coming in at a respectable twenty-eight. When I reached level seven, both would reach the next threshold, so I would be looking forward to that for sure. ¡°You ready to continue, Stell?¡± She nodded and we made one final pass of the area, hoping to see if something else turned up after our earlier inspection. Unfortunately, we were disappointed. Yet, just as we were preparing to move on, Stella spotted something. Nearly crushed by a gnoll corpse, was another potion bottle that I had overlooked. It was carried in a pouch that looked to be made out of, as disgusting as it appeared, gnoll-skin. ¡°Really, bro?¡± I asked aloud, disbelieving these beasts had actually done something so revolting. It was tied with a very thin cord that ran around the gnoll¡¯s waist and, combined with the material, was nearly invisible to the eye. Inspecting the item, it was another one of the bottles of ¡®gnoll brew of adrenaline.¡¯ ?I¡¯m not proud to admit it, but we searched the damnable beasts one more time, finding another pair of the brackish concoction. Seeing the abundance of this type of potion these foul creatures carried, made me give another thought regarding the bottles. Stella and I came to the same conclusion at the same instant. ¡°The ring,¡± we exclaimed. What followed was an overly energetic discussion on the synergy of the potion and my thus unused Ring of Blind Rage. We talked so eagerly about how the potion should cancel out the ring¡¯s less-than-desirable effect that causes a complete loss of control, effectively turning me into a raging Hulk monster if I drank it, but¡­ with the potion. The implications were intriguing. Under the effects of both, as long as the brew counteracted the ¡®violent, uncontrollable rage¡¯ I¡¯d be in business. I was about to store away the latest find, smiling at the thought of not losing control and turning into an enormous green rage monster, when Stella coughed. Not getting the hint, I stared blankly at her and shrugged. Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. She pointed at the potion, the foul liquid sloshing around within, when a whiff of its reek caught my nose. ¡°God damn it, Stella.¡± With a long shake of the head, I put the bottle back into my inventory. ¡°A problem for another day, I suppose, but let¡¯s ¡­ keep that combo in mind.¡± Stella giggled and returned to my side. With my axe in hand and a spell ready on my lips, we pulled the door and stepped back, waiting for anything to happen next. A cool breeze filtered into the room with a hint of gnoll stink on it, the stone hallway leading further underground. No light shone and not a hint of noise could be heard. Looking at Stella, I nodded and loosened my shoulders. Activating sneak, we descended side by side. The air turned slightly musty and damp as we pressed forward, moving as silently as possible. By we, I mean me, of course. Stella never caused even a whisper of sound. Seeing her in the corner of my eye, I tried not to smile as she was crouched low in the air like she was a stalking, cat. Deeper we descended, the tunnel twisting around with some instances the walls being so close together I needed to turn sideways to cross through. Once through it, I turned around eyeing up the crevice. The loose rocks and rubble showing that it was a new development, ¡°The wall must have buckled,¡± I whisper. ¡°Luckily it didn¡¯t fill in the entire tunnel, though that would have meant any gnolls down here may have become trapped.¡± Continuing deeper, we finally spotted signs of life. We had been walking for the past several minutes down a straight section when torchlight barely became visible ahead. Slowing our pace further, I readied my axe, feeling its trusty weight in my hand. As we got closer, the expected sound of gnoll barks and yips grew louder in our ears. Unfortunately, it sounded like far more than we had seen so far. Anxiety hit my stomach at the thought, I had been hoping for smaller groups, something more manageable for me and Stella. The tunnel continued forward and as I approached the widening passage, we found that the entire left section opened up into a deep chamber below. The path we were on continued forward another dozen or so yards before turning into a bend out of sight, but to our left was a wide cavern gleaming with torchlight and animated gnoll noises. Being extremely careful, I peered an eye to get a better idea of our surroundings. We were essentially on a walkaway as if we were on the second story of a wide living area. If I took a single step to the left, I would fall straight down nearly two stories, not to mention I would fall amongst a swarming pack of excited gnolls. There was no railing to protect anyone up by us from falling to the stone floor below, so we would need to be careful. As long as we were not foolhardy, we would be fine. Eyeing up the room, I saw down to the far left of the cavern a tunnel that, if I judged correctly, must wind up to the ledge we were on. That meant, if we caught the attention of the gnolls, even though they were twenty or so feet below us, they would likely be able to run up that ramp to come directly at us. That wasn¡¯t encouraging but would potentially give us precious seconds if we alerted the pack of our location. Stella and I held our position, our faces barely visible as we peered down intently. I was envisioning a fireball or two crashing down upon the group, but the room was twice the size of the last one. My fireballs only had a fifteen-foot explosive radius so, I would need close to four, maybe even five, fireballs to fill the cavern with fiery destruction. Remembering the relatively large health pools from the fight earlier, each gnoll would probably still be alive even taking two such explosions. Still, our elevated position gave us an advantage, nothing could attack us with our superior position while we were free to rain destruction upon them. The problem was the simple number of gnolls down there. The cavern was another haphazard mess of stolen loot, crates, wooden boxes, and splintered furniture. Most of the items were intact, but some pieces were shattered making me think the gnolls had continued to rampage the area above even after the near cave-in we barely got through earlier. Instead of abandoning the loot, the gnolls looked to have shattered it to get it down there. The roaring fire that was greedily eating splintered wood hinted as to why they had taken such steps. The smoke from the fire, to my initial surprise, wasn¡¯t blanketing the area though as I had momentarily feared. The smoke curled up lazily and entered what looked to be a natural chimney of sorts. Lucky for the gnolls, I thought. It would have been splendid if the dumb beasts killed themselves with how large the fire was. By the look of it, they would run out of fuel within a day, at the very least. That meant they would be heading out, soon. Three gnolls were arguing, near the far tunnel we spotted earlier. As I watched, one bit down hard on another shoulder causing the pair to tumble on the ground like fighting dogs. The third, yipped in excitement and occasionally snapped at the heels of two grappling on the stone. Two other gnolls were sitting comfortably near the fire, chatting along relatively peacefully, though their low voices were hard to hear at this distance and above the crackling of the fire. Rounding out the pack below, three other gnolls were lying flat out on the cold hard floor. At first, I mistook them to either be dead or in a deep sleep because their bodies were contorted uncomfortably. One was even slumped forward, nearly upside down with his head bent at a bad angle. He was curled up like a ball and there was no way someone would fall asleep like that. As I watched, their chests rose and fell indicating they were in fact breathing, but there was no way that was sleeping with how sprawled out the three were. We were too close to our enemies and, not wanting to alert them of our presence, I opened up our chat tool. Xaz: Damn, the gnolls are more spread out this time. There are essentially three groups. Three by that tunnel, and I think it links to the one ahead of us, two by the fire, and three sleeping? Stella: Remember the quest recommended two Hunters around level 9. Do you think this is too much for us? Oh, and those ones are not sleeping. Take a look at their description again, especially the last part. Twitching Gnoll For many Hunters, the word ¡®gnoll¡¯ sparks imagery of a yipping dog-like creature with bare-to-the-bone brains to match. The twitching gnoll, though, is quite a bit different from their lesser-evolved kin. Twitching Gnolls, over the centuries, have evolved with overdeveloped adrenal glands. As a result, they are constantly bombarded with overwhelming shots of adrenaline. As a result, they are in a constant state of overexcitement and are always, always, twitching. Hence their fitting name. Unlike their smaller cousins, twitching gnolls have double the strength and four times their ferocity. Unfortunately for the gnolls, this constant state of alertness means twitching gnolls can never find even a wink of sleep. Worry not for the gnoll, however, as their brethren take delight in taking turns in knocking pack gnolls unconscious to temporarily address this biological defect. Xaz: Well, that could be helpful if they are unconscious and not sleeping. We could use that to our advantage. Otherwise, I could lob a few fireballs down there, but I¡¯d probably run out of mana before they were all dead. Xaz: How long do you think those three gnolls are knocked out for? Stella: Probably for a while. To get knocked out and stay out requires a pretty heavy hit. Xaz: Hmm, here¡¯s what I have in mind. After running the plan across with Stella, she couldn¡¯t help but agree. Starring intently at one of the unconscious gnolls, I began casting a spell as I kept my words as close to a whisper as possible. My fingers moved in articulate gestures, swirling invisible glyphs and runes in the air before me. The first Lesser Boil Blood completed, sending a nearly invisible ripple of heat to fly the sheer drop. Stella and I watched intently to see how the beast would react. Looking at the combat log, the spell definitely connected, but all that happened was a few twitches of the gnoll, like small spasms. The movement was not unusual for the mobs so it didn¡¯t draw any attention from the poor beast¡¯s friends. Waiting for the full second cooldown for the spell, I started up a new casting, though this time on another passed-out gnoll. As before, heat sliced silently below, striking the comatose canine. Though, that one let out a yelp of pain, though stilled quickly beside the odd jerk or twitch. The pair near the fire turned and gave a hearty laugh at the gnoll¡¯s perceived sleeping phantom pain. Once more, waiting a full second, I started up a third casting of lesser boil blood. The spell¡¯s magical power flowed down landing into the final sleeping victim. Our luck held. Once more, not a single of the three gave out a cry of warning or the intense burning pain that was surely searing the blood in their veins. With the first part of the plan complete, we had three ticking time bombs taking away great chunks of the gnoll¡¯s health pools. Even better, I was positive that the total damage boil blood far exceeded their total health, making each a ticking time bomb. Now, to get the second part of the plan going; trying to get them to group up. Moving quickly after the spell¡¯s cooldown once more elapsed, I targeted one of the gnolls chatting by the fire. My mana pool taking significant dips with each new casting. Once more, a wave of cascading heat soared downwards to crash unerringly into our unsuspecting foe. When it connected, this time it got the reaction that one would suspect when one¡¯s veins bubbled and boiled. The poor beast nearly jumped out of its skin and yowled with all its lungs. Oh, how the angry beast moved now with such urgency; it looked as if he was breathing fire, his face darting back and forth. With the scalding blood coursing through his body, I supposed my thought wasn¡¯t that far off the mark. A growl so deep and menacing sounded from the creature¡¯s throat that it caught the attention of every other gnoll. In the second that followed as I watched, the gnoll under the effect of my spell appeared to have no idea where it had originated from. With a menacing step towards the gnoll it had been chatting with, and the fact it had a clawed hand raised high above it, the beast had decided who to blame. His once-friendly compatriot, looked up at the claw in confusion, not understanding what was happening nor what it had done to desire so ire. As the taloned fury slashed downward, the bewildered gnoll didn¡¯t defend himself in the slightest. Flesh and muscle tore under the mighty blow, nearly ripping the poor beast¡¯s face off with the ferocity. Blood quickly flowed along with the yell of excruciating pain as the mob attempted futilely to hold together its ruined face. Then one of the unconscious gnolls awoke, whether from the pain or his dwindling health pool, it mattered not. In its startled motion, it crashed down upon on friend, turning all its rage on the still knocked-out neighbor. Confusion reigned in the room as all three previously unconscious gnolls were now wide awake, murder in their eyes as they began turning on one another. Thankfully, these beasts were so dimwitted they couldn¡¯t identify that it was a spell coursing through their bodies that had caused so much damage over a short period of time. There was little outward sign of the devastation being wrecked within, but that barely registered as their animalistic tendencies reached new heights, murder evident in their beady eyes. My eyes turned to my mana bar in the corner of my vision. It had dropped to around forty percent, so I needed to be careful to not deplete it. Though, as I looked upon the carnage below, even the three far gnolls who had rushed forward, it was hard to tell if they were trying to stop the raging combat or knock the aggressors out. Either way, the thought that an intruder was using powerful magic amongst them so freely was far from their thoughts. Having a few seconds, I called a normal mana potion to my hand and unplugged it. The cinnamon liquid flowed easily down my throat. The battle continued to rage, so I quickly drank another, storing the now empty bottles back into my inventory. My mana pool was back up to a comfortable seventy percent and continued to move upwards with my natural mana regeneration. Several seconds passed and the gnolls were in a mad brawl, viciously tearing each other apart. A few of the boil blood impacted gnolls were momentarily stunned at times, thanks to the special effect of the spell, which in turn opened them up more for devastating counterattacks. Finally, one of the affected gnolls fell dead to the floor. The battle was so savage, that I would have to check my damage log to see if it was my spell that killed it or another of its brethren. But what happened next, I was fully aware would happen and had planned for it. Once the beast''s remaining health flatlined, step two of our plan started. Like a dam giving way behind the gnoll¡¯s mutt-like hide, a tidal wave of superheated blood burst out in multiple directions. The power of the spell automatically targeted every other nearby gnoll and, thankfully for us, they had so graciously grouped up to engage in their pack brawl. Boiling, sticky crimson blood crashed into the gnolls, taking away huge chunks of their health instantly. The damage was enough for another gnoll, that it died, creating a gruesome domino effect. Soon after, the second effect gnoll died. So too did the third and, shortly thereafter, the fourth. Searing hot blood misted in the air, each drop being magically pulled to any live foe. When the red mist finally cleared, all four of the previously dotted gnolls were dead, every single drop of blood being torn from their flesh to wreak havoc on their comrades. Their emaciated bodies collapsed into heaps of unrecognizable fur, teeth, and claws. The remaining four gnolls writhed on the ground in agony, whole sections of their fur melted away under the intensity of the blistering lifeblood. The damage they had felt was immediate and had no damaging over time effect, so I needed to act soon while they were still distracted. Quickly inspecting a pair, each gnoll still had around twenty percent of their remaining health. The next part of our plan could have been several things, depending on what happened. We were fortunate with the stupidity of the gnolls, so I had a pair of spells remaining. Well, hoped for at least. Once final lesser boil blood was cast under my breath and the wave of heat landed on a gnoll that was picking himself off the ground. It spasmed in pain, falling to the ground before the initial damage overloaded what meager health pool that remained. Once final burst of blood shot out like a fire hydrant as the three gnolls got to their feet, their eyes wide with fear at the sight of even more flying blood. With that, the remaining damage split amongst the three gnolls, who fell over dead, one after the other. Other than the fire raging below, the room went still and was deathly silent. ¡°Well, that was effective,¡± I uttered in amazement. I had done it. With a few spells, I had utterly destroyed a pack of eight backbiting gnolls. Granted, I had used my obviously overpowered spell considering my level, but it had done beautifully nonetheless. The temperature, even in such a spacious area, was sweltering from the effects of my spell thundering through the air so many times in rapid succession. Stella was gapping along with me, too shocked to speak for a while. Finally gulping, she replied, ¡°You know, planning ahead does work wonders when everything happens like you wanted it to.¡± Quest Update: 17 of *17* gnolls defeated. Experience Gained: Twitching Gnoll x8 (level ranges 8 to 10) Spell: Lesser Boil Blood has increased to level 5. Skill: Stealth has increased to level 4. ¡°Yeah, that is so much better,¡± I said while staring down at the ruined corpses. ¡°Practice makes perfect.¡± Stella agreed. ¡°Hey, look at that,¡± I said as I reread the system message. ¡°No more gnolls to deal with.¡± Stella¡¯s eyes were wide, little saucers, ¡°Lucky for the gnolls, honestly. Hot¡­ damn!¡± Remembering the quest had a hidden objective from when we first entered, I pulled up the log and quickly read the information. Quest ¨C Cave of the Twitching Stalkers Quest Objectives: One ¨C Defeat All Twitching Gnolls. Current progress 17 of 17. COMPLETED Two ¨C Find and defeat the final cave inhabitant. ¡°Well, that isn¡¯t helpful,¡± I muttered in annoyance. ¡°Plus, that sounds too ominous for my liking.¡± Eyeing the final part of the message, willing it to reveal something more, anything more, I relented. ¡°It¡¯s a boss.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a boss,¡± Stella agreed, though if she was confirming it through some of her system magic or simply agreeing with me, I wasn¡¯t sure. Either way, I still chuckled. Chapter 13 - Corpulent Gnoll Matriarch Stella and I moved forward and, as we had suspected, the tunnel curved around to connect with the wide cavern. Feeling a need to be careful and well-protected, I recast my shield spell, feeling more secure with the invisible barrier it conferred. We came out of the narrow passageway, the fire burning brightly as ever. Ahead of us, a dozen or so yards against the far wall was a closed door. We hadn¡¯t seen it before our recent battle, given the angle with us twenty feet or so above. The large void we found ourselves in, reeked of burnt flesh, embers from the fire, and gnoll waste. Apparently, they had a communal privy in one of the corners. We stuck clear of that, not willing to venture close regardless of what else could be hiding there. Exploring the rest of the natural room took little time. It was another haphazard mess of loose gear, furniture, crates, and barrels. There was no discernable pattern as to how the gnolls stored anything. It was as if they simply tossed it down from above, not bothering to carry it down any further or simply tossed it without care. Still, we ensured to look through everything, knowing that a boss fight was likely upon us soon. Buried under several wine crates with countless shattered bottles, was a rectangular chest though it was locked with a sturdy-looking lock. Having no skill currently to pick it open, we continued to search the remains of the gnolls. A crate caught my eye, and I was pleasantly surprised to find an intact tent and a comfortable sleeping bag. Adding those to my bag of holding, we continued searching. In short order, one of the gnolls had some potion bottoms and a small pouch that contained a silver key. Hoping it was the one we needed, I returned to the chest and turned the key. With a click, the padlock opened. Pulling the lid upwards, we found a pair of dark blue gloves which looked to have wisps of frost clung to the leather and leather boots. You received: Health Potion x2, Mana Potion x2, Gnoll Brew of Adrenaline x3, Silver Key. You received: Frigid Gloves of the Predator. You received: Yar¡¯s Fleet Footed Boots. {Frigid Gloves of the Predator}. Quality: Well-crafted. Rarity: Uncommon. Type: Cloth. Slot: Hands. Durability: 500/500. Armor: 4. Effect(s): The wearer of these gloves, upon command, is able to magically cloak all of their body heat, thus rendering them invisible to creatures relying on heat-based vision to find prey. Duration: 30 minutes. Cool down: 2 hours. {Yar¡¯s Fleet Footed Boots}. Quality: Above Average. Rarity: Uncommon. Type: Leather. Slot: Feet. Durability: 500/500. Armor: 12. Effect(s): +2 Dexterity. Movement Speed is increased by 10%. This effect is doubled when not in combat. The gloves were made of a deep blue hide that was cool to the touch. Putting them on, a rush of cold shot through my hands. It wasn¡¯t painful and my temperature quickly normalized. I was innately aware that I could call upon the gloves to cause that same magic to race through my body at a thought. Though useless in our current predicament, the gnolls appearing use regular eyesight to see, I could see the advantages in the future. If we ever fought a creature that relied solely on their ability to see the body heat of their target, these would make me essentially invisible to their eyes. The boots were a dark-tanned leather that fit snuggly on my feet. Straps of leather crisscrossed my ankles, ensuring the boots wouldn¡¯t slip free. The soles had a soft, yet sturdy sole that gave great grip when in contact with the ground. Admiring my new footwear, I moved in a tight circle. The boots gave great stability to my ankles and moved seamlessly as I tested them. Then I sprung towards the tunnel we came from, immediately noticing the small difference in my movement speed. Ten percent didn¡¯t seem like a lot, but as we were not in combat the magic doubled that percentage. That was noticeable. ¡°I like them,¡± I said after running up the tunnel and quickly back down, far faster than before. Both items were nice upgrades. With the room fully searched and without a single far-away yelp of another gnoll, we sat down near the fire pit. My resources were nearly full, but I decided to take a small break. Taking out a ration and a waterskin, Stella and I took a moment to ourselves. Within moments my health, mana and stamina were topped off. Ready as I could be, I looked to Stella, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go find the boss.¡± Stella had taken a now familiar perch on my shoulder, her weight comforting and reassuring. ¡°So, just what exactly would be the leader of a cave of gnolls,¡± I asked rhetorically. Approaching the door, I once more equipped my battle axe, ready for what would come next. The door was unlocked, swinging inwardly with a loud whine of rusted hinges. A shiver ran down my spine and I crouched low into stealth. Only darkness greeted us beyond the threshold. A breeze wafted into the room, smelling musty and stale to our noses. There was a hint of something like wet-dog, but I supposed that wasn¡¯t to be unexpected. These truly were beasts with little intelligence. This passageway, unlike all others, no longer descend deeper into the underground world around us. Jutting rocks attempted to grab at my clothes, but was wide enough that I remained unmolested. Each step forward brought with it a new smell I couldn¡¯t quite place a finger on. It had an almost sweet smell, but was more akin to fruit that was soon to spoil. Stella sniffed at the air, her canine nose able to decipher it far better than my own, but with a shrug, she couldn¡¯t share anything more. Having long since passed from beyond any firelight, the tunnel was enveloped in darkness. My own Darkvision was starting to have difficulty in seeing ahead of us. In the complete absence of light, my ability wouldn¡¯t be able to amply something that wasn¡¯t there. I was about to risk lighting a torch when a nearly imperceptible green glow could be seen ahead. Approaching closer, a light coating of moss clung around in odd spots. The moss was the cause of the defused glow. It was enough for me to see by, so we continued in the darkness. We traveled for another half dozen minutes before coming to yet another wooded door. Approaching as quietly as possible, I carefully inspected the area. The door was sturdy and had a bar of steel hanging horizontally across its middle. A dark chain on one end of the bar ran upwards into a hole above the door. Looking closer, I realized it was a locking bar of some type. Something on the other side of the door would pull the chain, causing the heavy bar upwards and thereby allowing the door to open. Why it was designed that way was a mystery to us both. ¡°Why would the locking mechanism be on our side?¡± I whispered to Stella. The door fit snuggly into the tunnel and great care had been taken to ensure it worked as desired. The chain had a sheen of grease along its length and the door''s hinges were equally lubricated. ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± Stella replied after hovering up to where the chain disappeared. ¡°I can¡¯t see anything past the chain. Testing the locking bar by hand, I found it easily swung upwards without the slightest sound. One end was fixed to the stone wall meaning if the chain was pulled from the room beyond, the bar would move vertically and be held in place, allowing the door to be opened. The slack of the chain kept taut as if a weight on the other end allowed the chain to be balanced in whatever position it was in. I kept the locking bar upright and I got the sense that unless something applied enough pressure or a quick jerk, it wouldn¡¯t fall back into the locked position. ¡°Here we go. Help keep an eye out and call out if you see anything,¡± I whispered in a cautious tone as I pulled the door open, it swung out without even a hint of sound. Stella nodded at my request, but my attention was fully on the door and what lay beyond it. The wood was a dense material and I had to put in effort to get it to move, even with how well-maintained and lubricated it was. It felt like the door could withstand the blow from a giant. The tunnel expanded into a wide room, shaped roughly like a cube that was two hundred feet wide to a side. It was humid within and a light pitter patter of moisture dropping from the ceiling could be heard, though the sound was oddly muffled and muted. The moss that sparely covered the walls before was now thick, covering every inch wall to wall. The green glow caused the area to be as bright as daylight under the effects of my darkvision. Our vision into the room was blocked by countless mounds of dirt piled as high as I was tall. The mounds were spaced out evenly, each several paces wide and made of a mixture of sediment and earth. How it got arranged this way was so far a mystery. My eyes taking everything in, I followed the chain from the top of the doorway. The single chain was guided along the ceiling with loops hammered into the moss and rocky surface above. My eyes followed it to see the chain split off into another, then another. It looked as if the main chain split off like a tree growing ever more branches to encompass the entire ceiling. The web of chains all linked, so that if one was pulled, it would cause the initial chain to the door to be pulled with it. Throughout the room, chains hung down from the ceiling like some great pully mystery. It was a puzzle we didn¡¯t yet have time to solve. A sickly sweet smell assaulted our senses, both of us nearly gagging on the bitter scent. It was almost like something was decaying under gallons of honey that had dried for several weeks under a noon¡¯s sun. Stella and I met eyes, each of us trying vainly to cover our noses. Disgust was plain on our faces, but we had bigger things to worry about. I crouched up to a nearby mound and inspected it closely. It was wider than I was and towered over me as I crept closer. Reaching out, the earth was damp to the touch and was on the edge of being sludge-like. My fingers came away covered in a thick material and I had to fling my hand a few times to get the substance to fall away. Whatever it was, it was sticky and felt akin to caked mud. This close to the pile, heat radiated off of it and pressed into my skin. With how cool the room was otherwise, small wisps of steam rose to the ceiling. Eyeing the room, every new mound looked nearly identical, though others were not nearly as tall. The place reminded me of many competing ant hills. Keeping stealth active, we worked our way into the middle of the room, sliding around mound after mound. I was hoping to find something else, but the organized rows of dirt didn¡¯t waiver. Occasionally, we found a mound or two that had been busted open, almost as if something had torn its way out from the inside. It was a worrying thought. We were eyeing up one particular broken mound when a haunting laugh filled the room. The laugh was guttural and sounded as if it was being forced through a mouth full of mucus and phlegm. It had the hoarsest voice I had ever heard. Crouching low, my stealth was firmly engaged and I got no sense that I had been spotted. Uncertainty raced through me as I tried to look in all directions at once. With the mounds piled up, it was hard to determine the direction from where the throaty noise came from. Stella and I were hunkered between several mounds when a loud crack sounded, like metal on metal. The chains above crackled noisily; one line being pulled taut. A sharp pang of dread and realization coursed through my body, as the line was again yanked on violently. With a resounding boom, the door we had left open behind us slammed closed. Another thud sounded, signaling the locking bar falling into place right after effectively locking us in. Now the outer mechanism made sense, it was designed so that something could pull on one of the dangling chains throughout the room and cause the door to lock close. One chain was hovering over us, so I stood tall and tugged on it. Nothing happened. Evidently, the pully system closed the door, but wouldn¡¯t open it. There must be a different way to open it back up? I thought to myself. Lower back into a crouch, I looked to Stella. ¡°Shit,¡± I cursed under my breath. ¡°Stella, can you see whatever the hell was laughing?¡± ¡°No, and I don¡¯t like the sound of it,¡± Stella replied, revulsion spread across her tiny face. ¡°It sounded like someone who regularly drinks battery acid. Disgusting.¡± ¡°Nice.¡± Whoever laughed sounded big, the voice deep and gravely. I wasn¡¯t looking forward to our introduction. We worked our way to a side wall, wanting it nearby so we couldn¡¯t be attacked from all sides. ¡°Stell, can you scout ahead a little? I¡¯m hoping you can help us spot it before it spots us.¡± ¡°Sure, but I can¡¯t go too far away from you,¡± Stella replied. ¡°I have an idea, can you fly up near the ceiling and take a look over these mounds,¡± I asked. ¡°Don¡¯t go too high though as the glow from the moss may give you away.¡± Stella nodded and glided upwards, stopping a foot away from the ceiling. She turned her head, this way and that. She must have spotted something as her gaze was locked on something towards the back of the room. ¡°You¡¯re not going to like it,¡± she paused as she settled in the air next to me. Her head tilted towards the direction she had been looking. ¡°It¡¯s pretty¡­ disgusting.¡± ¡°Were you able to get a description off of it?¡± ¡°No, only you can trigger Inspect. It¡­ she isn¡¯t moving. She¡¯s just sitting back there against the wall,¡± Stella¡¯s lips curled as if she bit into something too sour. ¡°She¡¯s looking back and forth. I don¡¯t think she knows where we are, but obviously knows we¡¯re stuck in here with her.¡± ¡°Anything else you can share about her?¡± Stella made quick eye contact with me, saying only a single word, ¡°Fat.¡± She didn¡¯t share more than that, so I nodded my understanding and started working closer towards the boss. Stealth was keeping me well hidden, though every footfall near a pile of the sludge squelched ever so slightly with my passing. A pressure in my temples slowly starting filled my awareness, hinting that we were getting closer, though thankfully still hidden. Hearing labored breathing ahead, I used one of the tall mounds to hide my body as I peered around, trying to a glimpse. What greeted my eyes, was something out of a nightmare. A grossly overweight, hairless gnoll-like beast with four legs and a small pair of stubby arms was peering about. It was akin to a gnoll as she had a long, angular snout taking in deep raspy breaths, but little else resembled the creatures we had fought earlier. While the creature¡¯s four legs looked as strong as a bull, the body reminded me of the fat creature from a sci-fi movie. Her body giggled with mounds of fat that layered thickly along her centaur-shaped form. Her arms were wider than my thighs, and those were stubby-looking on her massive frame. Her pearly-white skin was stretched too much, trying to vainly keep her folds of flesh contained within. To make matters worse, it was absolutely covered in sweat that was pouring profusely off her rolls of flesh. Even at this distance, I knew the sickly-sweet odor in the air was definitely coming from whatever that foul liquid was. It was almost overpowering even being a dozen paces away. My shoulders deflated at the grotesque sight of her. I had been expecting a glorious fight, much like the goblin boss, but the sight of her was quite revolting. I regretted the coming fight, not for fear of her killing me, but of her foul presence. Nearly gaging at the foul obscenity before me, I finally inspected the boss. Risqu¨¦ the Massive, Corpulent Gnoll Matriarch (Level 14 - Rare Boss) A gnoll matriarch is an exceedingly rare sub-species of gnoll that hasn¡¯t been seen in civilized lands in over two centuries. One of the species most loathed creatures is birthed only once every several hundred years and she is essential for a band of Twitching Gnolls to grow and survive. The foul liquid that oozes out of its massive body is saturated with adrenaline that her male gnolls fight for the right to collect. Once imbibed by a twitching gnoll, they no longer need to eat or drink for weeks at a time as their bodies are magically sustained by the repulsive nectar. Unfortunately, for these gnolls, the liquid is highly addictive and they acquiesce to any request from their Matriarch. This gives the Matriarch complete control of the pack and she often sends them out to bring back unwilling victims to her den for ¡®reasons.¡¯ Trust us, you don¡¯t want to know more on that subject! Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. Dear god, I thought. The urge to flee flashed in my mind but was drowned by the realization we had been set up. My guess was that whatever opened that massively thick door, would be found only after defeating the boss. We were trapped with nothing to do about it. The boss was far above my level and looked to have far more times my health pool. There was no way to be certain right now, my heads-up display simply showed one hundred percent remaining health. Her gaze started turning towards our position, so I quickly ducked back behind the cover. Something had caught my attention as I ducked, so after allowing a moment for her gaze to hopefully move on, I peeked around once more. A round level was jutting from the stone wall behind her. It likely opened the door I so desperately wished was still open. Yet, looking at her and the many chains that dotted the room, even if I managed to pull it with the intention of fleeing, she would simply close as we raced our way to safety. Our only option was to fight. Thinking for a moment, the idea of trying to talk my way out of a fight seemed dim based on the Matriarch¡¯s description. She probably thought I had been thrown in here by the gnolls and was simply waiting for the inevitable. Why though, was she not hunting me down? By the look of her massive body, I could guess why. She would need to lumber through the evenly spaced mud piles to move around. The immediate area around her was clear, so my mind tried to work out the reasoning. ¡°She probably doesn¡¯t want to knock those mounds over,¡± I whispered aloud my thoughts. Something was within each; I now had no doubt. Each radiated a strong heat, almost like body heat. Dread fell over me again. Those damnable piles were her offspring, at least that was my guess with the information available to us. Stella caught my eyes and seemed to comprehend the same thing. ¡°Hopefully none of them burst while we¡¯re fighting,¡± Stella offered helpfully. I nodded at her wish, ¡°Let¡¯s hope.¡± Delving back into my thoughts, I needed to come up with a plan. Our only advantage so far was a surprise attack. The boss knew we were in the room, but not where. The extra damage from my initial attack would help, but with her unknown health pool, I would have to hope it was enough. I would need to start with my most damaging attack and, right now that was my specialized boil blood. The additional damage with stealth would boost it further. Glancing another risk at ¡®Risqu¨¦,¡¯ my thoughts raced trying to think of other options. ¡°Question, Stell. If I drink the gnoll brew, do you think there is a chance I get addicted to it like the gnolls in her description said? ¡°I doubt it,¡± Stella said with a shake of her head. ¡°Your biology is different from that of the gnolls and I¡¯d guess the brew is system tailored to get them hooked on it.¡± Alright, at least we had that going for us. A plan was formulated in my mind and I quietly shared it with Stella who nodded in agreement as I spoke. ¡°Let¡¯s do this,¡± I said, ready for battle as I could ever be. Taking a deep breath, I began. My fingers twinned through movements as I placed a dual-cast minor regeneration on myself, hoping it would also increase the duration of the spell, not just the amount healed. Then, without pause, I peered once more around the pile near us and targeted the boss. My fingers moved through delicate gestures while arcane words tumbled out of my lips, this time bringing forth the magic of my strongest spell. I did my best to keep it to a whisper so that I wouldn¡¯t give away my position. Unfortunately, Risqu¨¦''s interest was piqued and she stood taller, though made no indication she knew exactly where we were. ¡°Welcome, meat. I¡¯m so glad my gnolls brought you to me¡­,¡± her deep voice cut off abruptly as my spell connected with her fleshy body, the blood in her massive body instantly boiling. Her words were replaced by a bellowing scream that pierced the air, ¡°Argh!¡± Her voice was repulsive like someone had broken her windpipe and had forced a mouthful of syrup down her throat. Her yell had gobs of phlegm rocketing outwards. Her initial response to realizing I was close, gave me a small modicum of hope. Risqu¨¦ hadn¡¯t considered I would be attacking from the shadows. Based on her words, she likely thought I had been dumped in here without armor or weapons by her pack of gnolls. Sadly, for her, she was about to suffer the consequences of her arrogance. The initial damage notification flashed across my screen, to be quickly minimized based on my settings, but something felt¡­ off. The damage was smaller than I had expected, and the impression I now got from the damage I caused feeling weaker. My eyes quickly summoned up the information to double-check it. Damage dealt, 136. The Matriarch¡¯s blood begins to sear. Stella locked eyes with mine. ¡°She has magical resistances!¡± Stella shouted above the beast''s gargled scream. ¡°Damn it,¡± I exclaimed knowing that this unwelcomed addition was going to extend our fight with the boss. Risqu¨¦ had a significant health pool if the measly damage I had inflicted with the first tick of my spells damage was any indicator, and with whatever magical resistances she had it would make my job harder. ¡°By how much,¡± I shouted out the question I readied a new spell. No other creature had magical resistance before so I could only hope it would be small; it wasn¡¯t. Before Stella could answer, Risqu¨¦''s scream cut off abruptly, followed by a mucus-filled bellow, her massive body lumbering towards the mound I was hiding behind. ¡°You¡¯ll pay for that insult a thousand times over, meat bag. I am going to strip the meat off your bones and drink your marrow while you are writhing in agony.¡± Risqu¨¦ continued to shout threats that I tuned out, not allowing them to distract me, her voice shrill with anger. She was moving slowly towards us, taking a moment to look down at her blubbery stomach, as if trying to see the damage from my spell. When Risqu¨¦ looked back up to me, she was greeted with a fireball bearing down her still form. It detonated and blasted her back a few paces. The damage once more felt far weaker than expected, but doubly so compared to boil blood. Pulling up the damage notification I swore as I read the limited damage inflicted. Damage dealt, 79. Gnoll Matriarch is afflicted with Burn. I was supposed to do closer to one hundred thirty so her resistances were significant, sure she had the burn debuff, but that number was likely lower too. I was about to question why the fireball was so much lower when Stella¡¯s voice shot above the incessant yelling of the boss. ¡°She must have forty-percent total magical resistances. Luckily, your necromancer class is bypassing a good portion of that. Remember, you have an innate ability to bypass twenty-five percent of a mob¡¯s resistances.¡± Stella was flying around the battlefield, doing her best to fill me in with what was happening or important information I needed to know. ¡°So, damage over time spells more than others,¡± I said in response. The boss was moving once more for my position, doing her best to ignore both my DoT and the burn debuff slowly draining her health. Not thinking long, and seeing she was within range, I held out a hand and channeled my flamethrower spell. The damage would be weaker because of her resistances, but I hoped to keep her back with the biting flames. I also aimed for her face, just to shut her the hell up. The cascading flame washed over her flabby chest, reaching hungrily to her face. Whether that shut her up or simply that I couldn¡¯t hear her over the roar of the spell, mattered little to me. It also stopped her in her tracks. Risqu¨¦ was flailing her arms before her face trying vainly to protect herself as the flames worked to blacken her flesh. My confidence crashed completely when she lowered her head and her whole body flashed a brilliant white. Before I could react, the boss sped forward at incredible speed, closing the distance between us in an instant. The mound in front of me did little to protect me from the colossal impact. I had been able to shift aside enough that I didn¡¯t take the full brunt of her attack, but the result was devastating regardless. The mound of dirt and earth burst as if a grenade had detonated within. Parts of flesh and gore flew along with the sediment which affirmed my suspicion that new gnolls were being incubated within. Destroying an offspring seemed to matter little to the boss, as she crashed straight through and into me. Instead of taking the charge directly on my chest, she hit the side of my torso sending me spinning in the air like a rag doll. Some of the ooze that covered her entire body transferred in the impact, bringing bile to my throat with only a whiff of the rancid odor. A damage notification flashed across my screen, followed by a debuff message in bright red letters, it bold enough to catch my attention even as I slammed to the floor several feet away. You have suffered 132 damage from Gnoll Matriarch¡¯s ¡®Bulling Charge¡¯. You are STUNNED for 2 seconds. My head was spinning and I couldn¡¯t focus. Stella was trying to tell me something, but my wits were addled so it sounded like gibberish to my ears. After the two seconds that had passed, my sense came flooding back in. I was flat on my back and could make out the boss¡¯s feet only a few paces away. Not waiting to see the gnoll''s next move, I rolled away trying to get distance from her pounding hooves. Finding my feet, I whirled back to the boss, ready for anything. Luck had been with me, the mound of clinging mud had covered her entire torso and face, enough so that she was having trouble getting it off and reorienting back on me. Had she not hit the gnoll incubator and not become disorientated, that two-second stun could have been disastrous for me. Whatever ability she triggered was lightning fast, though it did give a split second to react with the burst of light it gave off before the charge. I would have to be ready if it happened again. That single attack alone nearly took out nearly half of my total health pool, and it wasn¡¯t a direct impact at that! I could ill afford to take another one. Catching my breath for a moment, my regeneration spell was working diligently to undo the damage the boss had caused. The boss freed herself of most of the sticky tar-like substance, and orientated at me. She charged once more, but thankfully without any special ability. Perhaps, it had a cooldown. I was about to cast a spell when the boss gargled out several arcane words, all the while pointing a meaty hand in my direction. ¡°Oh shit, she¡¯s a caster,¡± I yelled in warning. A cast bar appeared above her nameplate and was rapidly reaching completion. Many hours from my previous life had taught me, it had been bore into me, that you never wanted an enemy to finish their casting. The cast bar above her hinted that it was a spell that could likely be interrupted, but one had to act fast. My axe had never left my grip, so I charged forward matching her movement with my own. The distance rapidly closed between us, faster than Risqu¨¦ initially anticipated, so my axe came slashing across towards her undefended body. Still, she was no easy foe and reared right before impact, causing my attack to only glance across her front hooves. The gnoll matriarch¡¯s spell completed and a glowing ethereal longsword appeared in her upraised fist. In a motion her bulky form belied it was capable of doing, she crashed all her weight down with her front hooves, using the momentum to strike down toward me with incredible force. The magical blade slammed down on my shoulder, sinking in deep. An instant later, the blade vanished into motes of energy. Still, the impact and resulting pain was excruciating. It felt like I had nearly been split in two. In reality, my troll hide tunic helped the otherworldly blade from doing just that. Finding myself on one knee, my vision was blurred from the agony of the attack. You have suffered 150 damage! Thankfully, my regen spell ticked and helped stabilize my dwindling health pool somewhat. I grimaced as my muscles and tendons quickly knit themselves back together. ¡°Look out!¡± Stella shouted from my left. Her warning prompted me to dodge. I rolled backwards and barely avoided twin fists trying to slam down upon my unprotected head. Coming back to my feet again, I eyed the boss wearily, both of her attacks causing significant damage. Had I not started the battle with that regeneration spell, I would likely be dead. The boss glowed brilliantly again, my eyes going wide at the implication. As I dove to the side, Stella yelled out at the same instant, ¡°That¡¯s her charge ability!¡± Thankfully, I was quick enough and the gnoll''s blazingly fast charge missed me by centimeters. The blast of wind swept by me as she once again crashed into one of the towers of mud. Spring back to my feet, I orientated on the boss who was once again having difficulty extracting herself. Recognizing the boss mechanic for what it was, and the weakness it imparted which left her momentarily defenseless as she franticly tried to remove the sludge, I leaped with my axe held high. My axe crashed heavily into her enormous hind quarter, scoring a deep blow that none of her magical resistance could protect her from. Unfortunately, my greed got the better of me. As I tried to land another blow, the gnoll¡¯s hind legs kicked out. Her lightning-fast double-back kick connected solidly in my chest as I reached the apex of my axe swing, high over my head. The blow was devastating and I was thrown back painfully once more. I momentarily crumpled into a fetal position from the pain of the attack. You suffered 198 damage! ¡°Xaz, you can¡¯t keep allowing her to hit you, she¡¯s too strong,¡± Stella said, trying to help. Didn¡¯t I know it, though. I had to play this smarter. I was getting my ass kicked, literally. Knowing I couldn¡¯t remain in my vulnerable position, I forced myself to get up and ignore the pain. The wind had been blown out of my lungs, but thankfully my regeneration spell allowed me to take in a deep breath a moment later. My lifesaving spell couldn¡¯t be lasting much longer, so I recast it once more, refreshing the duration. My breathing was ragged for several minutes, the boss having broken several ribs with her recent attack. The strength the boss could bring to bear was awe-inspiring, in the worst kind of way. I was lucky she hadn¡¯t punctured a lung with that hit. Another round of DoTs ticked away and Stella updated me on her remaining health. ¡°Boss at 39% health!¡± The state of the boss''s health came somewhat of a surprise as it felt like I hadn¡¯t done much recently, other than be thrown around like a rag doll. Still, my boil blood spell was incredibly powerful for its level. Plus, the boss also had the burn debuff that was slowly ticking away at her health. Returning to the ball of my feet once more, swearing to myself it was the last of this battle, I took a calming breath. Knowing now that I would only be able to get in a single attack or spell with the matriarch¡¯s charge mechanic, I would have to be ready. My mistakes had cost me, but I also learned something valuable. My health had been dangerously low from the powerful kick, nearly bottoming out, yet, I was feeling some confidence in how to proceed. It was important to not focus too much on your mistakes. Instead, you needed to learn from them and, in this Game, you either learned fast or died apparently. Knowing what the boss could do next, I brought my axe defensively in front of me. The boss turned and ran at me, a new glowing sword held high for another attack. She must have cast her spell again while I was distracted. As it descended, I first thought to parry the attack, but from the blows the boss had landed thus far, she was far too strong to attempt it. I couldn¡¯t match her strength, likely even if I tried to use my minor deflection spell. So, instead, I backpedaled, the sword missing by a hairsbreadth before vanishing into motes. Quickly lunging forward, my axe slashed across her mid-section scoring another hit and tearing a large gash. quickly brought my back slashing at her mid-section. As the blow landed, a flash of azure light lashed outwards from the axe, flash freezing the impact sight. A smile spread my lips as the gnoll leader¡¯s movements slowed. It has seemed like ages since the weapon¡¯s special ability had triggered and it couldn¡¯t have come at a better time. Ice-like tendrils coursed through the matriarch¡¯s flesh, reaching her front hoovers and all the way to her thick neck. I could have attacked her again with my axe, but my greed had nearly ruined me earlier. Instead, I intoned the words to minor heat blood. The extra damage from the DoT would hopefully push me over the edge into victory. I backpedaled further and moved myself behind another chest-high mound of dirt. Another round of damage from my spells chewed into her health pool, bringing her down to twenty-seven percent. At that moment, her face turned bright red and she howled into the air. A new ¡°enraged¡± notification appeared on her nameplate and I was glad I had acted defensively moments before. This time, she flashed a brilliant crimson color, her bulk moving sooner than before. My weapon¡¯s slow effect helped me here, I think. It gave me plenty of time to dodge aside as the boss blew through the mound I was behind and through the next one beyond that! There would have been no way I could have survived that absurd attack. Having been waiting patiently and with my foresight, I now found myself more than a dozen yards away from the boss, my health reaching higher thanks to my regeneration spell. Having two piles of gunk to scrap off herself, I had my opening. Charing towards my prey, I refreshed the lesser boil blood in her system, effectively guaranteeing a victory due to the massive damage it inflicted over the course of a minute. I wasn¡¯t satisfied in simply waiting for her to die from my spell as it wrecked into her health pool. I had eyed up the enraged status and found a noteworthy piece of information after inspecting it. Damage received multiplied by an additional 50% due to Enraged status. Something else could happen in the battle, some other final ability the boss had for me to simply sit on the sideline. I needed to act. ¡°Boss at 18%. health¡± Stella informed me as I charged. My axe again landed a strong blow against her hind quarter, dropping her health by a healthy amount. I had learned my lesson though and backpaddled, expecting a kick to lance out in response to my attack. Sure enough, twin hooves hammered out but found only empty air. Another of my attacks landed in short order before I again moved back. This time though, the boss turned after finally removing most of the gunk from her body. Balancing on the balls of my feet, I waited for the next charge. With the space I created between us I felt confident in my ability to dodge her once more. However, instead of the expected crimson charge, the towering gnoll¡¯s eyes flashed red and she vanished! The hair on the back of my head stood on end and a sense of dread screamed a warning from behind, so I dove directly forward, my instincts saving me. As I dove headlong, a blade of red energy crashed into the ground just where I had been standing a moment before. The boss had teleported! After turning my dive into a roll, I swung around, my momentum pulling my axe with me. It connected hard into the matriarch¡¯s body, bringing her health bar to nearly non-existent as another round of my DoTs ticked away at her weakening body. ¡°Boss at 6%,¡± Stella shouted with enthusiasm this time, hope evident in her voice. I knew I only needed to last one more round of my damage overtime spells and the boss would fall. Both my and Stella¡¯s enthusiasm faltered as we gasped in unison. The boss had one final trick up her sleeve. Risqu¨¦ uttered a single arcane syllable, twin blades blazing to life in her hands. One burning crimson and the other a saintly white, she grinned evilly my way. The boss flashed both white and red, the colors looking to try to mix but failing to do so. Another charge was incoming and the battle had brought us close to the edge of the room. In horror, I realized I was trapped with nowhere to go. There was no way to dodge it and if the matriarch¡¯s final attack landed, there was no way I would survive it. As the boss blazed forward with ungodly speed, I acted out of desperation, diving aside even as I cast the only spell I could think of. I devolved into pain as my body was crashed into by a mountain slide. A void of blackness descended over me and I knew no more. Chapter 14 - Lucky Bastard The darkness around my consciousness slowly receded. The sensation of my bruised and bloodied body sharply took the place of the emptiness that I had feared would never pass. The image of the behemoth boss barreling at me dominated my thoughts. Sharp spikes lanced in my chest as I took deeper breaths, several bones cracked. Thankfully, none appeared to be too broken as I raised myself to my elbows. Dirt and caked earth clung to my back as I propped myself up. I must have been thrown into one of the mounds as the boss monster blew into me, though I couldn¡¯t remember exactly what had happened. My head ached, a pounding monsoon of a migraine splitting my skull. A raised hand found an absence of blood thankfully. Trying to come to my knees was wasted as my vision swam when I tried to get up. It would be some long minutes before would try that again. The thick layer of gunk plastered my body, mostly on my backside, but the impact must have been so powerful that it was as if I had been rained on by the viscous mix of mud and dirt. Clearing as much of the disgusting stuff from my front, I was greeted by Stella floating down to my face, her expression a mix of worry and relief. In my daze, I had forgotten about her so jerked back in surprise at her canine features so close to my face. Sadly, the motion slammed the back of my head back into the destroyed pile I was laying back against. ¡°Sorry,¡± Stella said with a soft tone. ¡°I wanted to be sure you were alright. I had thought you might have been killed by her last attack.¡± The pain in my head spiked once more at my struggles to at least come to a sitting position, and a muffled grunt escaped my lips. ¡°You need to heal yourself,¡± Stella said, her worry lessening as she glided around my head. ¡°You had a couple of ticks of your regen spell remaining after the boss collided with you, but it has since worn off.¡± Stella¡¯s eyes glowed white for the briefest of moments before she continued, ¡°I sense multiple internal injuries, you have internal bleeding so your natural regeneration is barely keeping you alive. You need to cast another healing spell on yourself and stop the internal bleeding.¡± The words barely registered in my addled mind. Still, after several long moments, her words reached me and I tried to focus enough to cast my spell. My hands clunkily responded to my commands and the words to the spell fumbled inside my skull. I couldn¡¯t cast the spell and my health bar was growing lower. With a flash of red at the edge of my vision, it became dangerously low. ¡°Help,¡± I could barely muster the word as I brought my hand up to my lips while mentally calling forward a healing potion. I knew I was in no condition to cast a spell at the moment, but a healing potion might get me over that hurdle. The bottle formed in my hands but instantly slipped through my numb fingers. Stella moved to help, her canine arms grasping around the potion. With her help, I was able to stabilize my hand enough and keep it from falling. Stella bit down on the cork, tugging it out before spitting it to the side. I finally had a firm enough grip on the small glass vial and, with Stella¡¯s assistance, was able to bring it to my lips. The liquid splashed past my lips, some of the healing fluid running down my chin, but I was able to get a large enough swallow. The instant it reached my throat, healing power radiated outwards. When it touched my stomach, that power swelled and propelled my health points up by close to fifty points. My eyes closed as the warmth helped soothe the countless aches throughout my body. It wasn¡¯t enough, but it dulled the migraine enough that I could focus enough to pull another bottle out. It was quickly downed along with the last. When both potions had run their course, the words of my regeneration spell formed far easier in my mind. Sitting up, my hands waved in arcane patterns as the matching syllables called forth the healing magic. It completed and the radiant magic coursed into my body, knitting torn flesh, and mending cracked bones. In short order, my health was topped off though lingering phantom pain kept me on my butt. ¡°Thanks, Stell,¡± I said as my migraine finally faded to a distant memory. ¡°Clearly, I¡¯m alive, but¡­ when I saw her charging towards me, I felt my end milliseconds away. I should be dead.¡± ¡°You nearly were,¡± Stella said with a shake of her small head. ¡°You were just able to cast your minor deflecting shield in that last instant. Had your spell been a fraction of a moment too late, you would be.¡± Stella moved and rested on my legs. Her weight brought a sense of comfort and ease with it. She chuckled, ¡°You should probably rename it ¡®oh shit, please-save-my-life shield.¡¯¡± My mind went back to the moment of impact. The bulky and grotesque body of the boss inches away, the flare of red magic surrounding her body blazing in my vision. I had wanted to cast the spell, had tried calling to it, but¡­ it was like I hadn¡¯t been fast enough. Like my mind had been too slow to call upon the magic in that desperate moment. ¡°I don¡¯t think I actually called the spell,¡± I said as my eyes narrowed at the memory. ¡°I mean, clearly the spell came forth to save me by the smallest of margins, but¡­¡± My eyes moved to Stella with worry playing across my face, ¡°I didn¡¯t¡­ How did¡­ How am I alive?¡± ¡°You must have had just enough time, there¡¯s no almost no other way. Her charge would have been enough to end you considering where your health pool was at,¡± Stella answered, though I could hear the same doubt in her voice that I was feeling. Something had happened. Something had spared my life though I had no idea what it was or why it happened. ¡°You¡¯re alive,¡± Stella said in a sure tone. ¡°So, let¡¯s be thankful and keep going, yeah?¡± I couldn¡¯t argue with that. ¡°So, after she crashed through me and my shield spell, what happened next? I only remember pain and darkness after that.¡± ¡°Well, Risqu¨¦ turned back to you, looked to be able to do something¡­ then just dropped dead. Just like that, it was as if every bone in her body turned to jelly. If you want, your damage notification log will show the last ticks of your spell as it finishes her off.¡± I did indeed have damage notification pending if I so desired, along with several other messages that were flashing to grab my attention, though I wasn¡¯t interested in going through them yet. Instead, I brushed myself off and got to my feet. Thankfully, I was able to dislodge most of the gunk that clung to my clothes though I was sure my back had several layers of the stuff that I couldn¡¯t reach. Time would take care of that crap. Finding my axe nearby, I returned it to my inventory and turned to find the matriarch¡¯s corpse. It had to have some loot that would make that intense battle worth it, I hoped. It didn¡¯t take long as the path of her final charge was longer than any other before it. She was lying face down with her four legs splayed to the side. The magical swords she had conjured were nowhere to be seen, sadly, though I wasn¡¯t surprised as it seemed to have been a quick duration spell when she used it in our fight. The notifications in the corner of my vision were still blinking at me, though for a moment the message seemed to grow brighter and more insistent. It was almost as if the message was demanding my attention without delay. ¡°Weird,¡± I said to myself before turning to my companion. ¡°Stella, there¡¯s a notification that I swear the Game¡¯s system wants me to open sooner rather than later. Would it be a bad thing to ignore it?¡± ¡°Yup, that can happen, depending on the importance of the message. I wouldn¡¯t advise ignoring that when it happens. Sometimes, it can indicate something important is about to happen so putting it off could lead to bad times.¡± Stella floated over to the deceased boss, holding a paw to her nose, her other creeping closer as if she was about to touch the blubbery flesh, ¡°Now that you¡¯re awake, the system knows you have the opportunity to review it.¡± ¡°Gross, Stella. Don¡¯t touch that, you¡¯ll go blind,¡± I jested. Stella looked at me with a coy smirk before moving ever so slowly, the tip of a toe touching the body of the boss. Stella twirled her head like a princess before noticing a glob of the gnoll fluid had transferred at the gentle touch. She looked down, confused, before jumping around in disgust as she vainly tried to fling the goop off herself. I tried not to laugh at her unfortunate situation, but couldn¡¯t hold myself back. ¡°Told you,¡± I said smugly before shaking my head. Taking Stella¡¯s advice, I mentally clicked on my notifications and was absolutely bombarded with notifications. Congratulations! You have earned a new achievement, ¡°Lucky Bastard.¡± You should be dead, yet, against all odds you are still breathing. In a moment of final desperation, with a mountain bearing down upon you, you called out for aid. Something answered. You have shown yourself to have the potential for one of the greatest Hunters this Game has ever known, so the Game itself responded. Please know that this achievement is rarely earned and never given to the same Hunter again. You have potential, but will you live up to that measure? Only time and your determination will tell. Good luck, Hunter! Experience awarded! Your Luck attribute has been increased by a significant amount! Luck plus 15! Luck Threshold Reached. Benefits: Plus 5% increased chance to find hidden treasures and extra rewards. ¡°Damn, that¡¯s a nice reward,¡± I said with excitement. ¡°Though, if I hadn¡¯t been doing so well, it sounds like the system wouldn¡¯t have intervened.¡± If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°Well, I¡¯m glad it did,¡± Stella huffed. ¡°It would have been too short for the likes of us. We¡¯ll simply need to be more careful and grow stronger, a lot stronger, as quickly as we can.¡± Nodding in agreement, I looked to Stella. ¡°Let¡¯s hope it doesn¡¯t come close like that, at least for a really long time. And, about growing stronger? I¡¯m pretty sure we¡¯re about to get some levels from completing this nightmare of a quest, so we¡¯ve got that going for us.¡± Sure enough, the messages continued coming, one after another. Experience Awarded: Defeating Corpulent Gnoll Matriarch ¡°Risqu¨¦ the Massive¡± (Level 14 - Rare Boss). Congratulations! You have successfully completed the quest ¡®Cave of the Twitching Stalkers.¡¯ Objective One: 18 of 18 Twitching Gnolls defeated. Object Two: ¡°Risqu¨¦ the Massive¡± defeated. Calculating Rewards¡­ Notice! Quest rewards have been increased due to completion with only a single party member. You earned 6,000 experience points (Base 4,000). Congratulations! You have earned a hidden quest reward, +2 to all Attributes. Wisdom Threshold Reached. Benefits: Plus 5% increased mana regeneration and magical resistances. Congratulations! You have earned a quest reward, Axe Skill Book: ¡®Roaring Sweep.¡¯ Your reputation with the village, Nemmil, has substantially increased for defeating all Twitching Gnolls. Level Up! You have earned enough experience to advance to level seven and eight. Tier 1 class characteristic attributes have been applied. You have 14 attribute points to distribute. Fight well, Hunter! Let none stand in your path, nor lay their filthy hands on you again! Note ¨C Having reached level 7, you are able to choose a new class-appropriate spell. Please connect with your accelerator for details. This option becomes available again when you attain level 9. ?Those gains were amazing, to say the least. Gaining two whole levels would certainly boost my survivability to future potential. Our efforts were being rewarded, though that final batter was far closer than I would have hoped for. Now, though, I was happy to grow stronger and looked forward to the next battle. My eyes lit up at the mention of a new skill book, and a new spell to choose, but additional system messages awaited me. Skill: Stealth has increased to level 5. Spell: Lesser Boil Blood has increased to level 6. Spell: Minor Flamethrower has increased to level 4. Spell: Minor Shielding has increased to level 3. Spell: Minor Regen has increased to level 4. Skill: Axe has increased to level 4. Spell: Minor Deflecting Shield has increased to level 4. After the skill gains, the next notification I received was a surprising one. Reading the message, I recalled I had barely looked at the reputation section within my character page. Apparently, I was becoming somewhat popular. Reputation Achievement: You have reached over 5,000 views. Wow, look at you go! All popular, with over five thousand views and still within your first 24 hours. Impressive. Most Impressive. Congratulations! You have been rewarded by the System based on the contributing factor that has recently increased your viewership. You have received +2 Constitution, +2 Intelligence. Lesser Boil Blood has been increased by 1 level. Spell: Lesser Boil Blood has increased to level 7. ¡°Well, that is certainly welcomed,¡± I said with a bit of surprise of tone in my voice. I had forgotten that reputation achievements were a thing, so I was curious how long those would last. The notification indicated about being within the first twenty-four hours, of becoming a Hunter I didn¡¯t double, so perhaps they would disappear soon. While I didn¡¯t approve of the Game and Hunter¡¯s looking to make playthings out of its residents, I wasn¡¯t about to look a gift horse in the mouth for getting rewarded for doing what needed to be done. The next task would be to figure out where to put my fourteen new attribute points that came with these two levels. First, I needed to see where I was so I pulled up my attributes. Strength: 15. Dexterity: 17. Constitution: 31 (*). Intelligence: 32 (*). Wisdom: 12. Charisma: 12. Luck: 29 (*). ¡°Hey Stell, why does constitution, intelligence and luck have those asterisks again? I thought those messages popped up automatically now?¡± I recalled seeing that small symbol back when two of my attributes had first reached the ten-point threshold, but after that the bonuses displayed showed up without my input being needed. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s how it works, but for the first time you reach a new threshold you have to manually open it.¡± Stella¡¯s reply made sense, though I wondered why I hadn¡¯t noticed it earlier. Too busy fighting and trying to not die, I shrugged. ¡°Fortunate for you, you¡¯re getting both the twenty and thirty thresholds for constitution and our intelligence. Data come at you for each. Luck is coming your way too, but just the twenty-point update. You¡¯re a single point away, so maybe put a point there to get the next threshold when you complete the level-up.¡± Constitution Threshold Reached (20). Benefits: Each new point into Constitution now grants 20 health (up from 10). Constitution Threshold Reached (30). Benefits: Each new point into Constitution now grants 25 health (up from 20). Intelligence Threshold Reached (20). Benefits: Each new point into intelligence now grants 20 mana (up from 10). Intelligence Threshold Reached (30). Benefits: Each new point into Intelligence now grants 25 mana (up from 20). Luck Threshold Reached (20). Benefits: Plus 10% increased chance to find hidden treasures and extra rewards(up from 5%). ¡°Oh, hell yeah,¡± I was ecstatic and quickly pulled up my new health and mana totals. Those two bonuses combined should skyrocket both to new heights. Health: 425. Mana: 450. Stamina: 230 ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s a very nice increase to both. Stamina is a little behind, but should jump similarly when both Strength and Constitution are above the twenty-point threshold,¡± Stella said next to me. ¡°So, let¡¯s take care of that,¡± I muttered as reviewed my attribute points. ¡°Fourteen points available feels like a lot¡­ But what will give me the most right now?¡± I pondered the thought for a pair of minutes, Stella letting me mull over things in my head without interruption. ¡°Okay, I¡¯m thinking of putting five points into strength to help with my stamina, though I don¡¯t put it into action much right now. I do love using my axe though.¡± I continued, ¡°Then at least one into luck to get the thirty-point threshold. Finally, the last bit into constitution and intelligence, though more into intelligence as I don¡¯t want to run out of mana in a prolonged battle. I¡¯m thinking six into intelligence and the last two into constitution, what do you think?¡± I had been tempted to put some points into Dexterity but considering the last battle I preferred more mana and life. Without a word about my choice from Stella, I finalized my decision. Congratulations! Strength and Constitution are both above the twenty-point threshold. Stamina has increased by plus 200 points. ¡°Better than I was hoping for,¡± I smiled. ¡°Nice!¡± Luck Threshold Reached (30). Benefits: Plus 15% increased chance to find hidden treasures and extra rewards (up from 10%). Happy with the increases, I closed my character sheet with one final glance at my new resource pool totals. Health: 475. Mana: 625. Stamina: 470. Having a larger health pool meant that I would be far more durable than before the last battle. I would be able to take two perhaps three of the boss¡¯s most powerful attacks. Combined with my new intelligence score, my regeneration spell, well actually all of my spells, would be that much stronger. I enjoyed the balance that I was building, safety and firepower. Like a glass cannon, but having replaced the glass with tempered, shatter-resistant glass. I grinned at the thought. Stella eyed my smile and asked, ¡°Something funny over there, chief?¡± ¡°Oh, just enjoying the improvements we just got,¡± I replied. ¡°Have you ever heard of a glass cannon?¡± Stella only shook her head, apparently never hearing the expression. I shrugged, ¡°Being a glass cannon means you can deal out a great deal of punishment, but shatter at the first touch. I¡¯m like that, just far stronger than your typical glass. Oh, never mind.¡± At least it made sense to me, I thought. There was another set of notifications waiting to be reviewed, but it wasn¡¯t flashing urgently like before, so I decided to first loot the boss. From the notifications that first came through, I knew this last group was about choosing a new spell for my class, but depending on what the boss dropped, it could impact whatever choices were presented. Don¡¯t get me wrong, I wanted to see the new spells, but loot¡­ loot was something altogether enticing in its own right. Walking over to her bloated corpse, I had to consciously not try to breathe in. Whatever stench wafted off her body was growing fouler by the second, almost as if she was rapidly decaying before our eyes. Not only that, but the adrenaline goo was solidifying rapidly while also turning a shade of yellow. ¡°What a disgusting creature. I hope we never have to run into one of these again,¡± I said willing her loot window to appear before me. Congratulations! You have found {Initiate Necromancer¡¯s Furtive Hood of Servitude} {Initiate Necromancer¡¯s Furtive Hood of Servitude}. Quality: Well-crafted. Rarity: Rare. Type: Cloth. Slot: Head. Durability: 1000/1000. Armor: 6. Effect(s): Plus 3 Intelligence, plus 2 Charisma. All pets and summoned creatures last 33% longer and deal an additional 10% damage. Secondary Effect(s): The wearer¡¯s face is hidden behind shadows upon command until canceled. The hood was made of a dark, shadowy material that appeared to pull in ambient light. The effect was eerie and made it difficult to discern any identifiable features of the cowl. For instance, I could feel the stitching that held the cloth together but couldn¡¯t see it no matter how I held the hood. The hood was incredibly lightweight and had a texture that reminded me of velvet. When I equipped it, the hood connected seamlessly to my cloak, looking as if both had always been that way. With a thought, a barely perceptible shadow dropped over my face. My sight and vision were not impacted in the slightest, but Stella quickly shared that even a foot away from my face she couldn¡¯t make out who I was. With some quick testing, I discovered the ability could be turned on and off at will, nearly instantaneously too. ¡°Wow, that¡¯s really cool. I know there¡¯s a face there and, even though I know it¡¯s you, I wouldn¡¯t be able to say what you look like. Can I have it?¡± Stella asked with her tail wagging gently behind her. ¡°Why?¡± I asked. ¡°Because I would look awesome in a hood. Plus, can you imagine me, all sinister-like, with people not being able to tell I¡¯m really a dog? Hah, that¡¯d be something.¡± I raised an eyebrow at her, ¡°They¡­ wouldn¡¯t be able to tell you¡¯re a dog? Really?¡± Stella looked embarrassed like she had been caught doing something incredibly adorable. ¡°Well, perhaps with more than just the hood. Maybe we¡¯ll find the whole set,¡± She exclaimed, clearly hoping for the best possible outcome. ¡°For now, you can have it when we next find an upgrade. How about that?¡± Stella responded so fast, my question had barely escaped my lips, ¡°Deal!¡± Chuckling at Stella¡¯s innocence, I turned off the hood¡¯s secondary effect for the time being. We were going to be approaching another settlement soon, at least I thought so based on the earlier system message, so it probably wouldn¡¯t be good if I arrived with my face hidden in shadows. ¡°I love it,¡± I rubbed my hands together and turned a mischievous grin towards Stella. ¡°Now, what are my spell choices for reaching level seven?¡± Chapter 15 - Ripley, Skeletal Minion My zeal was palpable as I considered what new spells would be opened to me. They would be specific to my necromancer class. I was loving my current spell options, but I was hoping for something along a different path. I was hoping for a summons or pet class spell, something that was a staple for necromancers in the video games I played back on Earth. I already had a small selection of the damaging over time spells, so one of those would work too, but I had my hopes, nonetheless. ¡°Ok, coming at you,¡± Stella smiled my way, clearly catching on my exuberant energy. ¡°Oh, these look good.¡± As she said this last part, the system message appeared in my vision. She wasn¡¯t kidding. Congratulations on reaching level 7. As a Necromancer, you are able to choose one of the following skills or spells. Please know that it is possible that skills or spells not selected have the possibility to be found elsewhere in the World. Please know that you will be able to choose a new skill or spell when you reach level 9. Additionally, after choosing your tier 2 class at level 10, another set of skills or spells will be selectable at level 12 and another at level 14. Choose wisely. Option 1: Spell ¨C [Minor Envenomed Bolt] ¨C A bolt of poison shoots from your palm striking a desired target. The target is then ravaged by a potent toxin doing high damage over a short period of time. Option 2: Spell ¨C [Minor Curse of Darkness] ¨C You summon darkness to cling and bind to a target¡¯s legs. This slows the target¡¯s movement speed and does a small amount of damage over time. Option 2: Spell ¨C [Minor Restless Bones] ¨C Animates the bones of a recently defeated foe creating an undead servant that follows your commands. The skeleton lasts until destroyed or the spell is canceled. Only one skeleton can be summoned at a time. ¡°Yes!¡± I said as I read the last option. ¡°I was hoping for a spell like that. Still, this was going to be a tough decision¡­ I would love to have all three really. The poison bolt is perfect for my necromancer build as it looks to be a highly damaging spell, likely killing weaker mobs with just that single cast. There¡¯s a tactic with damage over time spells where you cast your longer lasting ones, then go down your available list with shorter and shorter spells.¡± I rubbed my hands together as I spoke, thrilled at the options. ¡°That curse spell is something new,¡± Stella said as she hovered close by. ¡°It has a small amount of damage with it, but it looks to primarily slow an enemy. Kind of like limiting them to a walking speed instead of a sprint, but how helpful can that be right now? ¡°Curse of Darkness is what is known as a snare spell,¡± I said. ¡°It¡¯s really good for a type of tactic where you aggro a monster with that spell first, then layer DoT upon DoT on it all the while as you keep away from it. Essentially, keeping it at bay so it can never strike you while your spells whittle down its health. Keeping distance from an enemy is a strong ability and absolutely destroys melee-type classes.¡± Stella bunched her face in confusion, ¡°Aggro?¡± ¡°It means to make a monster aggressive towards you,¡± I replied, but could tell she still wasn¡¯t getting it. ¡°It¡¯s a gamer term, it means to draw a monster to attack you. Hmm, picture this, you¡¯re in a field and a goblin is wandering aimlessly about. It hasn¡¯t detected you so is not aggressively attacking you. I ¡®pull¡¯ the monster to us using a spell like that curse, it is now aggressive towards me. Another way the term is used is who a monster is actively attacking. Say I get this skeleton spell and I order Mr. Bones to attack the wandering goblin. He will draw aggro meaning I can stand back and fire spells freely without the threat of the goblin attacking me. Does that help a little?¡± ¡°Yeah, that helps. Pulling aggro is causing a monster to attack, or when a party member makes it specifically attack him or her.¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± I nodded at Stella¡¯s simple explanation. ¡°So, are you getting the snare spell then?¡± Stella asked. She was on the mark here, either I was going to get the curse or the skeleton pet. While another DoT would help, those two options enabled me to have better survivability and new tactics for which to engage our enemies. ¡°Hmm, I¡¯m actually leaning towards the new pet. The snare spell would help us both offensively and defensively, but I think I¡¯d rather have the skeleton first. It can do the same thing but has the benefit of not being outright ignored by a monster. Snares have a weakness of either being resisted entirely or wearing off prematurely. I think it would pair well with a skeleton, so I¡¯m hoping we see it again down the road. Plus, imagine putting some of our old gear onto my skeletal minion. At least, I hope that can be done.¡± I looked at Stella to see if she had any information about that possibility. ¡°Hmm,¡± Stella pondered as she pulled up information I couldn¡¯t see. ¡°Yes, even a ¡®minor¡¯ spell like this comes with the ability for it to equip weapons and armor, though nothing that¡¯s too powerful.¡± Stella paused then, looking deeper into the information before her. ¡°So many minor pet spells like this one can equip gear but only up to uncommon rarity. A lesser version and equip up to rare rarity weapons and armor. That continues on for each new tier.¡± Stella eyed my battle axe before continuing, ¡°So, he wouldn¡¯t be able to equip your axe for example, not at least until ¡®average¡¯ tier spells.¡± ¡°Average tier?¡± I questioned. ¡°It¡¯s the tier that comes after lesser spells, so not too far down the road for us. If you have a lesser spell that you specialize in, it would probably bump it to average tier.¡± ¡°Something down the road to consider. I mean, my lesser boil blood is a gods damn monster right now,¡± I said as I considered how powerful the spell had been thus far. ¡°I can¡¯t even imagine it at the next tier.¡± With a thoughtful expression on my face, I ran through my options one last time. ¡°I think one other thing to consider, is that I doubt you and I will be grouping up with any other hunters. They seem far too quick to violence, and I¡¯d more likely end up fighting one than becoming friends. Most Hunters are evil bastards, are they not?¡± ¡°Sadly, yes,¡± Stella lamented. ¡°Though, there are clearly good Hunters if you consider people like Stouter.¡± A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. ¡°There certainly are,¡± I agreed. Between the two spells, I kept coming back to the fact that I was going to be soloing and would likely remain that way for some time. Having a skeleton that could occupy a monster¡¯s attention while I blast it with spells would be incredibly helpful at this time. Not only that, but my newly acquired hood also synergized with the pet spell meaning it did an additional ten percent damage. That sealed my choice. I could only hope I was making the right one. My fingers selected Minor Restless Bones and confirmed the selection. Knowledge and power flooded into me as if directly downloaded to my brain. Mystical passes, arcane words, the entirety of the spell was instantly mine to command as if I had known the spell my whole life. In the seconds it took for the process to complete, I couldn¡¯t help but close my eyes as the wealth of knowledge reached the furthest corners of my mind. Congratulations! New Spell Unlocked: [Minor Restless Bones]! [Minor Restless Bones] You animate the bones of a recently defeated foe which creates an undead servant that follows your commands. The skeleton lasts until destroyed or the spell is canceled. Additionally, the skeleton will always match your Hunter level, though it can only reach a maximum level of 12 at this time. Cost: 200 mana. Cast Time: 10 seconds. Recast Time: 1 second. Plus 2 Strength, plus 1 Dexterity and plus 2 Constitution per spell level for the minion. Additionally, for every two levels of the spell, the minion¡¯s maximum level is increased by plus 1. ¡°That¡¯s an interesting aspect of the spell,¡± I said as I studied the spell description. ¡°I hadn¡¯t thought about it leveling with me and it potentially capping out. If I don¡¯t use the spell regularly, it could cause the spell to become weaker and weaker over time. When I¡¯m level twenty, and if I don¡¯t use this spell, the minion would cap out at only twelve.¡± ¡°I doubt that will be a problem for you,¡± Stella said with a shake of her head. ¡°I don¡¯t see you not using this spell, so as long as you keep it up, that won¡¯t become an issue.¡± Stella was right, I knew that, so didn¡¯t dwell on the thought longer. It was true, I doubted I wouldn¡¯t have this skeleton minion up at all times. The only time it would be down, would be if it was destroyed in combat. That would be a pain to recast it, especially in the midst of combat as it took ten seconds to do so. ¡°Let¡¯s see this puppy in action,¡± I said, then noticed Stella make a weird face at my words. ¡°Oh, sorry. Let¡¯s see this skelly in action.¡± Walking over to the matriarch¡¯s corpse, the words of my new spell filled my mind and thoughts as if I had already cast the spell countless times. The body was disgusting to look upon, with the stink growing even stronger in the few minutes since the battle ended. I really hoped my new minion didn¡¯t draw upon any of the matriarch¡¯s attributes. The spell didn¡¯t hint that it did, but I would find out soon. Straightening my back, I began casting my new spell. The arcane phrases and gestures reminded me of a building tornado. My motions were slow to begin, my hands moving in twisting arcs. In the seconds that followed, the intensity of the gestures tightened into slashing movements with abrupt changes in angles. The words came from deep within me, also building in speed and power with each passing second. Even near the climax of the spell, the movement of my hands, the positioning of my fingers, and the arcane words I spoke, all felt natural and practiced. The ease of it was incredible. After ten seconds, my hands cascaded down towards the body in one final motion, as if I were directly all of the power into the body before me. That was, in fact, exactly what the spell was calling into being. Dark energy raced out of my fingertips, darting to the still form of the boss. Her blubbery skin trembled as the dark energy sought to pass through her skin. Only a split second passed before the dark magic sunk into the corpse. My now innate knowledge of the spell informed me that had the body has still been alive, the energy would not have been able to pass through the fleshy barrier. Though, since the boss was truly dead, the resistance it would have carried in life was easily overcome. The body of the boss began twitching, slowly at first, but then came to a crescendo as if there was something under the skin that desperately wanted out. Then the skin seemed to just melt away, evaporating into the magical ether. What was left was a collection of bones that, as I watched in fascination, were moved by the dark energy. The corpse had more bones than my spell needed to create my minion, so a great portion of the bones evaporated into nothingness. As if being built from the ground up, bones were twisted and reformed to slowly build a skeleton minion that would soon tower over me. Bones elongated, others shortened, and others still grew wider as the magic of the spell worked. The shadowy energy of the spell positioned each bone to the proper area, creating a powerful skeleton that was a head taller than me. The bones were sturdy and gave a sense of durability as if not even a direct axe strike would break them. Stepping closer, the dark energy wound around every bone as if it was imitating tendons and muscles. It had the effect of tinting the previously stark white bones to a dark obsidian. My gaze moved upwards and locked onto the twin balls of plasma that were the skeleton¡¯s eyes. While the burning orbs didn¡¯t move or shift, I somehow knew it was looking directly at me as if awaiting instructions. A small nameplate appeared over the skeleton¡¯s head, like what a monster would have. It read simply ¡®Skeleton Minion.¡¯ Feeling a bit disappointed at the unoriginal name, I was pleasantly surprised when a notification popped into my vision. Do you wish to rename your skeleton? Please know that this can only be done once. Yes/No Hell yeah, I wanted to name this guy, but what to choose? I mulled over the thought when Stella interrupted. She was hovering so close to my ear that it startled me, ¡°Can we name her Noteleks? You know, skeleton spelled backward. It would really mess with people.¡± ¡°Wait, what?¡± I asked without thinking. I must have had an incredulous look on my face, as Stella flew a short distance away, looking completely embarrassed. Taking a few seconds to reorientate myself with the decision at hand, I returned my gaze to the intimidating creature. ¡°Sorry. Just no, Stell. Plus, who even said it was a girl?¡± ¡°Well, obviously it¡¯s a girl.¡± Stella flew close to the skeleton, floating around it. ¡°It did come from a girl boss monster, you know.¡± Her voice hinted that there was no debate to be found here, her reasoning obviously settling it as the only option here. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s find a compromise,¡± I said. ¡°How about I give you five names and you get to choose which one it is?¡± Stella perked up at that, ¡°Ok, but you can only give me girl names.¡± Stella finally came around our newest teammate, excitedly wagging her tail. I raised an eyebrow at her when she landed on the skeleton¡¯s shoulder like she customarily did on mine. Both her and my new minion looked expectantly towards me. Twin beady eyes looked at me, awaiting the names that I was even then debating in my mind. ¡°Ok, how about,¡± I paused as I considered several options. I wanted a name that spoke of confidence, lethality, and a dash of feminism in light of Stella¡¯s request. ¡°Helena, Moraine, Azura, Artemis, or¡­ Ripley.¡± Stella held a paw to her face as she considered the names. Her face and composure looked as if she was making the most important decision of her life. It was quite enduring, but I had the good sense to avoid saying anything at that moment. With a curt nod, Stella finally decided, ¡°Ripley.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a good choice. The names from a famous character from Earth, a total badass, really.¡± My fingers danced over a keyboard that had appeared in the air, as I input the name. Stella beamed at my words, nodding along, and eyeing up the skeleton once more. Confirming the choice, I looked up at my new powerful guardian. ¡°Welcome to the party, Ripley. May your enemies fear your fury, fierce determination, and fearless spirit.¡± Chapter 16 - Hidden Treasure Feeling pretty good about my new companion, I mentally selected a new icon that was towards the bottom of my vision. It was the outline of a skeleton, so was obviously a representation of Ripley. A screen similar to my own character status pulled up before me. Stella flew down from Ripley¡¯s shoulder to land on my own. She wanted to check the status of our newest team member. The information before us was pretty succinct though I was confident she would be making a big difference in our future battles. Even matching my level at eight, she was a tank, having more health and stamina than my own, and not even mentioning her overpowering Strength. If only, I could have her use my battle axe, I thought. Minion Status Name: Ripley ? Level: 8 (Max 12) Race: Skeletal Minion Class: Warrior Strength: 34 Dexterity: 27 Constitution: 34 Intelligence: 5 Wisdom 5 Charisma: 1 Luck 17 Health: 500. Mana: N/A. Stamina: 540? Resistances: Poison 100%, Piercing 50%, Slashing 50%, Crushing -25%, Magic 25% ¡°Now that¡¯s a proper tank,¡± I said with a low whistle. ¡°Her resistances alone really push her effective health far beyond that. Well, as long as we don¡¯t fight something that crushers her that is.¡± Ripley¡¯s resistances were unexpected, but as I thought about it, were pretty standard for an undead creature. How can a skeleton be poisoned after all? The defense against slashing and piercing, while also being weak to crushing attacks wasn¡¯t surprising though the percentages could vary from game to game back on Earth. ¡°Tank?¡± Stella asked as she turned my way. I pondered how to best answer her question, ¡°A tank is an essential part of any party. The tank is the shield for the group. He, well she, in this case, stands in front of everyone else and does her best at drawing aggro from a monster. As a necromancer, my party role would be considered a damage dealer. A damage dealer, well, it¡¯s pretty obvious what they do. Next, comes a support class. That could be something like a bard who inspires his comrades, or something like a shaman who debuffs and slows a monster. The support class supports the party so that everyone is more effective. Last, comes the healer. My regen spell currently fills that role as it allows the party to recover from any damage taken.¡± My eyes looked once more to the towering Ripley. ¡°She,¡± I continued with a wide grin. ¡°Is going to do fine in her role. At each level, she¡¯ll be gaining a steady amount of health which synergizes well with her resistances. Think about our fight with the goblins, their primary weapon was their claws, A.K.A. slashing damage. So, at her current level, Ripley¡¯s effective health would be seven-hundred and fifty and that doesn¡¯t yet include any defenses we will give to her as we get gear to buff her armor rating up higher.¡± Stella glided closer to Ripley, tilting her head up towards her burning eyes, ¡°Be sure you protect Xaz, okay? He¡¯s important to me, yeah?¡± Incredibly enough, we were both shocked when Ripley nodded her head, though uttered not a single word. Stella turned to me with wide eyes, ¡°Will she follow my commands too?¡± ¡°It would make sense that she would, you are in the party, so to speak.¡± Realizations wound through my mind at the implication. In tense situations, Stella could help play a vital role indirectly by giving Ripley commands mid-combat. That would take some strain off of me. I told Stella as much. I stepped a pace forward, coming closer to our skeletal guardian, ¡°I want you to follow any command Stella gives to you. Your primary role is to protect me from harm. You will follow close to me, either behind me by¡­ two paces, or side by side if there is room. Anything that aggressively attacks me, you are to engage in combat.¡± My mind tried to think of other basic commands I needed to give her. Worries of nefarious Hunter¡¯s giving her commands warred in my mind, so I added another, ¡°You are only to follow commands or directions from Stella and myself.¡± I turned to Stella, motioning to see if she had any other ideas or suggestions to give to Ripley. ¡°If you see an attack or spell, anything that would harm Xaz, you are to protect him, even at the cost of your own life,¡± Stella added. At first, the idea of Ripley sacrificing herself felt wrong, but I could resummon her per the spell¡¯s own description though we would need some extra bones or a body to do it. ¡°You do not need to protect me; I have my own System protection.¡± I made a mental note to store some bones soon after hearing Stella¡¯s command about Ripley self-sacrificing herself. Ah, crap, I thought to myself. If Ripley died, I could resummon her, but only if a body was already nearby. I would need to see about storing her spell¡¯s necessary ¡®spell components.¡¯ Perhaps, one of the gnoll bodies from above would do until I could find a supply of bones, right? Until then, I¡¯d need to acquire a gnoll body without Stella seeing. She would give me grief like never before one of those slimy beasts sat in my Bag of Holding. Best to do it when she wasn¡¯t looking. ¡°I think we¡¯re good, but if either of us thinks of anything else that could help Ripley do her job better,¡± I said nodding to my new protector. ¡°Feel free to bring it up. Now, let¡¯s see what gear we can give her. I¡¯d rather not have her bashing things with those fists alone, though, she does have some impressive strength so could probably do some serious damage with just those.¡± Stella returned to my side as I pulled up my inventory screen. Anything uncommon or lower, even non-magical at this point, would work. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ve got a long sword, though I don¡¯t remember when we picked that up¡­ my old bracers of toughness¡­ Oh, those plate shoulders, they have strength and a little constitution on them, and the riding boots. Not much, but every bit helps right now.¡± I selected each piece of old gear, dropping them in turn on Ripley¡¯s icon. One by one, she was soon wearing leather bracers, plate shoulders, a brown cloak and leather boots. The long sword immediately went into her hand and by her deft movements when I mentally ordered her to test the blade, looked like she knew how to use it. Ripley ¨C Equipment Hide Bracers of Toughness +1 Plate Pauldrons of the Adventurer Brown Cloak with Hood Supple Leather Riding Boots Long Sword The long sword damage was pretty weak compared to my epic battle axe, only putting out some paltry damage numbers, but I hoped her strength would make up for it. At thirty-seven, she was doing the same amount of extra damage. Getting her a better weapon, not to mention more armor, would be an important next step. Still, overall, after just summoning her, it was a good starting point. ¡°There¡¯s a town nearby, so help remind me to look for some upgrades for her too.¡± Thinking of us coming face to face with some villagers, and with hour intimating a literal walking skeleton would have had on me in either of my lives, I thought it best Ripley try to hide her nature at least somewhat. Mentally commanding her to pull her hood over her head made a small difference. Seeing her from the back or the side would hinder anyone''s ability to easily identify her as being undead. We¡¯d need to cross that bridge when we got there, I mused to myself. ¡°Will do. Now, are you quite done staring so lovingly at our new partner, or can we get out of this muck?¡± Stella feigned lifting a hind leg and flicking off gunk, even though we both knew nothing clung to her. Still, it was a good idea to keep moving. We had earned some sweet rewards here, totally worth it, but Duke was growing farther away by the hour. The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°You¡¯re right, we¡¯re as good as can be currently, let¡¯s get moving,¡± I replied apologetically. ¡°First, let¡¯s get that door open over there.¡± Eyeing up the chains over our heads, I followed a nearby line that reached out to over where we first found the boss against the back wall. Moving closer, we did our best to avoid the gunk around the room, a difficult feat given how many of the piles the boss had blown through, but we made it over in short order. I was about to give the chain now situated over my head when I noticed two things. First, my tracking skill highlighted what could only be the boss¡¯s footprints, given there was a set of four of them, moving to the back wall. This was odd in my mind as there was nothing back there but a rough wall. Second, and far more panic-inducing, was when two of the nearby mounds of dirt collapsed without warning. Gunk, sludge, and a foul aroma like rotting flesh spread out from the mound as if a balloon just burst. Without warning, pile after pile in the entire room broke apart as if they could no longer hold themselves together. With the realization of what was happening, I looked up at the rocky ceiling and let out a great sigh. Instead of a wide room with a hundred evenly spaced man-sized, anthills the area now resembled a valley devastated by a flash flood. In a matter of seconds, I was ankle-deep in the earth, dirt, soil, and some organic substance that could only be from a once incubating gnoll-brood. The smell was¡­ incredibly undesirable to say the least. Stella shot higher in the air, even though not a single drop had come even close to touching her feet, ¡°What in the¡­?¡± I sighed one more before raising a boot in disgust, ¡°The boss died, so there is nothing keeping those gnoll mounds¡­ well, alive. Damn it all.¡± I didn¡¯t even bother looking at Stella, she was no doubt making a fuss even though the only way the foul stuff could touch her was if she intentionally did so. Putting the smell and sludge out of my mind, as best as I could, I turned to Stella, ¡°Hey, can you help me here? I just saw some footprints from my tracking skill, but they covered now that¡­ that happened. Any way you can show me where they would have gone?¡± I could guess where the footprints had been leading, but I¡¯d rather get Stella¡¯s help if that was something she could do. There was no way I wanted to stay in this god-forsaken room one iota longer than was necessary. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve highlighted it in your view, at least from what you originally spotted,¡± Stella responded as she eyed up the gunk covering Ripley¡¯s ankles, revulsion evident in her expression. Sure enough, the footprints appeared in my vision underneath where they would have been if the sludge wasn¡¯t there. With Ripley just behind me, we made our way to the back wall. ¡°There¡¯s nothing here, just this¡­ empty wall? What the hell was the boss doing? It¡¯s clear she faced this wall directly before turning around.¡± ¡°Why would she come back here, turn around, and then go back to the chain back there,¡± Stella said next to me. ¡°Here, look. It looks like she went right up to the wall, then turned around?¡± Something was almost nagging in the back of my mind, but I couldn¡¯t put my finger on what it could be. ¡°Xaz¡­¡± Stella began to say something but paused the moment I noticed it. A small boulder the size of a pillow began glowing a faint blue. It had been nearly imperceptible, but getting so close, it was obvious now. ¡°Gotcha!¡± I hadn¡¯t thought about it earlier, but not finding any loot on the boss was odd. Not only that, but her body had disappeared when I cast my new spell to summon Ripley. So, when would a boss not have loot? Well, if the loot is hidden, they wouldn¡¯t. Even as I grasped the heavy rock, pulling it out like some heavy Jenga piece, I knew what was behind it. Sure enough, with a splash that muted the thud of the rock landing on the ground next to me, a small wooden box was revealed. It was old and weathered, looking not unlike a cigar box. As I opened the lid, a system message appeared to the side of my vision as a grin tugged at the corners of my mouth. Congratulations! You have discovered a hidden treasure. Your attention to detail and trusting your instincts have been rewarded. Keep it up and you may find some true wonders in this wide, dangerous world. Experience awarded. Experience awarded to Tracking. You received: gold coins x 23, silver coins x 98, small ruby gem (diamond cut) x 1, and plain gold earring x 1. ¡°Perfect timing,¡± I said as I dumped the contents into my inventory. ¡°This is going to come in handy with the shops we¡¯re about to visit. ¡°Glad you spotted those footprints before the hells collapsed around us,¡± Stella said as I made one more inspection of the wall. Nothing else was within. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s get out of here.¡± With a tug on a nearby chain, a soft bang on the opposite side of the room heralded our way out. It took far shorter than before to make our way back to the surface as there was no need to move so covertly about. Though, when we reached the large room of deceased gnolls, I asked Stella to do one final sweep for loot with me. When she was not looking, I surreptitiously added a gnoll body to my bag of holding. I was hoping it wouldn¡¯t have to actually toss the brute inside, there would be no way to do that with any amount of subtly, so when all I had to do was place a hand on the decedent and willed it within, a soft smile spread my lips. Ripley, two-point-oh, was ready to be summoned should the need arise. I had taken my eyes off Stella when I worked, so when I glanced up and saw her squinting eyes looking in my direction, I pretended not to notice. She hadn¡¯t said anything, so maybe I was lucky enough that she didn¡¯t see anything, but if she wasn¡¯t going to comment, neither was I. Finally outside, and blissfully taking deep breaths of fresh air, we found the sun shining above our heads. My battle axe moved from hand to hand, energy flooding into my renewed spirit. Being underground with horrifying monsters had put a heavy weight on my shoulders, a weight I hadn¡¯t realized at the time. Now though, it felt good, like I was ready to take on anything. Seeing the powerful Ripley at my side and Stella sitting on her shoulder, I felt at ease. Returning the axe to my right hand, I suddenly remembered the skill book I had acquired from completing the gnoll quest. It had automatically been added to my inventory when the completion of the quest, and with everything else that had happened, I had forgotten about it. Hurriedly summoned it to my waiting hand, I inspected it to determine its properties. The tome was the size of your typical hardcover from any bookstore but was surprisingly light considering how thick the leather cover was. The well-cared leather had ¡®Roaring Sweep¡¯ in raised characters with around fifty pages of pressed paper. The pages within, unlike the cover, contained characters unlike any language I had ever seen. It appeared to be a mix of maybe hieroglyphics and Chinese, but I was no linguist to know for certain. The pages reminded me of the expensive kind you would find in a fancy journal. The penmanship was flawless and unlike anything, I would be capable of doing. My handwriting was often described as ¡®chicken scratch¡¯ at best. Skill Book (Axe): Roaring Sweep. Quality: Rare. Type: Skill Book. Properties: This magical book grants the knowledge for the axe skill, Roaring Sweep. Having been penned by a master scribe with the knowledge from a Master of Axes, there is a 95% chance the skill held within will be transferred successfully. Upon use, Roaring Sweep causes the user to ferociously swipe their axe in a horizontal arc. If the blow connects, the target(s) become stunned for 2 seconds. Cooldown: 2 minutes. Plus 0.5 seconds of stun every 5 skill levels and minus 1 second cooldown per skill level. Do you wish to use this skill book? Yes/No. ¡°Near guaranteed chance to learn it,¡± I said before tilting my head in acceptance of whether it worked or not. ¡°Let¡¯s hope my luck stat makes up for that small difference.¡± Without another word, I selected ¡®yes¡¯ while holding the book open to the first page. The instant I did so, the characters and symbols on the page called out to me as the words had suddenly become magnets and my eyes transformed into penetrating steel. I still wasn¡¯t able to read what was contained on the ivory sheets, but as each turned faster and faster of their own accord, understanding of what was intended by the master fighter was being written onto my very mind. The pages were moving so fast now that I could no longer make out individual pages. The pattern forming in my head was growing clearer with each passing moment. In less than a minute, the magic completed and slammed the book with booming finality. I had to close my eyes the intense knowledge of the book¡¯s magic had just etched in my mind. Even with my eyes firmly shut, a system message appeared in the darkness. Skill Book integration is successful! You have learned the skill, Roaring Sweep! After seconds that seemed to last minutes, the pressure relented, and I could once more open my eyes. When I did so, the book grew transparent and, like smoke on the wind, evaporated as if it had never been. The understanding of the skill, the command word, everything penned within remained. Calling my battle axe to my grasp, I readied my stance as if an enemy was standing just feet in front of me. Innate understanding that only a single arcane phrase held back the skill¡¯s power comforted me, like a confident viper ever ready to spring with deadly efficiency. Shouting a single mystical syllable released the tightly coiled potential of the skill, ¡°Faas!¡± With surprising alacrity, my manasteel battle axe slashed ferociously across at chest level with such a vibrant azure glow that it burned an afterimage into my vision. The power of the attack left me staggered and gulping down deep breaths as if I had just run a marathon. If this is what it felt like to make the attack, I could scarcely imagine what it would feel like to be the recipient of the devastating move. Even as an energetic smile spread across my face, understanding that the skill couldn¡¯t be immediately reused hung in my mind like a key waiting to be turned in a lock. With certainty, I would be aware the moment that lock could be turned, releasing that awesome power into my weapon. ¡°This¡­ is going to come in handy.¡± With Stella on my shoulder and my new skeletal guardian by my side, I was ready for what would come next. My strides were confident as the pebbles crunched under our footfalls. The road, our path, was clear. Vibrant rays of sunshine fell across my body, my spirit soaking in the warmth. Full of energy, we would take on the world and, in a way, we already were. My steps were sure, my bearing steadfast, and my will resolute. Let those who prey on the weak, fear our unyielding advance. Chapter 17 - Afrazz’s Wicked Wonders As we walked, Stella and I exchanged playful banter. We seemed so akin in mind and spirit that it was as if we had always been together, yet only now finding the other. We were better for it; of that I had no doubt. Stella¡¯s spirited, innocent-like nature balanced out my suspicious nature. Back on Earth, I was not one to place trust in others lightly. It seemed as if I was always hiding a part of myself from the world, in a way fearing how I may be judged by others. That past life, I reminded myself, was over with. This world, my Hunter status, was not going anywhere anytime soon. My eyes looked up to the sky to judge the time. ¡°Maybe two or three o¡¯clock,¡± I muttered under my breath. It was shocking how much had already happened from only earlier this morning. Returning to the stone path before us, my mind returned to my present situation and with Stella. My principles and core beliefs kept me centered in my past life, so I affirmed to myself to bring those guiding values here in my new life. In the single day we had been together, Stella had tapped into a part of me that I was eager to let out. I wanted to do right by others. I wanted to help those who could not do so for themselves and, with everything I had gained, I was capable of it now. Whatever my life had been on Earth, along with this imposed existence of being a non-player character before meeting Stella, I finally felt truly free. My life was mine alone, and I intended to live it. It was like I had been waiting for this moment my entire life. Reaching up to my shoulder, I patted Stella on the head. ¡°Thanks, Stell.¡± ¡°For what?¡± she asked not knowing the reason for my show of appreciation, though she clearly enjoyed the affection as she leaned into the pat. ¡°For bringing the best out of me,¡± I said. ¡°You rescued me and now, I get to be the person I had only dreamed of becoming. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± A glimmer of what could have been a tear appeared under an eye, ¡°A hero.¡± Glancing to my shoulder, Stella smiled a special smile and nodded back at me. ¡°You¡¯re welcome,¡± she replied. We walked for several miles in silence, simply enjoying the warm sun shining down on us. The landscape around us slowly changed from a sparse woodland to grassland with a rare independent tree, and finally to farmlands. People were out tilling fields, working with livestock, and gathering wild berries. A pair of children waved in our direction, and we waved back. I was happy to see that the townsfolk thus far were not bothered by my, and most notably Ripley¡¯s intimating presence. Over the crest of a hill, a sprawling village was laid bare before us. My eyes scanned the horizon, nodding at the lack of any smoke or fire plumes. I ordered Ripley to keep her face and body hidden as best as she could and to follow behind me by two steps. I would be taking the lead and wanted to keep attention away from her, though a part of me already registered that the villagers were not scared of her in the slightest. Still, it was a good idea to be careful. Not only that, but our enemy could be within. ¡°Let¡¯s be ready. Duke could be here, though based on the fact nothing is on fire, I think we¡¯ll be alright. Ripley, please stow your sword, but at any sign of an attack be ready to defend me.¡± The houses began to cluster close to one another now. Each was wooden in nature with tiled roofs that appeared to be in relatively good condition. Care and thought went into maintaining everything we saw. People took pride in their lives here which had me smiling. While the houses were all single-story and plain, each had an appeal of the base joy an honest life could bring. The vibe of the area was alluring. There were good people, that was evident everywhere I looked. My eyes darted from person to person with me doing my best to try to be innocuous. If we found Duke, I wanted to be the one to notice him first. The last thing I needed was a Hunter of unknown power getting the first strike. Everyone who made eye contact with us gave a wave and a good-natured greeting. Neighbors laughed to one another, giving our passing band little thought. It was as if our arrival was an everyday occurrence and not something to be fearful of. As we ventured deeper, the homes around us were growing bigger, with several two-story dwellings, and an occasional one being made of blocked stone. Lawns were well maintained, and an occasional guard could be seen standing at attention. I started to wonder how everyone we saw reacted positively to us so inquired of Stella, ¡°When we cleared out the gnoll cave, there was a system message that said we gained a positive reputation for everyone in Nemmil, is that¡¯s why everyone is so nice to us?¡± Stella confirmed my thought, ¡°Yes, the System is able to seamlessly modify how everyone who resides in the town sees you positively. We don¡¯t know the exact reputation level, but based on what we are seeing, I¡¯d say we are on a friendly level. That will help with any interaction, possible quests, and perhaps even a discount at town merchants.¡± A part of me was disturbed that the System could so easily adjust a person¡¯s mind, but with our plan to find Duke¡¯s whereabouts, it was going to come in handy. This was another aspect of my new life I would have to come to terms with. We entered an area that was patrolled more heavily by guards who traveled in trios, plate mail shining brightly next to their long pikes. By the sound of people hawking out their wares, we had found ourselves in the merchant quarters. ¡°Stell, how many people reside in Nemmil? Do you know?¡± I asked. We passed by vendors selling fruits and vegetables as I was more interested in finding weapons and armor. ¡°Checking, just a moment,¡± Stella said before her paws waved in the air in front of her. ¡°Nemmil is a medium-sized settlement that houses approximately eight-hundred fifty residents. The System lists quite a few merchants around town, ranging from armorers to bowyers, alchemy shops to even a magician¡¯s hovel. Oh, nice,¡± Stella exclaimed. ¡°I do see there is a necromancer¡¯s shop, so we¡¯ll definitely want to stop there. Finally, the town is listed as being able to accommodate Hunters between levels five to ten. The wilderness has mobs ranging in similar levels.¡± ¡°Awesome, thanks. Can you lead us to the necromancer¡¯s store first?¡± I ask excitedly. The thought of getting a hold of new spells tasted like candy in my mind. ¡°I¡¯d like to increase our spell repertoire. Then we should get to an arms and armor shop to gear up Ripley.¡± Stella swiped her paw in the air a few times, clearly navigating the System interface that only she could see before a transparent glowing line showed up on the mini-map in the corner of my vision. The shop wasn¡¯t too far away so we trotted onwards. My earlier apprehension about having a pet skeleton entering alongside me proved unfounded. Even the guards cared little, their eyes hovering over me and Ripley in turn before returning to everyone else around us. Ripley was all but ignored by the townsfolk for which I was grateful for. Other Hunters could no doubt have minions and pets of their own, so why would mine be any different? The one time Ripley¡¯s presence seemed to matter was when a group of children playing with a leather ball came running towards us after the loose toy, lightly bumping into my minion¡¯s legs. ¡°Oh, sorry, ma¡¯am,¡± the child said without the slightest trepidation. The boy looked to be no more than nine years old. Ripley paid him no mind, her shining red eyes moving like the guards did, trying to find any possible threat, though nothing further from that presented itself thus far. After that, the boy ran off with a laugh after kicking the ball before continuing with the game that we had accidentally stepped into the middle of. Our glowing guide on the map showed the shop we wanted was a little way ahead of us. The shop was made of thick timbers with shuttered windows. A small ¡°N¡± was carved above the doorframe and, beyond that, there was no indication as to the store¡¯s purpose. My map flashed yellow an instant as I reached the threshold of the closed door, the glowing line vanishing from sight. The shop was similar to those around it, though was half again as wide as the others. Being so close to the door, a faint odor of something I couldn¡¯t place came from within. It wasn¡¯t a revolting smell or anything like that, but it wasn¡¯t pleasant either. The heavy wooden door moved inwards easily after turning the handle. A dark-robed figure stood with a welcoming smile behind the wooden counter lined with potion bottles and scrolls. The evenly spaced windows were all shuttered close, but blades of light shone in to illuminate the room fully. A skylight centered in the middle of the room brightened everything further. The walls held countless shelves that contained all manner of items. Tomes, armor pieces, staves, and not to mention a wide variety of bottled ingredients covered every square inch of the place. The shopkeeper beckoned us inside before uttering in a deep voice, ¡°Hail and welcome, Hunter. This is my store, Afrazz¡¯s Wicked Wonders.¡± The man¡¯s silver gaze held a weight to them that bespoke confidence. He gave a subtle bow and eyed me intently. ¡°Ah, I see that you are a fellow practitioner of the darker arts, I see. How can I be of service, young necromancer?¡± Shock must have registered on my face as Afrazz nodded in acknowledgment of my expression, he was well aware of my tier one Hunter class. I supposed it made sense that merchants of the same class type would be able to identify a Hunter with simply a look, though I wondered if every merchant could be able to determine my class with so easily. I suspected they wouldn¡¯t be able to. That was a question for another time though. Before responding I inspected him in turn to see if I could glean any information about the interesting man. Afrazz (Tier 1 Class - Necromancer. Tier 2 Class ¨CUNKNOWN). This former adventure is known wide and far by the countless number of people that Afrazz graciously supported over his long career. Fast called ¡®friend¡¯ to many, never did anyone doubt in his steadfast nature. Though a human practitioner of Necromancy, a class that typically gains notoriety, Afrazz always used his expertise to the benefit of the land and its residents. Priding himself for never hurting one who was undeserving of his ire, Afrazz has settled down and is more than happy to sell his knowledge and wares acquired over a lifetime of adventure. Seeing the merchant was a necromancer himself had me encouraged to see some upgrades coming my way in the near future. With Afrazz being a tier higher, well that had me quite eager to learn as much as I could in our coming interactions. ¡°Glad to meet you, Afrazz. I was hoping to browse your wares. I am most interested in necromancer spells, and equipment for myself and my skeletal minion,¡± I said as I gestured to Ripley. ¡°Plus, anything else that could help me in my journeys.¡± ¡°Journeys, eh?¡± Afrazz responded and, as he moved closer to the counter, the scent of dozens of herbs and spices permeated the man. It was as if his dark cloak held hundreds of items within the many folds of cloth I spied as he moved. He moved fluidly and, while he appeared to be in his seventies, gave no hint of weakness or vulnerability. This was a person who was more than capable of taking care of himself and his wares, though the thought of trying to steal from the man never entered my mind. ¡°It¡¯s not often that I find someone who has acquired the necromancer class, so perhaps you would be willing to share a rousing tale of your adventures, yes? It has been such a long while since I had last partaken in a thrilling adventure of my own.¡± If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. Nodding in acquiescence, I had a feeling I knew where this was going. I would be more than happy to share my tales. I was confident that he wanted to test me, in a way, to see what spells I knew and to determine how talented of a necromancer I was. Something else hid behind the man¡¯s lighthearted smile, my gut told me. It wasn¡¯t nefarious, of that I was sure, so I would be more than happy to oblige. ¡°I would love to.¡± Starting with the most recent, I recounted my recent battle with the twitching gnolls and the gnoll matriarch. I paid particular attention to our successful ambush on the second group of gnolls, where I shot down spell after spell to devastating effect among the knocked-out fiends, giving great detail of how my boil blood spell worked to devastating effect. Afrazz listened intently, never interrupting, and genuinely thrilled as I painted out a vivid picture of my victories over the nearby gnoll band. Afrazz seemed rather impressed and acknowledged the ¡®fine choice¡¯ of a spell when attempting to take on a large pack of enemies alone. ¡°A necromancer is a powerful foe to face, but without a guardian is vulnerable to counterattack. Your use of tactics against that pack was insightful and put to good use,¡± Afrazz said when I finished telling of my defeat of the gnoll cave. ¡°A fine story, young initiate, and shows of your budding power.¡± The tier two necromancer¡¯s eyes were bright and engaging throughout my storytelling. ¡°I do believe I can help you grow in power as a necromancer. You certainly have great potential as a budding necromancer. Afrazz shook his head side to side slightly as he eyed up several tomes on nearby shelves, ¡°Though, many of my spells and equipment are only suitable for Hunters who have moved to a tier two class. Sadly, you will be limited in what I can sell to you. Once you reach your tier two class though, you are more than welcome to return and view those items.¡± My hopes diminished at that proclamation. I was hoping to stock up on anything and everything I could, but that didn¡¯t seem to be the case. It made sense, I said to myself begrudgingly. Being able to acquire spells and equipment, though you may one day be able to use them, was a balancing factor in many of the games I had played back on Earth. ¡°I understand, anything that you have that can help me now, would be appreciated. ¡°I can see the disappointment in your eyes, but fret not my young friend. For indulging the curiosity of an old man, I would like to gift you the item that I received when I was starting down your current path myself.¡± Afrazz reached below the counter before placing a small wooden box between us. Lifting the lid, I spied a small ring. The ring was bleached white, appearing to be made of bone. Afrazz grabbed the small ring, holding it between two fingers before extending his hand in my direction. ¡°This was given to me with the hope that I would one day pass it on to another. May it help you now, and one day I hope you help it find another on the first steps of their adventure.¡± You have received: {Necromancer¡¯s Bone Ring.} {Necromancer¡¯s Bone Ring}. Crafted from the bone of a long-deceased tyrant and infused with necrotic energy, this ring draws essence from the damage dealt to foes to, in turn, shield you from physical attacks. Rarity: Rare. Slot: Finger. Durability: 828/1000. Effects(s): Plus 1 intelligence, plus 1 constitution, and gain the passive effect ¡®Essence Barrier¡¯. Essence Barrier ¨C When an enemy suffers from your damage over time spells, 10% of the damage dealt is converted into a protective barrier that shields the wearer against physical attacks. The barrier stacks over time and lasts 12 seconds when the wearer''s final damage over time spell ends. The bone white band was unadorned, looking nothing unlike someone who carved it from a rib bone. As I moved to place the ring on a finger, the band adjusted itself to fit perfectly. A surge of energy rushed into my body as the attribute bonus took hold. The special ¡®essence barrier¡¯ didn¡¯t do anything, I felt no different from before, but I supposed that was because it would only show once I had my spells go. ¡°This is an incredible gift, thank you. I fear it is too much for such a small tale, though. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve heard more entertaining ones a thousand times over.¡± Afrazz waved away my concern, his friendly demeanor never faltering. ¡°Do not fret, I too shared that feeling when I received that ring. You are actually the first necromancer I have seen in¡­ oh, more than two dozen years or so. That ring has long passed beyond usefulness to me, and only a necromancer can gain its true benefits. You seem to have a bright future before you, so please accept my small gift.¡± He laughed as my eyes wandered to the no-doubt magical gear on the shelves behind him, ¡°Everything else, though, you will need to pay for.¡± My smile matched Afrazz¡¯s one, ¡°Of course, I wouldn¡¯t have it any other way. So, good sir, what wares do you have that can help propel me forward?¡± Upon uttering that, an inventory window popped up in my vision. The list was rather large and expansive, though a great portion was faded out and didn¡¯t even give me the name of the item. I would have to come back here, if I was at all able when I reached level ten. ¡°Ask me about anything that you can identify, and I would be happy to tell you of its properties and its price.¡± Even though the majority of items were blocked, the merchant had quite a few items I was keen on acquiring. What came next was enjoyable to both of us. I bantered with the old man, and he gave back in equal measure. In all, I walked out of the captivating store twenty-five gold pieces less, including all of the gold I had found within the gnoll matriarch¡¯s chest, but it was worth every copper. I only had a handful of gold left after my shopping spree, but I figured it wouldn¡¯t be wise to part ways with all of my funds just yet. You received: {Novice Necromancer¡¯s Cloth Spaulders of Befuddling}, {Novice Necromancer¡¯s Ring of the Taunt}, {Tome of Minor Acidic Bolt}, and {Tome of Minor Scent of Decay}. {Initiate Necromancer¡¯s Cloth Spaulders of Befuddling}. Rarity: Rare. Type: Cloth. Slot: Shoulders. Durability: 1000/1000. Armor: 6. Properties(s): plus 2 Constitution, plus 2 Intelligence. All summoned minions and pets deal an additional 5% damage. Secondary Effect(s): Secondary Effect(s): Hostile undead creatures are 50% less likely to notice the wearer. The cloth spaulders were gray, lightweight yet firm to the touch. Once equipped, Stella commented how it made my shoulders look bulkier as if I had spent a few years lifting weights. The shoulders moved easily with by body and gave a modicum amount of protection. The store held a tall mirror in a corner and a friendly snicker of amusement came from Stella when I admired my new look. {Novice Necromancer¡¯s Ring of the Taunt}. Rarity: Uncommon. Type: Ring. Durability: 500/500. Properties: This ring allows a necromancer to magically command an undead minion to emit a shout enhanced by dark magic. A target within 30 yards is affected as if he had been struck by a warrior¡¯s provoke ability, causing a large increase in enmity. Duration: Instant. Cooldown: 1 minute. This ring was made out of black metal with a single blood-red ruby affixed to it on dark prongs. Immediately after equipping it, I was aware that only a simple thought would cause Ripley to shout in rage at a hostile target. It was a powerful ability, granted couldn¡¯t be used too often in fast-paced combat, but would work wonders in ensuring that our enemies, at least the most powerful ones, would focus on Ripley. That would leave me free to layer damaging over time after damaging over time spells upon our foes. Speaking of damaging over time spells, the tomes I had purchased would function in two roles. The first was another damage over time spell, bringing my total up to a paltry three, and were quickly learned after being purchased. The tomes were similar to those I had seen in the past and, unlike the skill book, had no chance of failure. In several seconds, new knowledge flooded my mind and core, granting me the familiarity necessary to cast both spells. Once more, I was astounded by how quickly I came to understand the required hand motions and verbal components of each new spell. It was as if the memory of each had always been there, it was simply remembered as if you suddenly recalled where you had put your misplaced keys. [Minor Acidic Bolt]. A bolt of acid shoots from your palm striking a target within 100 feet. The target is afflicted with the debuff ¡®Acidic Atrophied¡¯ which causes the target¡¯s muscle tissue to be saturated with an acid liquid. After 18 seconds the acid neutralizes. The spell causes 60 plus n spell damage immediately and every 6 seconds thereafter, where ¡®n¡¯ equals intelligence. Cost: 25 MP. Cast Time: 1 second. Cooldown: 1 second. Plus10 feet max range, plus 4 base damage per spell level. Note - Necro Tier 1 - 25% harder chance to resist this spell. 100% additional base damage. [Minor Scent of Decay]. The scent of death and decay surrounded a target with 100 feet. The spell causes no damage but lowers the target¡¯s resistance to fire, poison, and disease by 33% of the caster¡¯s intelligence (max 25%). Duration 5 minutes. Cost: 50 MP. Cast Time: 3 seconds. Cooldown: 6second. Plus 10 feet max range, plus 20 seconds duration per spell level. ¡°Acidic Bolt is a fantastic spell,¡± Afrazz had said moments earlier, enthusiasm rippling out of him like a wave. Clearly, this man loved the nature of his spells. ¡°Unlike other damage over time spells, such as your longer-lasting boil blood, this one has a far shorter duration. What it gives up in time, it more than makes up in raw power.¡± Afrazz continued, citing facts as if he were reading from a book. ¡°The Scent of Decay is a useful debuff against your most powerful foes. At your level, you probably haven¡¯t run into anything that could resist your spells, but as you grow so does your enemy. Cast this scent and it makes it so all of your other necromancer spells can land that much easier. While tier one necromancer¡¯s do have an innate ability that decreases the chances of their spells being resisted, this will help ensure that bosses and elites have a harder time at it.¡± Leaning forward, I drank in Afrazz¡¯s advice greedily. The information wasn¡¯t entirely new to me, but this was a person who had lived their life, as it was, as a necromancer in this world. I would be a fool to pass up the opportunity to learn all I could. We continued for some time, Afrazz helping clarify some of the odd nuances of my current spell list. When I inquired about the ring, he had a good suggestion on how to best put it to use against boss monsters. ¡°Start with your taunt ability, then immediately begin casting scent of decay. The boss will focus on your minion, giving you ample time to complete the three-second cast time. Once that takes effect, weave in your damage over time spells, one after another ¨C stacking all that you can. Keep an eye on your minion though, as it could be taking some heavy damage depending on how strong the boss may be. Eventually, you should think about acquiring a heal spell specific to her to help mitigate some of that damage.¡± Feeling more confident than ever, I assured Afrazz that I would one day return to his shop with a new tale of my adventures. The man had a gentle soul that radiated his passion to help others. It was a good feeling to find someone of like mind and spirit. Before heading out, I inquired for the merchant regarding any gear he may have that would help me armor up Ripley. Apparently, minion gear was quite common for the Hunter classes with minions. Even better, it would only cost about a quarter of the price had I found similar gear that could also be equipped by a Hunter. In all, I was able to purchase plate armor for Ripley¡¯s chest, arms, legs, and hand slots. Each had a mixture of extra constitution and strength that brought her health to six-hundred and fifty. What I was most excited about was the minion great sword that Afrazz had leaning against the back wall of the ship. The massive weapon was double-bladed and made her previous long sword look like a letter opener by comparison. It added two points to her strength, bringing her a single point shy of forty in that attribute. Ripley¡¯s powerful swings with her new weapon were going to substantially increase the damage she was capable of putting out. Matched with the extra armor from her new plate armor, Ripley was going to do fine in her role as the party¡¯s tank. I did ask Afrazz his thoughts on Ripley eventually going down the route of a sword and shield, which he advised was something worth considering. Ripley was meant to take the brunt of the damage from our enemies, so having a shield would allow her to mitigate that much more. For now, however, Afrazz didn¡¯t have either a long sword or shield available, so the choice was an easy one for now. He said that at my relatively low level, the best route was to give her the best gear that you had. It made sense and seeing how impressive Ripley looked, her new dusky gray plate mail increasing her already intimating presence, I knew I wouldn¡¯t be eager to stand before her. Even better, compared to the gold I had spent for my own stuff, equipping Ripley had only cost me an additional seventy-five silver pieces which was heaven to my ears. ¡°More than worth it,¡± I had said to myself more than a few times. Stella laughed at my frugalness, of course, but it was all in good fun. Thanking Afrazz once more for his advice and assistance, I assured him we would stop again if we were ever in the area. He knew time was pressing us onwards so wished us the best of luck. Waving a final goodbye, we left the man¡¯s store feeling energized and ready to take on whatever came next. Chapter 18 - Its a Rescue Mission, Youll Love it Stella, Ripley, and I continued our trek through the modest town. We stopped at a general store, filling our water skins, and adding another week¡¯s worth of rations to my bag of holding. We found a nearby jeweler¡¯s shop and sold off the ruby and gold earring we got from the gnoll cave. Sadly, the owner only offered three gold pieces, but every bit helped. My inner greed nearly had me turning back though as I was nearly certain we had been swindled. Stella couldn¡¯t offer an opinion as to the value, so there was little I could do unless I wanted to hold on to them. Stella got a good laugh at my expense when we approached a stall with a woman selling what I took to be herbs and cooking ingredients. Pulling out one of the gnoll potions, I was certain that the older merchant was going to be more than interested in the rare substance. After she uncorked the bottle though, we were told, in no uncertain terms, to never return to her stand. ¡°Well, that was a bit rude,¡± I said as I adjusted my cloak, my face flushed red. ¡°A simple, ¡®no¡¯ would have sufficed.¡± Turning back to offer an apology, the words were lost in my throat from the daggers the shopkeeper was staring at me. ¡°It may have gone better if you had warned her before she uncorked it. That stuff is quite foul,¡± Stella said as she shook her head in apparent amusement. ¡°The poor lady nearly splashed some on herself. You¡¯d probably have the guards called down upon us had that happened.¡± The intense reaction was somewhat understandable, I supposed. ¡°Well, I know that now. Okay, note to self, let a merchant know beforehand.¡± Not five minutes later though, my smug grin was directed to Stella when I found an alchemist who was more than willing to buy several of the foul concoctions from us. When I warned him of the horrid smell, the man nearly fell over the counter as he leaned forward. Though I was willing to only part with three of the bottles, we did net an additional three gold coins. The man¡¯s eagerness to get his hands on the brackish liquid had me worried for a moment, but in the end, what he did with the stuff was not my concern. Stella must have noticed the gleam in my eyes as I was mentally debating going back to try to collect more of the stuff when she flew in front of me, shaking her head even as she spoke. ¡°No. We¡¯re not going back.¡± ¡°Bah. Fine,¡± I said with a dismissive shake of my head. Thankfully, with the sale, we were able to purchase several more health and mana potions and add them to my inventory. ¡°What about sharing with me the location of where you got them,¡± the middle-aged alchemist inquired. ¡°I would be happy to pay for the knowledge.¡± Before I could utter a reply, Stella grabbed a fistful of my tunic and pulled me out of the store. ¡°For his own safety, and possibly his neighbors, I don¡¯t think that would be a good idea. Shouts and promises of more riches from the man peppered our backs as Stella helped me along, leaving the store far behind us. No other shop caught our attention in what I took to be the merchant¡¯s quarter of the town, though my keen ears started to pick up snippets about a ¡®kidnapping¡¯ from whispered conversations of nearby villagers. When I caught the word ¡®Hunter¡¯ a second time, my interest was piqued. Inquiring with a plate-armored town guard, we were directed to seek out the town¡¯s mayor and offer our assistance. A few probing questions informed us of a Hunter who may have kidnapped the man¡¯s daughter only earlier in the day. When I inquired about finding the mayor¡¯s residence, my map updated with a glowing blue line leading towards the middle of town. Stella had grown unusually quiet since hearing a Hunter had forcibly taken a villager and it took several attempts to assure her that it was highly unlikely to be Duke. ¡°He was looking for you. Duke wouldn¡¯t give a second thought to a random villager. This seems like another Hunter to me. More than likely, Duke doesn¡¯t even know yet that we are hunting him. From what you¡¯ve said about some of the vile Hunters who join the game, I¡¯m ninety percent confident this is someone else.¡± ¡°Yes, you¡¯re probably right. I¡¯m just worried that you are not ready yet to face Duke. I don¡¯t want what happened to Stouter to happen to you,¡± Stella finally said as my words reached her. Stella moved from Ripley¡¯s broad shoulders to my own, clearly wanting to be closer after fearing what the powerful Hunter could do to me. Reaching up to her, I gently stroked her soft ebony hair. ¡°If it turns out to be Duke, I won¡¯t rush in,¡± I said before pausing to ensure Stella was with me. ¡°Still, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s him. Either way, we¡¯ll be careful. I promise.¡± Stella seemed to feel better after that, going as far as nuzzling my neck with her forehead. In a couple of minutes, it was clear we were approaching the center of town and the mayor¡¯s place. The number of patrolling guards had been steadily increasing around us, all the men bearing sharp, hawk-like gazes directed at everything around them. Approaching a fenced residence, a richly decorated three-story house within, we spotted a pair of guards stationed outside what looked like the main entrance. Standing before an iron gate, both men in chain and plate mail were sporting fresh bruises on what little skin was exposed. It was clear that the men offered at least some resistance when the Hunter we heard about tried making his way out with his captive. As we approached, they held out their hands. ¡°Hold. Who are you and where do you think you¡¯re going?¡± The anxious man had a black and nearly swollen shut eye. His compatriot held a shaking hand over his sheathed sword, looking ready to draw it at the slightest sign of aggression. Both men were clearly expecting another fight to come at any minute after suffering at the hands of the last Hunter who came around. ¡°My name is Xaz, the Just,¡± I added the last with a quick thought. I wanted to defuse the situation before it could escalate. Knowing that these non-player characters could easily identify me as a Hunter, it was important for them to know I was not a threat. Keeping my hand clear of any weapon or sudden movement, I motioned to myself and Ripley. ¡°We¡¯re here to help. We heard that someone may have kidnapped the mayor¡¯s daughter, and we want to offer our services to help bring her back.¡± Both men looked at each other, hesitation evident in their expressions. The guard who had his hand on the pommel of his blade tightened his grip. This was about to get ugly fast if I didn¡¯t do something. ¡°You both look to have been injured,¡± I said in as calming a voice as I could muster. ¡°May I cast a healing spell on you both?¡± Warring emotions played over the first guard¡¯s face. Apprehension soon gave way though, to a look of hope. ¡°You may, but I warn you, no funny business.¡± Nodding my understanding, arcane words came softly from my lips as I directed minor regen on him. After the one-second cast time, cooling and rejuvenating power flowed into the wary man. After a pair of deep breaths, a sigh of relief escaped the man¡¯s lips. ¡°Thank you,¡± he said when the spell¡¯s power faded from his body. His swollen eye disappeared and the bruises that we so clear before faded to nothingness. Motioning to the other guard, asking for his permission, the man nodded at the unspoken question. He had loosened his grip on his weapon after seeing his friend sigh in relief. Rattling off the words to another regeneration spell, he too soon was fully healed without a mark left on his body. ¡°My thanks,¡± this first guard said and pushed open the iron gate behind him. ¡°I¡¯m sure the mayor would be more than happy to accept your offer of assistance.¡± Walking past the two guards, we found an elegant home that towered above all others we had seen in Nemmil thus far. Red slate roof tiles contrasted well with the thick wooden beams of the home. Unlike the plain homes nearby, the mayor¡¯s house was far more artistic in design. The place was lined with dozens of windows, each outlined with horses, animals, and heroic figures carved delicately into the wood. The third floor was taller than the others and had much taller panes of glass. Walking towards the main entrance, we were greeted by a wide double door painted a matching red to the home¡¯s roof. Standing under the supported overhang, I used the large steel knocker on the door to announce us to those inside. It didn¡¯t take long for a man dressed like a butler to open the door. The willowy man wore an immaculate dark suit, a white button shirt, and an elegant bowtie. Giving us a bow, his cultured tone gave the impression that he had welcomed thousands of people over the years. ¡°Greetings, fair Hunter. I am called Maxwell. Are you here to see the mayor?¡± ¡°Yes, I am. My name is Xazorus the Just. We heard that the mayor¡¯s daughter was kidnapped and would like to offer our aid.¡± I said with a bow of my own. Given the formalware of the man, I opted to use my full name. ¡°That will certainly be welcomed news to Mr. Olodore. Please do come in.¡± He held open the door and we proceeded inside the wide entryway. ¡°May I inquire the name of your comrades?¡± ¡°Of course. This is my friend, Stella, and our guardian, Ripley,¡± I said as I waved to each in turn. Stella gave a courtly bow and Ripley, well, she remained motionless. The butler didn¡¯t seem perturbed by Ripley¡¯s lack of decorum as he closed the door behind us. We were in a long hallway adorned with richly framed paintings. ¡°My lord has been rife with worry since Ms. Lailah¡¯s abduction. Please follow me, I will take you to the study where Mayor Olodore will be happy to greet you posthaste.¡± The butler¡¯s mannerisms and language were more formal than I had expected so I only responded with an awkward nod. Maxwell led us to a nearby study that was covered, wall to wall, with books and thick tomes. The smell of parchment reminded me of a library. A large ornate table in the middle of the room was surrounded by a half-dozen handcrafted, sturdy chairs that had me guessing were more expensive than some of the houses we passed on our way into town. The butler waved us to the padded chairs which were heavier than expected when I pulled one out. Ripley, though, naturally declined instead opting to stand behind me and to the side before returning to an unnaturally still position, as if she was nothing more than an armored statue. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. After bowing once more, Maxwell exited through a pair of decorative doors on the opposite side of the room, closing it behind him with an audible click. Stella glided down to the table and inspected several open books before us. ¡°Daughter of the Phoenix, The Crystal in the Mist, Paladin¡¯s Oath, some interesting titles here.¡± As Stella was about to pull one of the tomes from the bookshelf, approaching footsteps and talking could be heard beyond the door the butler previously left from. Stella flew through the air, landing gently on my shoulder. The doors opened and in walked a tall, middle-aged man with wavy, white hair and a gaunt appearance. He was clean shaved with long sideburns that ran down to his well-defined jawline, but he had bags under his eyes and looked to have not slept in days. He wore a fancy green overcoat that went all the way down to his dark leather boots. The coat was trimmed with gold filigree showing a flower pattern, including what looked to be rose petals running down both sides of his collar to run down to his belt. His starched shirt was complimented by a narrow black tie that completed his ensemble. He gave off an air of nobility, but one glimpse of his shaking hands belied his composure. Mr. Olodore approached the table, taking the seat opposite of me. His butler, Maxwell, paused after coming into the room with the mayor, standing next to the open door. ¡°My friend has told me that you are here to offer aid in these desperate times. I had nearly given up all hope.¡± The mayor paused to compose himself, visibly swallowing and wetting his lips. He closed his eyes for a moment before arching his shoulders back. ¡°I beseech you, Hunter Xaz, please help find and return my daughter. I¡­ cannot lose her.¡± Quest Received: Lailah, my heart, and soul. The Mayor of Nemmil has pleaded with you to help rescue his beloved daughter, Lailah. She was abducted while tending to the manor¡¯s garden by a wandering Hunter. Will you do whatever is necessary to bring her back safely? Will you bring justice upon the offending party? Time runs short, so make haste and save the fair lady. Objective 1 ¨C Find out where Lailah Olodore has been taken. Objective 2 ¨C Negotiate Lailah¡¯s release or slay the Hunter who holds her captive. Objective 3 ¨C Return Lailah to the mayor. Rewards ¨C Experience & a rare magical item. Note ¨C Rewards are variable, depending on Lailah¡¯s health and well-being. Failure ¨C Lailah¡¯s death or failure to return to the mayor. Loss of reputation with the Mayor of Nemmil and city guards. Possible banishment from the city. Accept: Yes/No? The desperation and hopelessness wafting off the father was obvious to everyone in the room. My heart ached for his suffering in that moment. I didn¡¯t even consider selecting ¡®no¡¯ at that moment. ¡°Tell me, who has taken her and where can I find him?¡± ¡°His name is Adom. Adom the Savage,¡± the mayor spat contemptuously. Shortly after leaving the mayor¡¯s residence, we made our way to the northmost gate of the city. We learned that the hunter who had taken Lailah was seen exiting through that gate even as a handful of city guards attempted to stop him. From what we learned, nothing the guards did was able to slip past his considerable defenses. It wasn¡¯t armor that stumped the men. Instead, the Hunter was able to flow like the wind, easily dodging or side-stepping any attack. Unfortunately, no one was able to identify how he was able to do that so we would need to determine that for ourselves. Inquiring more about the Hunter from the guards, we learned that Adom lived up to his name of being a savage. His main attacks, and not to mention his blazing fast counters, were all done weaponless. Using his hands alone, the man applied pressure to certain parts of the guards¡¯ bodies which either immobilized them or caused excruciating pain. Thankfully, no one had been mortally wounded. One guard told us that he felt like Adom was more interested in causing pain than anything else. That didn¡¯t bode well for Lailah. ¡°This Hunter seems to get a kind of twisted pleasure from the pain he causes others. It sounds like he does it for that sake alone.¡± I hurried our pace once we were outside of town. Thankfully, my tracking skill helped us along as it outlined the path the two had taken. Their footprints were spaced closely together, indicating they were not moving with any particular haste. ¡°Our quest rewards are linked to Lailah''s well-being, and with how this man has acted towards the town guards, we may find her in terrible condition.¡± ¡°Torture. Unfortunately, a depraved trait for far too many Hunters that come to this world.¡± With our fast pace, Stella moved to fly next to me instead of trying to find purchase on my rolling shoulders. ¡°Thankfully though, you should be able to heal any physical wounds she may suffer, but we can only hope that she¡¯s still alive when we find her.¡± Stella was biting her lips and was moving around in the air restlessly. ¡°This hunter reminds me too much of Duke.¡± My eyes ranged ahead of us, returning to the rocky ground fast passing underneath our quick pace, ensuring we were still on the right trail. ¡°I doubt he will kill her based on everything we¡¯ve heard about the man,¡± I said between gasps of breath as we ran. ¡°At least, not right away. The bastard loves pain too much to end things that quickly. Wait, if Lailah was dead, our quest would get updated, wouldn¡¯t it? I doubt the System would give a quest when the objective of the mission was already dead, right?¡± ¡°Hmm, I think so, but then again the quest could still reward us for bringing that unfortunate news back to the mayor,¡± Stella replied. ¡°Though, based on the fact the quest being failed has such negative consequences, I doubt that¡¯s the case.¡± ¡°Well, let¡¯s hope it doesn¡¯t come to that.¡± Miles passed underneath our steady pace, my tracking skill showing its worth as it kept us on the right path. The realization of actually fighting another Hunter had a question popping out of my mouth, ¡°What happens if we do need to fight him ¨C this Adom the Savage?¡± I couldn¡¯t help but sneer when I said the man¡¯s title. Based on my own experiences with titles, the man must have done something incredibly heinous to earn the moniker. A part of me hoped that at least some hunters were not naturally evil in this world, but from everything I had learned, that was not the norm. ¡°You probably already know, but it¡¯s called player versus player or PVP for short,¡± Stella answered. ¡°That¡¯s what I figured,¡± I said with a nod of the head. ¡°Back on Earth, with many popular video games, player versus player combat was a frequent feature for many. Let¡¯s find this Hunter,¡± I spat out the word. ¡°And get stronger for it.¡± Stella nodded at my words. ¡°So, when we do run into Adom, and if it comes to blows, what happens?¡± Tilting my head, I was quite curious to know the rules here. ¡°It¡¯s combat like any other that you have experienced so far. Although the spoils to the victor are far more lucrative. In the World, PVP spoils are far more¡­ lucrative. Instead of receiving just the gear and items, you receive far more. It can vary from one battle to another, but it¡¯s always impactful to the victor,¡± Stella said as I slowed us for a small break. My eyes continued to scour the ground looking for clues as Stella continued. ¡°For example, you could receive a skill, a spell, or other valuable knowledge. The rewards granted by the System can even be increased or decreased depending on the interaction between the two hunters.¡± Before asking my next question, I made eye contact with Stella. ¡°Did Stouter engage in any player versus player?¡± ¡°No, other than what you saw with Duke,¡± she replied hesitantly. ¡°He felt he wasn¡¯t ready or strong enough when the opportunity presented itself. While Player versus Player battles are not common, they are far riskier and deadlier than fighting against regular mobs. A part of me wanted to end the future threat this Hunter posed to the people he would come into contact with in the future, but passing judgment on another was not something I would take lightly. ¡°From the quest¡¯s perspective, do you have any idea what would happen if we simply negotiated for Lailah¡¯s release without a fight?¡± ¡°Probably nothing out of the ordinary. You¡¯d likely receive a regular quest reward and a little more. But be wary, just because you may want to negotiate doesn¡¯t mean he will. Some Hunters revel in fighting other players, Duke is a perfect example of that, but most realize the dangers involved. Skills, spells, and just about everything can vary widely from one Hunter to another. We didn¡¯t talk too much after that as we once again picked up the pace. Adom and his captive were making no attempts to hide their trail, which didn¡¯t surprise me based on how Adom toyed with the city guards. I took him as a man who welcomed a fight. My hope that I would be able to peacefully return Lailah to her father seemed unlikely. It looked like our fast-approaching confrontation would inevitably lead to battle. I would need to hope that I was strong enough. ¡°Hope for the best, plan for the worst,¡± I said softly between my teeth. ¡°What¡¯s that,¡± Stella asked, catching my words above the rush of wind as we ran onwards. ¡°Just a saying from back in my world,¡± I replied without clarifying more than that. Stella didn¡¯t inquire further, seeing the determination and resoluteness in my strides. Finally, the tracks we were following deviated from the rocky road. It was clear from the agitated soil and grass that Lailah was no longer cooperating. She must have had some courage bloom when Adom moved them off the main road. A little while ahead, two tracks merged into one, though the single set landed heavier, pushing slightly deeper into the earth. Someone had been carried, and it was obvious who it was. Thankfully, there was no sign of blood, so I could only take that as a good sign. ¡°He¡¯s carrying her now. She must have been putting up too much of a fight.¡± I mulled over, speaking my thoughts aloud. ¡°Stella, Ripley, be ready, I couldn¡¯t imagine he would want to carry her long. I suspect we¡¯re approaching them soon.¡± Skill Increase: Tracking has increased to levels 3 and 4. Through your diligence and attention, your tracking ability has increased. You are more likely to see hints visible within the tracks of those you peruse. I engaged Stealth, crouching lower in my stance. There was no feeling of pressure, indicating no one was aware of my presence. As we continued onward, my eyes looked to Ripley as I was curious about her own capabilities of moving silently. I was pleased to see that Ripley had gone deathly quiet although she wasn¡¯t crouched as low as I was. Smiling at her, I was thankful she could at least mirror my desire to go undetected. A part of me had been worried that any attempt at stealth would be impossible with her following closely behind. It didn¡¯t take much longer before the smell of burning wood filled the woody area around us. We were close, though nothing could be seen beyond the dense pack of trees. My alarm spiked when a feminine voice cried out in sharp pain. Knowing a battle was likely only minutes away, I quietly recast my shield spell, giving me the highest armor rating I could. Whispering to Ripley to flank left, I continued my silent approach. The forested area parted ahead into a wide clearing as wide as a small house. In the center of the clearing was a fire pit, spit, and a makeshift tent. Small wisps of smoke rose lazily into the air. Looking to the left where I sensed Ripley was, I mentally commanded her to approach the edge of the clearing and then hold her position. Hopefully, she would act as my backup if it came to a fight. She would be my ace up my sleeve. My eyes took in the scene, pausing only a moment as I noticed a gruff humanoid shape looming over something on the ground. A man¡¯s fist was raised high in the sky, as if about to crash down to whatever lay below. Who could only be Adom, was facing away from me and had not detected any of us based on the complete lack of pressure from my stealth skill. The man held his hand high as if it was a threat. When the hand started downwards, I couldn¡¯t wait any longer. ¡°Stop!¡± My shout rang clear across the clearing, pausing the fist from completing its descent. My axe was already in my hand as I barged out, causing the man¡¯s hooded face to turn slightly in my direction. Stella was hovering to my left, the corner of my eyes saw her bare her canine teeth as she took an aggressive stance herself. The hooded figure lowered his fist to his side before standing at his full height. He was a head shorter than I was, but the menace of his presence hammered in the air around him. With deliberate care, he began to turn in our direction. Chapter 19 - Adom the Savage The man carried with him a foreboding and intimidating presence. As he turned, his nameplate became fully visible, confirming him to be the Hunter we were looking for, Adom the Savage. His strikingly athletic and muscular figure gave credence to the man¡¯s strength. He wore a short-sleeved tan tunic with an exposed midriff and bulging biceps. With each movement, his corded muscles flexed and twitched, hinting at his body¡¯s explosive potential. His eyes though, carried nothing but confidence in those dark orbs. A white fur cloak that looked to have been torn and ripped away from a beast¡¯s corpse wrapped his broad shoulders. Soft-soled shoes and earth-toned shorts finished the Hunter¡¯s ensemble. Adom was a predator. His gait, the way he carried himself, everything about the man shouting at the universe around him to be on guard lest he strike out with practiced ease. His obsidian eyes appraised me in turn. Not a hint of concern or shock showed on his face. It was as if everything gazed upon by those merciless eyes was nothing more than prey. No words were spoken as I took a took a moment to Inspect him. My worry spiked when I spied his high level, not to mention the fact that he was a tier two Hunter. Adom the Savage, Kyusho Monk (Level 12 Human Hunter) Health 1430/1430, Mana 50/50, Stamina 715/750 Active Abilities ¨C Blazing Reflexes, Devastating Counter, Extreme Conditioning, Amplified Pain ¨C Kyusho Jitsu, One Hundred Blows The amount of health this man had was staggering. It was nearly three times my own. It took me a split moment to realize the system was actually providing that information as it never had before with regular monsters. Adom had nearly nonexistent mana as opposed to me as it was my highest resource pool. Based on the abilities listed and his high stamina count, this Hunter was one hundred percent a melee class. That didn¡¯t bode well for me as I was mainly a caster class. Even as those thoughts flittered in my mind in milliseconds, the realization that I needed more information about Adom¡¯s abilities crashed over me like a raging rapid. Thankfully, as the thought occurred to me, the System obliged and additional information filtered into me. This time, the knowledge poured into me differently. Other than when I read something like a spell book, the information gained from Inspect was displayed in my vision to be read. Now though, the information was downloaded into my mind instantly. I knew the basics of what his active abilities did, the knowledge implanted to such a degree it was as if I always knew what this man¡¯s abilities were capable of. Blinding Reflexes ¨C Your foresight to evade blows and attacks approaches perfection as long as you can see your target. Devastating Counter ¨C You can turn your enemy¡¯s strength against them, countering an attack with dreadful force. Extreme Conditioning ¨C You have begun to transcend your mortal coil. All health points from attributes are effectively doubled. Amplified Pain: Kyusho Jitsu ¨C Any pressure points struck by Ki-empowered strikes cause an extreme amount of pain and have a significantly higher chance to stun an opponent. One Hundred Blows ¨C You focus all of your Ki to deliver a rapid series of attacks capable of reducing the health of any standing opponent to zero. In the back of my mind, the reason this ability information was downloaded directly into my mind was considered. Perhaps, I supposed to myself, the System recognized the significance of two Hunters finding each other so it sped up the process of analyzing a potential opponent. Those were thoughts for another time, so were quickly dismissed to the furthest recesses of my consciousness. Beyond the man¡¯s amazing abilities, Adom was also four levels higher than me meaning at level ten he had selected his tier two class. It was easy to deduce from the physical prowess that ¡®Monk¡¯ was his tier one class and then evolved into ¡®Kyusho Monk¡¯ when he leveled up. Remembering the advantages I had gained when I reached level five and became a necromancer, I could only guess at the jump in power such a tier two class could bring with it. Adom¡¯s eyes narrowed and, somehow, I knew that had finished inspecting me at the same moment. ¡°A fellow Hunter, how interesting. Who are you and why should I bother giving you a second thought?¡± His voice was deep, carrying with it the potential to cause those who heard it to tremble in fear. A wicked gleam passed across Adom¡¯s face as he spied my eyes glancing to the person curled at his feet. Whoever it was had taken a defensive fetal position, doing everything to protect their body, as if about to be attacked by a rabid animal. ¡°Better yet, do you want to participate in the fun?¡± Before I could respond, Adom twisted around with such staggering speed that I had difficulty tracking his movement. Like a viper, he dove a pair of stiff fingers into the cowering person''s ribs eliciting a feminine cry of pain. Who I had already suspected was the mayor¡¯s daughter, Lailah did her best to curl into an even smaller target, bringing her dirt-covered legs closer to her chest. Anger flashed through my eyes, ¡°No. Release her¡­ now!¡± Adom chortled as he faced me once more, ¡°Now why would I do that? This bitch is mine.¡± His tone had turned even more dangerous and possessive as if he didn¡¯t view his victim as anything more than a plaything for his own enjoyment. It heated the blood in my veins. Like a dog rutting, Adom¡¯s foot scrapped against the earth beneath him to shower Lailah with loose stones and grass. Never taking his eyes off of me, Adom gave me such a leer that I feared it would have frozen the blood of many a man in my place. My rising anger melted away any chance that it would affect me in such a way. Adom tilted his head slightly to the side and continued, his voice grating on my senses like nails across a chalkboard. ¡°Such is my right. I earned this plunder. Why would you even think to challenge me? You and I are both looking for the same enjoyment, so I give you this one chance, Hunter to Hunter, leave now and find your own fun.¡± My blood was pounding behind my ears, urging me to sprint forward and tear this man apart. Stella sensed what I was feeling and subtly held a paw out in my direction, realization dawned on me and I took a deep breath, calming my nerves. Anger would not help me here against a clearly skilled opponent. ¡°We are nothing alike and did you not hear me? I told you to release her.¡± The confidence in Adom¡¯s eyes faltered at my words. A hint of surprise and a modicum of confusion flashed across his features. It was almost as if he was astonished that I had not immediately followed his command. To me, this man reeked of being a bully who relied solely on his ability to intimidate others to get what he wanted. Well, at least he had before he joined this world as a Hunter. He now had the power to back himself up. ¡°What the hell,¡± Adom spat before pausing a moment to collect his thoughts. ¡°Oh, I think I see what¡¯s going on. You¡¯re one of those Hunters looking for PVP, is that it? I¡¯ve heard that killing another Hunter is quite rewarding, though never had the pleasure as of yet. Unless you want her for yourself. Well, let me tell you, she¡¯s all mine, and nothing you do can change that fact.¡± There it was. This man was beyond redeeming. With that last statement, it was clear that he couldn¡¯t comprehend that another Hunter was in this world to help those around him. He only existed for his own satisfaction and to bring pain to those around him. My mind was made up, one of us wouldn¡¯t be leaving this encounter alive. If I did nothing, Lailah would suffer a horrific death at the hands of this fiend. Adom must have seen something in my eyes that communicated my intent. He reached a hand to his belt and unhooked a dark mace that I hadn¡¯t noticed before. ¡°Looks like I¡¯ll be having twice as much fun today.¡± He idly passed the weapon from hand to hand, the ease of which showed his familiarity with its use. It was as long as my forearm with blunted knobs adorning the weapon¡¯s head. A dark emerald glow began emanating from the weapon in gentle waves. It was a weapon to crush bones to splinters. Shaking my head side to side, I gripped my weapon tighter knowing that we were on the precipice. ¡°You speak of your right to do what you want, but what of her rights? Lailah is no less than you or me.¡± Unknown to me, my own weapon took on a frosted look, as if overcome by an arctic chill. The weapon remained firm and warm in my hand. I found its weight reassuring. ¡°I do this,¡± Adom pointed his mace back over his shoulder. ¡°¡­ because I can. Because I want to. We both joined this Game to do just that; anything we want.¡± My eyes were locked onto this crazed man, my resolve firm. ¡°I didn¡¯t join this world willingly like you. It found me and has given me the opportunity to make a difference.¡± ¡°I see, you¡¯re one of those doomed types. This world was made for us and people like me,¡± Adom made a grand sweeping gesture, as if to everything around him. ¡°Why pay the millions of credits to do anything less?¡± A calm came over me at that moment. My mind was made up. By his admission, this man, this Hunter, would not live another day to suffer anyone else. Not if I had anything to say about it. Seeing the commitment and resolve no doubt etched on my face, Adom spoke out of the side of his mouth to what I assumed was his unseen accelerator. ¡°Midge, be sure to record this. I want to be able to play this back, over and over.¡± It was settled and there was no going back. Only one of us would be walking away alive. With a mental command, I ordered Ripley to attack. She burst out of the tree line to Adom¡¯s right, heading straight for the man with her great sword held high. Adom whirled at the noise and took a defensive stance. That was what I was hoping for, I had my opening. Ripley¡¯s aggressive action stole Adom¡¯s attention and, in that split second, he decided to fight the towering Ripley first. My fingers danced and weaved in intricate patterns as I cast my new spell, Scent of Decay, for the first time. Arcane syllables tumbled from my lips, sounding much like a hissing snake. My mind went back, remembering the advice I received from Afrazz the merchant after purchasing the spell. He had said that the spell was especially useful in boss fights. I couldn¡¯t think of a better way to describe what it would be like to fight another Hunter. Who knew what defenses or magical resistances the man had? His gear was no doubt enchanted, so I was going to need all the help I could to land my spells on him while he fought Ripley. This was even more important as I once more considered his excessively high health pool. Adom hesitated at the sound of my spell casting, coming to a stop as his face turned in my direction. It was clear he had not expected to be attacked on two fronts. Ripley¡¯s sudden appearance, coupled with her menacing skeletal physique, had grabbed all of his attention. Yet, at the sound of my voice, Adom was reconsidering who his first target needed to be. Everyone knew, well at least I assumed they knew, that you always went after casters first. His decision was stolen away though as Ripley reached him, her great sword descending with tremendous power. She was too close to be ignored so Adom moved to deflect the downwards attack. That meant I was free to cast my spells. Yet, I also knew Adom¡¯s mace would cause devastation on Ripley¡¯s body if any of his attacks landed as she had lowered resistance to blunt attacks. As Adom¡¯s mace pushed Ripley¡¯s attack wide, my spell completed. While casting this spell, my focus was entirely on Adom so I hadn¡¯t seen the malignant aura that had been growing on my hands during the three-second cast time. With the final mystical word spoken aloud, my will thrust the magical energy toward Adom. Dark power shot across the distance, impacting the side of his chest. It exploded against his torso like it was a rotten grapefruit. A pungent smell permeated the air and Adom stumbled from the impact. The dark sludge curled around his body as if alive. Spreading down to his legs and up his neck, the powerful magic moved like clawing fingers seeking purchase. In the next moment, the dark energy rose an inch from his skin before slamming downwards. The magic pierced his body and disappeared within as if down a whirlpool. Notice! Adom the Savage has been afflicted with the Scent of Decay! All resistances to fire, poison, acid, and disease have been reduced by 14%. This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it Adom coughed and his skin turned visibly darker with raised splotches of black marks all over his skin. It looked almost like he now had mold growing beneath those dark patches. The cough alone nearly cost him his life as Ripley¡¯s great sword came back in, aiming to take off his head. Adom proved to be no novice fighter though. He recovered quickly and, with surprising grace, bent backward to avoid the blow entirely. In the same motion, his body horizontal to the ground, he lashed out with a foot catching Ripley in the solar plexus. Had she been alive, that strike would have no doubt been excruciating, even so strong as to have possibly blown the air from her lungs. As it was, it cost only a few health points thanks to her breastplate and the fact she had no lungs. With no time to spare, I began casting Boil Blood knowing it was vital to get my most powerful DoT on the man as soon as possible. Adom gave a quick glance my way before returning to his full height, bending with such ease as if he was nothing more than a reed bending in the wind. As Ripley swung again, this time an overhead attack. Adom¡¯s mace flared with power, shining a brilliant white, an instant before her weapon connected. In two lightning-quick motions, he deflected her great sword and then used the rebounding momentum to crash the weapon effortlessly into Ripley¡¯s chest. The speed and power of the attack were staggering as Ripley¡¯s health pool dropped significantly and she nearly fell to a knee, looking to almost lose her balance from the single attack. Stella: That was his Devastating Counter ability! The flash signals its activation. Keep that in mind! Good to know, I thought. That information would prove helpful if Adom got within melee range with me, though the reaction speed needed to respond to the warning flash seemed unlikely. Coming after me seemed to be Adom¡¯s intention suddenly, as he backflipped away from the staggered Ripley, before sprinting in my direction. He must have finally realized his error in going after Ripley first. Too seemed to be late though as my Boil Blood completed. The spell¡¯s energy zipped across the space between us, its overwhelming heat sizzling the air as the magic arced toward him. Backpedaling to keep as much distance between us, my next spell was already underway. I nearly faltered in casting through as I witnessed Adom sidestepping with blinding speed. He was trying to avoid the magic that even now raced towards him at the speed of an arrow. Thankfully, the spell landed despite his attempt to dodge. I wasn¡¯t even sure if a person could dodge my spells and I wasn¡¯t keen to find out. Despite my shock, my concentration held and I finished casting acidic bolt as a message appeared in my vision. Damage dealt 151! The Hunter¡¯s blood begins to boil! (Some of the target¡¯s resistance has been overcome!) After reading the newest addition to the damage notification, I mentally thanked Afrazz and my decision to start the battle with Scent of Decay. If Adom resisted my spells entirely¡­ I shuddered to think how difficult it would be to defeat him without them. Resisting spells would be the same if I was able to dodge his attacks, a feat that looked highly unlikely given his melee prowess. Another thought tugged at my mind, the damage from boil blood should have been higher considering my attributes and the spell¡¯s level. I would have to find a way to work with that, though I was hoping this single spell would be able to destroy most of his extensive health pool. My newest spell landed even as Adom once again tried futilely to dodge to the side. Perhaps if the distance between us was far greater he could, but Adom was nearly on top of me now. I would need to ask Stella about the ability to dodge spells if we made it out of this alive that is. The acidic spell slammed into the Hunter¡¯s right arm and immediately caused blisters to form wherever the sticky liquid touched. Damage dealt 101. The Hunter¡¯s skin begins to sizzle. (Some of the target¡¯s resistances have been overcome!) Since Adom opted to try to dodge my spell, it gave me a brief moment of respite to determine my best course of action. He was too close and would be on me within a pair of seconds so casting another spell would be dangerous. So, with a thought an item appeared in my hand, a bottle containing a brackish fluid that reeked of sweat and bile. Ignoring the smell, I tore off the cork with my teeth and gulped down the potion. It was like trying to swallow down gritty bile. My eyes instantly began to water from the disgusting sensations, and it was all I could do to not gag on the foul stuff. The bottle crashed at my feet as Adom¡¯s mace barreled towards me in a flurry of blows. You have imbibed Gnoll Brew of Adrenaline. Notice! You have received a temporary increase in Strength (plus 5) and Constitution (plus 5) for 5 minutes. Additionally, you are immune to all mind-altering effects for the duration. The message disappeared as Adom¡¯s attacks slammed into me. Thankfully, I was able to raise my axe defensively, though my skill with the weapon was nothing compared with the onslaught before me. I could only give ground under the punishing assault and my health began to drop with each swing of the mace I was not quick enough to push wide or parry. Even with my battle axe waving to fend off his attacks, Adom attacked flawlessly with his mace, fist, and even the occasional foot with such practiced ease that I doubted my chances of staying upright would last more than a few moments. In seconds, I had lost a hundred health points without any indication from Adom that he was about to let up. My mind screamed out for support from Ripley. I couldn¡¯t withstand more alone. ¡°I will take your head off!¡± Adom spoke with such fury that my heart skipped a beat. As the man¡¯s crushing blows continued to land, pain swelled in my arms and chest. He was able to bypass most of my feeble attempts to defend, though thankfully most of his connecting hits were glancing blows. My eyes spied damage notifications as my damage over time spells continued to work on my enemy¡¯s health pool. I could only hope that my spells would finish him off before his withering blows crushed my skull. Sadly, even knowing how powerful my spells were, a significant part of my consciousness feared I would be long dead before they made a difference in this fight. Relief came when a gleaming great sword nearly took Adom off his feet. The strength and weight of the blow was incredible. Adom had either forgotten or ignored Ripley in favor of killing me as quickly as he could. It cost the man dearly, but it also cost Ripley. In what looked to be an impossible motion, Adom¡¯s foot flared white even as he was blown to the side from Ripley¡¯s sweeping attack. His foot snapped upwards, connecting solidly with Ripley¡¯s face. The blow cracked into her jaw with incredible force and, in horror, I watched as her head spun completely around before she fell forward to the ground motionless. In a panic, my eyes flew up to health. She was still alive, though barely. Adom crashed heavily several feet away on the hard-packed ground, tumbling and rolling over himself. Dirt and debris were thrown from the impact, such was the strength of Ripley¡¯s attack. With the reprieve afforded by Ripley¡¯s sacrifice, I stored my axe before dual casting my little-used minor healing wave. I couldn¡¯t even remember the last time I had used the spell, but it restored over one hundred seventy health in an instant. The ache from the crushing blows against my arms and ribs waned. In another instant, my axe was back in my hand. Being able to store and retrieve it was helpful in instances like this where every second mattered. Contemplating my next action, a message flew across my screen from Stella. Stella: Don¡¯t forget Regen and your Deflecting Spell! I couldn¡¯t finish reading the message as Adom had returned to his feet, though I did mentally thank Stella for the reminder. I backpedaled as quickly as I could before casting cast minor regen on myself with my left hand. In quick order, I would be restored to full health with even a little extra health from the constitution bonus from the gnoll brew. Before Ripley¡¯s intervention, Adom¡¯s attacks had me down to very low health. With the initial heal of regeneration, it shot up by one hundred thirty points and would continue to heal me every six seconds for half a minute. The spell repaired several cracked ribs I hadn¡¯t had the presence of mind to notice beforehand. Deep bruises on my arms faded to only a distant memory. I knew the regeneration effect of the spell wouldn¡¯t be able to overcome all the damage that Adom could inflict, but anything helped in this frantic battle. Adom reached his feet, tilting forward in another attempt to sprint back into the fray. Ripley was barely moving next to me, her hands blindly trying to reorientate in the right direction. Knowing that I wouldn¡¯t be able to match Adom blow for blow in my current state, I had only one option. My awareness reached down my arm to the ring sitting on my right index finger. For the first time, I triggered the magic held within my Ring of Blind Rage. Even as ruby power coursed up into my body, as my vision began to tint red, I could only pray that its mind-altering effects would be nullified by the gnoll brew imbibed earlier. Calling up the ring¡¯s description, my jaw clenched of its own accord, and a powerful bellow built in my lungs, moments away from releasing a scream of utter hatred. {Ring of Blind Rage}. Quality: Superb. Rarity: Rare. Slot: Finger. Durability: 1000/1000. Effect(s): Upon activation, this ring causes the user to receive the ¡®Blind Rage¡¯ effect. While under this condition, Strength and Constitution are doubled for the duration. Unfortunately, an undesirable side effect comes with this effect. When under ¡®Blind Rage¡¯ the user feels a violent, uncontrollable wrath, and is only able to focus on a single target. Until the effect wears off, nothing else matters but the rage; pain, conscious thought, all else is sent to the dim recesses of the mind. That target must be eliminated as quickly and violently as possible. If the target of your rage is defeated, a nearby target is automatically selected. Note ¨C This effect does not distinguish between friend and foe! You have been warned. This effect lasts 120 seconds. Cooldown: 30 minutes. My vision shifted to shades of red as a primal scream tore out of my lungs. It felt as if all the fury, wrath, and hatred in the world had welled up into a singular moment, and it needed to be released with overwhelming violence. Not of my conscious bidding, my face arched to the sky and I roared to the death of everything. My gaze lowered and locked onto Adom who was staring at me dumbfounded. The urge to destroy the man overcame all other thoughts, nothing else mattered. His blood needed to shower the world around us. My glare promised death. In this state of mind, the man was already dead, he just didn¡¯t know it. The familiar weight of the axe held in my seething hands would be the instrument of my fury. Warning! You have been affected by an all-consuming ¡°Blind Rage,¡± all voluntary control of your actions is removed while under these effects. Notice! Your strength has doubled. Notice! Your constitution has doubled. Unbeknownst to me, my nameplate flashed red and a debuff icon momentarily flashed next to it. Adom spotted it, read the description before it vanished, and laughed as I charged at him. ¡°Fool. Uncontrollable anger will not win you this fight. You¡¯re already dead, you just don¡¯t know it.¡± Adom took a ready stance, preparing to meet my charge. He no doubt intended to sidestep or counter my next attack, but such thoughts escaped me at that moment. Ripley was still struggling at my side, so wouldn¡¯t be of help in what came next. Though, that cared little to me as my pounding feet closed the distance between me and Adom. The last system message had been beyond my reasoning, all I could see was red. Red and my enemy. Even as Adom bobbed gently on the balls of his feet as if facing nothing more dangerous than a mouse, reasoning and sanity came back to me in a rush. It took every ounce of my will to not let anything but rage show on my face as my mind registered the next message that displayed across my vision. It heralded victory. Notice! You are now IMMUNE to the mind-altering effects of ¡°Blind Rage¡±. Even as I reached Adom¡¯s position, my weapon swinging with all the force I could muster, I mentally typed out a simple message to my friend. Xaz: Time to end this, Stell. Over the course of the next minute, I intentionally ignored all of Adom¡¯s attacks and skillful counterattacks. My total health had skyrocketed with the constitution buff gained from my ring¡¯s magic, so I could endure his blows well beyond what I had been able to before. It was important that I continued my ruse that I had no conscious control of my actions. My axe never ceased moving as I rained attack after attack at the man. Adom was able to avoid many of them, but not all. As our attacks landed on the other, our health pools plummeted. It wouldn¡¯t be until well after the fight that realization would dawn that another thing keeping me standing was the small absorption shield that my necromancer¡¯s bone ring provided. Each time my damaging over time spells tore chunks away from Adom¡¯s health, ten percent of the amount created a magical barrier that absorbed some of my enemy¡¯s attacks. Coupled with the last dregs of my regeneration spell, I was able to stand toe to toe with the monk and maintain my ruse. Adom backpedaled a moment and pulled a tiny vial off his belt, chugging it down quickly as red liquid splashed against his lips. It was no doubt a health potion, though I again gave no outward sign I comprehended the action. I spied the final seconds of my Blind Rage debuff as it counted down to zero. My moment was fast approaching. It was now or never. With an incoherent scream, I reared back for a wide attack that was aimed to slam into Adom¡¯s chest. Adom took the bait and as my weapon hurtled forward his mace flashed white signaling his usage of his devastating counterattack. With my health dangerously low, there was no way I would not survive his counterattack. If my blow landed, neither would he. Adom wouldn¡¯t get the chance to connect his weapon with my epic rarity battle axe. As my axe began its horizontal movement, I shouted, ¡°Roaring Sweep!¡± The words exploded from my mouth with the force of a hurricane. The speed of my swing doubled and, at the last moment, I adjusted the angle of the attack. To Adom¡¯s utter surprise, his mace was nowhere near in the correct position as my blade bit cleanly into the side of his neck with the speed of a lightning strike. The flare white from his weapon stuttered and died, his counter hitting nothing but air. Adom was motionless, not only from the stunned effect of my skill, but also from the shock at what I had done. My axe head had torn cleanly through the exposed flesh of his neck. Within seconds, blood began to geyser and pop like bubbles from the air escaping from his destroyed windpipe. Adom¡¯s mace fell to the ground, slipping from his unfeeling fingers. Disbelief and shock warred on his face even as his fingers attempted vainly to stop the flow of his lifeblood. His mouth opened, but no words could make their way past his obliterated trachea. No more air would reach his now-burning lungs. A questioning look reached his eyes in his final moments. It showed incomprehension and terror. It was a feeling that had been undoubtedly cast upon the cruel man¡¯s countless victims, but never again. Before his eyes glazed over in death, I spoke. ¡°Never underestimate a prepared opponent.¡± Adom collapsed lifelessly to the ground. Wide eyes of shock and disbelief were permanently etched into his features forever more. Chapter 20 - Veni, Vidi, Vici. I came, I saw, I conquered. A deep breath escaped my lips as my eyes turned to Adom¡¯s broken form lying before me. The battle was far too close, with either one of us falling at the end to a single attack from the other. Thankfully, my ruse of pretending to be overwhelmed by blood lust had been successful, giving me the edge needed to be victorious. My pounding heart was only beginning to slow when, suddenly, a slew of notifications absolutely bombarded my vision. One after another, the messages kept coming and stacking over each other. I hesitated to read them though, my mind was elsewhere. The realization that I had killed a Hunter was at the forefront of my thoughts. The System must have read my intentions for, without my bidding, all of the messages apart from one minimized. Congratulations! You have come out victorious against Adom the Savage, level 12 Kyusho Monk. You have conquered his Accelerator (Uncommon)! As my eyes lingered on Adom¡¯s body, a small metallic orb the size of an orange, lifted off his body and flew towards us. I got no sense of it being a threat as it approached, its speed akin to a slow walk. Stella was next to me and made no reaction as the gray sphere floated in front of her face before vanishing. It had been Adom¡¯s Accelerator, what had it called it earlier? Stella looked at me; her head tilted as if to ask if I wanted to know what had just happened. My lack of eye contact answered that unspoken question, for my eyes and my mind had returned to the body at my feet. A part of me was curious if taking Adom¡¯s life was truly a necessity. ¡°Yes, it was¡­ necessary,¡± my words came out weakly at first but gained true conviction at the end. Adom was a person who dedicated his new life as a Hunter to bring pain and suffering to the innocents around him. Still, taking the life of another was not something that could be dismissed or ignored. My eyes looked at the torn-up earth around the man¡¯s bloody and torn form. A copious amount of blood was littered around our battlefield, the ground soaking the life-giving liquid hungrily. ¡°It was necessary,¡± I reaffirmed once more, cementing the words with the truth of it. Adom meant to kill, maim, or worse. Stella and I had promised to bring true justice to people like him. I had done that. My vision sharpened and raised to look Stella in the eyes. She nodded to me, her face a mask of stone. It needed to be done, and we would do it again. Together. My attention was pulled to the huddled form of Lailah, who was beginning to stir from her defensive fetal position. Her earthen-colored dress was torn and fraying in places, grass and mud stains covering the areas around her knees and elbows. Adom had not been gentle to her. That was clear from the numerous dark bruises showing over most of her exposed skin. The man had been a monster and, as far as I could tell from my short interaction with him, had no redeeming quality in his life. Kneeling beside Lailah, I spoke in an as soothing and gentle voice as I could manage, ¡°Hello Lailah, my name is Xaz. Your father sent me to rescue you. Are you alright?¡± Lailah didn¡¯t respond at first, instead trying to curl herself into an even smaller ball. She must not have been aware that her tormentor had been defeated, thinking I was about to inflict some punishment regardless of the words in my voice. Once more eyeing the deep bruises, like a handprint of her slim arm, I incanted my regeneration spell to help ease any lingering pain she was feeling. The words flowed like a gentle stream from my lips as pristinely white magical energy grew within my fingertips before flowing toward her body at the spell¡¯s completion. Gliding swiftly through the air between us, the radiant energy flowed soothingly into Lailah¡¯s skin. The effect of the spell took only a dozen seconds, the bruises fading and leaving behind completely unmarred flesh. ¡°What?¡± Lailah whispered in a surprised tone as the comforting magic brought her back to full health. It occurred to me that she may have turned all of her awareness inside her as Adom stood over her before we entered the makeshift camp. I was right, Lailah didn¡¯t even know that the evil man who had so roughly handled her had been defeated. ¡°You¡¯re alright now,¡± I said again as I backed away a pace, giving her plenty of room. I didn¡¯t want to appear threatening in any way. ¡°Adom can never hurt you again.¡± Laying on her side, Lailah¡¯s arms moved away from covering her head, her wet eyes peeking out to ascertain the truth of my words. She turned her head enough for her hazel eyes to look up into mine. I saw worry etched in those orbs, but as several seconds passed, relief replaced that concern. The tenseness in her body relaxed ever so slightly. ¡°Hi, Lailah. My name is Xaz and I¡¯m here to help you. Are you alright?¡± I asked, repeating some of what I had said before. I wanted to take this as slowly as she needed. In my former life, I had known some of what it felt like to be at the complete mercy of another, fearful of a blow raining down on your head or body. She needed time to come to terms with what happened, and its sudden and swift end. Lailah finally uncurled from her fetal position, an arm propping her up. Her eyes moved to Adom¡¯s broken and bloody form. An angry scowl descended on her face as she looked at the man¡¯s body. It passed in seconds as she understood he was no longer capable of hurting her. Lailah righted herself fully, coming to a seated position, her knees tucked up against her chest. ¡°What¡­ how did you find me?¡± she asked. ¡°Your father sent us to find you,¡± I replied, our eyes holding the other''s gaze. ¡°He¡¯s worried sick about you. When you¡¯re ready, I would like to return you home, if that¡¯s alright with you.¡± ¡°I thought I was dead,¡± Lailah said after pausing to gulp down several breaths. Her eyes narrowed and her brow furrowed, looking to me as if she was replaying some last moments of Adom striking her. ¡°He said he was going to kill me, but only after making me beg¡­¡± She couldn¡¯t finish the sentence, closing her eyes as tears welled up once more to cascade down her cheeks. ¡°He can¡¯t hurt you anymore,¡± Stella said from my shoulder, her voice soft and comforting. When her body stopped shuddering from falling tears, I tilted my head as I spoke, ¡°Are you still hurt anywhere? I have more healing magic that can help if you¡¯d permit me.¡± Lailah looked down at her arms, shaking them as if to test for any lingering pain before shaking her head, ¡°No, I¡¯m quite alright, now. Thanks¡­ Xaz, and to your friends as well.¡± Stella glided closer, lowering her head to meet the girl¡¯s glistening eyes. ¡°You are very welcome. Hi, my name is Stella. I¡¯m Xaz¡¯s friend. The big one to your right is Ripley, she¡¯s our friend too. We¡¯ll protect you until we bring you back to your father. As far as I am concerned, no one will hurt you again while you¡¯re near us.¡± Lailah held her arms tighter around the knees against her chest, seeking comfort no doubt from the motion. ¡°Thank you, all of you,¡± Lailah paused to rest her head against her knees, muffled sobs sounding as her shoulders bobbed. We waited patiently for her, moving at her pace. Lailah¡¯s gaze moved to Ripley, who was standing powerfully once more nearby, her face and gaze turning this way and that, looking for any possible threat. Ripley gave no indication she saw Lailah. Thinking her presence may be intimidating to the frightened girl, I spoke to our protector, ¡°Ripley, please move to the center of this clearing and keep an eye out for anything of danger around us. Protect Lailah above all else. Let no harm come to her.¡± At my words, Ripley moved away from Lailah, coming into the exact center of the camp before turning away to face the trees ringing around us. Her body turned slowly as her steadfast gaze moved to take in everything at once. Confident we were secured, my attention returned to Lailah. She took a deep breath, looking to center and ground herself. I knew what she was doing, having learned similar anxiety-reducing tools from my life on Earth. Lailah looked at me, her voice now holding an elegant and regal tone. ¡°Thank you, Xaz and Stella. You saved me.¡± ¡°You¡¯re very welcome,¡± I replied and motioned for Lailah to sit down upon a nearby log Adom must have moved to act as a chair. I moved to another sitting opposite it. When I repositioned myself, I became aware that I had still been holding my battle axe, so stored it away with a thought. ¡°Are you a Hunter, like he was?¡± Lailah said when she got comfortable, though she winced at the word ¡®Hunter.¡¯ I could guess that, in her mind, all Hunters were people to fear. I hoped to be able to dispel that concern for at least one Hunter she would come to know. ¡°I am, though I am nothing like the last one you met,¡± I replied as I tried to impart honesty in my words. Stella spoke up, doing her best to support my words, ¡°Xaz is not like any other Hunter you may have met. He, we, are here to help those like you against the bad Hunters in the world. You have nothing to fear from him, I can assure you of that.¡± ¡°I believe you, though the stories I¡¯ve heard of what Hunters can do are trying to make me not believe you,¡± Lailah replied as she nodded her head, though I sensed a little trepidation there. Who knew what she had heard of Hunters before today, her interaction with Adom had certainly tainted that further. ¡°Something I¡¯ve learned is to look at a person¡¯s actions to judge the truth of their words,¡± I said after pausing to consider my words. ¡°I hope I can show you that not all Hunters are here to bring harm.¡± ¡°Xaz is right,¡± Stella added as she rested on my shoulder, her weight comforting me. ¡°We can take this as slow as you would like, we¡¯re in no rush here. Whatever you need, you need simply ask for it.¡± Lailah weighed our words before nodding her head once more, ¡°Thank you. I would like to get back home to my dad, but if it would be alright, I would like a little time to myself to gather myself.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± I replied. ¡°You¡¯ve gone through an ordeal. Ripley will keep watch from there, Stella and I will give you some space. If you need anything, just let us know. We¡¯re ready to head out as soon as you¡¯re ready.¡± With that, I stood and moved toward Adom¡¯s corpse. We could leave right now, as far as I was concerned, but whatever the man had carried with him on his path of destruction would instead aid Stella and my course moving forward. Placing a hand on his body, I took anything magical or interesting, not putting much thought into what he had on him. I made sure to not take his underclothes, recognizing that may not be a wise course of action with a worried Lailah nearby. When I was done, I withdrew a hemp blanket and covered the man¡¯s body. Standing once more, my eyes caught the blinking icons at the corner of my vision, apparently wanting to be reviewed sooner rather than later. With a glance in Lailah¡¯s direction, who had turned to face outwards from the campsite and was holding her head in her hands, I mentally clicked on my waiting messages. Though, I was grateful to see that she was no longer crying. A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. ¡°She¡¯ll be alright,¡± Stella whispered to me from her customary position on my shoulder. ¡°She just needs a little time to come to terms with everything that happened. You go ahead and read your System messages, I¡¯ll keep an eye on her and will let you know if something comes up.¡± ¡°Thanks, Stell,¡± I said as I mentally clicked on the blinking icon. My vision exploded with information. As this is your first Player versus Player victory, you will receive additional information regarding your rewards and available options. Further questions can be directed to your Accelerator. You have earned a new achievement, ¡®Player vs. Player.¡¯ You have successfully defeated another Hunter in single combat and lived to tell the tale. May future Hunters fear your approach and fade to dust in your wake. System Notification: You have been granted a new title, ¡®Hunter-Killer.¡¯ Hunter-Killer - You have taken a stand against any Hunter who would seek to plunder and bring destruction to those around them. You acted as a shield against that pain and suffering. You have cried out in a firm voice, for all to hear; not here, not now, and not on my watch! You will now be known as Xazorus the Hunter Killer. New Title Benefits: Permanently increases all damage against aggressive Hunters by 10%. All spells, skills, and abilities are 5% more likely to land against other Hunters. ?Congratulations! Having defeated another Hunter, your view count and follower count have been significantly increased. Anyone watching Adom the Savage during your battle has automatically been added to your overview. Additionally, all of his followers will automatically be transferred to you. Do note that some viewers may decide to cease following your feed, but will be required to do so manually. Congratulations! You have received an additional 69,946 views. You have received an additional 10,491 followers. Congratulations! Reputation Achievement: You have reached the 10,000, 25,000, 50,000, and 75,000 viewer achievement tiers (Message condensed). System reward is based on the contributing factor that increased your viewership. Please note that these achievements were all within your first 24 hours; so, rewards have been increased based on the rarity of this type of achievement (Rare Rarity). Congratulations! You have received: +5 to all of your attributes, Minor Restless Bones has increased by 3 levels, Axes has increased by 3 levels, and Roaring Sweep has increased by 3 levels! Intelligence Threshold Reached (50). Benefits: Each new point into intelligence now grants 30 mana (up from 25). Congratulations! [Minor Restless Bones] has increased to level 4. Congratulations! [Axes] has increased to level 7. Congratulations! [Roaring Sweep] has increased to level 4. Reputation Achievement: (Notice ¨C Message condensed.) You have reached the 1,000, 5,000, and 10,000 follower achievement tiers. System reward is based on the contributing factor that increased your follower count. Please note that these achievements were all within your first 24 hours; so, rewards have been increased based on the rarity of this type of achievement (Rare Rarity). Congratulations! You have received: Charisma has been increased by plus 5. Charisma has been permanently increased by 100%. Additionally, voting has been enabled for all of your current followers to present you with a new skills, spells, or abilities. Good luck! Charisma Threshold Reached (30). Benefits: Non-hostile creatures and people are 10% more likely to offer a hidden quest or divulge additional information during interactions (up from 5%). You are also 10% more likely to persuade someone during those conversations (up from 5%). Charisma Threshold Reached (50). Benefits: Non-hostile creatures and people are 15% more likely to offer a hidden quest or divulge additional information during interactions (up from 10%). You are also 15% more likely to persuade someone during those conversations (up from 10%) The rewards were truly staggering and a part of me would end up rereading those messages several times to understand all that I had earned. My mind focused on the message about my followers being able to give me a new skill, spell, or ability as three empty bars appeared in my vision. They were shaped similar to an empty healing vial. One was tinted orange, another violet and the last was a deep shade of red. Each was steadily filling up as I watched. Comprehension dawned upon me after only a moment. These vials represented my followers voting on this reward. The orange bar represented people voting for a new skill. The violet represented the spell and the red bar represented the votes for a new ability. As I watched, the red bar was filling noticeably faster than the others, with the violet bar lagging a little behind. It looked like my followers, the majority anyway, were voting to have a new ability to be granted. In less than a minute, the voting process ended with an ability the clear winner. I had no idea what the best choice would have been, but a cool sensation of exhilaration flowed into me as the voting ended. The sensation glided up my spine before settling like a globe of spring water at the base of my skull. Congratulations! You have received a new ability, Clear-Headed. This new ability was selected randomly based on the conditions that precipitated your significant increase in followers. Clear-Headed ¨C You are immune to all but epic-tier mind-altering effects, spells, and abilities. Your mind is yours and yours alone. ¡°Wow, you¡¯re quite fortunate. You have some pretty nice fans,¡± Stella said with a surprised look on her face. ¡°Why do you say that?¡± I asked as the awareness of the ability settling in my mind gradually diminished. When it was gone, I was more than I was before. I couldn¡¯t quite put my finger on it, but it felt like my focus and perception had been honed to a keen edge. It was like I had finally awoken after a blissful night¡¯s sleep. ¡°That cool-headed ability rocks and matches with the tactic that won us the fight, but is there more to it? To be honest, I would have been all alright with a new skill or spell just as much. ¡°I¡¯m quite surprised because the choice was determined by your followers. Many, well really all of them, had just been watching Adom. They were his followers. Honestly, I grimaced inwards when that reward came up because I thought it more likely they wouldn¡¯t give you the best choice of the three. I had thought most would be pissed that you killed a favorited Hunter and would have chosen the weakest option as a way to punish you. Obviously, that didn¡¯t happen here.¡± Stella gave a short laugh before continuing. ¡°They also came to a decision very quickly. Actually, come to think of it, maybe your new fans didn¡¯t want to you ever drink that disgusting gnoll brew ever again.¡± Stella was happily gliding in the air in front of me as she continued to ramble on, ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve mentioned it before, but people who favorite a Hunter have the ability to either watch from a third person point of view or if they pay a large enough fee, they can see through the Hunter¡¯s eyes. And trust me, there are more than enough people across the galaxy that pay for that privilege. I¡¯m just surprised that you got the best of the three options with such a new group of followers, that¡¯s all.¡± Stella finally slowed her animated movements and gestures, she was clearly excited, before resting once more on my shoulder. ¡°Anyway, being granted a new ability can be huge for a Hunter; they are generally considered the best choice if you ever get the option to pick. So, again, consider yourself lucky.¡± ¡°Maybe a good percentage of his followers were hoping for his downfall. The guy was kind of an asshole, at least from the little that I knew of him.¡± I rubbed the back of my neck, ¡°Either way, I¡¯m happy for that new ability. The thought of losing control over myself is far from appealing.¡± I was certain I would be losing a large swath of Adom¡¯s followers, but a part of me hoped some would remain. Those who didn¡¯t care for Hunters like he was, those hoping for something better. Only time will tell. A thought occurred to me at that moment, so I asked it. ¡°What is the end goal of being a Hunter. Do they, I mean, can they retire? Or does this game continue on until death?¡± ¡°Yes, many Hunters do play the game long enough to retire, but only a small minority actually reach the point when they are given the option.¡± Stella had a thoughtful expression on her face, she turned to look me in the eyes. ¡°If a Hunter ascends from a World they are given a choice; either they can retire and keep everything they have collected, or they can advance to a higher-tiered world. Trust me, if you are a popular Hunter, the system gives you a significant incentive to advance.¡± ¡°Do you think Duke would retire or is he trying to ascend?¡± Stella responded after only a quick second, ¡°All Hunters work towards it, though many never figure out how to do it, let alone gain enough power to do so. For Duke, my guess is he wants to ascend to a higher-tiered world. He is ruthless, as we have seen, and wants to acquire as much power as possible. With how popular he is, the System would likely go a long way in incentivizing him to stay. Still, there is a possibility that he would retire and, if that were to happen, it would be near impossible to find him ever again.¡± ¡°So, exactly how does a Hunter ascend?¡± I asked. ¡°There are clues left in each starter world and many different ways to force that to happen. No one actually knows how to do that, not even me. From what I¡¯ve learned, it varies from world to world. It¡¯s quite rare but something that only the most powerful Hunters will eventually come across. Right now, I couldn¡¯t even guess what the steps are, but¡­ We can bet that Duke is progressing towards that. Ascending to a new world provides huge rewards and the next tier world has items, spells, and loot that even its weakest one would put nearly any items on our World to shame.¡± That was a lot to take in. Everything Stella shared had given me a lot to think about and I¡¯d probably need to come back to this with Stella at some point in the future. Right now, though, given our current status, it would be best to keep moving forward with our current goal of taking down Duke. In the here and now, we needed to get Lailah back home. As a Hunter who has successfully defeated another, you will receive significant rewards commensurate to the challenge faced. Calculating¡­ Difficulties Noted: Defeating a Hunter one tier above your class (high difficulty); defeating a hunter four levels higher (moderate difficulty); surviving combat with less than 20% of your original HP (medium difficulty). Calculating¡­ Congratulations! Your Hunter Rewards have been upgraded to tier 3 (Rare)! Reward #1 - Experience extracted from Accelerator (uncommon). Note - upgraded to rare tier! Note ¨C Experience extracted from defeated hunter & accelerator is dependent on rarity, as follows: Common Accelerator ¨C 25% total experience acquired, Uncommon Accelerator ¨C 35% total experience acquired, Rare Accelerator ¨C 40% total experience acquired, Epic Accelerator ¨C 45% total experience acquired, Legendary Accelerator ¨C 50% total experience acquired, & Unique ¨C 70% total experience acquired. Congratulations! You have extracted 27,565 experience points from Adom the Savage¡¯s accelerator. Level Up! You have earned enough experience to advance to levels 9, 10, and 11. Tier 1 class characteristic attributes have been applied. You have 21 attribute points to distribute. Reward #2 - Attribute points extracted from Accelerator (uncommon). Note - upgraded to rare tier! Adom the Savage¡¯s Highest Attribute was Strength. Congratulations, you have extracted 18 Strength! Strength Threshold Reached (30). Effect(s): Plus 15% increased damage from all melee-based attacks, skills, and abilities (up from 10). Maximum carrying capacity increased by 75 pounds before suffering movement penalties (up from 50). Reward #3 (rare) Attribute/Skill/Spell extracted from Accelerator (uncommon). Note - upgraded to rare tier! Based on Adom the Savage¡¯s status, you have a 60% chance to acquire a new skill, a 30% chance to acquire a new spell, and a 10% chance to acquire a new ability. Congratulations! You will receive one of Adom the Savage¡¯s spells! Available Options: Force Bolt (level 1), Disarming Charm (level 5), Healing Tonic (level 7) or Selomund''s Song of Travel (Level 8). Note ¨C You may manually choose one of the available spells, however the spell¡¯s level will automatically be lowered by 50%, rounded down (minimum level 1). Or, you may have the system randomly assign you a spell and its level will remain intact. Choose. {Manual Selection} or {Random}? ¡°Well, that¡¯s simply incredible,¡± I said with much enthusiasm. Chapter 21 - Spoils of War ¡°Stella, the rewards from being the victor against another Hunter¡­ is incredible,¡± I said even as my voice trembled slightly as my body underwent several changes from my recent attribute increases. My muscles strengthened and became more defined, my mind opened to more possibilities, and my confidence jumped to another level. It was an invigorating sensation. ¡°It is one of the most rewarding aspects of being a Hunter,¡± Stella said floating around me her eyes appraising my new body, nodding her head as she did. ¡°You look¡­ better. It suits you.¡± ¡°Thanks, Stell,¡± I said with a slight smile. It had always been hard for me to accept a compliment in my old life, though my ¡®Xaz¡¯ self always came to appreciate a genuine one. It was an interesting dynamic to feel both ways about it, but my new ¡®self¡¯ won out and I took the compliment in stride. ¡°Looks like the system is asking me to confirm which spell I want, though¡­ I¡¯m hoping to get some more information first. Ah, there we go.¡± As I had hoped, additional information was available that would help guide me in choosing the best one for us. In my vision, I mentally highlighted each spell in turn and willed the System to present me with more information. The System obliged. [Force Bolt] (level one) - A bolt of brilliant energy shoots from your palm to strike a target of your choosing. This bolt hones in on the target and is exceedingly difficult to dodge. Additionally, as this is an unaligned spell, it is able to bypass most resistances. ¡°Okay,¡± I said after reading the information on our first option. ¡°The force bolt spell is a direct damage spell, so it will be less effective with my class as I get bonuses to damage over time spell. Though, the ability to automatically bypass most spell resistances sounds damn great.¡± The spell reminded me of one called ¡®magic missiles¡¯ from games back on Earth and was a staple for wizards much like fireball. ¡°Yeah, I like it, but I don¡¯t think it¡¯s the best for us right now,¡± Stella agreed so I continued to the next spell, disarming charm. [Disarming Charm] (level five) ¨C Casting this spell on a non-player character will cause the benefits from your charisma to be doubly effective. The non-player character will be more likely to heed your words, reveal important information, and/or lower the cost of their goods. *Warning* ¨C There is a high chance that the NPC will realize the influence of this spell after the fact which will significantly decrease your reputation and standing with them. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t like the look of this one,¡± I said with a hint of revulsion in my voice. ¡°Sure, it would be helpful, but more than likely the person you used it on will hate you afterward. At least, that¡¯s my take on it. I can see why it would be beneficial to people like Adom, but I really didn¡¯t want to leave angry people in my wake. I intend to do just the opposite. Let¡¯s move one,¡± I said to which Stella readily agreed, her eyes transfixed on the System message before me. ?[Healing Tonic] (level seven) ¨C You create a temporary, magical healing potion that lasts twenty-four hours. Unlike normal potions, this tonic will restore a percentage of your total health instead of a flat amount. Additionally, there is a chance you will receive a short-lived beneficial buff upon consumption. Note ¨C Only one healing tonic can be carried at a time. ¡°Well, this one is the best so far.¡± I was certainly eager to add this spell to my repertoire. The energy in my voice matched my enthusiasm. ¡°Healing tonic is great now, but I imagine it only gets better as we level higher.¡± Stella tilted her head, not understanding my meaning so I elaborated further, ¡°Being able to heal a percentage of your health is¡­ powerful. When you compare this spell to a standard healing potion the difference is significant. Okay, let¡¯s say that one day I have five thousand health. A normal healing potion would restore fifty health or just a measly one percent of my total health. Sure, fifty health is a lot to us now, but is essentially worthless later on. With this brew, though we can only guess how much is healed, it could potentially heal for a lot more. Let¡¯s say the healing tonic heals for a third of your health points. We¡¯d be looking at over sixteen hundred health!¡± ¡°I get it now,¡± Stella said. ¡°The larger your health pool, the greater the benefits gained from that spell. You already have a way to heal yourself though, but I can see how having a super strong potion just an inventory swap away would be helpful in the right situation.¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m loving this spell the most so far, but we do have another way to heal ourselves right now. My guess is Adom only had this single option, which, if I remember correctly from our fight, sure did heal him a bunch when he used that tiny red vial near the end there.¡± A thought crossed my mind at that. ¡°Oh, yeah, even further, he had far more health than we did. This spell is perfect for someone with a high health pool. That¡¯s not quite how we are building out my class, being a spell caster after all, and with a pet no less. It¡¯s nice, but let¡¯s see what the last spell can do. [Selomund¡¯s Song of Travel] (level eight) ¨C This song allows greatly increased freedom of movement for you and your party members. It provides increased movement speed as long as the caster is not in combat. ¡°Hmm,¡± I said as I contemplated the spell. ¡°This one seems pretty basic, especially compared to the others. Though, movement speed outside of combat is quite the boon.¡± I could tell Stella was not on the same page as me, so I elaborated. ¡°Faster movement speed will help us more than just getting to new places faster. In its own way, it will help me level and advance more quickly. Think of it this way, let¡¯s say that I would normally need to take a full day to travel somewhere. At that time, we didn¡¯t have a single fight or experience point earned. From a level perspective, it was wasted time. With a spell like this, maybe we get there a few hours earlier. This type of spell helps you over a significant amount of time. We¡¯ll get stronger faster.¡± Stella nodded her head, understanding what I was saying. ¡°If we look at our options objectively, what would seem to benefit you the most right now would be that last one. Sure, having the ability to heal yourself more is nice, but it¡¯s not entirely needed right now. If we had this spell this morning, we may have found ourselves right here a few hours earlier.¡± Stella raised her chin and her eyes beamed into mine, ¡°Plus I can¡¯t wait to see you sing.¡± ¡°Wait, what?¡± I asked. ¡°You can¡¯t be serious.¡± ¡°It is called ¡®Selomund¡¯s Song of Travel¡¯ isn¡¯t it?¡± Stella giggled at my discomfort. A curt look from me caused her to snort and look away in amusement. ¡°Well¡­ crap,¡± I said as I acknowledged to myself the necessity if it was true. Still, while I didn¡¯t look forward to actually having to sing, it was the best option we had right now. Singing a song, if it was indeed required, though I sorely hoped Stella was pulling my chain, would help me further close the distance between Duke and myself. After getting a nod from Stella, I mentally clicked on ¡®manual selection,¡¯ and confirmed Selomund¡¯s Song of Travel. As I did, the very air around me stilled as if a presence had descended. It was the System stepping into the space around me and, as I held my breath, the area around me brightened as if non-existent clouds above had parted, surrounding me in a beaming shaft of light. Spell formula and arcane knowledge flooded into my brain. To Stella¡¯s no doubt soon-to-be happy self, the words I would need to sing were made available to me. Like each time before, the knowledge necessary to cast my new spell was available in an instant and it once more felt like I had always known how to cast it. Stella looked at me expectantly, her eyebrows raised. ¡°You were right¡­¡± I said in a defeated tone. Stella twirled silent victory in the air beside me. Spell Gained: [Selomund¡¯s Song of Travel] (Level 4)! [Selomund¡¯s Song of Travel] - After singing this spell, you, and all of your party members within three yards will have greatly increased freedom of movement. Your movement speed is increased by 20 percent plus 1n percent, where ¡®n¡¯ equals spell level. The spell lasts until you enter combat or cast another spell. Cost: 30 mana. Cast Time: 5 seconds. Cooldown: 1 minute after the spell''s effects expire. As expected from the manual selection, the spell¡¯s level had dropped from eight to four. Though, after reading the spell¡¯s full description, I knew we hadn¡¯t lost too much from where it had been for its last user. At its current level, our movement speed outside of combat would be twenty-four percent faster. We had only lost four percent movement speed, which I was more than happy to give up to ensure we received this option from Adom¡¯s repertoire. Noting movement in the corner of my eye, Lailah had risen and was walking closer to Stella and me. She had cleaned off most of the mud that had been on her clothes, though it was clear only a good wash would take care of the rest. Lailah was a head shorter than me, her form lithe and graceful. Her long brunette hair framed her face well. She carried herself confidently, which I was pleased to see. She was the daughter of the town¡¯s mayor, after all. ¡°Are you ready to head home?¡± I asked. Lailah brushed the side of her dress even though there was no more soil clinging there. ¡°I am, though I ask you to forgive the current state of my clothes.¡± ¡°Think nothing of it,¡± I replied. Trying to think if there was anything I could do to help, I pulled a cream-colored blanket from my inventory. It was what I would use with the bedroll I had purchased from my hometown. The fibers were tightly woven together but were as soft as velvet to the touch. ¡°Would you like this, while we walk home?¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Lailah said as she took the proffered blanket, wrapping it around her shoulders. ¡°Of course,¡± I said with a smile. I turned my attention to Ripley, though made eye contact with Lailah before uttering a command to my minion. ¡°If it''s alright with you, I¡¯d like to take the lead, followed by you, and then Ripley making up the rear guard. Is that okay?¡± ¡°I can keep you company,¡± Stella added before gliding in the air to hover close to Lailah¡¯s shoulder. ¡°¡­if you would like.¡± Lailah nodded her head, so I looked once more at Ripley before ordering her to be our rear guard. Ripley nodded her head ever so slightly and moved a few paces from Lailah. Ripley¡¯s massive great sword was held casually over a shoulder. ¡°Okay, I¡¯m going to cast a new spell, it¡¯s going to help us move a bit quicker,¡± I said as I rubbed my hands together. ¡°This should work on you as well, Lailah, since you¡¯re between us.¡± Hearing no concern from our guest, I mentally prepared to cast my new song. The necessary steps to enact the spell flowed easily in my thoughts. Knowing what was coming next, a wave of embarrassment flowed in my chest. Hoping Stella would take it easy on me, I spoke in a sing-song voice. ¡°To the land and the trees, we now travel at speed. Feel free and at ease, as you follow my lead.¡± At the pronouncement of the final word, a sightless wave of magical power spread out from me as if I were the epicenter. To my eyes, it looked like a slowly moving wave of force that traveled a dozen paces in all directions. As a small buff icon appeared in my vision, my legs felt refreshed and almost twitched in anticipation of moving. It felt like I was a world-class runner, and my body was ready to move. The icon was the shape of a short runner¡¯s shoe with a graceful wing attached at the heel. You have been affected by Xaz¡¯s song of travel; movement speed has increased by 24%. Stella had an amused look on her face but didn¡¯t say anything about my song to which I was very grateful. Looking at the icon, there was no indication of a timer like I had seen with other buffs and debuffs. That made sense, I mused to myself, remembering the spell¡¯s description saying it would remain an active effect as long as we did not engage in combat. I looked to my companions, seeing that everyone was ready to head out before I nodded to Lailah. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s take you home.¡± Even though we were only moving at a walk, each of our footfalls seemed to carry us a bit farther. The effect was not disorientating in the slightest, I was happy to experience it. It was as if we were being carried by an unfelt current of wind at our backs, pressing us onwards without any additional effort on our part. I was eager to find out what it felt like to run with this buff, but I would wait to find that out once we got Lailah safely home to her father. This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. Settling into a rhythm, I brought up my System notifications once more. There were plenty of messages still there, awaiting my attention, so now was as good of a time as ever to see all the benefits gained from defeating Adom. Stella was chatting with Lailah, but when I made eye contact with her, she nodded her head in understanding. Stella would fly over to me if I needed help with something. Level Up! You have earned enough experience to advance to levels 9, 10, and 11. Tier 1 class characteristic attributes have been applied for levels 9 and 10. Tier 2 class characteristic attributes will be applied upon class selection. You have 21 attribute points to distribute. Congratulations on reaching level 9. As a necromancer, you are able to choose one of the following class-appropriate skills or spells. Please know that it is possible that any skill or spell not selected may be found elsewhere in the World. Additionally, after choosing your tier 2 class at level 10, another set of skills or spells will be selectable at level 12, then again at level 14. Choose wisely. Option 1: Spell [Disease Cloud] - Creates an infectious cloud that surrounds the target and affects any other enemy within 2 yards. Enemies impacted by the spell are ravaged by a virulent disease that does moderate damage over time, weakens strength, and lowers armor class. Option 2: Spell [Viper Venom] - A bolt of poisonous toxin shoots from your hand striking a target. The venom immediately begins to dissolve the membrane of muscle cells throughout the body and does a high amount of damage over time, as well as lowering the target¡¯s strength attribute until the spell ends. Option 3: Spell [Intensify Death] ¨C At your command, your minion draws in ambient shadow and death energy marking a significant increase in either its offense or defensive abilities. You are able to mentally select the desired option at the time of casting. The spell duration is dependent upon skill level. As I had many times before, I wished I could get each spell. I could see the benefits of each one. Further, I was thrilled to see that some damage over time spells could indeed be area of effect spells, as was the case with Disease Cloud. With this particular spell, not only would it do damage to multiple mobs, but it would also weaken the physical damage they could put out. It even made their defenses weaker which would cause Ripley to do even more devastating damage with her great sword. Viper Venom was similar to an earlier spell that had been offered, envenomed bolt. This appeared to be an upgraded version. Though, this spell¡¯s poison also had the added benefit of lowering the target¡¯s strength. Based on the wording of the spell, this venom spell would also likely cause more damage than the other envenomed bolt. I sorely wanted this spell because it was poison-based and would certainly stack with my other DoTs. My last option was the Intensify Death spell which, at first, appeared to not require any mana upon casting meaning that I could use it no matter where my MP was at. While that hadn¡¯t been a problem thus far, I could see that difference could one day make all the world of difference in a fight down the road. Second, being able to choose to have my minion become an enhanced attacker or defender, would be very helpful now and well into the future. Having Ripley become an even stronger defender meant she could truly act as our party¡¯s tank, thus expanding upon our overall survivability. Even better, if we found that a tank was not needed, I could switch over Ripley so that she would dish out more offensive damage, kind of like a rogue, with only a quick recast of the spell. The choice was more difficult than I would have cared to admit. Stella was still chatting with Lailah; I had been catching wisps of Lailah talking about what she did in town and her relationship with her father. A part of me wanted Stella¡¯s thoughts, but I knew I could make this decision. I was already leaning towards one, after all, and I tended to trust my instincts. A thought occurred to me at that moment. It was likely that whatever spell I chose here would impact my specialization when I selected my tier two class. After some internal debate, I finally made my decision. I went with my gut. I selected intensify death and confirmed my selection. As power flooded into my mind, my mind considered that while another damage over time spell would be helpful right now, what our party needed was to improve the survivability of everyone. Being able to significantly improve Ripley¡¯s strength or defense as well, not to mention how that would improve my own ability to survive, was the winning factor. It was us against the world, well, most of the world at least. With this new spell, Ripley¡¯s presence would ensure that I was not alone. System-gained knowledge flowed smoothly in my mind, building a foundation of how to properly bring my new spell to life. It took only seconds. [Intensify Death] At your command, your minion draws in ambient shadow and death energy, empowering it to new heights and marking a significant increase in either its offense or defensive abilities. You are able to select the desired effect at the time of casting. Cast Time: Instant. Duration: 2 minutes. Cooldown: 2 minutes beginning from when the skill expires. The duration of this buff increases by fifteen seconds and the cooldown time is reduced by one second per spell level. Offensive Enhancement Option ¨C Your minion gains the ¡®Howl of the Damned¡¯ buff which increases attack speed, melee damage, and absorbs a portion of the enemy¡¯s health into the minion¡¯s body with each blow. Defensive Enhancement Option ¨C Your minion gains the ¡®Grisly Protection¡¯ buff which increases spell resistance, hate generation, health points, and creates an absorption barrier proportional to the damage inflicted by all attacks by the minion. The invisible absorption barrier remains until spent or until the spell ends. ¡°Simply awesome,¡± I uttered after reading the spell¡¯s full description. I had noticed that Stella had flown over moments before I selected the new spell. ¡°This means that I can turn Ripley into a tank or a damage dealer. That damage absorption barrier is similar to my essence barrier from my necro ring.¡± I raised my hand bearing the ring and brought it up to my face. Gazing over the intertwined bones, I was once again impressed by the intricacies of Ripley¡¯s magically reinforced skeletal body. ¡°Without it, I may not have survived the fight against Adom.¡± ¡°Ripley is pretty badass,¡± Stella said. ¡°Now, this spell makes her even more of a monster to try to handle. I can¡¯t wait until our enemies quake in fear of seeing her with this buff going.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± I affirmed. Congratulations on reaching level ten! You are now able to select your Tier 2 Hunter Class. Connect with your accelerator for more details. ¡°Ok, Stella,¡± I said as I eagerly gripped my hands together. I was looking forward to this part. ¡°Show me my sweet tier two class options.¡± I was not disappointed. ¡°Coming at yah, boss,¡± Stella said with a sparkle in her eyes. She was as excited as I was. Text filled my vision, bringing our trek to a pause as I took it in. Before diving deeper, I looked at Lailah questioningly. ¡°Are you okay to hold up for a few minutes? This shouldn¡¯t take too long, but I¡¯ll need Stella¡¯s help as I advance.¡± Lailah walked over to a tree and leaned against it, holding her hands in front of her. ¡°Of course, this seems to be pretty important. I can wait.¡± ¡°Ripley, keep a watch out,¡± I said before nodding thanks to Lailah. My fervor only grew as I reviewed my available options. Notice! The following options are available to be selected as your Tier 2 Hunter class. Please know that this change is irreversible and these particular classes may never become available again. Follow your path and choose wisely, Hunter. Please select your Tier 2 class. Note - After selecting a Tier 2 Hunter Class, any additional levels gained thereafter will automatically increase several attribute points as indicated in the class descriptions below.
Available Classes Level 10
Spell or Skill
Class
Intensify Death
Warlock
Minor Acidic Bolt
Caustic Apostle
Minor Fireball
Elementalist
Minor Restless Bones
Revenant
Minor Scent of Decay
Shadow Walker
Minor Shielding
Discipline Vicar
Roaring Sweep
Rage Heart
Selomund''s Song of Travel
Minstrel
Immediately my eyes focused on my new spell, Intensify Death, and the matching tier two class: Warlock. A part of me felt pulled in that direction, though I couldn¡¯t say why or where it came from. I definitely wanted to know more before making this important decision, but I had also noticed something about my options. ¡°Hey, Stella. I¡¯m curious, some of these options are from spells and skills that have nothing to do with me being a necromancer. Is that supposed to happen?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a good question,¡± Stella replied. ¡°Yes, as you see, increasing your Hunter tier allows you to choose from anything you acquired since the last upgrade. Whether it be a spell or skill, everything is considered. What¡¯s really interesting is the interaction those options bring to you.¡± In this last part, Stella¡¯s eyes glinted something akin I would put as a step above enthusiasm. We moved off the trail we had been following with me taking a knee as I pondered the options. Stella moved to hover in front of me before continuing, ¡°This means that while your Song of Travel, for example, is more of a bard¡¯s spell, it will be modified to be more in line with a necromancer¡¯s role.¡± I think I understood where she was going but motioned for Stella to continue. ¡°So, as an example, your bard-like spell could be specialized to be keener to a necromancer¡¯s tool kit. So, it might, become a specialized necromancer version causing the spell to no longer be dispelled by combat. I remember you talking at one point about some necromancer tactics involving you kiting mobs around while placing DoT upon Dot on the foe. The system could make your travel song to help you accomplish that task.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± I continued Stella¡¯s train of thought. ¡°In game terms, kiting is the art of pulling a mob and then moving around a battlefield, usually in a circle, while always keeping it at a safe distance. That way you could damage it with spells and such, while you remain completely untouched. I think I take your meaning, thanks Stell.¡± Stella nodded at me. That made sense, so I pressed forward. ¡°Cool. Ok, can you please give me details about¡­ Warlock, Caustic Apostle, Revenant, and Shadow Walker.¡± Knowing that if I wanted, Stella would gladly share the other options, but a part of me had immediately dismissed several of the options right off the bat. Choosing to specialize in fireball, minor shielding, roaring sweep, or my new travel song didn¡¯t feel right. It didn¡¯t line up with what I wanted to become in this world. So, I focused on the spells dedicated solely to the necromancer class. ¡°Coming at you¡­ now.¡± Warlock (Tier 2) Class Description: While some Necromancers focus on specializing with their damage over time spells, thereby sacrificing their survivability to do more damage, a Warlock sees the true benefit an empowered minion can bring to a battle. No longer will your minion be a cheap imitation tank or the pale shade of a rogue. No, as a Warlock, your minion will fill both of these rolls, standing in its formidable deathly glory. Its new role will be to stand by you, matching your arcane prowess, with raw physicality. Plus 2 Intelligence, Wisdom, and Luck per level. Any buff that solely benefits your minion will now become permanent and toggleable. Note that each new buff beyond the first requires the casters to have mana reserved to maintain the spell effect. By default, from this specialization only though, your minion will have significantly increased health and spell resistances. Caustic Apostle (Tier 2) Class Description: Necromancers that desire to delve more deeply into their acidic spell line need look no further than a Caustic Apostle. Those casters that desire nothing more than to see their enemies awash in ravaging liquids, never being satisfied until the enemy¡¯s life is seared away, desire to become the Caustic Apostle. While still being capable of casting any damage over time spell, the Caustic Apostle¡¯s acidic spells will now burn through nearly any material and will only neutralize upon the caster¡¯s desire or when the enemy is no more. Plus 2 Constitution, Intelligence, and Wisdom per level. Acidic damage over time spells will no longer have a duration limitation; only ceasing upon an enemy¡¯s death or at the caster¡¯s command. Additionally, each acidic spell will now cause additional durability loss against magical items and materials, except for those that are incredibly enchanted. Finally, each new acidic spell cast upon an enemy will have its damage and effects magnified, growing more powerful with each new spell. Though, the mana cost will also increase with each new spell. Revenant (Tier 2) Class Description: Similar to a Warlock, a Revenant specialization focuses on its minion. Unlike the empowerment granted by a Warlock, the Revenant now finds itself capable of having multiple minions at the same time. The number of additional minions is only limited by the Revenant¡¯s strength of will and intelligence. A Revenant doesn¡¯t desire a sole powerful minion. Instead, it commands an army of them. Plus 2 Intelligence, Wisdom, and Luck per level. When initially unlocked, a Revenant is able to summon and maintain two minions simultaneously. As the Revenant gains in power, additional minions are dependent on certain intelligence thresholds. Note though, that to maintain these additional minions, the Revenant will have a specific amount of mana reserved to keep his new minions from being unsummoned. Shadow Walker (Tier 2) Class Description: While almost always wrapped in shadow and darkness, a Shadow Walker brings sudden death to unsuspecting foes. The Shadow Walker¡¯s presence now causes afflictions to permeate automatically into nearby hostile creatures. No longer does the Shadow Walker need to cast damaging over time spells at targets, instead they need only actively maintain each desired spell upon their person. Any nearby enemy is automatically afflicted with those spells and the spell is often able to bypass even the most protected of foes. For a Shadow Walker, death follows him wherever he goes. Plus 2 Constitution, Intelligence, and Wisdom per level. All damage over time spells cast by a Shadow Walker no longer affects individual targets. Instead, these spells are forced into an aura that surrounds the casters and impacts enemies within a set area of effect. This stacking AoE field can be maintained indefinitely as long as the casters have the mana requirement reserved by each new spell. Note that each successive spell increases the required reserved mana. ¡°Stella, these are incredible!¡± My thoughts were awash with ideas on how to make myself a powerhouse with any of these tier-two classes. ¡°I want them all. If only, right?¡± Stella seemed pleased at my excitement, ¡°It¡¯s always a hard choice, or so I¡¯ve heard. So, which one interests you the most?¡± If my eyes were made of gold, they would certainly be gleaming as I considered my options. Chapter 22 - Tier 2 Hunter Class Selection I contemplated Stella¡¯s question. The tier two choices before me were each amazing in their own right. But, which to pick, I pondered to myself. With no response forthcoming, Stella repeated herself, ¡°So, Xaz, what are you thinking?¡± It felt like she was trying to prompt me to bring my internal musings to be spoken aloud. She was the expert after all. ¡°Each class¡­ they are just so powerful. I want to have aspects from all of those.¡± I replied, a bit stuck at the moment. Stella gave a little chuckle, ¡°So you¡¯ve said many times before.¡± ¡°I know, I know,¡± I remarked flippantly. ¡°This is harder than I had imagined. A small part of me figured I would just know as soon as I saw it. But¡­ if I was to narrow it down, my top choices would be Warlock and Shadow Walker.¡± I hesitated before continuing, ¡°Still, the other two, are not far behind.¡± ¡°Well, let¡¯s talk through it. Let¡¯s keep in mind the path you want to take and what will bring us the most benefit in the here and now,¡± Stella said as she held a paw to cheek. ¡°So, for starters becoming a warlock would certainly increase Ripley¡¯s effectiveness. Instead of her being a lackluster fighter or...,¡± Stella coughed out the side of her mouth. "Simply as a distraction, this class would cause her to become a powerhouse in her own right. Her offensive and defensive capabilities would increase drastically. My fingers wove in the air, bringing the class description up again before me. Lailah couldn¡¯t see it, of course, but both Stella and I could. Lailah was leaning against a stout tree, her hands held behind her back as she rocked back and forth. She was actively listening to our conversation but hadn¡¯t said anything yet. Warlock (Tier 2) Class Description: While some Necromancers focus on specializing with their damage over time spells, thereby sacrificing their survivability to do more damage, a Warlock sees the true benefit an empowered minion can bring to a battle. No longer will your minion be a cheap imitation tank or the pale shade of a rogue. No, as a Warlock, your minion will fill both of these rolls, standing in its formidable deathly glory. Its new role will be to stand by you, matching your arcane prowess, with raw physicality. Any buff that solely benefits your minion will now become permanent and toggleable. Note that each new buff beyond the first requires the casters to have mana reserved to maintain the spell effect. By default, from this specialization alone, your minion will have significantly increased health and spell resistances. ¡°Yeah, we¡¯ve seen how easy it was for Adom to weaken her to the point she no longer made a difference in a battle. This class would change that,¡± I said as my eyes scanned the information. ¡°Also consider how you¡¯ve been engaging in your battles,¡± Stella said with an insightful tone of voice. ¡°Generally, you start combat and throw as many spells as you can at the enemy. Then, because the enemy gets so close to you, you need to fight back with your axe. As much as I like that weapon, you are more effective right now with your spells.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± I considered her words carefully. ¡°The more spells I can land on our foes, the more successful we¡¯ve been. If Ripley would have been able to stand toe to toe with Adom, my spells would have annihilated him. Even with his massive health pool. Being a warlock looks like it would make Ripley act more like a party member instead of a pet minion.¡± My mind continued to spin out thoughts on how our dynamic in battle would change if I became a warlock. I would be the powerful caster, slinging spell after spell, all while covered behind her armored form. With her strength amplified to match mine, we would be all the stronger together. ¡°I¡¯m feeling really good about warlock, but let¡¯s take a look at my other top option, the Shadow Walker.¡± My hand moved in the air once more, bringing the class information to the forefront. Shadow Walker (Tier 2) Class Description: Wrapped in shadow and darkness, a Shadow Walker brings sudden death to unsuspecting foes. The Shadow Walker¡¯s presence alone now causes damaging over time afflictions to permeate into nearby hostile creatures. No longer does the Shadow Walker need to cast their damaging over time spells, instead they need only actively maintain each desired spell upon their person. Any nearby enemy is automatically subjected to those spell effects. Further, the aura surrounding the Shadow Walking is able to bypass even the most protected foe. For a Shadow Walker, death follows them wherever they go. The Shadow Walker is no longer able to cast damage over time spells. Instead, these spells are cast into an aura that surrounds the caster and impacts enemies within a set area of effect. This stacking aura can be maintained indefinitely as long as the necessary mana is reserved for each spell. Note that each successive spell increases the required reserved mana. Stella pointed out the line talking about having an aura that would surround me at all times. ¡°Imagine having every nearby enemy immediately impacted by your DoTs. Right now, you only have heat blood and acidic bolt, but imagine having ten spells constantly surrounding you. Anything that got close would simply wither and die.¡± ¡°It would allow me to concentrate on casting my direct damage spells right away,¡± I said as I considered the benefits of this class. ¡°Though this also means that monsters would need to be relatively close for them to be affected since the aura emanates out from me. With them that close, I would actually be more likely to need to rely on my melee capabilities with my manasteel battle axe.¡± My thoughts continued to down that train of thought. ¡°This class matches my current combat style. I usually start combat with a few spells to then charge ahead with my weapon. If all of my damage over time spells were now a constant area of effect around me, my DoTs would become fire and forget versions of themselves, essentially.¡± While I loved my axe, I knew that I far enjoyed being able to cast spells. As a Shadow Walker, I would still do that, but my intuition told me that I would be engaging in melee combat more often than not. Still, imagining myself walking into an enemy stronghold and having foes drop dead simply from my presence alone was an appealing image. Stella must have had a similar thought, ¡°Yeah, imagine walking up to Adom and he immediately had his blood boil while his skin gets covered in a thin sheet of acid.¡± ¡°That sounds awfully dangerous to anyone around you,¡± Lailah said from where she stood a short distance away, pulling both of our attention to her. ¡°Plus, if you have some magic constantly radiating from your body, I doubt many friendly people would want to interact with you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a good thought,¡± I replied. ¡°Stell, I¡¯m assuming the area of effect would be noticeable to those around me, right?¡± Stella paused a moment, her paw waving in the air against something I couldn¡¯t see. ¡°Yes, there would be a visual indication that surrounds you though I can¡¯t tell how dense the magical field would be.¡± ¡°Well, that won¡¯t work well coming into a place like Lailah¡¯s home. I¡¯d probably scare everyone away.¡± I said as I looked up to the treetops as my mind worked the problem. ¡°Plus, if I disabled the spells while in town, what would happen if I was ambushed? I¡¯d probably have to take some time to get the AoE going and, in sudden combat, that seems difficult.¡± ¡°I¡¯m unsure how long it would take, sorry,¡± Stella said as her eyes danced across an invisible page. ¡°The System isn¡¯t giving me that piece of information, though I doubt it would be something immediate. More than likely, you would need to cast the spell to get your aura going.¡± ¡°Not only that but how does the system identify if someone becomes hostile to me?¡± I asked. Stella only shrugged in response. ¡°There is a bit too few unknowns. Plus, if someone with ranged capabilities attacked us, this class would effectively be useless unless I could close the distance.¡± The more I thought about it, the less the class felt like the best choice for me. Nodding to Lailah for her thoughts, she responded with a gentle smile, I motioned for us to move on with the next option, the Caustic Apostle. The class description appeared in my vision, courtesy of Stella this time. Caustic Apostle (Tier 2) Class Description: Necromancers that desire to delve more deeply into their acidic spell line need look no further than a Caustic Apostle. Those casters that desire nothing more than to see their enemies awash in ravaging liquids, never being satisfied until the enemy¡¯s life is seared away, desire to become the Caustic Apostle. While still being capable of casting any damage over time spell, the Caustic Apostle¡¯s acidic spells will now burn through nearly any material and will only neutralize upon the caster¡¯s desire or when the enemy is no more. Acidic damage over time spells will no longer have a duration limitation; only ceasing upon an enemy¡¯s death or at the caster¡¯s command. Additionally, each acidic spell will now cause additional durability loss against magical items and materials, except for those that are incredibly enchanted. Finally, each new acidic spell cast upon an enemy will have its damage and effects magnified, growing more powerful with each new spell. Though, the mana cost will also increase with each new spell. ¡°I like it,¡± Stella said, but then hesitated and gave a small sigh. ¡°Though, you only have a single acid spell right now. I¡¯m sure we will find more in the future, but that is a serious concern with this class currently.¡± ¡°Caustic Apostle¡­¡± I said the class name slowly. ¡°It would continue me down the path of dealing the most damaging DoTs out there, but you¡¯re right, Stella. Only having one acid spell means this is likely the weakest class for us right now. Sure, I love the idea of acid spells making each other more powerful as each new spell lands on a target, but this class may not become effective for a long time. Plus, if I¡¯m honest, I far prefer my boil blood spell to the acid bolt one.¡± The idea of having acid DoTs stacking and having their spells amplified was certainly intriguing, but I hoped to one day have all types of magical DoTs. Certain that I wouldn¡¯t choose this class at the moment, I waved the information from my vision. ¡°Let¡¯s check Revenant again,¡± I said feeling a bit let down from my lack of available DoTs currently. Revenant (Tier 2) Class Description: Similar to a Warlock, a Revenant specialization focuses on its minion, many minions actually. Unlike the empowerment of a single minion as granted by the Warlock class, the Revenant instead finds itself being capable of summoning multiple minions at the same time. The number of additional minions is only limited by the Revenant¡¯s strength of will and intelligence. A Revenant doesn¡¯t desire a sole powerful minion. Instead, it commands an army of them. When initially unlocked, a Revenant is able to summon and maintain two minions simultaneously. As the Revenant gains in power, additional minions are dependent on certain intelligence thresholds. Note though, that to maintain these additional minions, the Revenant will have a specific amount of mana reserved to keep his new minions from being unsummoned. ¡°So, this is like a warlock, but with maybe a half dozen skeletons walking around,¡± I said as my eyes took in the information. ¡°That would be a sight to see, no doubt. Eventually having something like a dozen skeletons guarding me at all times would mean I would be incredibly well protected.¡± ¡°Yes, but be careful to not think each minion for this class would be as powerful as the warlock¡¯s,¡± Stella warned. ¡°If I¡¯m understanding this right, you would have multiple skeletons following your commands, yes. And though Ripley has been a lifesaver, she¡¯s not been very effective by herself. Multiplying her four or five times over would be nice, but they would be no stronger than she is right now. ¡°Ripley seems pretty tough to me,¡± Lailah added to the conversation. Stolen story; please report. ¡°She certainly is and has no doubt saved my life so far,¡± I responded to Lailah as she walked over to where Stella and I were. ¡°Adom handled her easily though and I can only see us facing off with more hunters like him down the road.¡± ¡°Seems like you know what to do then,¡± Lailah ushered with a wave of her hand to the both of us. ¡°Indeed,¡± I said as my eyes reviewed each of the classes once more time. A part of me relished in the idea of standing over a cliff, looking down at a line of powerful undead minions, heeding my every command. But it was only that, a fantasy. I needed to be as powerful as I could now. Another downside I could see with the revenant class was it would place me in the backseat of my budding power. Most, if not likely all, of my damage would be at the tip of my minion¡¯s swords and spears. I didn¡¯t align with what I wanted to become; I wanted to wield those powerful weapons and spells myself. Stella looked into my eyes as I minimized the screen. I looked to Lailah who had come to stand next to us. She was at ease, having come to terms with what happened to her. My choice was clear. I wanted to become a necromancer who, along with Ripley, would shake the world around us to its very core. ¡°Stell, make me a Warlock.¡± With a nod from Stella, a golden shaft of light seemed to reach down from the heavens to envelope me. Power suffused the air around me and I felt my feet leave the ground. In the corner of my eye, I spotted another blood of golden energy surrounding Ripley. She too was rising off the ground. My eyes were forced closed as the pressure seemed to double in intensity with each passing second. The light was blinding, but I felt no danger or pain. The pressure built until it felt like it was close to a tipping point as if my skin was no longer taut enough to hold it back. There was a moment of absolute stillness in which I felt like the entire universe was focused down to a needlepoint in this singular moment. Then power flooded into me. The sensation was like none other before. It was as if I was ushered into a new, denser reality. My body eagerly sucked up the energy reverberating throughout me, becoming more solid, more focused. At the same time, my mind opened as thoughts and numerous possibilities glided along with such ease that it took my breath away. Where before it was like I was a child taking slow steps into a wide world, unaware of the countless dangers held in every corner, now it was as if I towered like a giant above my former self. Bold confidence, and surety of self, permeated every inch of my skin. Before, I was weak, hoping to avoid the gaze of a mighty, fearful of the dangers that threatened and roamed this World. I was no longer simple prey. Now, I was a predator. I was the Hunter. I was a Hunter Killer. The brilliant energy faded as I found myself touching down on firm earth once more. I dropped to a kneeling position as the moving power in my body stilled, coming to rest in my muscles, and in my mind. Like a coiled viper, my body urged to spring forward to whatever came next. Lifting my face, I opened my eyes to see Ripley nearby in the exact same pose. Her eyes were locked on mine. Something new was there behind those glowing orbs, an awareness. Together we returned to our feet, never taking our eyes off the other. Ripley¡¯s whole demeanor now held the same poise and confidence I felt in my enhanced body. Where before she carried herself like a mindless brute, like she had been some rigid unthinking machine, now her eyes held the measure of a calculating warrior. As I gazed upon her, the dark bands of energy that previously intertwined her skeletal frame had grown in depth and, in some way, had become like bands of living voids upon the world. It was as if the magic holding her together had taken on the aspect of a black hole that had been stretched across every bone in her body. Those bands pulled at the very light around her, bringing her gray body closer to midnight black. Where before the dark energy simply connected her bones like imitation muscles, now she had dense, rippling cords of energy. I was a Warlock and Ripley had risen to become my guardian, my shield. In a way, she was now equal to me in terms of power. She had become a sword to match my prowess with magic. I also knew instinctively that we were now inseparable. Even if she would perish in battle, my desire alone would bring her back to this world. ¡°Ok, that was cool.¡± Stella¡¯s eyes were wide, her mouth hanging open. She looked at Ripley and me in turn, admiring the changes that had come with the new tier. ¡°I have to agree,¡± Lailah said as she nodded her head, her eyes appraising the both of us. ¡°I have no idea what just happened, but whatever it was¡­ you feel strong, as if I have nothing to fear with you near me.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± I replied. ¡°Both of you. Alright, are we ready to keep going?¡± With everyone agreeing, we carried forward along the path before us, each minute bringing us closer and closer to Nemmil. After taking a few steps, several new notifications appeared in my vision. Eyeing Stella, who flew to my side at the unspoken request, I looked to Ripley. ¡°Keep an eye out and warn us of any danger.¡± Congratulations! Tier 2 Class Unlocked, Warlock ¨CYour skill, Intensify Death, has been permanently applied to your minion, and the desired stance can be switched at will. Moving forward, any minion-only spell will have its duration set to indefinitely as long as 35% of its original mana cost is held in reserve. Additionally, your minion¡¯s base attributes have been increased by an additional 75%, all spell resistances have increased by an additional 25%, and her health and defenses have grown. Note - If your minion should be defeated, she will automatically respawn after fifteen minutes at your current location. Your minion levels with you. For each level gained, it gains the following attributes per level; plus 3 Strength, plus 3 Constitution, plus 2 Dexterity, and plus 1 Luck per level. Minor Restless Bone has been modified to no longer have a maximum level. Being able to see the improvement that Ripley gained through my tier two class was impressive. It was comparable if she had become another Hunter that would forever follow me into battle, to the ends of the earth if need be. She was a force to be recognized in her own right. Looking at her upgraded statistics, she was now at over sixteen hundred health and nearly one thousand stamina. That was more than Adom had while he was alive! I couldn¡¯t wait to see the improved impact she would have in combat. She was a wrecking ball and an Abrams tank, all rolled into one. Now that Ripley¡¯s intensify buff spell was a permanent effect, I chose to have Ripley take on a defensive stance for the time being. This would significantly improve her ability to function as the party¡¯s tank and shield. Pulling up the spell¡¯s description, I saw the changes the permanent spell now brought to my friend. [Intensify Death] At all times, your minion draws in ambient shadow and death energy, empowering it to new heights and marking a significant increase in either its offense or defensive abilities. You are able to select the desired effect at will. Cast Time: N/A. Duration: Permanent. Cooldown: N/A. Mana Reserved: 0%. Offensive Enhancement Option ¨C Your minion gains the ¡®Howl of the Damned¡¯ buff which increases attack speed, melee damage, and absorbs a portion of the enemy¡¯s health into the minion¡¯s body with each blow. Defensive Enhancement Option ¨C Your minion gains the ¡®Grisly Protection¡¯ buff which increases spell resistance, hate generation, health points, and creates an absorption barrier proportional to the damage inflicted by all attacks by the minion. The invisible absorption barrier remains until spent. Your minion now has the warrior skill ¡®Provoke¡¯ that can be used once per minute. This skill be used against a single target, or against multiple foes at the cost of potency. Looking her over, even I would be afraid to engage Ripley in direct combat now. With her defensive Grisly Protection buff, I was certain she would be able to keep all but the most determined mobs focused on her, especially with her new provoke skill. While the AoE version generated less hate, it would be very helpful in keeping monsters off me at the start of combat. Further, her absorption shield would no longer wear off since the spell was permanent. That would be handy from one battle to the next depending on how much temporary health she could carry over. Once I was completed with Ripley¡¯s notifications, the next message that appeared informed me that my spells and skills used in the battle with Adom had jumped in levels, quite dramatically. When his accelerator granted me a portion of his experience points, a whopping twenty-seven thousand, the gains were significant. Looking at the changes, I almost wished I had used even more of my spells and skills. Something to consider when I engaged the next Hunter, I supposed to myself. Notice! Skill and Spell increase messages have been condensed. Skill: Roaring Sweep has increased to level 7. Skill: Dual Casting and Tracking have increased to level 8. Skill: Axes has increased to level 9. Spell: Minor Scent of Decay has increased to level 7. Spell: Minor Deflecting Shield, Minor Regen and Minor Shielding have increased to level 8. Spell: Minor Acidic Bolt has increased to level 9. Spell: Lesser Boil Blood has increased to level 11. The level increases to my most used skills and spells would skyrocket my strength in future fights. ¡°I had no idea how powerful you can become from just a single battle. Against another Hunter, there is so much you can gain with just a single fight. Honestly, I¡¯m surprised Adom didn¡¯t immediately engage in combat with us, another Hunter. These increases are amazing.¡± ¡°Yup,¡± Stella was flying back and forth between myself, Ripley, and Lailah as we walked. The path opened up to grasslands as we departed the forest behind us. ¡°PvP is usually the best way to level in the World. Most Hunters jump at the chance to fight one another for this reason.¡± ¡°Alright, the last thing to do is place my twenty-one awaiting attribute points,¡± I said as the last message hovered before me. ¡°I¡¯m honestly feeling to make it simple this time around. I¡¯m looking to have as much health and mana as possible considering how close my battle with Adom had been. My constitution is only eight points away from the fifty-point threshold, so I definitely want to do that. Hmm, what do you think about an even split? Say, ten points to bump my health and eleven to bump my mana,¡± I asked as I looked to Stella who was flying back over to my shoulder at that moment. ¡°Sounds like a good idea, I would have no concerns though you are close to reaching fifty points in Strength,¡± Stella replied as she eyed up my attribute screen with me. ¡°Good point. Ok, how about this¡­¡± My fingers danced across the hovering attribute screen. ¡°Eight points into constitution and four points into strength, both will be at the next threshold. Then, the remaining nine points into intelligence?¡± ¡°Go for it,¡± was the easy response from Stella. Locking in the new point distribution, I confirmed the follow-up System message asking me to approve my choices. Though not as powerful as the tier two upgrade, power radiated from the space around my body and seeped into me, empowering me even further. The feeling was like waking up more hale, stronger, and finding it easier to focus and concentrate on the tasks before you. I liked it, greatly. Strength Threshold Reached (50). Effect(s): Plus 20% increased damage from all melee-based attacks, skills, and abilities (up from 15). Maximum carrying capacity increased by 100 pounds before suffering movement penalties (up from 75). Constitution Threshold Reached (50). Effect(s): Each new point into Constitution now grants 30 health (up from 25). This last battle had really shot my progression by leaps and bounds. I pulled up my character sheet and was quite pleased with the progress I was making. Character Status Name: Xazorus. ? Title: The Hunter Killer. Level: 11. Race: Half-Elf. Reputation: Views ¨C 71,050. Followers ¨C 10,520. Strength: 51. Dexterity: 22. Constitution: 51. Intelligence: 61. Wisdom: 18. Charisma: 51. Luck: 35. Health: 930. Mana: 1230. Stamina: 710.? Spells: [Minor Healing Wave] level 2, [Minor Firebolt] level 3, [Minor Restless Slumber] level 2, [Minor Deflecting Shield] level 8, [Minor Flamethrower] level 4, [Minor Regen] level 8, [Minor Shielding] level 8, [Minor Fireball] level 2, [Minor Restless Bones] level 4, [Minor Scent of Decay] level 4, [Selomund¡¯s Song of Travel] level 4, [Minor Heat Blood] level 3, [Minor Boil Blood] level 11, [Minor Acidic Bolt] level 9. Traits & Abilities: Mind & Matter, Dark Vision, Exalted Acceleration, Keen Senses, Adaptability, Clear Headed. Skills: Dual Casting level 8, Channeling level 3, Axes level 9, Tracking level 8, Stealth level 2, and Roaring Sweep level 4. Resistances: Stun 5%, Spells 15%, Mind Altering Effects 100%, Disease 10% ¡°Oh yeah,¡± I said as I eyed up my strength and constitution both being a point higher than the fifty that I had expected. ¡°Forgot about the extra ten percent added to my attribute points from my adaptability trait. Ah well, every bit counts, right?¡± ¡°You¡¯re getting stronger and stronger,¡± Stella bobbed her head in time with my footfalls. ¡°In no time at all, you¡¯ll be ready to take on Duke.¡± Lailah¡¯s head picked up at the mention of my nemesis. ¡°Duke,¡± she said as if remembering the name. ¡°Adom had said something about him.¡± That caught my attention immediately. We were pretty certain Duke had been heading north towards Nemmil, but any confirmation would certainly be helpful. ¡°What did he say,¡± I asked with a little exasperation tinting my voice. ¡°Not a whole lot, I¡¯m sorry to disappoint.¡± Lailah¡¯s eyebrow quirked up as she spoke. ¡°I remember Adom saying something about avoiding him. Something like he had spotted this man, this Duke, before getting a hold of me. As he forced me to leave my home, it sounded like he was talking himself up and that he would be stronger than the man one day.¡± Stella and I looked at each other, confirming we were on the right trail laid out before us. ¡°Thanks, Lailah,¡± I said with a smile hinting on my lips. ¡°We¡¯ve been doing our best to follow that man. He is the real Hunter we want to take down.¡± My visage must have taken on a dark demeanor, for when Lailah next spoke her words held empathy and understanding behind them. ¡°He must have done something quite horrible. I¡¯m sorry. Did he attack you?¡± ¡°Not us directly. But, yes, he attacked,¡± I made eye contact with Stella, whose eyes held the same determination in them as my own. ¡°¡­our families. One day he¡¯s going to regret his evil deeds and, just like Adom, he¡¯ll pay for what he¡¯s done.¡± After the events of the day, we were one step closer to making that promise a reality. Chapter 23 - Reunion The rest of our journey back to town was mercifully uneventful given all that had transpired recently. The weather was accommodating enough to let me get to know Lailah a bit better. As it turned out, she had only actually come to visit her father recently and had only been in town a day before her abduction. She normally lived near the capital with her mother, Ithora. While her parents had been separated for years, once a month Lailah would travel to spend a weekend with her father. Her mother couldn¡¯t stand her old husband apparently since his main focus was overseeing city affairs, but his status within the kingdom granted Ithora access to the higher echelons of lords and ladies where she lived. So, they remained married on paper only, but it afforded Lailah the ability to travel semi-regularly. ¡°When my parents were still living together, my life was quite stagnant.¡± Lailah said with a slight shake of her head. ¡°When they were not fighting, I was lucky to get attention from either one. Now though, when I visit my father, he dedicates as much time as he can to us. My mother, well, let¡¯s just say that she isn¡¯t stressed out of her gourd all the time now. She¡¯s rather pleasant to be around, other than the times she brings home a suitor. I''ll just leave it at that.¡± Lailah had a bounce to her step as if nothing in the world could bring her down. She twirled in the air next to me as she continued, ¡°My mother lets me live my life, how I want to. So, the arrangements of my parents doesn¡¯t give me much to complain about. Well, other than today¡­¡± At her last words, Lailah¡¯s shoulders slumped and a little of the joy that she had been reaching back into her heart faded. Stella likewise noticed and moved to change the topic back to something positive. ¡°I remember hearing from your father that you enjoy to garden,¡± Stella said with her tail swishing happily back and forth. ¡°I do so love the smell of fresh roses. Oh, and tulips too!¡± That brought a smile back to Lailah¡¯s lips. ¡°Yeah, I do. The entire garden around my father¡¯s estate is my handiwork. I love to fall asleep under the warm sun during the blooming season.¡± Lailah closed her eyes, her face turning upwards in a wide grin. ¡°When we get back, if you have time before you head out to find that man you mentioned, I¡¯d love to show you.¡± ¡°We¡¯d like that,¡± I said with an appreciative nod. My worry about where Lailah¡¯s recent trauma would settle had been easing during our invigorating walk. She had a resilient spirit and a great support structure with both her parents. She would be alright. Lailah gave me another beaming smile. ¡°If not today, then certainly in the future when your travels lead you back here once more. I know you¡¯re trail leads you away and with some urgency, but your actions have shown the type of people you are that you came to rescue me.¡± Lailah chuckled, ¡°My father is going to be eternally grateful. He never forgets when someone does right by him, those he loves, or his city. I bet he¡¯ll say something about all three when we see him.¡± We kept a steady pace and found ourselves within sightline of the city in what seemed a shorter time than expected. Probably from the friendly chatter we shared with Lailah. She was going to grow into an amazing woman. Though a few clouds that looked to bring rain upon our heads passed gently over our heads, the warm day kept us comfortable and dry. When the city finally came into view, Lailah¡¯s mood brightened even further. She was excited to see her father once more and ease any dread he may be having. Lailah cared for the man, that was plain to see. As we approached the city, a contingent of guards rushed out to greet us, all with weapons drawn. Though, when they noticed who was with Lailah, steel quickly found its way back into the scabbards at their hips. The men and women who approached were clearly willing to fight Adom once more, regardless of how it went the first time. The determination etched in each face that approached softened and turned to smiles when the realization that Lailah was being returned home became clear. ¡°Madam, we are so grateful to see you return,¡± The guard who spoke was one I had spoken with when we first arrived at the mayor¡¯s residence. He bowed to her before turning to me and Stella. His gauntleted fist moved to rest over his heart. ¡°Sir Xazorus, we are eternally grateful for bringing our town¡¯s beloved daughter home. Know that the guards of Nemmil will never forget what you have done here today. Your reputation with the Guards of Nemmil has greatly increased. ¡°We were happy to help. The Hunter known as Adom will never again be able to harm another,¡± I replied. The guard smiled, ¡°That is good to hear.¡± The man turned to Lailah and beckoned towards the city. ¡°Your father will be happy to see you. We would be happy to lead you and your rescuer home.¡± By the time we were within sightline of her home, we seemed to have claimed every available guard in town. Flanked on all sides, it was as if we were returning with a noble treasure in tow. Seeing the pleasant smiles flashed to Lailah from guards and city folk alike, I knew we certainly were. Lailah was clearly a loved individual. She was like a bright beacon of hope and sunlight. When Lailah finally caught sight of her father, who had been rushing forward with fervor, the two held a long embrace. Claps and cheers abounded around at the reunion of father and daughter. Tears of happiness streamed down their faces for several long minutes. Her father would stare into his love¡¯s eyes to only bear her close once more in a mighty hug. My eyes met Stella¡¯s and an unspoken message passed between us. We had done something truly noble this day. I nodded to Stella, who responded in kind. We would do this again in a heartbeat, until the day we no longer could. When the cheers finally faded, Lailah gave her dad one final hug before fully extending her arms, creating a little space between her and her father. She stared lovingly into the man¡¯s eyes and with a smile turned to me and Stella. ¡°This noble man, Xazorus the Hunter Killer, saved me. He is a true hero and friend. I wouldn¡¯t be here now if it wasn¡¯t for his actions and the actions of his friends.¡± Lailah winked at Stella at this last bit, a beautiful smile radiating from her face. ¡°I owe them my life.¡± Stella beamed and held her head high as she hovered at shoulder height. ¡°It was our honor to come to the aid of such a fine lady.¡± I was grinning at Stella¡¯s words when Lailah turned and gave me a sudden hug. It caught me off guard, but I returned it in kind. ¡°Thank you,¡± Lailah whispered in my ear as she tip-toed to stand higher before returning to her father¡¯s side. ¡°I can¡¯t thank you enough, truly. You have returned my dearest love and brought joy back into my heart. If you ever need the assistance of myself, or our town, you need only ask.¡± The mayor''s eyes welled up at his pronouncement, tears nearly brimmed over. ¡°Here, here!¡± someone in the crowd yelled before it was repeated a thousand-fold with cheers and good-natured slaps on the back. Before it seemed as if the town itself had been holding its breath, hopeful but having no faith in Lailah¡¯s rescue. Now, though, the town celebrated and, like a great exhale, released all tension that had been holding them back. It was intoxicating. Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. I gripped forearms with Mr. Olodore, hearty smiles locked on our faces. Stella was doing what appeared to be a curtsey at Lailah when quest notifications popped up in my vision. We had been successful and the system was rewarding us for that great feat. Congratulations! You have successfully completed the quest, ¡®Lailah, my heart and soul.¡¯ Objective 1 ¨C Find out where Lailah Olodore has been taken. Completed! Objective 2 ¨C Negotiate her release or slay the Hunter who holds her against her will. Completed! Objective 3 ¨C Return Lailah to the mayor. Completed! Rewards ¨C Experience & a class-specific item. Note ¨C Rewards are variable and depend greatly on Lailah¡¯s health and well-being. Calculating¡­ Noted - Lailah Olodore 100% health, with no permanent physical injury. Noted ¨C Though Lailah suffered intense emotional trauma, this occurrence has been substantially reduced due to the actions of Hunter, Xazorus the Hunter Killer. Noted - Reputation held with Lailah Olodore, daughter of Nemmil, at the time of quest completion was¡­ Trusting! Rewards are to be determined based on available information. Calculating¡­ You have earned 3,000 experience points. Congratulations! You have earned a ¡®Rare¡¯ reward appropriate to your skills and/or class. Please see the Mayor of Nemmil to receive this item. In short order, the crowd of onlookers dispersed as we went inside the mayor¡¯s manner. Once inside the study that was brimming with tomes and well-used books, Mr. Olodore clapped a hand on my shoulder, ¡°You have returned my love, and I know you went through a great deal to bring her back to me. I want to grant you this, a token of my highest esteem and appreciation.¡± The mayor turned to his butler, who was waiting patiently a few paces behind, who held out a small, ornate box. The mayor thanked his man before turning to me with arms held out wide, offering me the item. He was holding a fabulously crafted and stained wooden box, about the size you would expect to hold a piece of jewelry. ¡°After we first met, I prayed you would be successful in bringing back my dear Lailah. I saw a spark of your soul and I took a measure of your person. You have lived up to that and more. Please accept this as a small token of my appreciation for what you have done.¡± With that, the mayor held out the finally decorated box. The item was slightly heavier than expected. It must be made from a dense type of wood I didn¡¯t know the name of. My fingers ran across the delicate carvings of rearing horses and trumpeting horns, taking in its fine craftsmanship. Stella glided up beside me as I opened the lid. Peering inside, a sapphire ring sat atop a bed of velvet. The ring looked as if a pair of silvery vines had twisted together to connect and gracefully hold a deep, vibrant gem aloft. The jewel was shaped like some type of budding flower. As I watched, I could barely make out a minuscule pulse of violet energy flowing from the jewel down into the silvery vines that held it. As I peered intently at the ring, a message popped up and identified the ring¡¯s properties to us. {Haladril¡¯s Sapphire Ring of Return}. Quality: Mastercraft. Rarity: Rare. Slot: Finger. Durability: 1000/1000. Properties(s): Plus two Constitution and Intelligence. Once equipped, the user is able to affix an identical ring to a weapon with a rarity of ¡®Rare¡¯ or higher. Then, once every twenty seconds, this item grants the user to recall the affixed weapon to their hand with a thought. Duration: Instant. ¡°When I heard of the axe that you carry with you, I knew this ring would work perfectly with you,¡± Mr. Olodore said. When I peered at what looked to be a faint inscription, the man nodded and continued. The language was unknown to me. ¡°It¡¯s written in an ancient dwarven dialect from what I have been told. It translates, roughly, to ¡®return to the hand of the master.¡¯ Or perhaps it was the owner, I can¡¯t be entirely sure.¡± ¡°Nonetheless, may I?¡± the mayor asked with an outstretched hand. Acquiescing, I handed the ring back to him. Mr. Olodore took out what appeared to be a small dagger from a belt sheath. The weapon¡¯s hilt had several small jewels that glinted and reflected different hues of color. ¡°All you need to do is wear the ring, like so, then another matching ring will appear in your hand.¡± He demonstrated this then slipping the matching ring over his dagger¡¯s hilt. ¡°It will adjust on its own to accommodate nearly any weapon, and then¡­¡± With a flick of his wrist, the dagger flew through the air to strike a support beam on the opposite side of the room. The man¡¯s movement was well practiced. ¡°¡­ at your mental command, it will return.¡± The mayor eyed me, winked, and held an empty hand up. Quicker than I could process, an identical dagger suddenly appeared in his firm grasp, its blade pointing to the ceiling. When I turned back to the pillar, the dagger that had been quivering from the impact seconds ago was nowhere to be seen. ¡°An impressive item, to be sure. I don¡¯t often hurl my weapon at my enemies, but this will certainly open up some options. Thank you.¡± The mayor removed the original ring from his finger and the mirrored ring vanished from the throwing dagger¡¯s hilt. In a fluid motion, the dagger was returned to his belt sheath. The man was obviously talented with the small blade. With a smile, the ring was once again offered to me. I promptly placed the ring on my right hand and attached the mirrored version to my battle axe¡¯s hilt. He gave it to me, which I promptly attached to my weapon, the size adjusting magically to be large enough to slip over its spiked end. Before locking seamlessly in place, as if it had always been there. ¡°You have a fine weapon.¡± Mr. Olodore said as he admired my axe. ¡°There are different uses for the ring, other than simply throwing your weapon at an enemy. Its value will become clear the first time you lose your weapon in battle or, mayhap, to an enemy¡¯s grasp.¡± The mayor¡¯s face took on a distant expression as if he was reliving a memory. I could guess that one of the man¡¯s distant foes once errantly thought the jeweled dagger had been theirs to wield. ¡°There is no limit to the number of times you can call upon it, only the small delay between uses. I am unsure of the limit of the magic¡¯s power, but when I was an adventurer years ago, I was able to recall my dagger from even the farthest throw I could muster. May it serve you as well, as it did me. It saved my life on more than one occasion.¡± Once more, I clapped my wrists with the man knowing we would be parting as friends. Lailah¡¯s face was full of pride as she watched the two of us. ¡°Thank you,¡± I said before turning to Lailah with a smile. ¡°I wish you the best, Lailah. I hope our paths cross again one day.¡± ¡°What will you do now?¡± Lailah inquired before her father could. Her father piped in before I could respond, ¡°Would you be so kind as to stay for dinner and regale me with the story of Lailah¡¯s rescue?¡± Turning once more to the mayor I gave a slight bow. ¡°While I would very much enjoy regaling you with the events that transpired to rescue your daughter, my road leads ever onwards. Someone who brought pain similar to the last Hunter you encountered, even now, takes another step further from here. He demands my attention and I dare not tarry long. Know that should I find myself back in your fair town, I will certainly stop by and take you up on your offer of a delicious feast.¡± ¡°Of course, I understand. The road of an adventurer is in constant motion, I remember that and more from my youth. From what I was able to gather while you were out searching for Lailah, I¡¯ve learned that the Hunter known as Duke was seen heading northeast some time ago. A townsman overheard him speaking to himself, something about seeking out a small town a few day''s journey from here, a place called Mammoth. Though, beware of its magistrate. That¡­ fellow always strikes me as being not quite right in the head.¡± The mayor shook his head at the thought of this ¡®magistrate¡¯ which gave me pause enough to consider the man carefully should we meet. Mr. Olodore continued, ¡°Again, thank you for all that you have done here. You will always be welcome here.¡± The mayor reached out and we clasped wrists one final time. ¡°Farewell, Xaz.¡± ¡°Goodbye, my new friends,¡± Stella uttered before we once more found ourselves heading out of town. We had done something special today. Our spirits were lifted as our footfalls carried us ever closer to our quarry. Chapter 24 - On the Road Once More Before leaving town to continue our hunt, a thought jolted through my mind. ¡°Oh crap, I nearly forgot,¡± I said in exasperation. ¡°I¡¯m a tier two hunter now!¡± ¡°Yeah¡­ Congrats?¡± Stella said, clearly not catching on. ¡°We need to swing over to Afrazz¡¯s shop,¡± I blurted, my words rapidly firing from my mouth. ¡°He said that he has tier-two spells and equipment but wouldn¡¯t be able to show them to me since I wasn¡¯t ready for them!¡± My words finally reached Stella¡¯s lack of enthusiasm at my original statement. From one moment to the next, she was bouncing eagerly in the air. Her words matched the frantic pace mine had been seconds before, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say something earlier? Oh man, those spells are going to be so awesome. Just wait until you get more ''lesser'' version spells. They put minor spells to shame! I mean, look at how powerful your lesser boil blood is to any other spell you got!¡± The sun was slowly reaching the edge of the horizon, which in retrospect, should have been a clue as to what we would find after heading to the merchant¡¯s quarter. A short while later when we reached Afrazz¡¯s shop, our spirits were dashed when we found his door firmly locked. ¡°Ah, crap,¡± I uttered. With little recourse, we were forced to turn back to the road dejected and with far less spunk in our steps. Before leaving the area entirely, we made a few inquiries of other merchants to find that Afrazz likely wouldn¡¯t be returning for at least a day or two. Apparently, he was known to go out into the wilderness to hunt monsters. to nearby shops, we discovered the man likely wouldn¡¯t be returning for a day or two. Sadly, it was time we wouldn¡¯t be able to spare, so to the road out of town we returned. Stella tried to cheer me up and within minutes, with Nemmil fading in the distance behind us, a smile had returned to my lips. One day we would be back, and of that, I had no doubt. One other thing that worked to take my mind off of getting stronger necromancer spells, was when Stella reminded me about the loot we had acquired from our battle with Adom. ¡°Man, I was so caught up with getting Lailah home, and not to mention my advancement, I nearly forgot.¡± Stopping for a moment on the road, light beginning to fade around us, I rubbed my hands together eagerly. ¡°We¡¯ll need to camp soon,¡± Stella said. ¡°We have maybe an hour of light left.¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah,¡± I replied distractedly. ¡°Hmm, some of this is alright, but I had been expecting something a bit stronger.¡± Most of the gear we had taken from the Hunter had been only slightly enchanted. Adom¡¯s focus, understandably so considering his melee-focused fighting style, was built around increasing his strength, dexterity, and constitution. In the end, I only replaced my basic leather pants with a piece of his gear. Though, I was pleased to don a thickly braided belt which seemed to be made of a type of strong carbon-fiber material. I doubted even my powerfully enchanted axe could cut the material. The rest of the gear went to Ripley as she was more melee-focused between the two of us anyway. Her strength, dexterity, and constitution went up another three to four points each. Nothing mind-blowing, but every bit helped. Everything else we couldn¡¯t use was left in my bag of holding including, sadly, Adom¡¯s powerful mace. Unfortunately, the weapon could only be wielded by a monk. {Savage Mace of Devastation}. A weapon designed for the simple pleasure of delivering excruciating pain and horrible destruction. This mace, when wielded by an appropriate class, has increased bludgeoning damage, and causes enhanced pain experienced to living beings. Quality: Superb. Rarity: Rare. Type: Bludgeon, One-handed. Slot: Primary. Durability: 918/1,000. Speed: Slow. Effect(s): Adds 10 to 15 damage per attack. Melee attacks and skills with this weapon cause additional pain to be inflicted on any target struck. Secondary Effect(s): 2.5% chance to stun the target for 0.5 seconds. Note ¨C This effect does not function against foes that are incapable of feeling physical pain. Requirements for magical effects: Tier 1 Monk Class. ¡°That may drop its re-sale value,¡± Stella commented on the monk class requirement as I shoved the weapon back into my inventory. ¡°Still, it should fetch at least a few gold coins if we can find a merchant willing to pick it up.¡± Stella grimaced as she continued to consider the dreadful weapon, ¡°That must have been quite painful when he hit you with that weapon. We¡¯re lucky that the stun effect never took effect. Damn¡­¡± Stella¡¯s comment gave me pause. Adom had pounded the very weapon mercilessly against my body in our battle. Yet, the weapon¡¯s special effect never triggered. Had it done so, the outcome may have been altogether different. ¡°I bet the gnoll brew I drank rendered me immune to the stun. It does say it makes its user immune to mind-altering effects and, unless I miss my guess, being stunned from intense pain fits that definition.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Stella replied after pondering my comment for a moment. ¡°I think you¡¯re right. Now, though, you¡¯ll never need to drink that disgusting stuff again considering your clear-headed ability.¡± Nodding along with each of Stella¡¯s words, I pulled out the final piece of gear we acquired from Adom. In my hand, I gently inspected a delicate silver chain necklace. The pendant was oval-shaped and reminded me of a pearl. As my fingers caressed the opaque gemstone, a System window popped up in my vision. I was so caught off guard, that I nearly stumbled backward. ¡°What the?!¡± I said even as my eyes tried to register what was in front of me. It took a few panicked seconds for understanding to catch up with me. ¡°Wait, this is an inventory screen.¡± It was similar to my bag of holding inventory, but the contents were all different. Contained within this seemingly ordinary item was row upon row of odds and ends. Nothing inside appeared magical at first glance, but I was happy nonetheless with the traveling goods held within. ¡°So, this is where Adom stored all of his normal gear.¡± {Adept¡¯s Necklace of Holding}. Rarity: Rare. Slot: Neck. Durability: 832/1000. Properties(s): The magically attuned necklace and attached locket appear to be made of regular silver. However, after touching the gemstone, an extradimensional inventory space becomes available which allows the owner to store items. The bearer of the necklace will be able to transfer items inside and out seamlessly, but only items that could easily fit within a standard backpack. The locket can hold up to 50 pounds, not exceeding a volume of 5 cubic feet. The necklace weighs .5 pounds, regardless of its contents. Inside was an array of mundane items you would expect to see with a traveler; rations, waterskins, camping equipment, and the like. Testing it out, I found it worked exactly like my own bag of holding; I was able to store and retrieve items directly into my hand with a thought. After a quick discussion with Stella, I transferred all of our mundane items from my bag of holding into the necklace. Separating those items seemed a good idea, as was explained by Stella. ¡°That way if you needed to find something quick, like a healing potion, for example, you¡¯ll have an easier time locating it among the list of items held in your bag of holding. This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it I was also pleasantly surprised, finding I was not required to have the necklace equipped, though I chose to do so for the time being since I didn¡¯t have already equipped. Should I find something better, the necklaces inventory window could still be pulled up with a thought. Though, Stella warned me against storing the necklace inside my bag of holding. Something about putting an extra-dimensional space within another would result in disastrous consequences. I was familiar with such warnings, of course, though my knowledge was from books from Earth where no actual such dimensional space existed in anything other than works of fiction. Still, I agreed to heed her warning since she was the expert after all. Setting up the camp to bed down for the evening went quickly. The handy tent we had acquired from Adom served me well, protecting me from the chilled evening air. There was only a slight breeze on the wind, with the planet¡¯s single moon hovering protectively in the sky above us. Combined with my dark vision, my sight reached far and wide. Before clasping the tent closed, Stella agreed to keep watch after I had learned she didn¡¯t need even a wink of sleep. Apparently, it was a pretty typical occurrence for Hunters. ¡°Nothing¡¯s going to sneak up on us,¡± Stella said, clearly seeing the tiredness glazing across my eyes as I shifted into my sleeping bag. ¡°Plus, we have Ripley. Anything seeing those burning eyes would be wise to reconsider anything even hinting at hostile intent. Trust me, Xaz, we¡¯ve got this. Rest easy. I¡¯ll awaken you if anything happens. See you in the morning.¡± With Stella¡¯s warm smile brought me enough comfort and assurance, I was fast asleep in no time. At the break of dawn, Stella did her best to nudge me awake, her small whiskers tickling the side of my face. Her insistency increased until finally, I propped myself up. ¡°I¡¯m up,¡± I said blearily, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. Had I been able, I would have slept the entire morning away, but had asked Stella to ensure we were up at first light. Duke needed to rest just like anyone, Stella had assured me, so the sooner we broke camp the faster we would be in catching up with him. ¡°Anything happen overnight?¡± I asked as I stretched and craned my neck. ¡°Only a few passing animals,¡± Stella replied. ¡°Nothing more dangerous than a mama possum carrying her litter.¡± ¡°Sounds cute,¡± I rolled up my sleeping bag, returned it to my necklace¡¯s inventory, and then moved to break down the tent. ¡°Thanks for keeping an eye out. Hopefully, it wasn¡¯t too boring for you.¡± ¡°Not at all,¡± Stella said as she floated a few feet off the ground. She plopped her behind down as she watched me get us ready to move. ¡°It can be quite relaxing.¡± ¡°Alright, everything¡¯s stored,¡± I said. ¡°Ready to keep moving?¡± Stella nodded her ascent and we quickly found the road, my song of travel increasing our movement speed by nearly twenty-five percent. The road we followed was well worn and in spots, my tracking ability revealed what I took to be caravan treads, highlighted in blue, I judged whoever caused them had been a day, at most, before us. ¡°Maybe a pair of wagons and double that in horses,¡± I muttered to myself as I gazed down at the tracks. Stella hovered over my shoulder, not adding anything to my comment. My skills were likely quite lacking in a real tracker, but it was easy enough for me to tell this much. Clouds covered the sky, along with the rising sun to our east, bringing with it a slight wind that tickled our bodies and carried a hint of rain in the air. Our fast pace was enough to keep any chill from my skin as the miles passed beneath our feet. More than for wagon tracks, I did my best to keep a keen eye on the road, as much as the area around us, so as to not miss any hint of Duke¡¯s passing. As an hour quickly passed, my skills found no other sign. Ripley was taking long, slow strides to the side of me, her extra height allowing her to easily match my fluid pace. Her great sword, always easily in reach, sat affixed to her back. Her bark-colored cloak fluttered behind her as she moved. Stella had taken a turn to the rest of Ripley¡¯s shoulder as hints of the sun began peeking through the clouds above. ¡°It never ceases to amaze how pronounced one decision can make,¡± she commented as I stopped to investigate yet another scrape on the pebbled road. ¡°Oh, yeah?¡± I inquired distractedly. The track appeared to be nothing unusual, so I started the group moving again. ¡°Had you not ventured outside of your village yesterday morning, none of this would have happened. In all reality, you probably would have found your end at the hands of Duke, or those disgusting goblins he allowed in,¡± Stella said thoughtlessly. At the turn of my head, Stella coughed, realizing what she had said. ¡°I¡¯m only saying that had you not followed your true self¡¯s adventurous spirit, you wouldn¡¯t have found out who you really are. And I would probably still be wedged inside the hollow of the tree you found me in.¡± Stella looked at the ground then, a sense of sadness visible in her posture, ¡°And Stouter¡¯s fate would never have been found. I wish he could be here with us. He would have liked you.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll make him proud, Stell.¡± Chirping birds passed over our heads, whether speaking to themselves or calling out to us, I couldn¡¯t know. ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking about Duke. I was curious if there is anything more that you can tell me about him.¡± ¡°Other than he¡¯s a wanna-be noble maniac, very little,¡± Stella replied contemptuously. ¡°Can¡¯t you, you know, tap into the System and find out more information about him?¡± ¡°Both unfortunately and fortunately, no,¡± Stella said with a shake of her small head. At my confused expression, she continued. ¡°It works both ways. Unfortunately for us, there is no access we Accelerators have to give information about other Hunters. It is fortunate for us, though, as it means Duke can¡¯t do the same to us. Remember, he¡¯s looking for something, and that something is most likely me. I doubt we would have trouble finding him if he suddenly decided to start hunting you.¡± Stella continued in an ill-tempered voice, ¡°Hopefully that only happens when we¡¯re ready to take the beast down.¡± She spat on the ground before flying over to land on my shoulder. Her slight weight was comforting. ¡°When he realizes what I am and that you are my Hunter, I doubt he would stop at anything to have me. Thankfully, he¡¯s nowhere near this realization. When we catch up to him, we¡¯ll be on the strong foot, and he¡¯ll have to pay for his deeds.¡± ¡°Could you make any, I don¡¯t know, inferences about him?¡± I asked hopefully. ¡°His level¡­ or maybe any advantage we hold over him?¡± She shook her head, ¡°If I could, trust me, I¡¯d tell you. The only advantage we know for certain at this point is this; you have me and we¡¯ll have the element of surprise. When it comes to other Accelerators, I can assure you that I¡¯m a night and day difference to whatever imitation AI he¡¯s acquired.¡± ¡°I hope we find him soon rather than later, but you¡¯ve made it clear a number of times now. I need to grow quite a bit stronger before that happens. At the same time, we need every advantage we can get. Until that day comes, and with each new adventure, I grow stronger. I just hope it¡¯s enough when we finally catch him.¡± ¡°It will be,¡± Stella replied confidently, her head tilted upwards. Her prideful gesture brought an amused chuckle to my throat. Not soon after, we both caught the scent of something in the wind at the same time. Stella came to her feet, her purchase firm on my shoulder. As she sniffed the air, I warily lowered my stance, enabling my Stealth. Something was burning. And, if my instincts were right, it was just over the rise a short distance ahead of us. ¡°There¡¯s no smoke in the air,¡± I whispered out the side of my mouth. ¡°Whatever had been on fire, most likely, is nearly put out. Otherwise, we would have seen a smoke trail curling into the air a long time ago.¡± ¡°Do you think it¡¯s Duke?¡± Stella asked. ¡°We can¡¯t know for certain how long of a lead he has on us, but this seems too soon.¡± As we approached, the scent of burning wood and lacquer grew heavier. A quarter mile ahead of us, the road dipped low between a pair of small hillocks. ¡°Be ready,¡± I said as I silently recast minor shielding spell. My battle axe found itself gripped tightly in my hand. With careful and measured steps, we stopped off the road, angling ourselves to near the top of the rightmost knoll. No sound came from ahead, not even the chirps of birds or insects I had grown accustomed to. Only a foreboding sense of death greeted us at our stealthy advance. Ripley held her great sword in a reverse grip, the tip of the mighty weapon pointing behind us. Her presence, along with Stella¡¯s, kept my anxiety at bay. The thought of Duke, only several dozen paces away, tried to pull panic to the surface. Pausing a moment, I closed my eyes and took several deep breaths to calm my nerves. When I opened my eyes, I looked at Stella, seeing hardy resolution in those canid orbs. Nodding to her, we crouched even forward, the lip of the hill moments away. Come what may, we would do it together. I would have to hope we were enough. Chapter 25 - Enigma Fire Imp We crept forward the final few steps, each of us lowering our bodies completely to the soft earth beneath us. The aroma of burnt wood was deceptively comforting, reminding me of times camping out beneath the stars with friends an untold number of years ago. Pushing the memory aside, we could finally make out what lay beyond, and the devastation was frightening. The husk of ruined caravans stood waylaid in the middle of the road, looking no more than if an explosion had torn itself free from each. Blackened bodies of both men and horses were scattered haphazardly throughout the ruined area. Nothing stirred, the fires that had destroyed man, beast, and wood alike were nearly spent. Half broken crates, some blackened on one side were strewn around. The glint of metal caught my eye in one such case. ¡°They were probably merchants by the look of it,¡± I said just above a whisper. ¡°Whatever did this didn¡¯t even take the time to check what the group was carrying.¡± ¡°Sounds like something Duke would do,¡± Stella was panting heavily, but as it was clear we were alone, her breathing began to slow. Keeping ourselves in stealth, we carefully crested the hill and descended towards the carnage. My stance, along with Ripley¡¯s, was low. I was prepared to spring at the slightest movement, but none came even when we came to the back of the first wagon. I was gripping my battle axe so tightly that my knuckles shone white. We deliberately explored the carnage, ever ready for an ambush that never came. By our count, there were half a dozen bodies, though the state of the corpses precluded us from identifying anything further moot. Not even the pack animals had been spared, having appeared to be immolated in their harnesses and tackle. Most curious was when I spied what appeared to be a path leading east that looked as if something, still ablaze, had glided that way. If this battle, if it could be called that, had been Duke, it made no sense. Whatever had caused the burned grass had very much still been on fire. Following the path with my eyes, it soon disappeared behind a distant hill meaning it was unlikely that was someone from the caravan, fleeing while lit up like a torch. No, whatever caused this was not like anything that remained in the slaughter that we found ourselves in the midst of. Feeling safer than before, but still unwilling to break stealth as of yet, I continued to try to make sense of what happened. With Stella, and no small amount of my tracking skill, it was clear that something afire had wound its way around the stopped wagons. Further, the scorched earth came up to every single body. ¡°Whatever caused this,¡± Stella finally uttered in the silence. ¡°Must have been incredibly hot. Everything underfoot has been burnt to a crisp. Also, see here? There¡¯s a larger patch of burned ground as if something on fire stood right there for a longer period of time. The grass dying under the intense heat in an ever-widening circle.¡± Worry plain across her face, Stella met my gaze, ¡°I don¡¯t like this.¡± ¡°Me neither,¡± I replied as I placed a hand on Stella¡¯s shoulder. ¡°This isn¡¯t Duke, at least I¡¯m ninety-nine percent sure it isn¡¯t. The question is, do we follow that trail leading east?¡± ¡°Whatever caused this, it''s strong,¡± Stella replied hesitantly. ¡°Perhaps too strong for us.¡± ¡°Any idea what could have done this?¡± I said as I gestured to the ruin around us. Most of the humanoid corpses still had blackened weapons sheathed at their sides, only one had the naked blade lying beside him. ¡°Most died before they could even clear their blades. And the one that did, well, it clearly did little to sway what happened here. Stella¡¯s face lit up with an idea, ¡°Quick. Inspect one of the bodies!¡± Seeing her hurried expression, I did as she suggested. Upon reading the System message, my anger only stirred hotter at the implication. Corpse of Hamid, human guard, level 5. Killed by Lowki, Enigma Fire Imp. ¡°We know it wasn¡¯t Duke then,¡± I uttered through clenched teeth. ¡°Though, I don¡¯t think makes it much better.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Xaz,¡± Stella said as she glided closer to me. ¡°No one deserves to die like this.¡± Stella¡¯s empathy helped, of course, but it only helped to quench the fire that had kindled in my chest a small amount. ¡°Just another group of innocent people slaughtered by some passing mob. This could have been my fate. All of this,¡± I gestured around me. ¡°For the twisted amusement of¡­¡± I held back the rest of what I was going to say. The words had been spoken aloud multiple times since all of my memories had been unlocked since I had become a Hunter. I am going to change all this, I thought to myself, reassuring that I was going to stand against the evils of the world. ¡°We need to find who did this, Stella. I know Duke¡¯s our primary objective, but¡­¡± Looking towards the burnt bodies around us, I could feel my emotions welling within my chest. ¡°I can¡¯t stand and let the monster who did this abide even a single more day.¡± Stella¡¯s stout face mirrored mine, ¡°Then let¡¯s get it done.¡± It was relatively easy to tell which way the fire imp had gone after wreaking such devastation on the merchant caravan. The trail leading east had signs of whatever heat must be given off by the mob in greater abundance. The burnt and singed ground looked¡­ fresher if you could call it that. Here and there, an occasional blade of grass or small tuft of dirt still had bright red embers burning away. We had our trail to follow. Right as I was about to lead us out, Stella made a clicking sound. It reminded me of the click one would use to call a horse back on earth. Turning in her direction, I spied her closely inspecting one of the broken wood crates that had fallen out of the lead wagon. Her eyes looked up to me and she beckoned me over with a wave of a paw. As I grew closer, I noticed that one of the crates surrounded by charred timbers looked relatively unscathed. That was odd. Walking closer, it was clear that a blaze of extreme heat had flashed among the crates of wares. Stella¡¯s keen gaze had picked out a crate that miraculously survived the flames. Only a single corner was visible, but even as I knelt, it should have been as burnt as the rest of the wreaked goods. It took little effort to remove the undamaged container, the rest of the smoldering pile crumbling to ash. The crate wasn¡¯t overly heavy, so I pulled it several feet away. After taking a quick glance around our surroundings to ensure we were still alone, my attention returned to the wooden case. The box was as tall and long as the length of my forearm. A gold-colored clasp held the top firmly closed. With no lock visible, I unlatched and swung the lid open. Pulling out handfuls of straw packaging, underneath we found two small books. Both appeared to be nothing more than a typical-sized leather-bound journal, but the feel of them marked them as being something far more valuable. Picking up the first tome, I admired the high-quality and supple leather. The material was soft to the touch, with an elegant full-grain leather that reminded me of the wrapping of my battle axe. Taking a moment to quickly inspect the two books, I mentally prompted the system to only give me the bare minimum of information. The trail to the imp was clear, but each passing moment took it even further away from our justice. You have found: Spell Book of Lesser Cure Poison and Disease! You have found: Spell Book of Lesser Chained Lightning! ¡°Nice,¡± I muttered before placing both tomes into my inventory. ¡°Good eye, Stell.¡± Nodding to her, we turned together and made our way away from the wagons. Thoughts of the two new spells I would be learning tried to creep to the forefront of my thoughts, but I squashed them down. We had more pressing matters at the moment. Together, with Ripley only a step behind, we moved as quickly and quietly as we could towards the soon-to-be regretful fire imp. The trail left in the wake of the passing imp was chaotic at best, though incredibly easy to follow. It looked as if the beast spun this way and that, never keeping a forward path for more than a few paces. After cresting a hill, a flat grassland as wide as a football came into view. The path taken by the imp was haphazard as if it desired to destroy as much of the field as it could. It looked no better than if someone with a great pen of fire had squiggled this way and that at random. It was a good sign for us, as it took only minutes to cross the field in the direction of our foe, whereas it must have spent an hour as it torched the area. Several similarly burned fields quickly came and went as our path invariably took us further east. Freshly scorched pastures grew denser giving sign that our prey was near, not to mention the lazy curls of dark smoke wafting from the burnt ground were any sign. We slowed our pace and spotted our foe after cresting a small rise. The red creature looked to be dancing through the air, its comical-sized wings blurring to keep it aloft. This way and that, it twirled as if dancing with an imaginary partner, the earth only a couple of feet underneath blackening and burning below it. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Still a good bow shot away, the imp moved in seemingly random directions, oblivious to our presence. If it wasn¡¯t so damn clear all the pain and death the beast had caused only a pair of miles back, I would have judged the creature to be nothing enjoying a happy stroll in the countryside. Sure, the oppressive heat given off by the creature¡¯s simple presence was laying waste to anything underneath it, but the imp seemed to be enjoying himself. ¡°No remorse then,¡± I said to myself, my words escaping just above a whisper. Right as I was about to commit to a battle, the words of my most potent spells dancing on my tongue, when the devilish beast turned in our direction. Eyes with bright red irises and black sclera seemed to easily lock on mine, even though my stealth had given me no warning whatsoever that I had been detected. ¡°Damn¡­¡± I muttered as I internally chided myself. Had I not spoken, we may have been able to ambush the tiny fiend. With a jovial attitude, the imp fluttered in a circle, my stealth fully breaking. ¡°Another so soon? How fortunate I am!¡± The mob was not the high pitch I had been expecting from such a diminutive creature. Instead, the imp¡¯s voice was a rich tenor. ¡°Ahh, good, good. Glad am I to have found another traveler,¡± the imp said as he slowly glided close to our position, its tiny wings causing still-burning soot to drift around him as he backtracked over already singed ground. Beyond his obviously devilish nature, what immediately caught my attention was that it had called me a traveler, not a Hunter. Perhaps I could use that to my advantage, though I couldn¡¯t see how as the mob came within a half dozen paces of us. I had given up any pretense of hiding, so stood as the fiend grew close. Even at this short distance, the heat emanating from the beast was stifling. It was like standing too close to an open furnace. Beads of sweat started forming on my brow. The imp tilted its head, seeming to notice my discomfort. It closed its fiery eyes for a moment, before opening them a second later. Like a door had been closed on the furnace, the waves of oppressive heat cooled noticeably. Now it felt like we were only standing near a dwindling fireplace. Seeing relief spread across my face, the imp smiled. It wasn¡¯t the smile of a stranger helping another though. The alabaster white, spiked teeth had a mischievous quality to it that I couldn¡¯t place at first. To my eyes, it was as if some evil plan lurked behind his fiendish visage. ¡°You too must want to test your mental mettle. Yes? Hmm, I do so enjoy finding new ones,¡± The imp¡¯s carefree demeanor grated on my nerves. It cared little for the anguish and violence still smoldering from the way we had come. A gust of wind carried even more of the creature¡¯s odor our way. Unholy unpleasant, it was as if he spread generous amounts of dung over his body, though the unnaturally smooth and hairless skin covering his body gave no such indication. My fingers gripped on my weapon¡¯s haft tightly as ferocity stirred in my heart. Thinking better of attacking an unknown enemy, especially one that hadn¡¯t immediately attacked me, I inspected the bulbous creature. My eyes widened at the information provided by the System. My fingers loosened on my weapon. Lowki, Enigma Fire Imp (Level ???) As twisted a creature as one can find, this type of fire imp loves to live up to its namesake: an enigma. Intrepid travelers and Hunters alike should be wary of its often-challenging chain of riddles; for should you fail, you¡¯ll find your life quickly spent in a blaze of glory. All the while, the enigma imp will dance around your burning corpse, hoping to find even more witless foes to burn and defile. Though, not yet known what action the fire imp will take should his riddle challenge be successfully met, adventures should nonetheless be very careful when dealing with this flame-laden hellion. Seeing the mob¡¯s unknown, but obviously high level, my muscles went rigid. I had been moments away from launching an entirely hopeless battle against such a powerful creature. As if the beast could read my mind, its pronounced sharp teeth gleamed ever wider. His large front canines contrasted prominently against his rosy skin. ¡°Is there any chance we can take him?¡± My voice was barely perceptible as I spoke to Stella. Knowing the creature would likely be able to hear my words, given it had heard me from so far away before, I still needed the answer to my question. My confidence had dropped like a stone in the deep ocean after seeing how wide a gap was likely between us and this being. Stella¡¯s answer was a succinct, ¡°Not likely.¡± My mind whirled through possibilities. The imp held his lofty position careless of the weapon held limply in my hands. His head was tilted confidently upwards, as if he didn¡¯t have a worry or concern in the world. I was no threat to him. With nothing else presented, I realized he was waiting for an answer to his earlier question. That gave me hope. If the imp wasn¡¯t going to attack, though it clearly treasured being able to do so if the wreckage in his wake had anything to say about it, it meant I had options. This wasn¡¯t a test of arms, I realized. Seconds passed as my thoughts careened down that path. The imp¡¯s eyes narrowed dangerously at my continued lack of response, so I spoke before it could take any action. ¡°Perhaps, we could¡­¡± I hesitated, unease and fear trying to grip tightly in my chest. ¡°Um, what happens if we choose to simply go about our own way.¡± If a battle wasn¡¯t on the table, at least right away, perhaps we could walk away. I had no desire to fight the beast now, so perhaps we could simply leave, I pondered internally. ¡°Refusing to test your mettle is the same as failing it,¡± The imp said with a laugh, a crazy cackle lingering in the air between us. ¡°I, Lowki the magnificent, challenge you to a game of wits. Yes, yes! Accept¡­ or face the punishment of failure.¡± A twinge of heat passed like a wave of force from the mob¡¯s body when he uttered his last word. It brought mental images of becoming a living torch under his malevolent gaze. My thoughts returned to the smoldering wreckage of the merchant¡¯s caravan behind us. We could not fail here. Only a painful and fiery death awaited us if that were to happen. We had little option, but to accept. Before I responded though, a slight twinkle appeared in the imp¡¯s eyes. It was as if no one would ever be able to meet his challenge. So, I asked a simple question, ¡°Why?¡± I wanted to understand this devilish creature as much as I could. ¡°Why?¡± The imp snorted a derisive laugh. ¡°There is no why? Why is meaningless to those that have power. We do whatever we want to do. Now, do you accept my challenge, I¡¯ll brook no further delay.¡± ¡°What will I earn if I win your challenge?¡± The imp¡¯s eyes narrowed, as if to determine if he should answer or not. ¡°Never has¡­ Well, should you be able to solve my three riddles, then free you shall be.¡± The imp brimmed with confidence, so he decided he would sweeten the deal. ¡°Yes, yes, more you would like. I see through you, mortal.¡± ¡°So, if you should win, then you will be able to call upon me to do any one thing your frail soul desires. Haha, it ¡®twill never happen though. Never before, never before,¡± the imp said, as if to himself. ¡°So, what is your choice? Or shall I begin?¡± Having no other recourse, I looked to Stella before nodding at Lowki. ¡°I accept.¡± I could only hope that with Stella¡¯s aid, we¡¯d be able to come out alive. Though, I suspected we had a good chance, even considering the menace that radiated from the imp¡¯s small frame. ¡°And if I win, know that I will call upon you to aid me in my quest.¡± New Quest ¨C ¡°Imp-possible.¡± Lowki, the Enigma Fire Imp, has issued a challenge the likes none have yet been able to meet. You must answer his riddle¡¯s three. If you do so, you will be granted one favor. Though, as countless have done before, should you fail, you will likely find yourself staring down the fire of hell. Objective One: Successfully answer three of Lowki¡¯s riddles. Rewards: 3,000 experience points & one favor to be granted by Lowki, the Enigma Fire Imp. System Notice! This quest has automatically been accepted. At that, the imp laughed like a madman, brushing aside my words as if they held little consequence. It was the most maniacal laugh I had ever heard. With it came animalistic fear that tried to worm its way into my chest, but I stood resolute, holding my ground firm against its encroachment. ¡°Fantastic, a wise choice, but futile all the same.¡± The imp had smugness plastered all over his face. ¡°No one has ever been able to best me in such a test. I look forward to seeing you squirm as my flames curdle your flesh.¡± Lowki laughed once more and spun a complete circuit in the air, glee and overconfidence radiating outwards in waves. ¡°Get on with it, Lackey,¡± my words grabbed his attention, as I had hoped they would. With the quest now firmly in place, I was confident the imp would no longer attack me while it remained. Hoping my little show of disrespect would rattle his nerves was the best I could hope for at the moment. Lowki stopped instantly, his wings motionless though he remained floating, his thin lips pressed firmly together. ¡°It¡¯s Lowki,¡± the tiny beast said coolly. ¡°Of course, of course, my friend,¡± I said with insincerity. I made it a show of looking over his entire body, ¡°Say, you look a bit redder than before. Are you alright?¡± ¡°Youse lucky,¡± the imp replied, his elegant speaking pattern faltering. My comment was having the desired effect on him. ¡°Without the agreement already in place, you would be nothing unlike a pig roasting on a spit.¡± ¡°Yes, of course.¡± I nodded uncaringly at him. With my eyes and body language giving no outward sign, I mentally typed out a message to Stella. Lowki hadn¡¯t identified me as a Hunter, so I guessed that he didn¡¯t know of the connection I had with my Accelerator. Xaz: Stell, if we answer his riddles correctly, he can¡¯t squirm or trick his way out of it, right? While I waited for her to respond, I tilted my head in Lowki¡¯s direction, before motioning for the imp to proceed. Lowki¡¯s gaze tried to bore a hole in me, but my outward demeanor didn¡¯t elicit the response he was hoping for. It was as if he was truly contemplating immolating me at that moment. If that were to happen, I could only hope the System would intervene because I seemed to have little chance against this foe in brute combat. Stella: Correct. He is honor bound to uphold the terms of the quest, whether he knows it or not. Stella¡¯s answer gave me a burst of confidence. We had a way to victory, now we only had to grab it. The air stilled around us as the heat surrounding the mob ratcheted up a notch. Lowki took in a great breath, his chest swelling even as his pink skin grew a darker shade of red. With a devilish grin, his wickedly sharp teeth gleaming in the morning light, Lowki spoke, ¡°Let us begin.¡± Chapter 26 - Honor Bound Rubbing his clawed hands together, Lowki tilted his head forward, his terrific grin beaming, ¡°I¡¯m going to enjoy this next part, foolish one.¡± The heat emanating from the imp had not increased further, but it was certainly noticeable. It gave me the impression that Lowki was trying to make us uncomfortable, though at this level it was easily bearable. ¡°My first riddle¡­ I flow like a running river, rarely seen, yet surely felt. I carve through stone, yet I am not a tool. I bite through steel, my teeth the lifeblood of the world. What am I?¡± Before I could even begin to contemplate the answer, Stella¡¯s message came blazing in. Stella: Lava. Damn, that was fast, I thought to myself, though I made no outward indication her message had come through. Not even a furtive glance at the chat window. Instead, I allowed the message to wash through me, being aware of what she sent in an instant. There was no way to know exactly how the fire imp would respond if he knew I was getting help from a powerful intelligence, so I made a show of struggling to come up with the answer. My eyebrows furrowed together; my eyes searched the ground as if they could find the answer there. Looking at Stella, she caught on to what I was doing and shrugged. Then, as if inspiration struck, I snapped my eyes back to the imp and smiled broadly, ¡°Lava.¡± In an attempt to add insult to injury, I rotated my shoulders as if warming up. ¡°Actually, it wasn¡¯t that hard.¡± My efforts paid off, riling the imp even further. My hope was to throw Lowki off his game, dashing his supreme confidence. His narrowed eyes moved to me and then to Stella. Taking in another lung full of air, a heat haze washed outwards from Lowki¡¯s small body. The temperature in the air rose higher and now felt like we were standing in a sweltering sauna. ¡°Two more to go, trespasser,¡± Lowki hissed as his wings once more a blur. Like staring at a mirage, heat waves outlined his bulbous form. ¡°I¡¯m just warming up.¡± Lowki rose a foot in the air, coming to head height, before he continued. Perhaps he thought it made him look more menacing. ¡°Like an arrow, I fly swift and true. I gaze down upon unsuspecting prey, my eyes as sharp as night. My aim is unerring within my deadly dive. My form a blur, even on the brightest day. What am I?¡± Stella didn¡¯t send an answer via chat immediately, though I had a good idea of what the answer could be. As I was about to answer, her message flashed in the chat window, but I once more allowed the information to flow into me. Stella: Sorry, that took just a moment to ponder it out. It has several answers. It could be a hawk, a falcon, or a merlin, not to mention if this ¡®bird¡¯ goes after aquatic prey. Then, the answer may be a gull, osprey, or a kingfisher to name a few. It¡¯s almost as if he is intentionally keeping it vague to slip us up. I mentally agreed with Stella, she was on the right train of thought here, especially considering the quest name was ¡®imp-possible.¡¯ Xaz: Yeah, I think he is looking for any excuse to get us to fail the quest and be at his mercy. I¡¯m going to try something, but we need to be wary of the third question for sure. Rubbing my chin, I turned my eyes up to Lowki, ¡°Tricky, tricky imp. Your riddle has more than one answer and you know it. So, I¡¯ll hold you to accepting one of those, the System as my witness.¡± I made a show of looking up to the sky as if seeking assurance from the game¡¯s AI. ¡°The answer is a falcon.¡± The ferocious imp wanted to argue, that was plain to see with his bunched-up face. He looked to be near boiling and exploding into a tirade, his ears twitching spasmodically. When actual smoke began wafting from his pointed nose, I became worried. Thankfully, he settled quickly and returned to his playful demeanor. ¡°Fine,¡± The imp roared, the word bursting behind strained lips. ¡°It matters not; you can¡¯t answer my final riddle. No one ever has.¡± ¡°Stella,¡± I said as I looked inquisitively at my canine companion. ¡°Did he just admit that his last riddle is impossible to answer. How is that fair? Are impossible quests allowed, Stell?¡± A thunderous boom echoed across the plains, though not a hint of a cloud could be seen under the morning sun. Lowki appeared nervous for the first time, a tiny bead of sweat dripping off a sunburnt cheek. ¡°What do you mean, quest?¡± Lowki inquired. ¡°Oh, didn¡¯t you know,¡± Stella said to the imp. She had floated over to land gently on my shoulder, her face turned upwards as if instructing a schoolboy. ¡°Xaz here is a Hunter.¡± The implications of her statement had the imp¡¯s eyes bulging. ¡°What? No, that cannot be!¡± Playing upon the fiend¡¯s fears, Stella pressed forward. ¡°Uh oh,¡± she said before tsk-tsking. Her voice had a matter-of-fact tone. ¡°Creating an impossible quest without any intention of a Hunter being able to succeed will have dire consequences¡­¡± she said as she stared at the beast. ¡°For you.¡± I had no way of knowing if an impossible quest was allowed by the Game or not. Stella sure sounded confident, but she may have only been playing on the imp¡¯s surprise he was challenging a Hunter and not some NPC. Still, I was thinking we were in the right. In almost any game I had ever played, it went against everything to have a true no-win situation. Kobayashi Maru aside, it simply wasn¡¯t allowed. I could only pray it was true here and, if the bucket¡¯s sweat pouring down his flame-licked face was any indication, it seemed to be the case. Our inquiry struck true. The imp began trembling visibly as he made a furtive glance up to the sky. ¡°No, no. Not impossible, of course!¡± Lowki cleared his throat a few times as if trying to buy himself time to think. Trying to keep him on the back foot, I jumped in to eliminate him taking back the initiative in our verbal dual, ¡°Ask me your third riddle, imp, or concede the quest.¡± ¡°Yes, yes, my final question. Of course,¡± Lowki¡¯s eyes were darting side to side, obviously thinking as quickly as he could, but our words had struck a chord in the little beast¡¯s chest. I could barely make out a vein on the side of his neck; it was throbbing furiously. I took a step forward, breaking the stalemate of Lowki¡¯s indecision. He blurted out his final riddle, obviously not the question he had originally intended to ask, ¡°A mischief maker, eyes so bright. I flit and flitter, twirling in wicked delight. You dare not reach out, for my terrible flames will perish your might.¡± The imp looked at me with a puzzled expression, ¡°What am I?¡± A dry chuckle escaped my lips, I already knew the answer even before a message from Stella blinked in my vision. Our threat of System intervention surely knocked the wind out of this dervish who, even now, dripped with steaming gobbets of sweat. ¡°An imp,¡± I said with confidence. Stella bobbed her head at my pronouncement, a confident grunt coming from deep within her throat. Lowki¡¯s eyes bulged, the heat escaping his rotund body amplifying to dangerous levels. It caused me to take a step backward. Screaming to the sky above, Lowki¡¯s emotions burst like a dam giving way, ¡°No, that¡¯s imp-possible! Blood and ashes! Never has one bested Lowki.¡± The imp began smashing his head like a demented soul trying to punish himself. He turned several circuits in the air before coming to a complete stop. Though now a dozen paces away, not to mention facing away from us, his hate-laden words rung like a bell in the space between us. Heat and fury radiated from him in waves, ¡°Cheat! You made me change my last riddle!¡± The imp¡¯s head turned slowly, though his body remained still. His wings were beating even faster with each passing moment. When his beady eyes reached mine, his head at an unnatural angle, I could have sworn actual fire danced within those darkened orbs. ¡°Cheat!¡± His single word was uttered with such ferocity that the air between us vibrated. Lowki held so much anger and spite, that he seemed ready to explode at any moment. Quicker than I could follow, Lowki turned in the air, flames fully sprouting across the entirety of his body, before he rushed at us. His maw was a gap, flame variably shooting from his mouth. Every muscle in his small body was taut with inner power. In a fraction of a second, Lowki was upon us. His entire body was encapsulated in a raging ball of liquid flames. Holding my hands up to protect my face, my arms began to feel like I was inches away from turning into an erupting volcano. The sudden pain felt as if my skin was already melting away from its intensity. Movement from the corner of my eye hinted at Ripley lunging towards Lowki¡¯s position. It mattered little though as my world was overthrown by heat upon heat. I was standing next to the sun. My closed eyelids did little to shield my eyes. It was as if I could still see my hands held out protectively before me. You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. Then, suddenly, as if it was never there, it disappeared. The light, the intense heat was simply gone. So abrupt was the change, that I stumbled forward, having to brace myself against the onslaught. I opened my eyes, my arms still held up to protect my face. Lowki was motionless in the air, inches from my face. His body was no longer immolated. Not a single course hair moved in the light breeze. In fact, I felt perfectly at ease, as if the sweltering heat from Lowki¡¯s presence ended as if it had never been. Lowki¡¯s face was a mask of absolute outrage, but as far as I could tell, he wasn¡¯t moving. He wasn¡¯t even breathing. When I stepped to the side, his eyes didn¡¯t follow me. Ripley was to the side, her great sword poised to strike down at the imp, but the sudden change of the battle had even given her pause. She wasn¡¯t frozen like Lowki, but had stopped herself as the threat inescapably vanished. Lowki¡¯s nameplate, having noticed it once more, was flashing an odd color. None of the countless nameplates I had seen thus far approached what I was seeing now. ¡°Ah, Stell, what just happened?¡± As if in response to my question, a System message sprang up dead center in my vision. It was written in bold, blood-red letters. Far unlike any message I had seen before. Notice! System Interrupt Initiated on Mob #4,447,352,400; Lowki, the Enigma Fire Imp. Reason: Violation of Quest Honor Bound Clause. Violation: Mob #4,447,352,400 has attacked Hunter #1,342,918 in contradiction of Quest reward via ¡°Imp-Possible¡±. Notice! Quest compliance has been initiated. Stated Reward(s): experience points and mob #4,447,352,400 can be ¡°called upon to provide aid¡± to Hunter #1,342,918 in ¡°the completion¡± of a quest. Notice! Quest rewards have been increased! Notice! The Mob ¡®Lowki, the Enigma Fire Imp¡¯ will be re-appropriated into the service of Hunter #1,342,918. Notice! Lowki¡¯s memory, level, and form will be adjusted to align with Hunter #1,342,918. Please stand by while these changes take effect. Before I could begin to get help from Stella from the bombardment of System messages, a blinding column of light descended far above Lowki¡¯s still form. The pillar began as wide as the small creature¡¯s body but soon expanded to more than two meters across. I unconsciously took several steps backward. The light was pristinely intense, nothing within visible. After a heartbeat, and without any warning, it flashed out of existence. Blinking away an afterimage, it took a moment before I could once again lay eyes on the imp¡¯s minuscule body. I was more than a little shocked to find something else entirely had taken his place. Golden feline eyes turned up to me and reflected sunlight there before fading to regular feline slits. With fur colored a rocky gray, a great cat crouched low below me. Its large tail twitched behind it as if he had awoken irritatingly from what had been a peaceful slumber. I stared dumbfounded at the magnificent creature when the beast¡¯s eyes shone with an inner green light. Peering closely, I could have sworn what I saw was scrolling computer code. The cat¡¯s tail went still, and its aggressive posture calmed. The cat was heavily muscled, its massive paws sinking into the soft earth due to its considerable weight. As I watched, the cat sat down on its haunches and went still as another message popped up in my view. Notice! Xaz the Hunter Killer has received a pet companion; Lowki, the Rockhopper Leopard. Memory Modified ¨C Reputation set to Loyal/Honor Bound. Notice! The reward duration of a single quest has been significantly increased! Duration has been set to ¡®Permanent/Hunter Death.¡¯ Pet level has been set to ¡®Matched.¡¯ Congratulations! You have received quest experience; 3,000. Thank you for your patience as the Quest, ¡°Imp-possible,¡± was resolved. ¡°What?¡± I uttered after reading the entirety of the message twice over. As the message faded from my eyes, the new Lowki walked over to me and brushed my hand. His shoulders came up to the bottom of my ribcage and the force behind the simple gesture rocked me backward a step. ¡®Rock Hopper¡¯ indeed, I thought. Though, considering the sheer weight of the beast, I was stumped on just how it would go hopping about. ¡°Well, it is a cat¡­¡± I mumbled as I appraised our newest teammate. My concern was quickly dispelled though when, from a complete standstill, Lowki leaped skywards. Angling his flight, he easily cleared over Ripley¡¯s towering frame. The fluid move was designed to impress, unless I missed my guess, but only confusion and disappointment crossed the cat¡¯s features when it turned around to peer at the implacable Ripley. ¡°Well, I was impressed,¡± I mumbled, hoping to soothe Lowki''s displeasure. I had to step forward, my hands raised, as Lowki had hunkered down, low to the ground, his butt wagging in the air as if about to pounce. ¡°Nope, no, let¡¯s not do that,¡± I said as I moved closer to the stone-colored monstrosity. ¡°Ripley¡¯s our friend too.¡± My words got the desired effect, thankfully, as Lowki turned away from the unimpressed skeleton. Lowki didn¡¯t know yet that Ripley¡¯s only concern was the team¡¯s safety and surely wasn¡¯t about to react like a living being. Lowki¡¯s playful demeanor reminded me of a kitten enjoying his first few days of life, looking to do nothing more than wrestle with a friendly sibling. Easily over four-hundred pounds though, Lowki was no kitten, and any attempt to ¡®play¡¯ would likely end up with Ripley in pieces. Grabbing Lowki¡¯s attention, Stella glided over to hover a foot away from the beast¡¯s great maw. A soft growl issued from Lowki¡¯s throat, seeming to resonate in my chest. The sound wasn¡¯t threatening, more like Lowki was simply acknowledging Stella¡¯s presence. ¡°Hello there, Lowki. My name is Stella. I¡¯m very glad to meet you.¡± Giving a small bow in the air, Stella did her best to appear friendly. Lowki sauntered forward gracefully, rubbing his cheek against Stella¡¯s drastically smaller form. Her sweet laughter filled the air around us, bringing some much-needed good cheer. After all, only a pair of minutes had passed with an irate hellion promising hellfire upon us. Having decided they were fast friends, Stella landed on Lowki¡¯s head, looking no more than a proud mama bear. ¡°Seems like you two like are getting along,¡± I said as I walked closer to the pair. Laying a hand against Lowki¡¯s shoulder, I felt the tightly corded muscles hidden under his rocky fur. Lowki certainly had strength in great abundance. ¡°Glad to have you part of our team, Lowki,¡± I said to the cat. Lowki¡¯s response was to press a massive shoulder into me. While only a friendly gesture, it nevertheless caused me to take a long step backward to maintain my balance. I could only imagine the force Lowki would bear if he put his full weight behind him. Patting his great coat, I smiled brightly. ¡°He seems to like you too,¡± Stella said from her perch. ¡°That¡¯s a good thing,¡± I responded. ¡°I¡¯d hate to be on the receiving end of all that muscle he carries so easily. He must weigh a ton but is agile like any cat I¡¯ve ever known.¡± Lowki¡¯s fur was short and packed densely together. The texture was pleasant to touch, almost like I was petting a high-quality fleece blanket. I wasn¡¯t sure how much protection it would give him in our battles yet to come through. Yet, the ruggedness of his muscles gave me the impression he had actual stone underneath his fur coat. Though, with how gracefully Lowki was able to move around our small valley, with Stella holding on expertly, he was the nimblest of any cat I had ever seen. The dichotomy of his overwhelming mass and feline mobility was something to behold. He was going to be a wonderful addition to our team and fighting potential. It was almost like someone had turned a Panzer tank into a flesh and blood-cat. This line of thinking reminded of looking over Lowki¡¯s character sheet. Knowing more details about his strengths and weaknesses would help us determine the best role he could fill in our little band. Even after a few attempts though, nothing popped up. At one point, I even called out heatedly, ¡°Pet character sheet!¡± But, still, nothing. It would seem that even though the System had stepped in to change Lowki¡¯s perspective, his statistics were going to remain hidden. ¡°Maybe try inspecting him,¡± Stella offered. Sure enough, Stella¡¯s suggestion finally garnered us some useful information. Lowki, the Rockhopper Leopard (Level 11 ¨C Pet of Xazorus) Rockhopper Leopards are truly a rarity within the World. Some consider their presence a boon, a sign of good luck. Others though, see only a predator with unmatched strength. While oftentimes found in small hunting packs, an occasional solitary rockhopper leopard can be found wandering about for easy prey. Still, any Hunter worth his salt would be wise to be on the lookout for any hidden brethren. With fur the color of the stone it often attempts to emulate, these agile ambush predators are a force to be reckoned with. Gifted with a sharp mind, and the strength of a mountain troll, these nimble hunting cats are capable of taking down foes more than twice their size. Current HP: 1200/1200. Current MP: 0/0. Special Ability: Reinforced Hide Leopard Ability: Solidifying Strike Former Incarnation Ability: Take Flight ¡°He¡¯s mine, right?¡± Stella asked hopefully. Lowki had made several vain attempts to dislodge her all the while. Somehow, clearly an Accelerator power, Stella¡¯s paws remained firmly affixed, almost as if magnetized. I couldn¡¯t help but smile as I watched while Stella easily kept her face pointing directly at me, regardless of the zigs and zags from Lowki. ¡°Ripley¡¯s mine, so it¡¯s only fair,¡± I responded in mock sincerity. Lowki didn¡¯t know me well enough yet, so didn¡¯t catch my obvious tone. Only my words registered as despair showed across his face. No sooner had I spoken when he came to an abrupt halt, his face pleading with me to reconsider. For a beast that weighed close to a quarter ton, his plaintive look was pure gold. Stella was so thrilled that she too missed my disingenuous answer. Perched proudly, she finally took her gaze off me, her closed eyes turned up to the sky. At that moment, I locked eyes with Lowki and subtly shook my head while mouthing, ¡°Nah.¡± Lowki smiled back at me, Stella none the wiser. I smiled back. Our levity quickly evaporated though when the ground underneath our feet shook. As if some great weight was being slammed repeatedly into the earth, trepidation quickly wormed up our bones with each increasing impact tremor. Lowki¡¯s ears pinned to his head. Stella took to the air, quickly coming to my side as we turned to the approaching threat. ¡°What was that?¡± she voiced uncertainly. Ripley took a fighting stance, her great sword held low and at the ready. With each pounding footfall, the image of a tremendous tyrannosaurus bearing down on us grew brighter in my mind. Then, I saw it, and my heart fell. ¡°I think I¡¯d prefer the T-Rex.¡± Chapter 27 - Obelisk Giant At first, only the top of its head was visible of what was obviously becoming a rather hefty humanoid mob. With each of its booming footfalls, and as it got closer, it seemed to grow another foot or more. The bulk of what I took to be the giant¡¯s body was partially obstructed by a large boulder in between our two positions, though that was looking comparatively smaller with each passing second. ¡°Ready up. This isn¡¯t going to be pretty,¡± I said as I limbered up, swinging my battle axe up and held defensively before me. A massive roar erupted from the throat of the creature. It sounded like an avalanche of rocks crashing towards our fragile bodies. As I was contemplating casting my first spell, a System message appeared in my vision. It caught me off guard and I blinked my eyes as my focus adjusted to it. Notice! Wandering Elite Mob, ¡®Khoores the Immense¡¯ has engaged YOU! Prepare to defend yourself! ¡°Shit,¡± the distraction cost me precious seconds as I had to reorient on the approaching mob. I would have to ask for Stella¡¯s help to stop that from happening in the future. This ¡®Khoores¡¯ giant had skin the color of a moss-covered bark. Deep shades of marbled brown were hidden beneath wide patches of bright green material. It covered the majority of his body. Though the creature wore no discernable armor, the moss appeared to be acting as protection for the towering brute as it covered him like clothing. The monstrosity came charging ahead, a crazed look upon his face. Held tightly in his hand was a freshly uprooted tree, as thick as my waist. In a fluid motion, the giant ran a hand down the trunk, tearing away twigs and leaves alike. With the strength the giant could bring to bear, the makeshift weapon looked like it could smash down a fortress wall. That thought was driven home when the giant pulled up short, just behind the boulder, and, with a deafening shout, swung his weapon two-handed from left to right. The log cracked deafeningly into the side of the round slab of stone. Apparently, attempting to dislodge the buried obstacle made more sense to the giant than simply going around it. Still, the giant¡¯s efforts were rewarded as the rough stone block was sent bouncing away. The blow absolutely destroyed the poor tree though as large splinters exploded away from the impact. Without a second though, the elite mob dropped the split tree carelessly before returning his attention to us. Words of a spell entered my mind, but before I could act, Lowki leaped forward, his aim dead center at the giant¡¯s chest. The lightning-fast attack surprised the giant, too, as it barely reacted before Lowki landed. Planting all four feet, Lowki used his momentum and pushed against the behemoth, spring-boarding away. Lowki¡¯s claws had dug in deep causing chunks of flesh and the mossy material to be torn away. Dark blood quickly welled up from the wounds, and soaked down the monster¡¯s torso. Not satisfied with only a simple attack, Lowki had used one of powerful abilities in the move. Where each of Lowki¡¯s paws had landed, a dark ripple of energy pulsed into the mob. In moments, the energy expanded outwards, turning the giant¡¯s already dusky skin even darker. ¡°That¡¯s his solidifying strike,¡± Stella shouted out as Lowki¡¯s power flooded into the giant¡¯s major muscle groups. The effects of the special attack quickly became evident as the giant¡¯s movements noticeably slowed. I would find out later that the power of Lowki¡¯s solidifying strike caused the target¡¯s muscles to partially petrify as if tendons had temporarily been turned to stone. To the giant, it must have felt like his entire body slowly seized up. Lowki¡¯s quick thinking may have just saved the day as it allowed me ample time to dodge aside as the behemoth threw a downward punch my way. Instead of turning me into paste, dirt, and rubble shot up into the air where his attack landed. Even slowed, that blow would have pulverized me, full health or not. Rolling away, I quickly came back to my feet, the words of a spell tumbling from my lips. In seconds the giant had both my boil blood and acidic blood pumping through its veins. All the while, I backed away from the beast, trying to get as much distance from the deadly foe. Ripley had approached from the giant¡¯s flank, swinging her great sword again and again, its keen edge biting deeply. The giant¡¯s natural defenses were not up to the task of weathering her blows. My minion did her job well, easily grabbing the attention of the giant away from me affording me the time to continue landing spell after spell. Sadly, even with the giant¡¯s attack speed slowed, she wasn¡¯t fast enough to dodge away from a particularly nasty swing. The giant¡¯s fist connected, sending Ripley flying away, her great sword flying from her grasp. Lowki made his presence known in the fight once more, landing heavily on the distracted goliath¡¯s back. Clamping his powerful jaws on the giant¡¯s neck, he began racking viciously with his back feet like only a cat can. Soon the monster¡¯s lower back was a ruined mess, gallons of foul gore that reeked of sulfur and rotten eggs continued to run down freely. The lumbering giant turned back and forth, doing all that he could to dislodge my new pet. Lowki¡¯s jaw proved stronger as he remained clamped down like a vice. How the giant roared in pain and frustration! I took a precious moment to inspect the giant, hoping against hope that it wasn¡¯t too strong for us to handle. Even with my spells wreaking havoc and Lowki¡¯s escalating damage, the fearsome beast continued to thrash around wildly. As the System message appeared before me, Lowki¡¯s luck finally ran out. The giant was finally able to reach over its back to grab hold of the evasive gray cat. Tossing him away vermin, Lowki was sent spinning away. Khoores the Immense, Obelisk Giant (Level 17 Elite) The distant cousin of rock giants, obelisk giants boast feats of strength that could rival that of a dragon. Having a natural immunity to lightning-based attacks, and a resistance to fire damage, this foe will not be easily conquered. The only saving grace for an adventuring Hunter would be the beast¡¯s dim wit and even weaker hide. Still, this mob''s staggering health pool allows it to keep on fighting through the most grievous of wounds. One rumored tale told of how, even missing the lower half of his body, one determined obelisk giant continued forward. Crawling with fierce determination, ever onwards to a chosen foe. Good luck, Hunter. You¡¯re gonna need it! Even given the considerable damage we had been able to do in such a short amount of time, with the System message confirming it, the mammoth monster had plenty left to spare. Fortunately for us though, the creature¡¯s blank immunity to lightning, combined with a dash of fire resistance meant little to me. I wouldn¡¯t be able to use my flamethrower spell to full effect, though my lesser boil blood was ticking away for full damage. Ripley was finally getting back to her feet and was making her way towards the bloody monster, though she had to find her great sword to be at all effective. Lowki, even considering the impressive distance he had been thrown, had been able to land gracefully. Using some tall grass as cover, he was circling around for another attack. I needed to do more than allow my DOTs to scrape away at their health points. While Khoores was resistant to fire magic, I had a spell to help combat that, though it had a longer cast time of three seconds. [Minor Scent of Decay]. The scent of death and decay surrounded a target within 100 feet. The spell causes no damage but lowers the target¡¯s resistance to fire, poison, and disease by 33% of the caster¡¯s intelligence. Duration 5 minutes. Cost: 50 MP. Cast Time: 3 seconds. Cooldown: 6 seconds. Plus 10 feet max range, plus 20 seconds duration per spell level. Arcane syllables tumbled from my lips and my fingers made furious gestures as I worked to complete the spell. Whether it was the words of my spell or the sweeping motions of my arms, I once more caught the attention of the ogre. His massive head turned in my direction, a growl curling his lips. My spell completed, and I silently prayed it would land successfully. Magic arced through the air between us, impacting Khoores¡¯ torso. Detonating like a swollen melon, dark energy leeched into his body. A notification popped up a moment later, informing me that the giant¡¯s resistances had been lowered by twenty-one percent. A marked difference compared to when I used it last against Adom. That would help. Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. Coming up from a kneeling position, Khoores took a step in my direction. Summoning my trusty battle axe into my hand, in a quick motion it was sent tumbling end over end. Our foe attempted to raise a hand to intercept the weapon, but Lowki¡¯s slowing effect from solidifying strike allowed the axe to land unblocked, burying deep in the left side of his chest. My luck was holding steady as a sudden flare of azure magic lighted within the weapon¡¯s manasteel, marking the special effect triggering. Frigid ice encrusted the wound and rushed outwards to flash-freeze most of the beast¡¯s upper torso. Oh, how that got the giant¡¯s attention! Flinching back in pain, he stumbled backward, feebly reaching with a massive hand towards the offending weapon. ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± I said. With a thought, the axe returned to my hand courtesy of my new ring of return. The giant had closed his eyes against the pain, so when its hands found nothing but air, it continued to futilely search for the source of that agony. When my manasteel battle axe of freezing cracked home once more, the giant was caught completely unawares. For my second throw, I had altered my aim, looking for a specific vulnerable spot. My weapon struck the side of the giant¡¯s head, momentarily knocking him senseless. Tilting off balance, the mob crashed heavily on his side. The giant made a comical attempt to find the axe that was embedded in its skull, but the blow had left it weak and confused. Like a drunk man awkwardly looking for his beer, he couldn¡¯t do more than momentarily brush it with his fingertips. I attempted to recall the weapon once more, but it failed having no effect. ¡°It has a one-minute cooldown,¡± Stella called out next to me. Responding to her comment, I quickly intoned a regeneration onto Ripley, followed by a second as soon as I was able to target Lowki. Both hadn¡¯t sustained too much damage, but with the momentary reprieve in the battle, it was a good idea to get the heals going. Hoping my scent of decay spell had lowered its natural resistance enough to matter, I moved my hands to dual cast minor flamethrower. In an instant, I splayed my hands apart and a geyser of flame rushed out. Ripley rejoined the battle as my flames washed over the giant, her great sword hacking away at the monster¡¯s remaining health pool, though I noticed her attacks were slower than usual. Lowki, who had stealthily approached from the rear, leaped once more to latch on the back of the giant¡¯s neck. Our combined assaults proved up to the task to continue to whittle away at what remained of the lifeforce the giant had coursing through his copious veins. My flamethrower continued to immolate the giant face. I couldn¡¯t know if much of the damage was getting through as I had hidden my damage notifications, but my efforts were still effectively blinding the elite. Khoores¡¯ movements turned more frantic in an attempt to escape the punishment he was enduring. Thankfully for Lowki, the giant¡¯s head was big enough that my flames barely reached him, though some of my damage was biting away at his health, nevertheless. Though, I guessed Lowki would have been more than willing to withstand a fraction of my assault to ensure our victory. The elite¡¯s health plummeted; Stella had called out to the group. ¡°Health at ten percent!¡± At her words, Lowki decided the end the fight. With a violent jerk of his head, a resounding crack echoed out across the field. Like a puppet with its strings cut, the giant fell lifelessly to the ground. ¡°Stell, please,¡± I wheezed out, my hands falling to my sides. I was physically and mentally drained. ¡°Tell me nothing else is coming.¡± With the terrible foe defeated, I allowed myself to collapse to the ground. Burned and crushed grass did little to soften my fall, though I cared little. Drawing in deep ragged breaths, I did all that I could to still the anxiety waring in my chest. That had been close, and what the hell was an elite mob anyway? Our battle with the obelisk giant had come and gone as violently as it had begun. Looking around, Lowki was no worse for wear, my regenerative magic restoring him to full health. Still, odd tuffs of grass clung doggedly to his body. Eyeing up Ripley, I finally noticed that she was missing her left arm. At some point, the giant must have torn it off, or she had lost it when she was flung away. Either way, my regen spell would do little to restore the lost limb. ¡°Stella, can you help Ripley,¡± I asked as I propped myself up on my elbows. ¡°Looks like she lost something.¡± ¡°Hey,¡± Stella curtly replied. ¡°Be nice to her. She probably saved your life.¡± My attempt a brevity having fallen short, I picked myself off the ground. Patting away dirt, I walked towards Ripley and gave it another go, ¡°Here, Ripley, let me give you a hand.¡± Stella¡¯s raptor gaze snapped at me, an angry scowl plain across her features. ¡°Sorry, sorry,¡± I said as raised both hands defensively. ¡°Just trying to lighten the mood. Say, uh, Stell? You never did say we were in the clear.¡± Stella¡¯s eyebrows narrowed dangerously, ¡°Keep going, see where it leads you.¡± Chuckling slightly to myself, I let it be. Ripley was wandering in escalating spirals looking for her lost limb. I spotted it shortly thereafter. Ripley¡¯s transformation along with me when I gained my tier two class had turned her previously dusky gray bones to a midnight black had made it difficult to see. Ripley moved hurriedly towards me, eager to get back to full fighting strength. ¡°Ok,¡± I said as I moved the limb to her open shoulder socket. ¡°Don¡¯t move.¡± With one free hand, I cast minor regeneration directly on the connecting joint. Power flowed out of my hands to encapsulate the area. After a few moments, Ripley was testing the arm ensuring everything worked properly. She nodded at me in thanks, a move that showed her growing intelligence. ¡°You¡¯re very welcome.¡± Feeling Stella¡¯s gaze on the back of my neck, I added, ¡°Thanks for saving my life.¡± My back still turned to her; I could still clearly hear a canine grunt come from her direction. Hiding the smile that had been there a second earlier, I turned to Stella with a blank expression. Hoping to smooth over the situation I put myself in, I cleared my throat. ¡°Well, we¡¯re no worse for wear. That could have easily gone differently.¡± Taking a deep breath, I could still feel my heart pounding in my chest. ¡°Feels like I just ran a marathon.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the adrenaline,¡± Stella said as we approached the downed monster. ¡°Just give it a moment, then you¡¯ll really feel the weight of what just happened. Without Lowki, and his amazing ability to slow down the giant, we might just be the ones taking a dirt nap.¡± Stella¡¯s voice was matter-of-fact but contained just a hint of humor in it. She was trying to make light of the seriously bad position we had found ourselves in. I didn¡¯t know what a ¡®wandering elite¡¯ was, but I was sure we were lucky to come out as well as we did. Lowki walked over to me, rubbing his head against my legs before sitting down next to me. His stoney head came up to my rib cage. Patting his head, the thought that only minutes ago he had been an imp about to burn me to death caused an uncomfortable feeling to flutter through me. Lowki, the fire imp, had tried to turn me into a human shish kabob. Now though, he leaned into the caress like any affectionate cat would. ¡°You really have changed, haven¡¯t you, Lowki?¡± A small roar escaped the cat¡¯s maw before he twisted his neck in an attempt to get me to scratch a particularly sensitive spot. Obliging the request, I could only smile and shake my head at how quickly this whole situation had shifted. If Lowki the Imp hadn¡¯t attacked after we answered his riddles, he would only have given us a single favor as a reward for completing the quest. Immediately after, Khoores had come trampling in, and who could know if we would have been able to defeat him, even with that favor being called in immediately. A thought echoed in my mind before the words were spoken aloud, ¡°That elite was fire-resistant.¡± Without Lowki¡¯s transformation, we would be lying in the beast¡¯s place. Stella, not aware of my inner thoughts, tilted a head in my direction, ¡°Yeah, we know that. It didn¡¯t really do him any good.¡± Stella flew down to Lowki¡¯s position, nuzzling her face into the cat¡¯s face before she started talking in a baby voice. ¡°Yup, Xaz should just consider himself lucky we were here to save the day. You¡¯re a good boy, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Definitely,¡± I said as a wide grin crossed my face. Stella glided up to land atop Lowki¡¯s head once more, before turning her face up to me. ¡°Let¡¯s try to avoid bringing death down upon us, at least for the next few hours, yeah?¡± In response, my fingers articulated through the movement of a spell. In short order, my movement song had buffed the group, including the new addition, Lowki. ¡°Of course¡­ of course,¡± I said as I stared a tilted gaze down towards Stella. Her eyes narrowed once more, unsure of my meaning. Her head lowered as if about to pounce, so my words came sputtering out, ¡°I¡¯m kidding, I¡¯m kidding!¡± Weariness overtook me, and with the group¡¯s consent, we decided a quick five-minute power nap would do us good. ¡°So,¡± I asked as I stared up into the rolling clouds above, my hands folded behind my head. ¡°What¡¯s next?¡± Chapter 28 - Level Twelve What came next was a small bombardment of System notifications. My weary eyes only now catching the incessantly blinking icon. ¡°Better get to it,¡± I said, still comfortably resting with my back against the soft earth. ¡°What did I earn from all that?¡± Congratulations! You have earned 5,000 experience for defeating the wandering elite, ¡®Khoores the Immense.¡¯ Level Up! You have earned enough experience to advance to level 12. Tier 2 class characteristic attributes have been applied. You have 7 attribute points to distribute. Wisdom Threshold Reached (20). Benefits: Plus 7% (up from 5%) increased mana regeneration and magical resistances. Congratulations on reaching level 12. As a Warlock, you are able to choose one of the following class-appropriate skills or spells. Please know that it is possible that any skill or spell not selected may be found elsewhere in the World. Additionally, another set of skills or spells will be selectable at level 14. When level 20 is reached, a tier 3 class will be available. Choose wisely. Option 1: Spell ¡®Poison Breath¡¯ ¨C Exhale a poisonous cloud that expands outwards from the caster to engulf any hostile target within 15 feet. Those affected by the spell are impacted by a poisonous debuff that deals high necrotic damage over time. Option 2: Spell ¡®Soul Leech¡¯ ¨C An invisible wave of magical energy strikes at the core of a target within 100 feet. The target is dealt moderate damage over time. Additionally, the damage caused creates a leech effect, transferring a portion of the damage dealt to directly restore the caster¡¯s health pool. Option 3: Spell ¡®Renew Bones¡¯ ¨C A beam of magical energy shoots from the caster¡¯s hand to impact an undead minion. The spell¡¯s healing power restores lost health, as well as curing minor diseases, acidic and fire-based damage over time effects. ¡°Sweet, new spells,¡± eagerness evident in my voice. Stella was quick to come over and sat next to me as I crossed my legs underneath me. ¡°Quick question, the third option, the renew bones spells, do you know how strong it is compared to me simply casting regen on her?¡± ¡°Checking,¡± Stella said as she swept a paw in front of her face. Man, I wish I could see her screens like she could mine. ¡°From what I see in the metadata, the spell would heal a significant amount of Ripley¡¯s health, and all at once.¡± ¡°Thanks for checking,¡± I replied as I considered the final option. ¡°I think I can rule that one out, though. Sure, healing a big part of her HP could be important, we already have a way to heal her. What we need right now is more DoTs. Though before we decide which to take, perhaps we should check the spell books we looted from those wrecked wagons.¡± Pulling up my inventory window, I called each of the spell tomes to my hand. Both were smaller than other spell books I had acquired, these were no bigger than a small journal though certainly thicker with something like tripled the number of pages. Laying the books on my lap, I pulled up the System message from earlier. You have found: Spell Book of Lesser Cure Poison, Corruption, and Disease! You have found: Spell Book of Lesser Chained Lightning! ¡°I¡¯ve never seen spellbooks so small,¡± Stella said as she tilted her head. She was trying to understand the arcane words and runes adorned on the cover of each book. ¡°My guess would be that these are a more expensive type of spell book, though nothing other than its smaller size stands out. Maybe do a thorough inspection so we can see what we¡¯re working with.¡± The two tomes felt heavy in my hands, like a full-sized encyclopedia had been shrunk down yet retained its previous weight. Looking at each spell book in turn, I inspected much more thoroughly this time. {Spell Book of Lesser Cure Poison, Corruption, and Disease}. Quality: Exceptional. Rarity: Rare. Type: Spell Book ¨C Consumable. Durability: 485/500. Properties: Teaches the spell [Lesser Cure Poison, Corruption, and Disease]. Note ¨C This is a single-use item and will be destroyed when used. [Lesser Cure Poison, Corruption, and Disease]. A wave of magical energy rushes through a target¡¯s body, curing most damaging over time effects immediately. Damaging over time spells with durations greater than 30 seconds will only have 30 seconds removed per cast of this spell. Cost: 35 mana. Cast Time: 1 second. Cooldown: 5 seconds. Plus 6 additional seconds of damage over time effects are negated per two spell levels. Note - The target must be touched for this spell to take effect. {Spell Book of Lesser Chained Lightning}. Quality: Exceptional. Rarity: Rare. Type: Spell Book ¨C Consumable. Durability: 486/500. Properties: Teaches the spell [Lesser Chained Lightning]. Note ¨C This is a single-use item and will be destroyed when used. Notice! Requirement 90 Intelligence (unmet). [Lesser Chained Lightning]. A bolt of electrical energy lashes out from the caster¡¯s hand, striking an initial target. In addition, up to three extra bolts of lightning fork to strike additional targets as long as those targets are within 30 feet of the subsequent target. Note ¨C Only a single bolt may strike any one target and damage decreases by 5% for each new target struck. Cost: 75 mana. Cast Time: 1 second. Cool down: 10 seconds. Plus 1 additional forked lightning (if a new target is available), plus 3 feet range per four spell levels. ¡°That¡¯s interesting; an intelligence requirement for the chained lightning. Haven¡¯t seen that before.¡± Though the book opened easily, and I could see words, everything to my eyes was completed gibberish. ¡°Do you think we¡¯re going to start seeing these now?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve actually been seeing them this whole time.¡± Stella was intently peering at the open spell book. ¡°Well, you haven¡¯t seen the requirements because you had already met the requirements. It only shows up if you can¡¯t use the tome. Your acidic bolt spell, for example, required 20 intelligence points to learn. If you want, I could include that information in the future even if you already meet the requirement.¡± ¡°Hmm, not just yet, but it¡¯s good to know. Thanks,¡± I said as I closed the spell book once more. Thinking a little bit further about it, I added, ¡°Maybe only bring it up if we intend to sell a spell book, though I couldn¡¯t imagine why I would want to do that. I want all the powers!¡± Stella cocked a single eyebrow up at my last words. ¡°You know, you¡¯re something of a strange person at times.¡± Ignoring her comment, I continued, ¡°Well, nothing I can do about the chained lightning spell, even if I put all seven new points into intelligence from the level we just got.¡± Placing the spell book back in my inventory, I asked Stella to remind me of it once I met the intelligence requirement. Nothing was holding me back from using the cure poison, corruption, and disease spell, so I prepared myself. A prompt entered my vision asking if I wanted to consume the spell book. After selecting ¡®Yes,¡¯ the tome rose into the air before hovering at chest level. It opened and as pages began to turn, faster and faster, the now familiar light built in front of me. The light angled downwards, cresting into my open eyes as power and knowledge entered my mind. Like the information contained in the now disintegrated book had always been there, I knew intimately how to cast the spell. The required arcane words and articulation were available with a simple thought. Mentally reviewing my new spell, I was thrilled to have a means to actually remove harmful poison and disease damage over time spells now. Stella and I had spoken at great lengths after leaving Nemmil about a situation where we had to survive against another necromancer-type Hunter. I knew my spells were powerful, some capable of defeating weaker foes with only a single spell. The thought concerned me greatly when I considered what would happen to us if a Hunter layered spell after spell upon me. My most powerful DoT, lesser boil blood, according to the spell¡¯s information, was currently capable of dealing over three thousand points of damage. With only my regeneration spell, I was capable of healing slightly over one thousand health during the duration of the spell. Though, dual casting it increased the amount significantly to thirty-five hundred. Sure, I would be fine against my best spell, but I had more than one damage over time incantation, and, considering the option to pick up a third called lesser soul leech, my regen spell wasn¡¯t strong enough by itself. Fighting against a similarly suited Hunter would likely result in the death of us both. Now though, my new spell cure spell annihilated the lose-lose scenario. Cure lesser poison, corruption, and disease¡­ Man, the spell name was a mouthful¡­ On its own would negate half of blood boils damage. Now, we had a fighting chance to survive against another necromancer. Stella looked up and we nodded at each other. She was certainly following down the same train of thought as the spell was absorbed into my very being. ¡°That¡¯s one less worry down,¡± I said as my mind returned to the question of which spell to select. ¡°So, Stell? What¡¯s your opinion on our spell selection?¡± In the end, Stella and I agreed only two spells were worth considering right now, either poison breath or soul leech, especially considering the bonus from my necromancer class. Tier 1 Class Bonus - As a Necromancer all of your damage over time spells now level 50% faster and deal 100% additional base damage. All spells of this type now automatically bypass up to twenty-five magical and non-magical resistances. We figured if we were hard-pressed enough in a battle where Ripley was at risk of dying, we had bigger things to worry about. My regen spell could function for the group for now. We debated for a few minutes, listing the pros and cons of the two DoTs, but it came down to Soul Leech¡¯s ability to both deal damage and heal me at the same time. My experience with video games back on Earth, had me certain that spells capable of absorbing resources, in this case health, were worth its weight in gold. Like in guerrilla warfare, taking something from the enemy to make you stronger stood out to me. Stella had no concerns with my line of thinking, so the decision was settled. You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. Congratulations! New Spell Unlocked: [Lesser Soul Leech]! [Lesser Soul Leech]. An invisible wave of magical energy strikes at the core of a target within 100 feet, damaging the target¡¯s life force over time. The target is afflicted with the debuff "Vampiric Embrace" which also siphons life essence to heal the caster. After 30 seconds the target¡¯s soul becomes unburdened and the debuff expires. The spell causes 50 (up from 25 due to class bonus) plus 2n damage immediately and then every 6 seconds thereafter, where ¡®n¡¯ equals Intelligence. Additionally, 75% of spell damage is transferred to the caster, healing any lost health points. Cost: 40 mana. Cast Time: 1 second. Cooldown: 1 second. Plus 10 feet maximum range, plus 6 base damage, and plus 1% additional healing per spell level. Note - As a Necromancer, the spell automatically bypasses up to 25% magical and non-magical resistances and deals 100% additional base damage. It only took a moment for the information to be downloaded straight into my mind and subconscious. Closing my eyes against the sudden acquisition of arcane knowledge, I was once again astounded by the power the System processed. Taking a deep breath, I opened my eyes to a smiling Stella who was not sitting opposite of me. ¡°Love it,¡± I said. She knew exactly what I meant, for she was the reason I could do the things I could. While the System, well, the Game really, could do harm to so many, it could also do wonderful things such as this. Stella was my conduit, my guide. She winked at me. Maybe she could read my mind. Nah, I doubt she can, I thought. Stella stretched out languidly before rising in the air, prompting me to stand next to her in turn. ¡°We have three DoTs now, Stella,¡± I said as I gazed upon the body of the obelisk giant. ¡°We¡¯re all the more powerful for it, though I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll want to fight another one of those any time soon.¡± ¡°I¡¯d say,¡± Stella responded. ¡°With those three spells on a single enemy, you¡¯re doing six-hundred and seventeen damage per tick. Or, if you prefer, about one hundred damage per second.¡± I thought to ask why the Game caused the damage from my DoT spells once every six seconds, also known as one ¡®tick,¡¯ but it wasn¡¯t worth delving into the question at this junction. The System did what the System did. Stella continued without pause, her eyes darting around as she used her Accelerator interface, ¡°Want to hear something incredible? If those three DoTs fully apply their damage, that¡¯s a whopping four thousand eight hundred and twenty-two damage! That¡¯s not even taking into account the other plethora of damage you can dish out from your axe to your flamethrower spell. It¡¯s impressive if you think about it. Those spells alone are capable of taking down anything we¡¯ve come across so far!¡± She was clearly excited as she kept on going, ¡°Add in the healing aspect of lesser soul leech, along with your regen spell, and in total you¡¯re healing for three hundred and twenty-two health per tick.¡± Stella twitched her head, ¡°I¡¯m not even going to say how much per second, the System heals and damages per tick, and that¡¯s that.¡± I wasn¡¯t about to argue the fact. Stella wasn¡¯t even looking at me as information tumbled out of her in waves. It brought yet another smile to my face. ¡°Your survivability just jumped another few notches. The two will be healing you for¡­ a little shy of double your maximum health. I wouldn¡¯t have it any other way.¡± Oblivious to the humor I was feeling about her, she barreled forward. ¡°¡­ and don¡¯t forget about the essence barrier buff from your necromancer ring. It¡¯s basically a preemptive heal in its own right. The ring creates an active shield worth ten percent of your DoT damage, essentially adding another sixty-two health per tick! Yes, you¡¯re right, it may not seem like much, but when you combine all three, you are capable of tanking over three hundred and eighty damage every six seconds when you¡¯re at optimal fighting efficiency! All without a single scratch to show for it!¡± ¡°Not too bad. Not too bad at all,¡± Stella finished. She must have hidden her System interface, as her eyes refocused on me. Seeing the humor etched across my face, she bunched up her face. ¡°What are you on about?¡± ¡°Nothing,¡± I said as I ditched the expression. Before Stella could inquire further, I mentally clicked on my character sheet. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s distribute those seven attribute points¡­¡± Stella¡¯s eyes narrowed a fraction more, but her face was lost to me as my sheet appeared in the air between us. All was right with the world, but then a small, black face inched around the side of the menu, her expression unchanged. Doing my best to ignore the light-hearted ribbing, I turned around, showing my back to Stella as if I was helping her see the window. As I began to read, the noise of teeth clamping down on the air only an inch from the back of my neck sounded out.
Xaz the Hunter Killer Accelerator: S.T.E.L.L.A.
Level: 12 Experience: 66,115
Race: Half-Elf Tier I: Necromancer
Armor Class: 110 Tier II: Warlock
Reputation
Views: 116,255* Followers 11,979
Statistics
Health 1050 Health Regen: 123/min
Mana 1290 Mana Regen: 112/min
Stamina 740 Stam. Regen: 54/min
Attributes
Strength: 53 Dexterity: 24
Constitution: 55 Intelligence: 65
Charisma: 51 Wisdom 20
Luck 37
Resistances
Stun +5% Magic +15%
Mind Altering +100%
Disease +10%
Traits Abilities
Mind & Matter Darkvision
Exalted Acceleration Clear-Headed
Adaptability
Keen Senses
Knowing I wanted to reach ninety intelligence points so I could learn the chained lighting spell, I decided to put five points into intelligence and two points into constitution. So, next level, I would earn enough attribute points to cross the requirement threshold. Next came the notifications indicating my skill gains from the fight. Spell: [Lesser Heat Blood] has increased to level 12. Spell: [Minor Acidic Bolt] has increased to level 10. Spell: [Minor Scent of Decay] has increased to level 8. Skill: [Dual Cast] has increased to level 9. Spell: [Minor Flamethrower] has increased to level 5. Spell: [Minor Regen] has increased to level 9. Spell: [Selomund''s Song of Travel] has increased to level 5. Notice! Skill Gained: [Throwing], level 1. Each additional level in this skill increases throwing accuracy by 5% and increases damage dealt by 5%. Skill: [Throwing] has increased to levels 2 and 3. After reading those messages, my eye caught a blinking asterisk next to my ¡®views¡¯ counter on my character screen. I must have missed it earlier, as I normally didn¡¯t care what my views and followers were. Still, I was rewarded with an impressive System message. As I read the message, my eyes widened with each new line of text. ¡°This will likely be the last increase like this,¡± I muttered to myself. ¡°I¡¯ve got to be coming up on my first twenty-four-hour mark since I became a Hunter, right?¡± Reputation Achievement: You have reached the 100,000 viewer achievement tier. System reward is based on the contributing factor that increased your recent viewership. Please note that these achievements were all within your first 24 hours; so, rewards have been increased based on the rarity of this type of achievement (Epic Rarity). Congratulations! You have received one free upgrade to a skill, spell, or your pet class. ¡°Wait, am I reading this right?¡± I said in shock. The last time a reputation gain had occurred, my followers got the choice of what was going to be upgraded, not me. Their choice had resulted in my clear-headed ability, for which I was very thankful. ¡°Can I really choose to upgrade Lowki? We just got him.¡± ¡°Yeah, you can. That is exceedingly rare. Hence the epic rarity, I suppose,¡± Stella said as her gaze fell upon our newest team member. ¡°I doubt that the ability to add an upgrade to Lowki would have been available otherwise. Honestly, you shouldn¡¯t even consider any other choices. That is going to evolve Lowki. Damn, that normally requires incredibly rare items, ingredients, or a powerful enchantment. You have to take that, or you¡¯ll regret it for a very long time.¡± I couldn¡¯t argue, I trusted in Stella¡¯s advice completely. A drop-down appeared before my eyes and I went through the menu and selected to upgrade my pet, Lowki. After I confirmed my selection, Lowki walked over to stand before me. His eyes flashed golden before closing them completely. His body began to radiate with the same gold, matching what I had seen deep in his eyes. The light intensified by the second to blinding intensity. When the brightness returned to normal levels, my jaw dropped. ¡°Hi,¡± was all my stunned mind could spit out as I gazed upon our ¡®upgraded¡¯ teammate. Chapter 29 - Umbral Displacer Beast As the brilliant light faded, Lowki¡¯s body began to shift. The gray rock-like skin and fur loosened as if shifting like ground before a rockslide, before falling to the ground. The substance appeared to weigh nothing more than a feather as it drifted lazily to the dirt below him. Right before making contact though, the remnant of his forming body was picked up, as if by some unseen breeze, before evaporating into motes of magical essence, blowing away as if on an invisible wind. As he continued to molt, a coat of midnight fur could be gleaned underneath. With a shake of his body from his tail to snout, the rest of his rocky skin fell away and quickly disappeared from sight. Lowki arched his head to the sky and let out a piercing cry, a sound several octaves higher than I had been expecting, given the deep base, his voice carried when he was a rockhopper leopard. Though he had remained largely quiet in his short tenure with the group, his old growl could be felt deep within your chest as if you were standing close to a subwoofer. In seconds, Lowki had grown far more muscular and had a sleek black coat of fur. He also grew in length. Where before he was a good two meters from tail to nose, now he looked to be approaching three. The changes didn¡¯t end there, now that his transformation was complete. Hidden behind the molting of his old skin, another pair of feline legs were now sprouting from the mid-section of his body. He was a six-legged cat! As stared in disbelief, two corded appendages pulled away from his body. Matching the same midnight black as his new fur, these tentacles couldn¡¯t be seen until they began waving in the air, almost hypnotically. At the tip of each was a wide area completed with incredibly sharp-looking barbs. Lowki''s head snapped to Stella as she audibly gasped. She likely felt as stunned as I did. As if a pair of snakeheads rounding on an enemy, Lowki¡¯s paw-like tentacles orientated to the object of his attention, Stella. Rows of bone-white needles, as thick as a finger, flexed as if ready to slam down into an enemy. I needn¡¯t worry though, as Lowki¡¯s tension faded when he recognized who made the sound. Stella looked a bit taken aback so I tried to defuse her mounting tension. ¡°It¡¯s okay, he knows you, Stella. My guess is that transformation was just as jarring to him as it looked to us.¡± ¡°You¡¯re,¡± Stella said experimentally. ¡°Not going to attack me, yes?¡± Lowki¡¯s non-verbal response was to twist his neck as if easing a kink, before yawning wide. He didn¡¯t have a care in the world, so it looked. Stella¡¯s eyes went wider as she could now see his pristinely white rows of jagged teeth, any one of them capable of snuffing the life out of an animal even twice her size. His tentacles, no longer intently focused on a target, began waving around as if on their own accord. To me, it was as if they had the relaxed tendency of any cat¡¯s tail, though it was clear they were far more dangerous. Lowki stretched out even more, his face and tail reaching up to the morning sky while his ribcage nearly touched the soft grass underneath him. Straighten out, he pounded his powerfully muscled legs, claws from each of his six paws tearing furrows in the soft earth. Opening his eyes once more, I now saw Lowki¡¯s orbs gleamed an appealing amethyst color. Our eyes locked gazes and I found no malice there. Lowki was determined, carrying steadfast confidence. Lowki had grown far, far stronger. ¡°His new form looks familiar,¡± I said as I walked around the dark cat. ¡°If in not mistaken, he¡¯s a displacer beast.¡± Back on Earth, a displacer beast was a creature of fantasy, a nightmare to catch for those who attempted to fight it. Patting his course fur, I was thankful he was on our side. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s see what you¡¯ve got,¡± I said to Lowki as I inspected him. Lowki, Umbral Displacer Beast (Level 12 ¨C Pet of Xazorus) Creatures of the night and born for the hunt, Umbral Displacer Beasts are usually only found in areas of great magical density, though they can survive in even the most barren of lands. These magnificent creatures have adapted to a life of shadow and constant struggle. Their supernatural abilities make them incredibly difficult to pin down, let alone injure. Being able to project an illusion of itself while partially rendering itself invisible, this hunting cat is often meters away from the projected location. All the while the displacer beast stalks closer to vulnerable prey, attacking at the most opportune moment. When the Umbral Displacer Beast strikes, the poisoned spines that adorn its mesmerizing tentacles inflict a debilitating poison that causes extremely painful wounds. Current HP: 1500/1500. Current MP: 0/0. Special Ability: Envenomed Spines Beast Ability: Displacement Former Incarnation Ability: Solidifying Strike Other Abilities: Darkvision, Poison Immunity ¡°Displacement, nice. Can we see that in action?¡± I asked of my companion. Lowki obliged. His purple eyes shined with an inner light, before his body blurred. His feline form grew less distinct, almost translucent, though I was only able to track him with great effort. In the corner of my vision, a cat that looked exactly like Lowki stood and lowered itself to the ground as if about to leap. The true Lowki was moving to flank me and when he moved into the tall grass nearby, I lost him. His magical twin leaped, his outstretched front paws reaching out to me. As his talons struck, so too did his two waving tentacles, the barbs going for opposite sides of my neck. Closing my eyes instinctually, I flinched back, though I felt no contact. Opening my eyes, the illusion, for that is what is what, was gone. When I felt a pair of tentacles land on my shoulders from my back, I knew the real Lowki was right behind me. I chuckled good-naturedly, before turning around slowly, ¡°You got me.¡± Now facing the smiling Lowki, he removed the dangerous limbs as if he had been playing a simple game. ¡°That¡¯s his displacement ability.¡± Stella said with a warm tone of voice. ¡°Like the information you saw after inspecting him, Lowki is quite easily able to project a convincing illusionary image of himself several feet from his actual location. I saw you track his true body, but that¡¯s only because of the bond we share. Our enemies won¡¯t be able to do that without some ability to see invisible creatures. It¡¯s an incredibly powerful defensive ability.¡± ¡°It¡¯s impressive, is what it is,¡± I said to Stella as she hovered near my shoulder. ¡°I could have sworn the illusion was the real thing, even though I had seen his true form move into the tall grass. As the illusion bore down on me, every one of my senses screamed I was about to be mauled. I can¡¯t wait to see him in action.¡± Our little band of heroes was growing, by leaps and bounds. Quite literally. As I placed a hand atop Lowki¡¯s head, he pushed up into my caress. As I slid my hand down his neck and his back, I felt the tense, corded muscles that made up his feline form. Lowki¡¯s course fur was so dark that I suspected that, without touching him, the physique of his body would not be easily distinguished. He was nothing short of astonishing. He was also solid. Don¡¯t get me wrong, his body was not as bulky as his previous rockhopper body with its rock-like body, but it was as if he didn¡¯t lose any of his mass. Now, it was pure muscle and easily weighed four or five times more than I did. With his extra pair of legs, he no longer sunk into the soft earth like his earlier incarnation did. His tentacles waving lazily in the air, I could make out the hint of something glistening at the points of the alabaster barbs. Poison. Lowki began to prowl around the party, his three pairs of legs moved with grace and fluidity. It looked to me like he was keeping a defensive eye on our surroundings. Combined with the ever-reliable Ripley, I doubted anything would be able to sneak up on us. A sense that he could rocket off in any direction, at any moment, radiated out from him. ¡°Well, Lowki, are you ready to get out there and find the next adventure waiting for us?¡± I asked while patting the great cat once more. At my words, almost faster than I could register, Lowki sprung away, landing a dozen meters away. The cat turned his head around to look at us as if prompting us to keep up with him. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. ¡°I¡¯ll take that as a yes,¡± I said, thoroughly amused. ¡°Alright, gang, let¡¯s get back on the trail.¡± With one final look at the defeated giant¡¯s body, sadly there was nothing we could loot from the massive thing, we headed west at a run with Lowki leading the way. Backtracking to the burned husks that remained of the merchant¡¯s caravan, the sky above turned darker as if a storm was fast approaching, though no rain fell. Seeing nothing of further interest, we left the carnage and continued on north along the well-worn road. Ripley walked in back as the group''s rear guard, with Stella alternating turns riding on either of our shoulders. Lowki was often far ahead of us, scouting and ensuring nothing ambushed the party. Trusting in Ripley¡¯s prowess as a rear guard, I kept most of my attention ahead of us with an occasional glance to either side for safety. ¡°Hey, Stella,¡± I called back over my shoulder. ¡°Let¡¯s take a look at Lowki¡¯s abilities. Can you come over?¡± A second later, Stella¡¯s familiar weight rested on my shoulder, as comforting as ever. ¡°Can you show me her envenomed spines and the solidifying strike,¡± I asked with a quick glance her way. ¡°We¡¯ve already seen his displacement ability in action, but I¡¯d like to look at his other ones in more detail.¡± ¡°Pulling up his about his abilities¡­ now,¡± Stella said before System messages appeared in my vision. Envenomed Spines ¨C When struck by the barbs of an Umbral Displacer Beast¡¯s tentacles, a virulent poison is injected into a target which is quickly absorbed into major muscle groups. The poison causes a moderate damage over time effect. Additionally, the poison has a latent ability which causes the target¡¯s pain receptors to enter a state of extreme excitement and a constant state of firing. As a result, targets are highly likely to lose the concentration necessary when attempting spell casting, to dangerous effect. Note ¨C The duration of the poisoned state varies on how many barbs struck the target per instance (minimum 30 seconds duration). Solidifying Strike ¨C After making physical contact with a target, a surge of magical energy spreads out for the impact site causing all the victim¡¯s nearby muscles to partially petrify, taking on the aspects of rock and stone. This effectively slows the target¡¯s movements, attacks, and spell-casting ability by 30%. Note ¨C The duration of the slowed state varies on the strength of the impact (minimum of 30 seconds duration). ¡°These abilities really make Lowki a perfect complement to the team,¡± Stella said after a moment. ¡°He can function as both scout and ambusher. He¡¯d make an effective mage-killer. Not only can he slow a target with his solidifying strike, but his venomed attack has a high chance of interrupting enemy spell casting. It¡¯s a potent mix.¡± ¡°Yeah, his darkvision, like my own means he¡¯s going to be able to scout around in even the dead of night,¡± I said, agreeing with Stella¡¯s assessment. ¡°He seems to be able to understand what I say but can¡¯t speak so that may make it difficult for him to relay information about what he finds. Still, I¡¯d rather have him trying to warn us than walk into an ambush unawares any day.¡± We were both impressed and thankful for Lowki¡¯s evolution and transformation. ¡°I have a feeling he¡¯s going to be a big part of this team¡¯s success,¡± I said as we continued on our unhurried pace. Stella nodded in agreement to my words. We continued on the stone-paved road for another forty minutes or so, uneventfully, I might add which was a welcome change of pace. As we traveled, Lowki developed a specific pattern of scouting ahead before patiently waiting for us to catch up. He would bound away from the group in haste before enacting his own version of stealth, barely out of sight some hundred or so yards away. Then, he would find a position to wait unseen and would silently scan the area around looking for any possible threats. When the group came close to his hiding spot, he would come out to the middle of the road, and glance at me before once more bounding forward. Again and again, this pattern continued and my confidence in his ability to root out danger grew stronger. The uneventful pattern was finally broken though when Lowki had immediately returned to the group after his energetic hundred-yard dash. With ears pinned to his head, a growl escaped his lips. His head turned where our group had been following and he crouched low to the ground. Following his example, I enabled my stealth. It was clear that someone or something was ahead. Motioning Ripley to my side, who mirrored my low stance, we moved to the side of the road and into the tall grass there. With Lowki leading a pace ahead, we moved ahead in silence, but ever ready for danger to present itself. My eyes scanned the top of the grass and the middle of the road as we moved parallel to it. Soon, the scent of decay was in the air. With each step, it grew strong as if multiple bodies had been left to rot under a hot summer sun, infecting everything around for miles with the disgusting smell. Whatever was ahead, death saturated it. It wasn¡¯t long before the healthy, vibrant grass we had been using as cover gave way to wilting, withered stalks. Blackened not from fire, but of death spread out wide before us. Miles of what must have been lush grassland was now a barren wasteland. Nothing alive stirred. The occasional copse of trees that we frequently passed along the road were now nothing more than shriveled husks. ¡°What did this,¡± I questioned, my whispered voice thick with despair. Death was everywhere. Not a single creature stirred. Nothing chittered at our passing. The silence of it all was jarring. Even back the way we had come, everything had gone eerily silent. The world hushed in a way that amplified the impression that any noise brazen enough to sound would immediately attract the specter of death that had defiled the land before us. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Stella responded, her voice meek and hollow. ¡°Only powerful magic could cause such widespread death and decay.¡± ¡°We need to figure out what did this,¡± I said before looking at Stella. ¡°But can we¡­ go into that area?¡± Stella caught my meaning and held a thoughtful pose, before nodding to herself, ¡°Whatever magic caused this has already come, and gone. When the spell that did that completed, everything in the radius withered and died on the spot. That power is no longer present. So, yes, I think we¡¯re safe to figure out what the hell did that.¡± Reaching up, I stroked the back of her neck, trying to provide some comfort to what horror we had walked into. ¡°Thanks,¡± she said to me. ¡°Xaz, we need to find out what did this, and make them pay.¡± ¡°We will. We will not abide whatever did this,¡± I replied resolutely. Pulling out my axe, I glanced side to side, ensuring nothing was about to attack us when we stepped forward. ¡°Lowki, keep close. We¡¯ll follow you, and see if you can find out where this smell is the worst. That will probably be where we need to go.¡± Making one last eye contact with Stella, we stepped forward, crossing into the field of death. With each footfall, grass crunched underfoot like dried leaves. My sense from stealth didn¡¯t indicate anything was picking up the noise, so we continued forward. Lowki would sniff the air and make small adjustments to our route. Rot and the stench of something long dead grew with each step forward. It was so bad that I took out a bandana, something I found when we defeated the Hunter Adom, and wrapped it around my face. It didn¡¯t block out the smell, but it helped. A little. In what seemed to take an hour, but in actuality only took us about ten minutes, we found where the stench was coming from. The unending field of death was unchanging but, in the distance, we spotted a small structure. As we approached, a stone-covered archway that descended below ground became clearer. Wary of an attack, we moved forward as stealthily as possible. I felt no pressure from the skill, indicating nothing was even remotely sensing our presence. In moments, I was confident no enemy was around, at least above ground. The stone that made up the archway was a mottled gray with shreds of a vegetative material though it looked to have died days before. Approaching the entrance, stone steps descended into darkness. Not much could be seen as the path curved around as if it were a circular staircase. No light shined within, it was pitch black and as silent as a tomb. When I took my first step, crossing under the archway, a System message appeared in my vision. Confusion and dread warred in my mind as I read the notification. Notice! You have discovered an interesting Location; The Bleak Den. (Note - Recommended party size; unknown, recommended level; unknown.) You have been offered a Unique, Timed Event, Quest. ¡°The Fetid Blight.¡± Time Remaining until Critical Failure: 3 hours, 12 minutes, and 15 seconds. Would you like to view the quest details? Yes/No. Even as I read the message, the time remaining notification continued to count down the seconds. What had me spooked was the fact that the quest¡¯s name was the color of fresh blood. It seemed to quiver in my vision, as if alive. Looking to Stella, who nodded, I selected yes. ¡°The Fetid Blight.¡± The nearby countryside has lived in relative peace for years, but that¡¯s all changed. A profane Hunter, Tsurra the Corrupted, is in the process of summoning a deadly blight onto the land. The simple act of preparing the spell and beginning the sacrifices to a quest of his own has sent waves of deathly magic for miles around, killing everything it touched. Will you intervene in time? Or, through inaction, will the sacrifice of innocents continue unabated? Without your aid, death will continue to hurtle outwards, killing more than has already been touched by the grave. Should Tsurra complete his quest, that necrotic energy will leech out far enough to touch the souls of everyone residing in Siren¡¯s Hallow. If that happens, an army of undead shall rise. The fate of hundreds, if not thousands, rests in either your hands or the hands of the corrupted. Accept? Yes/No. Stella turned to face me. Her eyes held the same grim determination that was no doubt mirrored on my own. A single word crossed the space between us, like some poisoned thing, ¡°Hunter.¡± Chapter 30 - Frostrend, the Ragebringer There it was, as obvious as the rising sun. Yet another Hunter gleefully causing untold amounts of harm to everything around him. Contempt and revulsion flooded into my chest, reaching down into my very being. I was once again confronted with the vile nature of the majority of Hunters in the Game. The desire to bring vengeance upon those who commit these abhorrent acts steeled my will. ¡°Am I the only Hunter in this gods-forsaken world whose only purpose isn¡¯t to bring death and ruin to everything touched,¡± I said, my lips pressed together tightly. Fury and righteous vitality filled my body as if being pulled from some deep reservoir. Unaware, my battle axe was suddenly in my hand as if it had summoned itself. The edge of the weapon began to shine with a cold light. The supernatural glow it emitted saturating the stonework around us. Though I only now barely registered it, the weapon had gone ice-cold in my grasp. Power built within its mana-rich metal, vibrating there with potential energy. Strength radiated upwards, first into my fingers, before spreading like a wave of might into me. Unaware to me, or even Stella, the weapon¡¯s previously hidden requirement to unlock its true potential has found a resonance in me. The two forces aligned before locking into place. Frostrend, the Ragebringer, had awoken for the first time. Crackling blue lightning arced along the bladed edge like living lightning. The pulsing energy grew thicker and more robust with the rhythm of my heartbeat. The electric energy was soon coursing down the weapon¡¯s haft, twisting around the weapon and its leather-wrapped handle before burying into my wrist in one continuous stream. I didn¡¯t know it yet but my Core, the vessel from which all of my magical power resided, had found a twin. At the touch of the dynamic energy, my mind¡¯s eye peered inwards. There, I saw my Core for the first time. It was a sphere of utter blackness, a wellspring whose surface appeared to have been eclipsed in perpetual darkness. Everything changed the moment vibrant sapphire lightning appeared from the surrounding darkness, bathing my Core in its azure light. Electric-like fingers reached down to the sphere as if probing its surface. As I watched, and as if drawn in by some great pressure or vacuum, the electricity thrust across the orb¡¯s event horizon. In a fraction of a second, the two powers merged and my Core soon had ice-covered swirls of lightning dancing across its now glossy surface. The sphere slowly turned in my vision, as if it was a great celestial body and I was some astral being gazing upon it. Cobalt lightning periodically flashed, arcing between shadows rimmed with frost. Like miniature hurricanes, they traversed across its surface. Pulling my consciousness back, I opened my eyes. Pulling my weapon, Frostrend, close to my face. From this point forward, the weapon¡¯s name was etched on my Core. The same cool-blue lightning crackling across the edge arced downwards and across the handle erratically. With a thought, the energy dimmed to a barely perceptible level. ¡°So, when I have the need to hide, you will oblige,¡± I said gratefully. With Frostrend in my hand, we would end the blight of this Hunter, and any other like him. Now, I truly was the Hunter Killer. Stella flew in front of me, her mouth hanging open as she looked between me and the axe, ¡°What¡­ happened?¡± Stunned amazement played across her delicate features. It was as if she was having a hard time forming the words as her mind raced ahead of its own accord. ¡°I didn¡¯t know that something like this could happen, that it was even possible!¡± Stella glided close to the weapon as I held it near my face, the glow of the weapon¡¯s energy reflecting off her irises. She was at a loss to explain what had happened. ¡°Oh man,¡± Stella said excitedly. ¡°You need to inspect that.¡± Her eyes were dancing left and right as if already reading the information I was about to see. With a thought, I inspected my new weapon. {Frostrend, the Ragebringer}. (Soulbound). Made from an extremely rare type of metal with exceptional mana conductivity, this unique weapon has had its true potential unlocked and is now soul bound to a single individual. Enchanted with living lightning, and infused with an intensely bitter cold, this weapon will bring ruin upon its enemies. It, like its master, seeks to bring vengeance against any who would bring harm to the innocent. Quality: Masterwork. Rarity: Unique. Type: Slashing, one-handed. Slot: Primary. Durability: 100,000/100,000. Speed: Very Fast. Effect(s): Adds 48 to 128 physical damage per attack. Melee attacks and skills with this weapon have a high chance of inflicting the debuff ¡°Blistering Freeze.¡± This effect causes a high amount of frost damage and enmity. Additionally, the wound and surrounding equipment flash freezes, taking on the brittle characteristic. Any additional melee strikes to this area will have their damage increased significantly and may cause a shattering effect. Once triggered, this effect has a 10 second internal cooldown. Secondary Effect(s): 30% Attack Speed, 100% Enhanced Damage ¡°It suits you,¡± Stella said as she continued to admire my improved weapon. ¡°That¡¯s going to come in handy when we engage with whoever this Tsurra person is. Oh boy, is he going to come to regret catching our attention.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± I replied succinctly. Frostrend held tightly, I crouched low before descending into the waiting darkness. My eyes switched over to darkvision and I called upon the weapon to hide its glow. The narrow stairs led downwards for several flights before leveling out, though the ground still had a descending angle. The stone bricks creating the passageway were clean and appeared to be exceptionally well-maintained. There wasn¡¯t a single sign of roots or moss, really anything living. Though, perhaps it only appeared this way with the release of death energy that had been sent rippling out from whatever power Tsurra had unleashed. As we continued onwards, my thoughts returned to my battle axe once more. I was keenly aware. It felt different in my hand. Before it was only a tool, a strong one for sure, but a tool nonetheless. It had saved my life at least a couple of times now, but a simple weapon it remained. Now though, it had a certain weight, a magnitude to it. The axe felt as if it had become a true extension of my own body, my will. It weighed no more than before, but at the same time, the power contained within it was¡­ palpable. As we trudged on silently, I tested the weapon by taking several practice swings. Feeling its agile movement through the air, it seemed to want to propel itself onwards. An effect of the weapon¡¯s thirty percent haste, no doubt. The feel of it in my hand was similar to Stella¡¯s reassuring presence, or Ripley¡¯s protective embrace. I knew it could be called upon, like a friend, in a time of great need. Frostrend represented the raw power of my spirit and determination. It matched my desire to bring some sense of order, of righteousness, into this world. Even when stowed in my inventory, the feel of the bond still reached me. To my delight, I quickly worked out, with the briefest of thoughts, Frostrend would appear instantly in my waiting fingers. Ever ready to unleash its fury. Stella was watching as I tested calling and storing the axe in rapid succession, ¡°That¡¯s a property of the soulbound connection you now have with it,¡± she said. ¡°You could leave it on the ground, or even have it stolen from you, only for it to return to your inventory a short time later. You can never lose that weapon.¡± ¡°Am I able to let someone else use it,¡± I asked quietly when we paused to examine our surroundings. The air around us had steadily been growing warmer, the humidity causing sweat to be on my brow even though I was hardly exerting myself. The corridor was opening ahead, enough so for two people to stand abreast. Though, I doubted we would change from our single file formation. Lowki had the lead by a few paces, followed by me, with Ripley a step behind acting as a rear guard. ¡°Well, if someone grabs it by the hilt, without having your expressed permission to handle it, they¡¯ll find it as difficult to hold as if it was covered in grease. All the while, you can opt to let someone else use it. And the weapon, being soul bound, will recognize your intent and allow someone else to use it.¡± Stella''s voice was low as she whispered close to my ear. Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. ¡°Good to know, thanks,¡± I replied. ¡°I was thinking of a situation where I may need to pass it to Ripley during a fight.¡± We had been moving nonstop for around ten minutes with little change of the passage, so I decided to pull up my mini-map to see how far we had descended. Overall, our short jaunt had taken us about a hundred feet below the surface and the realization gave me pause. ¡°Whatever caused the surface to wither and decay,¡± I said with a finger pressed against my lips. ¡°Must have been incredibly powerful considering it reached through a thousand tons of rock and earth over our heads.¡± ¡°Yeah. From what it looks like, it was as if a sphere of magic radiated outwards from a singular point underground,¡± Stella said as she peered around. ¡°But my estimation, we¡¯re getting close to the epicenter.¡± ¡°Say, Stell, what¡¯s up with this quest by the way,¡± I asked as I pulled up the notification once more. ¡°It¡¯s not like other quests we¡¯ve received. This one has ¡®unknown¡¯ listed for the recommended level and party size.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because it¡¯s being caused by another hunter,¡± she replied. ¡°Usually, the System lets Hunters do their own thing with little interference. Very rarely though, if they¡¯re doing something wildly out of the norm, it may give nearby Hunters an incentive to step in via a quest reward. We can assume this Hunter¡¯s actions are going to significantly, and likely permanently, impact the surrounding lands. So, the System intervened.¡± We came to the fork in the hall so had a choice to make; go left or right. ¡°So, it¡¯s using us?¡± I asked. To the right was the now familiar stone hallway, though I noticed it was slightly angled upwards leading me to believe it must lead back to the surface. To our left, the hallway widened further, enough for a party of five to walk down with room to spare. We took the left path as Stella replied to my question. ¡°In a way. Though had we not been close, nothing special would have happened. The System wouldn¡¯t create mobs to stop this Hunter, as an example, regardless of what he¡¯s doing or how much harm he may be causing. It only responded and generated the quest because we were nearby.¡± ¡°Good to know. And it makes me glad we¡¯re here to put a stop to it. Hey, the quest also doesn¡¯t have the typical objectives I¡¯ve come to expect. Does that mean we need to kill the Hunter, or just stop whatever is causing the blight?¡± ¡°Perhaps both,¡± Stella said as she leaned in closer to my ear. ¡°It¡¯s left open-ended intentionally, though may update as we progress further. This whole situation wasn¡¯t created by the System like most quests are, though I¡¯d be surprised if it hadn¡¯t likely played a hand in its development. Probably by dropping some ancient relic or a lost spell book as loot for this Hunter. Either way, if we don¡¯t stop it, I¡¯m certain it''s going to lead to a significant loss of life.¡± Xaz: We¡¯re close. Chat only from now on. As I took another step, something tickled my senses. Motioning for the group to hold, I closed my eyes and tried to open my senses to everything around me. In the stillness of my mind, I felt¡­ something. It was like a slow beat of a heart. Xaz: There¡¯s a magic here, something in the air. It felt like standing near to a slow but steady beating drum. Though, the sound could not be heard with our ears. This was felt in your chest. The subtle way it passed through me so lightly belied the power behind it. Of that, I was certain. And, it was growing faster. Xaz: We¡¯re close, be ready. As my body tensed, the fur on Lowki¡¯s back stood slightly on end. Ripley tightened the grip on her great sword, and Stella¡¯s small paws latched firmly onto my shoulder. We crept forward, ever in stealth. Coming around a bend, we found a great stone archway, similar to the one on the surface, but twice as tall. Hell, the obelisk giant we defeated wouldn¡¯t have much difficulty passing underneath it with how imposing it looked. Though it looked like the space beyond was opening up into a grand ballroom, our vision was cut off only a few feet in. Our sight was hindered because of an opaque dome of energy stretching all the way from the ground to the high ceiling above. Stella: It¡¯s a magical shield of some kind. Lowki stopped at its edge and crouched low, sniffing at the arcane barrier. Coming to his side, I knelt next to him. Xaz: Do you think this will prevent us from passing through? Stella and I made eye contact. She could only shrug, as unsure about what was going on as I was. When she motioned with her chin for me to try, I shrugged back at her before taking a step forward. It was like stepping into a furnace. The opaque barrier turned out to be only several inches thick and radiated with extreme heat, though I was able to pass through with little resistance or aftereffect. On the other side, the archway opened up to an immense basilica, complete with stone pillars reaching to the ceiling now some five stories up. The room was forty paces long and twice as wide. The towering columns were spaced evenly throughout the room and had the effect of funneling our eyes ahead. Great chandeliers hung from the ceiling, burning with countless candles to bathe the area in flickering light. At the far end of the room was a hooded figure kneeling before a marble altar. As we watched, my eye locked onto a dagger held high in his hand. It held for a moment before descending brutally downwards with lethal intent. As the weapon landed, it wasn¡¯t the hard ring of steel on stone that echoed outwards. The blow impacted something soft, something made of flesh and bones. It was then I noticed a slight form lying atop the altar. Before I could ponder the implication, a rippling wave of force blasted outwards from the body, covering the distance between us in a fraction of a second. It felt akin to the drum beat from before but with far greater intensity. With horror, realization thundered into my psyche. Someone had been sacrificed. In the passing wake of the sacrificial energy, my eyes caught a pulse of red shining briefly for the barest of moments. Suspended several feet above the ornate altar, floated a malevolent red jewel the shape of an oblong gourd. When the pulse of energy cascaded outwards, it looked as if the gem had somehow absorbed some of the magical essence previously released. This artifact was the source of the drum beat that had been so subtle outside of this room. Inside the barrier, the full pressure given by this antique relic could be experienced. It looked nothing unlike a crystalline heart. After this realization, it was then I noticed the bodies. Countless bodies, stacked high, had previously been partially obstructed from view behind the rows of stone columns. As if tossed aside carelessly, the numerous corpses were haphazardly stacked up against the far corner of the room. In the opposite corner, we found a handful of bound, kneeling, and obviously gagged individuals. Each had a horrified expression on their face, though they were otherwise completely still as if petrified. The rise and fall of their chests though, made it clear they were far from deceased themselves. From the top of the altar, blood began running profusely down its sides to collect in the ever-widening pool around who I had come to realize was Tsurra, the Corrupted. He must not yet have become aware of our intrusion, as he casually stretched out his hand towards the lifeless body. With a flicking motion, the corpse flew, as if by some unseen force, to slam heavily against the far wall to join the growing pile of the dead. With another flick of his wrist, a new victim was propelled forward into his waiting grasp. Stella: He has some kind of telekinetic power. Tsurra gripped the next individual by the throat and, with seamless effort, lifted him upwards to land heavily atop the altar. The man had made no motion to protect himself or resist Tsurra. Returning to a kneeling position once more, the shrouded Hunter bowed his head low. It was then a slight chant carried across the room to our ears, as it slowly built louder with each arcane word. This Hunter was methodically ending the lives of helpless individuals. The callous, heartless practiced ease of his motions was disturbing at a visceral level. The Hunter¡¯s hand shot upwards, bearing the twisted dagger. This time I spied what looked like a gleaming ruby ring on his right index finger. The color of the gem was the exact same shade as the blood jewel hanging above the next victim. I knew what was coming next, I could hesitate no longer. There would be no discussion. No futile appeal to this vile Hunter to cease his murderous actions. His callous actions had sealed his fate in my mind. He was nothing more than evil to be expunged from the world. It took only a moment to inspect the man, before we rushed forward to engage him. Tsurra the Corrupted, Death Sire (Level 17 Half-Orc Hunter). Health 625/625, Mana 8,932/12,500, Stamina 300/300. Active Abilities ¨C Borrowed Essence, Empowered Aegis, Beguiled Thrall, Infernal Blessing, Undead Lungs, Demonic Subjection, Soul Link. Like in times of great urgency, the information washed over me, allowing me to understand the information instantly. While the abilities this Hunter possessed seemed potent, I couldn¡¯t take the time to review them if I intended to save the life of his next sacrifice. In a flash, I sent a message for Stella to look them over and tell me the important details. With that, Frostrend, the Ragebringer, was flying end over end even as arcane words tumbled from my lips. Chapter 31 - *Interlude - Tsurra, Death Sire* Tsurra felt the power growing at the tip of his dagger with the pronouncement of each mystical syllable. His connection to the sacrificial spell was absolute, the words written onto his very Core. He had cast the spell so frequently, that concentration on his part was barely required. Still, it was essential for each arcane phrase to be uttered correctly, so he gave the spell his full attention. As the power built, his blade began thrusting for blood with an animalistic need. It demanded a killing stroke. It had taken Tsurra weeks and countless forays above ground to finally lure enough of the local population into the Forsaken Tomb. Oh, how his power would be amplified countless times over once the work was done! Tsurra¡¯s eyes were wide with bloodlust as he continued to chant, each word growing in volume. He knew if he held a mirror to his face, the gleam in his normally midnight eyes would now be shining the same sanguine color of his most beloved treasure; the Dread Hecatomb Jewel. How fortune had favored him the day he uncovered the legendary artifact. After reading its description, he knew his prayers had been answered. He would finally, after nearly a year of searching, gain the ability to ascend past this world. He would finally leave this rabble behind. It was all beneath him. Everything and everyone in this world was nothing but fodder to Tsurra. Any Hunter to come before him could only have dreamt of possessing even a fragment of the power soon to be coursing through his veins. Oh, how great it would be. His quest was nearly complete. Tsurra knew, of course, that thousands of other Hunters had ascended past this world before him. Sure, those other weaklings had amassed enough experience and located powerful enough magic to be able to cross the prime threshold, but such concern no longer held sway over him. No, Tsurra would be the first, he was sure of it, to ascend without first reaching the level cap locked into the very coding of this world. So, when his Accelerator sounded a warning in his mind, Tsurra did not worry. Worry was beneath him. Before enacting the final component of his grand work, he had used spells to ensure no Hunter was around who possessed the strength necessary to challenge him. Those spells had alerted Tsurra many hours ago that the Nemesis Hunter, known casually as Duke to those unfortunate enough to cross words with him, was nearby. So, Tsurra had laid low, enclosing this ancient place of worship in dampening magic. The Nemesis Hunter¡¯s Accelerator may have sensed something was building within the ambient magic, but Tsurra knew this alone would not keep his attention for long. Had the Nemesis Hunter found out about what he was about to do, Tsurra would have paid for the mistake with his life. Duke would have taken the power for his own, as he too was searching for a way to ascend. All Hunters were. Through the use of one of his many abilities as a Death Sire, Tsurra found it child¡¯s play to hide himself from those preying eyes. Once he was assured Duke was beyond the range of his grand work, Tsurra continued onwards with the sacrificial component of this ultimate quest. The ritual would soon be completed. Through the grapevine, for even Tsurra himself would occasionally converse with other Hunters, he had learned Duke endeavored to find this World¡¯s ¡®Prime Accelerator,¡¯ but the man¡¯s hopes would never bear fruit. Tsurra had chuckled at the thought for he had long since uncovered the truth. Duke¡¯s dreams were based on nothing more than myth and fantasy. Only weak-willed Hunters would place their hopes on smoke and mirrors. Before deciding to become a Hunter, Tsurra had ruled over a defunct world. Life was only barely sustained by the vast fortune he had inherited from his father. When he finally decided to end such a tedious life, Tsurra scoured every database he could regarding the Prime Worlds soon available to him as an Initiate Hunter. Sure, the entire process had cost him his entire fortune, but Tsurra knew he would earn it back tenfold. Perhaps a hundred-fold! He needed only to ascend. Then all of his dreams, anything he desired, would open up before him like dominos. Tsurra chose Prime World ¡®Echo¡¯ for the simple fact it had the largest ratio of successful ascensions. Upon his arrival, Tsurra himself had sought out this mysterious Prime Accelerator. Like many before him, it had sparked his imagination. He was confident he would be the one to find it. Then his name would be spoken with reverence by every single sentient being across the universe. This truly was the greatest Game ever devised. His fame, fortune, and power would become vast and endless. But, alas, even if the legends held some modicum of truth, Tsurra knew no one would ever find the unique Accelerator. He was sure of it. So, he turned his attention to what could help him achieve his goal. When he finally found the Hecatomb, after a thrilling victory over a Juggernaut Fiend, Tsurra knew his time had finally arrived. Through it, his defining quest has been laid out before him. In the weeks to follow, slowly but inexorably, Tsurra had sacrificed ninety-one of the one hundred and one souls required. And, within a few minutes time, he would complete this seemingly impossible task. It took a great deal of planning, with ample expenditure of his in-game wealth, but he proved capable of following the painstaking steps necessary to reach this point. The only obstruction to his grand work had been how damnable hard it was to keep these non-player characters alive. Well, if he was honest with himself, Tsurra was far too eager to maim and murder without any real provocation. Worry not, he often chided himself, for Tsurra knew whenever an NPC reached the end of his pitiful life, the Game itself would reach across the stars to grab another witless victim to restock the recently deceased. It was only in recent days that Tsurra finally had enough entranced souls in his grasp to complete his task. With the sacrifice of exactly one hundred and one souls, the first prime number beyond one hundred, the jewel would be empowered and Tsurra would be able to call upon its power to ascend. No one could stop him now. Duke would never retrace his steps. The man was too proud of that. He would continue only in a singular direction. He was one to never look back over his shoulder. So, when yet another warning sounded from his Accelerator, Tsurra was momentarily startled. Perhaps it was some noble villager, who came to rescue his beloved or some other such nonsense. ¡°Leave now,¡± Tsurra croaked to whatever hero had arrived, not bothering to turn around. His incantation allowed for slight pauses, so he wasn¡¯t concerned. ¡°You will only find your blood quickly cooling on the stonework if you continue to bother me.¡± Tsurra wasn¡¯t one to give long-winded speeches. It was better to be direct and if the misguided fool wouldn¡¯t heed his word, then his formidable magic would finish the dross off. It had happened countless times before and would again. Though, such an occurrence would soon take place on the surface of another world! A smile creased his cruel lips. An intense flare from his magical protection caused Tsurra no small irritation. ¡°Fine¡­¡± But, before he could continue, his aegis flared brightly as a coating of frost formed over it, disappearing quickly thereafter. Tsurra pondered the cause for an instant. His potent aegis had saved Tsurra¡¯s life numerous times. Its resilience was rooted in the strength of his formidable mana pool. If he allowed the interloper to continue, if Tsurra¡¯s mana became depleted, the ritual magic would fail and count for nothing. He could start over, of course, though a part of him wondered if the raging magic in the gem wouldn¡¯t destroy itself first. No matter, it wasn¡¯t going to happen. Nothing short of a catastrophic physical blow or brutal spell attack could hope to breech his empowered aegis. Not while he had a drop of mana coursing through him. Tsurra had ensured those reserves would never empty, pouring nearly every point into his intelligence and wisdom attributes as he leveled. Seeing his mana bar dip notably from whatever had struck his shield, a tiny inkling of fear inched up his spine. It quickly evaporated; such was Tsurra¡¯s confidence in himself. Instead of an actual threat to him, what was happening likely had a far simpler explanation. This intrusion was probably nothing more than some worthless villager who brought some weapon of significance to bear. A useless gesture, though it did elevate his annoyance, nonetheless. Tsurra sighed before turning to face whatever peon had dared challenge him in his time of greatness. He would need to pause his ritual, sure, but after a glance at his quest timer, he had plenty to spare. As long as he continued to sacrifice one soul every five minutes at this point, Tsurra had nothing to worry about. Like a beast turning to swat a fly, Tsurra began gathering magical energy on his fingertips. Perhaps seeing a mouse torn apart by one of his ravaging undead would bring a smile to his cruel lips. ¡°Yes,¡± Tsurra thought aloud. ¡°Let¡¯s show this fool the cost of drawing my ire.¡± [Lesser Raise Undead Thralls] (*Specialized*) Death energy empowers up to ten recently defeated foes, creating undead thralls that follow your every command. The thralls last until destroyed or up to a maximum of 1 hour. Additionally, thralls will always match your Hunter level, though it can only reach a maximum level of 20 at this time. Cost: 1000 mana. Cast Time: 5 seconds. Cool down: 1 hour. Plus 2 Strength, plus 1 Dexterity, and plus 2 Constitution per spell level for the minion. Additionally, for every two levels of the spell, the thrall¡¯s maximum level is increased by plus 1. Specialized Effect added, ¡®Empowered Minion¡¯ buffed. ¡®Empowered Minion¡¯ ¨C Greatly enhances the base strength, constitution and fighting potential of each thrall. The words to his raise undead thralls froze in his throat as Tsurra gasped. When he had turned, Tsurra expected to see some young pup grasping his father¡¯s sword. Instead, what greeted his bloodshot eyes was an impossibility. Whoever had attacked him was a Hunter! The nameplate confirmed this in an instant. ¡°¡­Hunter Killer,¡± Tsurra read aloud, his mind only then catching up to what he saw before him. But, how could this be?! Tsurra had scoured the surface with his practiced divination magic and he was sure only Duke had been nearby. How did he miss what was clearly an initiate Hunter? At the other end of the chamber, opposite Tsurra, stood a man. No, a half-elf Tsurra identified after briefly inspecting the Hunter. This pompous fool was barely the age of maturity, so how had he acquired the funds necessary to enter a Prime World? The half-elf child wore a dark cloak which cast his body in shadow, though the gleam of magical armor hinted on his chest. Tsurra didn¡¯t dwell on it for more than a moment, however. Whatever this fool carried would soon become Tsurra¡¯s. He knew the rewards attainable by PvP combat. He had once earned such prize himself. He would do so again, it seemed. The next oddity to catch Tsurra¡¯s attention was the dual-headed battle axe stuck fast in his aegis. It confused him why the fool would throw away what was obviously a powerfully enchanted weapon. Still, even an intensely empower weapon should have bounced right off his shield. Yet, the magic contained within the battle axe, lightning mixed with a hint of frost by the look of it, had actually penetrated the barrier. Not entirely though. If not for his aegis, such a mighty blow may have landed squarely in Tsurra¡¯s back. The lack of awareness of Tsurra¡¯s potent defense could explain why the fool had tossed away something so powerful. You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. The third marvel Tsurra noticed was the giant skeleton fearlessly charging towards him, a great sword held high. It was no ordinary undead too, Tsurra deduced quickly considering the wealth of knowledge he had from his undead minions. The tendrils of dark energy binding the minion¡¯s bones together were obviously top-tier. Tsurra smiled inwardly, for the Hunter¡¯s minion had reminded him of his original intent at the start of this battle. So, without concern, Tsurra restarted his casting. It was clear the man behind the imposing skeleton warrior was in the process of casting his spell, but Tsurra had nothing to fear. Not as long as his aegis held. Even with the small hole the magical axe had created, nothing would be able to harm him. The breach was too narrow and a Hunter this new wouldn¡¯t yet know how to adjust his spell¡¯s trajectory. Still, any Hunter worth his salt shouldn¡¯t be underestimated. Grinning wickedly, Tsurra regained his composure and confidence. Let¡¯s see how this fool handles Tsurra¡¯s undead charging him down. Fight fire with fire, as it were, Tsurra thought to himself as his incantation neared completion. The challenger completed his spell first, a bolt of dark energy twisting towards Tsurra and faster than a diving hawk. To Tsurra¡¯s utter amazement, the spell changed its angled as if by its own accord, to fly through the meager hole the Hunter¡¯s battle axe had created. Only years of practice enabled Tsurra to maintain his concentration on his spellcasting. A debuff appeared in the corner of Tsurra¡¯s vision. ¡®Decaying Scent,¡¯ it read and with it a five-minute timer counting down. Whatever the spell did would have to wait, Tsurra needed to complete his own spell-casting. As the towering skeleton began slashing at the magical barrier, Tsurra completed his thrall spell. Dark vines of necrotic energy reached out from his fingers and wormed into the bodies of the ten nearest corpses. Tsurra arched his back in pleasure as the connection completed, mana pouring out of him to bring undeath to those recently deceased. His mana dropped by over a thousand points, but he was more than enough to end this fool and complete his ritual. With sudden, twitching movements, ten animated thralls rose to their feet. The power of the spell would grant them inhuman strength and constitution, as well as talons capable of rending steel. ¡°Let¡¯s see how you manage these,¡± Tsurra said with well-founded arrogance. This Hunter¡¯s doom had arrived, he simply didn¡¯t know it yet. Then the final peculiarity appeared, acutely pressing into Tsurra¡¯s awareness. Like a hammer blow from a thrown boulder, something crashed into his aegis protecting his flank. In the past, his empowered aegis would have allowed the force of the impact to transfer into him, though the actual damage would only drain away some of his mana. Realizing this glaring weakness for what it was, Tsurra had long ago mended the vulnerability. Still, the force of the impact was enough to stagger the normally immovable Aegis. Turning to see what had caused the mighty blow, Tsurra witnessed black-talon fury tearing through the protective field with three separate pairs of legs. Taking a second to comprehend what he was seeing, Tsurra stared in amazement as a thickly muscled beast latched itself onto his Aegis. It hung there like it was on the back of a bewilder beast. The beast¡¯s jaw was firmly clamped down, holding it in place, as the creature raked viciously over and over. At the same time, a pair of tentacles attached to the feline¡¯s shoulders slammed down, again and again. Tsurra eyed his rapidly falling mana bar and, for the first time, felt true fear. The sheer amount of damage the cat was capable of doling out was staggering. How had this Hunter not only acquired a powerful skeletal minion, but also a six-legged monstrosity? It was obvious his foe was a newly initiated Hunter, likely only a few ¡®game days old¡¯ by the look of him but, still, this shouldn¡¯t be possible. Not even Tsurra himself had advanced so quickly. With both the skeletal minion and the beast attacking his shield, it wouldn¡¯t take long to bring it down, even considering his ample mana pool. Tsurra was prepared for such eventualities, however. With a thought, a peerless mana potion appeared in his hand and he downed it quickly. The sugary sweet liquid caused his mana pool to refill instantly, thereby repairing any damage his opponents had caused thus far. He had several of those potions at the ready, though he couldn¡¯t use them in quick succession. As the potency of the potion soaked into him, Tsurra¡¯s aegis expelled the magical axe to fall harmlessly to the ground. It vanished shortly thereafter, but Tsurra cared little. He had a Hunter to kill and rewards to harvest. In his time, Tsurra had only defeated a single Hunter. True player versus player was something of a rarity, though the rare achievement was incredibly rewarding. Like any sane Hunter, it came down to risk versus reward. Each Hunter received wondrous new powers when they paid for the right to live in the Universal Games. The spells and abilities Hunters received during their initiation were mostly random, and it was impossible to tell beforehand how fortunate, or unfortunate, a Hunter would become when the System took over. It wasn¡¯t unheard of for Hunters to be granted fantastic and, sometimes, overpowered abilities. Tsurra had been fortunate enough to earn one himself. Since the System rewarded Hunters in so many other ways, it was usually too much of a risk for PvP to run rampant. In Tsurra¡¯s case, he had only killed another Hunter after a perfectly planned and executed ambush. Here though, there was no choice in the matter. Only one of them was going to walk out of here alive, and Tsurra was determined it would be him. He was owed for the trillions he had spent to get to this point. His entire inheritance had been depleted, but it was worth it. This fool didn¡¯t know who he was dealing with, but he would soon regret the intrusion. ¡°Die,¡± Tsurra uttered, the simple word commanded his thralls to destroy the interlopers. With guttural screams, they rushed to do his bidding. At his mental bidding, three thralls each went to the skeletal minion and the great cat, with the remaining four barreling toward the opposing Hunter. Tsurra wasn¡¯t content enough to stop there. This cretin had challenged him, in his place of glory, and he would die screaming! Tsurra called upon his Infernal Blessing and prepared another spellcasting. Hellfire would soon fall. There would receive no mercy this day. Death had come and this paltry Hunter was doomed. As he was about to intone his spell from the ether, Tsurra amended his previous command, connecting to an individual thrall telepathically. The Hunter was the greatest threat, he recognized, put him down and his minions would soon follow. So, Tsurra diverted an additional thrall originally tasked to the Hunter¡¯s skeletal minion to its master instead. Five unrelenting minions should be more than enough to finish him. Confident in his tactics, Tsurra completed his most powerful spell, unending hellscape, targeting the foe posing the biggest threat to his aegis. The large beast was doing the most damage to his aegis, so it would be wise to bring this particular foe down before it had the chance to disturb him further. A three-foot-wide blast of fiery energy rocketed out from Tsurra and engulfed the obsidian cat. [Lesser Unending Hellscape] A thick beam of hellfire shoots from your hand to engulf any target in the path of its destruction, causing 3,000 plus 10n spell damage, where ¡®n¡¯ equals intelligence. Range: 20 feet. Cost: 750 mana. Cast Time: 5 seconds. Cool down: 2 days. Plus 1 foot maximum range, plus 50 base damage, and 2% chance to disintegrate the target per spell level. One down, two to go, Tsurra thought to himself. Ever confident, this particular spell was powerful enough that there was no need to confirm the kill. It always snuffed out the life of lower-level foes. The oversized feline would be no different. Tsurra turned back around, and to his amusement, found he had underestimated the Hunter¡¯s skeletal minion. The impressive creature had made swift work of the pair of thralls sent its way. Both now sat motionless on the ground where they had fallen, their heads cleanly severed. ¡°Fine,¡± Tsurra blurted out with clear frustration. ¡°Take three more then!¡± With a simple mental command, Tsurra ordered the three thralls previously assigned to the cat to engage with the skeleton. Three inhuman growls escaped from their cadaverous lips as the thralls charged their new target. Two quickly approached the warrior minion, talons poised, while the third lagged behind as it limped forward. It had a long furrow down its leg, likely destroying the muscle underneath. It also bore several of those nasty-looking barbs on its face. Apparently, the feline beast had done some considerable damage before it had been incinerated. No matter. As Tsurra prepared a new beam of destructive magic, the skeleton once more showed the fortitude it possessed. Whatever spell or skill had summoned it must have been quite powerful. Tsurra would inquire further when its master was dead. In rapid fashion, one of the newly assigned thralls had already been cleaved in half, right down from shoulder to groin. It had cost the warrior somewhat though, for the other thrall was taking great chunks out of its back dealing considerable damage in its own right. From the corner of his eye, Tsurra spotted the Hunter fending off his thralls with swipes of the powerfully enchanted axe before he lost sight of him behind one of the wide columns. The Hunter shouted out an arcane word so powerful it shook the air around him. One of his skills no doubt, but it was all for naught. No matter his tricks, no one could defend themselves from five simultaneous attackers. Hell, even Tsurra himself would be hard-pressed. Though, perhaps not when he considered his empowered aegis. Hopefully, the thralls would leave enough of a corpse to allow Tsurra to reanimate the meddlesome Hunter¡¯s body. Grinning, Tsurra took aim once more at the warrior minion. Arcane phrases were pronounced with the utmost confidence while his hands shifted through complicated movements. An explosion of light and fire raced outwards from behind the pillars at the far end of the underground sanctuary. A fireball-like spell, Tsurra knew. The impudent Hunter detonated the spell so close to himself, meaning it likely damaged him more than the thralls! What a fool. He was about to bring true death to the minion when something unimaginable, impossible really, happened. An all too familiar shadow landed atop his aegis. Massive claws tearing ribbons into the protective dome once more. The cat, Tsurra screamed in his mind. That¡¯s impossible! Tsurra glanced upwards in disbelief and unbridled rage. Nothing should have been able to survive his apocalyptic blast. At least, nothing short of a demi-god. The spell¡¯s cool down was measured in days, not minutes, due to its sheer potency. How had the cat survived his only legendary rarity spell? It made no sense. Thankfully, Tsurra¡¯s keen eyes swiftly identified the beast had not gone unscathed. A quarter of its body showed the effects of the baleful immolation. Tsurra was sure his aim hadn¡¯t been off, he saw the spell land with his own eyes! Anger within Tsurra boiled away his disbelief, even as he witnessed the cat¡¯s tentacles slamming repeatedly against his aegis, leaving rows of glistening barbs behind. All the while, the damned beast raked furiously with those wickedly sharp claws. He had time enough though to eradicate this irritating foe. Tsurra¡¯s raptor gaze locked onto the beast as he began chanting another spell. As he neared the completion of his spell, a great crack resounded from behind but Tsurra, ever the professional, did not allow the distraction to ruin his concentration. Mana rushed out of him as his magic took shape in reality. A thick stream of molten hot lava shot from his outstretched hand, slamming into the underbelly of the great cat. He had to turn his head from the extreme heat and blinding brilliance, but the work was done. The annoying beast was surely dead this time. Tsurra turned in time to see the Hunter¡¯s skeletal minion¡¯s great sword tear through the only standing thrall. Like the felling of a tree, snapping bones created a cacophony of sound. Tsurra¡¯s mind whirled! How was the minion still alive when its master was surely dead by now? As the thought crossed his mind, eruptions similar to the breaking of a dam blasted from the end of the room. Showering out in all directions, concentrated jets of boiling liquid thundered outwards. Wherever the liquid landed, the stone sizzled. Then Tsurra saw him. Torn and bleeding from a dozen wounds, the Hunter walked confidently down the middle of the room. Even as Tsurra appraised the status of his enemy, the hemorrhaging wounds began to close. With a shout, the Hunter threw his battle axe with all his might. Tsurra knew he needed to stop the flight of the powerful weapon, his Accelerator was screaming a warning about how low his defenses were from the punishing onslaught it had been enduring. He needed time enough to drink another potion. All of this passed through his mind in an instant, time being his greatest advisory now. In a flash, he enacted his only instantaneous spell. A beam of destructive magic, like twin fire serpents coiled around each other, lanced forward to meet the approaching projectile. The two collided, flames engulfing the tumbling axe. The beam struck ¨C and was overpowered. Tsurra stared in disbelief as the axe shattered what remained of his aegis before landing with a sickening thud. ¡°No,¡± the word barely escaping his trembling lips as a cold embrace began to shroud his senses. ¡°You deserve no less,¡± were the last words Tsurra heard before darkness claimed him. Chapter 32 - Imminent Destruction The silence to descend over the room was deafening. I doubted I would ever get used to the silence permeating the very air at the end of such intense battles. Nothing stirred, not even the dozen or so people held still by whatever Tsurra''s had done to them. Though, by the looks of them, the effect was fading, albeit slowly. Heads were beginning to turn, eyes sluggishly blinking. The tempo of the fight had felt like one long, mad dash. In a way, I was fortunate to still be standing. Tsurra out-leveled me by a significant margin, and his spells were potent, to say the least. If it wasn''t for my roaring sweep ability, my fireball, or even my specialized boil blood, I would be the one cooling on the floor. Tsurra was face down on the stone floor, his blood mixing with the numerous sacrifices. My axe was still buried in his chest, causing his body to be in an awkward position, but I couldn''t recall it yet with the one-minute cool-down still in effect. I didn''t want to disturb the body, not yet at least, so I''d wait patiently until I could call my weapon back magically, courtesy of my ring of return. While everything was as silent as the grave, the intensity of the light around us was steadily getting brighter. Not with the expected golden light from the hundreds of candles contained within the many chandeliers above our heads, but with a hue more attuned to a ruby''s. A blood ruby. My gaze snapped to the marble altar where a solitary figure was lying still. The man was still alive. Tsurra''s blade hadn''t pierced his chest, thanks to our quick intervention. My eyes only lingered on the once-intended sacrifice, before an ominous glow rang brighter and brighter several feet above him. The jewel was trembling, a burning fire raging inside its center. "This doesn''t look good," I mumbled as a System message slammed in front of my vision. Notice! System Warning! Imminent Destruction of the Dread Hecatomb Jewel! "Oh no," Stella muttered in disbelief as she hovered over my shoulder. Her tone of devoid of emotion, as if the shock we were both feeling had sapped it from her. Notice! A fractured quest has automatically been accepted to your quest log. Quest: ''The {Fractured} Dread Hecatomb Jewel'' With the death of the Hunter, Tsurra the Corrupted, his unique quest can no longer be successfully completed as originally intended. The quest has been updated from ''The Dread Hecatomb Jewel'' to¡­ ''The {Fractured} Dread Hecatomb Jewel.'' The jewel''s structural integrity has been irreparably damaged by the death of its master. The legendary artifact is now moments away from violently releasing all of the stored death energy collected from 91 sacrifices. The resulting catastrophe will be akin to a meteor impact. Warning, you will not survive! New possible success conditions have been automatically added to this quest. Failure to fulfill a success condition will result in the destruction of¡­ calculating¡­ 20 square miles of the surrounding lands. Hurry, Hunter, for annihilation is upon you! Notice! Previous Objective: Sacrifice 101 of 101 souls. Status: FAILED. New Success Condition added (Hidden): not fulfilled. New Success Condition added (Hidden): not fulfilled. New Success Condition added (Hidden): not fulfilled. New Success Condition added (Hidden): not fulfilled. "What do we do, Stell?" I asked in a rush. "Could I just¡­ I don''t know¡­ destroy the jewel?" A countdown timer had appeared in the corner of my vision after reading the quest in its entirety. It was inexorably counting down from three minutes. Each second passes away as if counting down to a harbinger of doom. Stella struggled to respond, "I mean, maybe? But, I wouldn''t recommend it because the blasted thing is going to shatter on its own anyway in only under three minutes. We would only be speeding it along." My mind whirled, "Well we need to figure out one of these ''success conditions'' or nothing even remotely nearby is going to survive." My face dropped when realization dawned on me. "Didn''t you mention a village was nearby?" Stella''s blank stare turned to me, "Yeah, I did." She knew what it meant. "The destructive radius will likely more than reach far beyond them. We have to do something!" "Don''t I know it," I said after taking a deep breath, attempting to still my thundering heartbeat. The ten or so people around were waking up, though comprehension didn''t show on their vacant expressions. "There''s no sense in running," I continued as I eyed up those remaining souls fortunate enough to survive Tsurra. Well, at least for now. "Even if the blast radius was far less, we can''t abandon them." "Wait!" I shouted, my whole body jumping with a thought. Tsurra had been wearing something that caught my eye as we fought. "Tsurra was wearing a ring, it was blood red just like the one floating over there, and it was beating in sync." Time was running short, we had under ninety seconds remaining. I rushed over to Tsurra''s body, flipping him over hastily before grabbing at his cold hands. "This one," I said as I pulled off a gold band. The shank of the ring was thicker than I was familiar with. It wasn''t like the delicate diamond rings from Earth. To me, it looked like this band was three times as thick due to the enormous center stone. The stone''s prongs looked as if they had been bleached crimson as if the jewel''s hue was leeching out. The gem was an exact replica of the hecatomb jewel floating above us, though the jewel on Tsurra''s ring was only a fraction of the size. Holding the ring in front of my face, it came in line with the main jewel beating furiously behind it. The ring''s seeming heartbeat matched perfectly in time with its larger brother. Letting out an exasperated sigh, I inspected both the ring and the larger Hecatomb jewel behind it. {Profane Ring of the Dread Hecatomb} (Paired). When this ring is paired with the fully charged Dread Hecatomb Jewel, the wearer of this item will be bestowed with powers capable of allowing ascendancy past a Prime World. Until that time, the ring draws upon the vitality of the wearer. Quality: Master craft. Rarity: Legendary. Type: Accessory. Slot: Finger. Durability: 500/500. Effect(s): Minus three Strength, Constitution, and Charisma. Minus 5 health regeneration per minute. Warning! The Dread Hecatomb Jewel has been FRACTURED. This ring can no longer be empowered. Notice! This is item a CURSED. It cannot be removed until the bearer has ascended, or upon death. {Dread Hecatomb Jewel} (Paired). Harnessing the power of one hundred and one sacrificial victims, this item bestows the bearer of the paired Profane Ring of the Dread Hecatomb the power to ascend beyond a Prime World. Quality: Master craft. Rarity: Legendary. Type: Artifact. Durability: ERROR - FRACTURED. Effects: N/A. Warning! The quest "The Dread Hecatomb Jewel" was interrupted causing a rapidly deteriorating power cascade within the jewel''s internal structure. Notice! The Dread Hecatomb Jewel has been permanently fractured and can no longer sustain the energy contained within. Unless the jewel can be stabilized, the cumulative death energy acquired will be released over the course of 0.01 microseconds. Without an active Hunter to wield the authority of the pair items, detonation is imminent. There it was, a possible solution. Stella and I met each other''s eyes. Having read the same information I had, she knew the same as I did. "Our time is running short," I said, my face forlorn. "I''m the only Hunter here" "But it''s cursed," Stella muttered quietly. "We may still have time, there are¡­ three other options to complete this quest. You don''t have to put that on." Stella''s raptor gaze snapped to the ring held gingerly in my fingers, "That thing is evil. You don''t want that on you." Motioning with my hands the futility of our options, I shrugged. "I know. There''s nothing for it." The timer was under thirty seconds now. Stella''s eyes pleaded with me to reconsider, but we had no other choice. There wasn''t enough time to try something else. So, I slipped on the profane ring, closing my eyes as I did. Like a bar of red-hot steel, the ring clamped down on my left index finger. It was as if the ring had shrunk down several sizes, digging painfully into my skin, never to leave again. A blaze of pain knifed through my hand, coursing through my veins before slamming into my chest and into the Core that resided there. My entire body flared with pain, my vision turning red as all of my limbs extended outwards as if my body was covered in flames. A guttural roar tore out of me, pain was all I knew for an unknown length of time. Then, like it had never been, it vanished. Falling to my knees, I could barely breathe against the tightness in my chest. My eyes still firmly shut, a thin red line of agony became visible in the darkness. From my hand, down the center of my arm, and into my Core, I saw it. Like a line of molten metal, the power from the ring had made a single revolution around my core, clamping down like a tightened garrote. There it remained, unmoving. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. Even had I not seen the cursed tag within the ring''s description, I knew now the ring couldn''t be removed. Not until I ascended ¨C or died. Congratulations! You have successfully completed the quest, ''The {Fractured} Dread Hecatomb Jewel'' Mentally pushing the notification aside, I planted my butt on the cool stone floor. Stella was in front of me, her gaze held equal parts worry and sympathy. "We''ll find a way to remove that evil ring. You will not carry it until your death, I promise you," her voice was soft and even. The once intense red glow of the Hecatomb jewel faded, leaving the room bathed in only candlelight. "I know we will, Stella," I said. "For now though, this is a burden I would gladly carry again if it meant saving all of their lives." Regaining my feet, the two of us walked closer to stand before the now inert jewel. I saw my reflection on the many facets as it slowly spun in the air. There was a menace within the crystalline structure, like a wolf hidden in shadow waiting to strike. Through the ring etched painfully into my finger, I could feel something throb within the faceted jewel. It was like an anger, a desire having gone unfulfilled. Unsated. "You will not be repaired," I said to the jewel, though I had no way of knowing if it could understand me, let alone sentient. "You will not find your desired objective. Never again will you find blood sacrificed in your name. One day, I will find a way to shatter you completely before tossing you into the blackness you deserve." With contempt, I snatched the massive jewel out of the air and threw it into my inventory. The feeling of anger within the jewel disappeared from my mind, becoming nothing more than a distant memory. "We did it," I said before glazing to Stella. "That we did, Xaz. That we did." Congratulations! You have come out victorious against Tsurra the Corrupted, level 17 Death Sire, and conquered his Accelerator (Uncommon). Like when I defeated Adom the Savage, a small metal orb appeared to rise out of Tsurra''s body. The size of an apple, it made no hostile action, simply floating gently toward Stella before vanishing as it neared her. She had absorbed another defeated Accelerator. I knew what it meant. PvP was rewarding if nothing else. System Notification: You have been granted a new title, ''Hunter Killer II''. Hunter Killer II - You have taken a firm stance against Hunters who would seek to plunder and bring destruction to those around them. You acted as a shield against that pain and suffering. You have cried out in a firm voice, for all to hear; not here, not now, and not on my watch! You will now be known as Xazorus the Hunter Killer II. Upgraded Title Benefits: Permanently increases all damage against aggressive Hunters by 15%. All spells, skills, and abilities are 10% more likely to land against other Hunters. "Well, that''s a nice upgrade," I said after reading the message. "I can''t wait to get hunter killer three when we finally take down Duke." I was thrilled as it looked like my new title would be upgraded with each Hunter I managed to take down. A goal that drove me ever onwards. As Stella and I continued treading this path, this upgradeable title could mean the difference between life and death. Congratulations! Having defeated another Hunter, your view count and follower count have been significantly increased. Anyone watching Tsurra the Corrupted during your fight has automatically been added to your view count, Additionally, all of his followers will automatically be transferred to you. Do note that some viewers may decide to cease following your feed, but will be required to do so manually. Notice! Before his death, Hunter Tsurra the Corrupted was in the process of ascending past Prime World "Echo" so his viewership and followers had been substantially increased. Congratulations! You have received an additional 2,459,634 views. You have received an additional 573,830 followers. I wanted to ask Stella about the process Hunters went through to ascend, but it was a conversation for later. For now, my eyes reread the message about my views and followers skyrocketing beyond anything I could have imagined up to this point. With the next notification to appear, perhaps the System didn''t either. Still, considering what could have happened, we were fortunate to have come upon Tsurra''s lair when we did. He only needed a few more sacrifices and he would have ascended to the next world, but at the cost of many lives. The orc deserved his new fate. He cared nothing about the NPC''s lives he would have brought to ruin. Good riddance. Congratulations! Reputation Achievement: You have reached the 500,000 and 1,000,000 & 2,500,000 viewer achievement tiers (message condensed). System reward is based on the contributing factor that increased your viewership. Please note that these achievements were all within your first 24 hours; rewards have been increased based on the rarity of this type of achievement (times 2 Epic and times 1 Legendary Rarity). Congratulations! You have received: plus 500 health and plus 500 MP! Congratulations! You have received the ability ''Spell Strike (Necromancer)"! Spell Strike (Necromancer) - your damage over time effects can now critically hit. My eyes bulged after reading these rewards. The boost to both my health and mana was amazing, certainly worthy of the ''epic'' rarity, but spell strike took the cake. From my history on Earth, many games outright ignored the possibility of a critical hit when it came to damage over time spells. Now, instead of my damage being static, though it did increase with each new DoT on a target, with critical hits being enabled meant my main damage source could spike as well. Spike damage could be essential at times, whether it be for boss fights or in player-versus-player combat. It was even more valuable if the target you were fighting had healing capabilities. If your damage spiked at the right time, it had the potential to overwhelm healing and regenerative skills. "I am loving that spell strike," I said to Stella as I explained the true potential it brought with it. "It does sound awesome," Stella said next to me. "Congrats. Oh, and from what I am reading behind the scenes, this ability isn''t typically seen in prime words. Lucky bugger." "It is legendary tiered," I chuckled. "It''s going to come in handy." Pulling up my character sheet, I quickly found a new entry indicating my damage over time critical hit percentage was listed as six point nine percent. Stella after reading the same information, shared some additional information, "The percentage is ten percent of your intelligence. So, when you reach one hundred intelligence, you''ll have a ten percent critical hit chance." "Even close to seven percent, right now," I said. "It can jump my damage potential skyward. Can you imagine me having ten spells on a mob? That''s ten ticks of damage every ten seconds, and each one has the chance to crit. I can''t wait, it''s going to rain down the crits as we keep leveling." The notifications continued as we pressed forward with the next being my rewards for seeing a significant jump in overall followers from my fight with Tsurra. Congratulations! Reputation Achievement: You have reached the 25,000, 50,000, 75,000, 100,000 & 500,000 follower achievement tiers (message condensed). System reward is based on the contributing factor that increased your follower count. Please note that these achievements were all within your first 24 hours; rewards have been increased based on the rarity of this type of achievement (Times three Rare and times two Epic Rarity). Congratulations! You have received: +15 to Charisma, Roaring Sweep has increased by 3 levels, and Fireball has increased by 3 levels. Congratulations! You have received: you may select one ability to upgrade, and you have unlocked the "Execute" (Axe) skill. Execute (Axe) ¨C In a lightning-fast motion, you strike at a target''s vulnerable area causing massive damage. This skill is only usable when the target''s total health is below 20%. The damage from this attack plus 200% of normal weapon damage. Cool down: 30 seconds, but is automatically reset if the target is killed by the attack. Additional levels in this spell increase the damage by 5% and reduces the cool down by 0.5 seconds. I laughed. My chuckle was a mix of astonishment and excitement. The execute ability was one I had been hoping to receive for a while now. Usually, mobs became far harder to kill when they were on their last legs, doubly so for bosses. My new execution skill would us help push beyond that obstacle. My thoughts turned then to the decision I had regarding upgrading one of my abilities. Notice! You must select one ability to upgrade before proceeding further. Which do you choose? Mind & Matter, Exalted Acceleration (INELIGIBLE), Adaptability, Clear-Headed, Darkvision, Keen Senses, or Spell Strike (INELIGIBLE)? "Damn," Stella and I said at the same time. We caught each other''s gaze, both amused at the other. "Would have been nice to bump our exalted acceleration a tad further," I mused. "Ah, well. It would have been too good to be true." Stella must have sensed when I attempted to pull more information as to what my current abilities could upgrade into. Sadly, the System didn''t expand further. "Let me see if I can find anything in the meta-data," Stella said before her eyes darted from side to side. She raised a paw to her chin, "There is no guarantee of course, but it looks like mind and matter might increase your experience gains for both your spells and abilities. Kind of like how being a necromancer increases your experience gained with your damage over time spells." She continued, "Adaptability looks like it could increase your attributes by a set percentage, though I doubt by any significant amount. You already get seven per level currently, so it may be¡­ perhaps worth another level or two. It would grow slightly as you do, but not worth it right now, in my opinion. Now, clear-headed, that could be very useful. It could add another status immunity, like stun or dazed! Let''s definitely keep it in mind." "For darkvision," Stella said. "It looks like it might upgrade to a different form of vision altogether. Maybe ultravision but, then again, it could change into a heat-based vision instead." Her words piqued my interest. Thoughts of shooting lasers from my shoulder while invisible played in my mind. There were probably spells out there to do both! Shaking my head to clear away the fantasy, I tuned back to Stella who had kept on speaking. "Finally, keen senses could push your sense of smell, taste, and touch to another level. For example, your sense of smell might become as strong as mine. Though, that could be a double-edged sword." Stella''s eyes turned to me before a big grin crossed her face. "You did smell something awful that one time, do you remember? Ha!" Ignoring the comments, I considered our options. "So, you would probably recommend clear-headed, right?" My own opinion lined up with Stella''s but I wanted to make sure before settling the matter. Getting another immunity could easily save my life one day, I knew it all too well. Stella nodded and sat down on her haunches, still hovering in the air viewing the System message handing there. "Getting extra experience will always help, but getting stunned at the wrong moment¡­ that could kill you. Not many Hunters get abilities that allow them to outright ignore certain status effects. Shit, not five minutes ago you stunned an entire pack of thralls eager to rend flesh. If they had immunity to stun, you''d be dead." I nodded along, the choice made. Congratulations! Your Clear Headed ability has been upgraded to Clear Headed II. You are now immune to the stunned debuff. Chapter 33 - Empowered Aegis ¡°You¡¯re a hunter killer, indeed,¡± Stella beamed at me, looking at the title under my nameplate. ¡°It suits you.¡± ¡°One more down. Many more to come if they''re anything like the last two we¡¯ve faced,¡± I replied before continuing with the slew of System messages still awaiting our attention. As a Hunter who has successfully defeated another, you will receive significant rewards commensurate to the challenge faced. Calculating¡­ Difficulties Noted: Defeated a Hunter five levels higher than your own (high difficulty). Survived combat against a force more than three times your own (high difficulty). Calculating¡­ Congratulations! Your Hunter Rewards have been upgraded to tier 3 (Rare)! Reward #1 Experience extracted from Accelerator ¨C Upgraded to Rare Tier! Note ¨C Experience extracted from defeated hunter & accelerator is dependent on rarity, as follows: Common Accelerator ¨C 25% total experience acquired, Uncommon Accelerator ¨C 35% total experience acquired, Rare Accelerator ¨C 40% total experience acquired, Epic Accelerator ¨C 45% total experience acquired, Legendary Accelerator ¨C 50% total experience acquired, & Unique ¨C 70% total experience acquired. Congratulations! You have extracted 58,334 experience points from Tsurra the Corrupted¡¯s accelerator. Level Up! You have earned enough experience to advance to levels 13, 14, 15, and 16. Tier 2 class characteristic attributes have been applied. You have 28 attribute points to distribute. Luck Threshold Reached (50). Benefits: Plus 20% increased chance to find hidden treasures and extra rewards (up from 15). Reward #2 - Attribute points extracted from Accelerator. Note ¨C upgraded to rare tier. Tsurra the Corrupted¡¯s Highest Attribute was Intelligence. Congratulations, you have extracted 33 Intelligence! Intelligence Threshold Reached (100). Benefits: Each new point into intelligence now grants 35 mana (up from 30). Reward #3 Attribute/Skill/Spell extracted from Accelerator. Note ¨C upgraded to rare tier. Based on Tsurra the Corrupted¡¯s status, you have a 60% chance to acquire a new skill, a 30% chance to acquire a new spell, and a 10% chance to acquire a new ability. Congratulations! You will receive one of Tsurra the Corrupted¡¯s abilities! ¡°Your luck stat sure is paying dividends. Perhaps we should consider putting more points into it, if this is what can happen,¡± Stella said as she hovered nearby. ¡°A ten percent chance and you get to choose one of his abilities. Just¡­ wow¡± In our battle, Stella had relayed vital information about Tsurra¡¯s abilities. Though, the chaotic fight meant it had been placed in the background of my mind. Now though, being able to choose one of the deadly Hunter¡¯s abilities could be game-changing. ¡°Let¡¯s look at each closely,¡± I said. ¡°You¡¯re the expert so I may rely on your opinion to pick the best one for us, here and now.¡± Stella complied the information of each ability, appearing one after another. As I read each one in turn, I was soon to appreciate how much ¡®wow¡¯ had been an understatement. Abilities available: Borrowed Essence ¨C Your life force and magical essence have become intertwined. Your maximum health is added to your mana pool, allowing you a deeper mana reserve to call upon. WARNING ¨C If your mana falls below your total health pool, you will suffer 1 point of damage to health and mana for each mana point used or lost. Empowered Aegis ¨C Your magical prowess is no longer contained inside only your Core. Now, a permanent barrier of magical energy protects you from hostile spells and attacks at all times as long as you have mana to spare. This magical protection draws against your mana reserves when struck, stopping most magical and non-magical attacks at a one-to-one damage ratio, health to mana. Note ¨C Physical and magical attacks will still cause you to stagger, become dazed or even stunned. The physical component of such attacks will bypass this protection, though the damage will not. Beguiled Thrall ¨C Your soul has been touched by necrotic energies and it has forever changed you. This ability allows you to call back to life a recently departed soul who will fight for you once more. The act of summoning a soul across the veil will twist and warp the body, turning it into a more vicious version of itself. Note ¨C This ability has an extreme health and mana cost, as well as a significant cool down period. The summoned Beguiled Thrall will last a maximum of 24 hours, though this time can be extended with another use of this ability. Infernal Blessing ¨C You made a bargain with a demon of the lower planes. In exchange for a century of servitude upon your death, all of your fire-based spell¡¯s damage is significantly increased. Undead Lungs ¨C The necrotic energy that passes through your body has altered your very nature. As a result, you no longer need to draw breath, though you are still capable of doing so. You are immune to effects that require a gaseous medium to affect a target and are no longer capable of drowning or suffocating. Demonic Subjection ¨C Once per day, you are able to impose your will on any demon (rare rarity or lower), forcing it to obey all of your commands. This lasts until the demon is banished, by your will, or until 2 hours have passed. If no demon is available, you can instead use this ability to summon a lesser Imp to do your bidding for up to 6 hours or until banished. Soul Link ¨C When damaged by physical or magical attacks, 20% of the damage is transferred to your minions or thralls, divided equally between those you command. The surviving individuals around the end of the room were stirring, though, they were still extremely disoriented. Going from a comatose state to fully conscious, whatever Tsurra had done to them, appeared to need quite some time to wear off. We would need to get moving soon, but I wanted to hopefully get through these massive notifications so when we helped these people back to their homes, they could get our undivided attention. Before making my selection, I moved over to Tsurra¡¯s body and removed all of his gear and items, placing them effortlessly into my inventory. Magical gear went into my bag of holding, whereas everything non-magical went into my necklace. Tsurra had a wealth of gear upon him and, by the looks of it, it was a matched set. I¡¯d have to go through it all soon. For now, I pulled out a blanket and covered his mostly naked body. It wouldn¡¯t go over well for the survivors to see the Hunter when they came fully back to the present. Knowing time was of the essence, Stella and I talked and went through our options, weighing the pros and cons of each. I was amazed at the overarching defensive theme of Tsurra¡¯s abilities and how they interacted with him. Thinking back on the fight, we were fortunate all of his thralls were down, otherwise my final axe throw may not have finished him off. A flat twenty percent damage reduction, though it would translate to any minion Tsurra would have had, was powerful. Hell, looking at my own armor class, my own defenses lowered physical damage by twenty-five percent which included my ever-present minor shielding spell. Tsurra, even though he was a caster much like me, was far more capable of tanking damage than I can currently. We came down to three choices. It was either Borrowed Essence, Empowered Aegis, or Soul Link. ¡°Borrowed essence will essentially increase your total mana points by dipping into your health pool if you get low enough,¡± Stella said. ¡°Right now, though, your mana is not too much of a concern considering the massive bump in intelligence, not to mention the five hundred mana from the earlier achievement. You have over thirty-five hundred mana points now! So, while this ability would add another fifteen hundred on top, I think we have better choices.¡± ¡°Now, empowered aegis,¡± Stella said, clearly impressed by the ability, ¡°That will give you a constant damage shield. Even better, it synergizes well with your essence ability from your necromancer ring, as well as the fact we¡¯re essentially an intelligence build.¡± Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. ¡°I see where you¡¯re going with this,¡± I said excitedly. ¡°Choosing the aegis means we can focus even more on intelligence. We¡¯re already doing that, in a way. It would effectively increase our damage mitigation potential. One point of intelligence, in a way, would be like also adding one constitution as well. Though, if I end up taking a lot of damage quickly, it could leave me magically defenseless.¡± ¡°Yes, exactly,¡± Stella added. ¡°Your mana would double as health as any damage to the shield would chip away at mana first.¡± ¡°So, that leaves us at the last contender, soul link,¡± I said as I eyed up the description. ¡°A straight twenty percent damage mitigation is impressive, though Ripley would take all of that damage for me. Wait, would that damage actually split between her and Lowki?¡± Stella glanced over her interface, ¡°¡­No, it wouldn¡¯t. Lowki isn¡¯t a thrall or minion. He¡¯s a pet companion.¡± ¡°Another thing to consider is that I am not a front-line fighter,¡± I said. ¡°My role for the most part is to be in the background flinging off spells while Ripley and Lowki engage whatever we¡¯re fighting. I¡¯d like to have soul link, but I feel like it¡¯s wasted in a way. It¡¯s more of like, I don¡¯t know¡­ an ¡®oh shit¡¯ ability. Like, if I was caught off guard or ambushed, it could save the day, but the aegis would already do that since it¡¯s always up and running.¡± ¡°I think we have it then,¡± Stella said as she nodded in agreement. ¡°Let¡¯s do it.¡± Congratulations! You have earned the Empowered Aegis ability! Empowered Aegis ¨C Your magical prowess is no longer contained inside only your Core. Now, a permanent barrier of magical energy protects you from hostile spells and attacks at all times as long as you have mana to spare. This magical protection draws against your mana reserves when struck, stopping most magical and non-magical attacks at a one-to-one damage ratio; health to mana. Note ¨C Physical and magical attacks will still cause you to stagger, become dazed, or even stunned. The physical component of such attacks will bypass this protection, though the damage will not. After selecting the new ability, the only thing I felt was something akin to a slow-moving pulse of tightly wound energy expanding from my Core, flowing outwards to encompass my entire body. Then it was gone with no outward sign appearing. If I didn¡¯t know any better, I would have said nothing magical protected me. Certainly, nothing could stop the thrust of a sword. Or, so it felt. Double-checking my character sheet, the ability was there. ¡°Well, that was anticlimactic,¡± Stella said as she attempted to get my aegis to present itself. She moved a paw, gingerly at first but quickly picking up speed, over my arm. No matter what she did, nothing happened. She only caught air. We both knew it was there, but couldn¡¯t interact with it. ¡°Hostile spells and attacks only, per the description?¡± I asked as we both stood there questioningly. Stella nodded and before I could respond she turned to Lowki, then indicated to me with a motion of her head, ¡°Hit him.¡± Gasping in surprise, I moved my palms before me, but I was far, far too slow. By the look of it, my defensive motion wouldn¡¯t have stopped Lowki anyway. He was all too happy to play his part in a new game, considering the smug grin that appeared for the briefest of moments on his dark face. Lowki, quick as an adder, lashed a giant paw out towards my hip. He didn¡¯t extend his claws, thankfully, but the strength behind the blow still sent me spinning to the floor. The hit didn¡¯t hurt, no damage reached my health, though it felt as if all the momentum behind the attack still landed. As I was picking myself up off the floor, my eyes caught a small dip in my mana pool. ¡°Interesting,¡± Stella said mechanically. ¡°The shield appeared right as Lowki made contact. ¡°It flashed blue, then disappeared. No damage was taken, though your mana dropped by forty points. Interesting¡­¡± Before losing sight of everything but the floor, I also witnessed the flash of magic. It had been an inch or so from my skin, though I would have to take her word about it disappearing shortly thereafter. It is a bit hard to notice subtle details like while slamming into the ground. ¡°Hmm¡­ You did indeed feel the full force of the blow, though I wonder if that will decrease if the blow isn¡¯t as hard. Lowki, this time¡­¡± ¡°Nope! Don¡¯t you do it,¡± I said, barely reaching my feet once more. Stella, ignoring my plight continued as if I had never spoken, ¡°hit a little gentler.¡± The results were similar to before, though mainly because I was off balance and still a little dizzy. This time, I remained on the ground, my eyes reaching upwards to the chandeliers dancing over us. ¡°Do that again, Stell, and the next one Lowki bats around will be you.¡± ¡°Bah, you¡¯re no fun, Xaz. Really, just take one for the team¡­ you know, for research purposes.¡± Something in Stella¡¯s eyes had Lowki twitch lower to the ground. I looked her square in the eye and shook my head vigorously. ¡°Fine,¡± Stella pouted. As I reached my feet, moving to dust myself off, Stella turned to Ripley this time, ¡°One swing at the knees, if you don¡¯t mind.¡± Once more finding myself staring up at the wide ceiling, a giggling Stella zoomed away. ¡°Goddammit, Stella.¡± Level Up! You have earned enough experience to advance to levels 13, 14, 15, and 16. Tier 2 class characteristic attributes have been applied. You have 28 attribute points to distribute. Congratulations on reaching levels 14 and 16. As a Warlock, you are able to choose two of the following class-appropriate skills or spells. Please know that it is possible that any skill or spell not selected may be found elsewhere in the World. Additionally, another set of skills or spells will be selectable at 18. When level 20 is reached, a tier 3 class will be available. Choose wisely. Stella had not commanded any of our friends to use me as batting practice, thankfully. I did get a small apology, but it was ruined when she had to hold back yet another giggle. It was all in good fun, so we continued with our System notifications. Option 1: Spell [Lesser Irradiated Venom] ¨C A toxic blight is imparted to an enemy which begins to course through the target¡¯s veins. The target¡¯s blood becomes irradiated causing the breakdown of major blood vessels causing an extreme amount of damage over time, though this spell expires quickly as a result. Option 2: Spell [Lesser Shackle Undead] ¨C Necrotic energy surrounds and hinders a nearby undead target. The spell causes the undead target¡¯s movement and attack speed to slow. Note ¨C This spell will not affect living targets. Option 3: Spell [Lesser Arrested Affliction] ¨C Contaminates a nearby target with a lethal disease that causes the heart to beat irregularly, potentially seizing it momentarily. The spell causes significant damage over time, as well as lowering the target¡¯s strength and armor class. Option 4: Spell: [Lesser Ignite Bones] ¨C A flare of intense magical energy strikes a nearby enemy causing the target¡¯s bones to become immolated and muscle tendons to be burned away. The spell causes significant damage over time, as well as lowering the target¡¯s accuracy. Option 5: Spell [Lesser Necrotic Aura (Pet)] ¨C The necromancer¡¯s undead minion begins to radiate deathly energy causing nearby hostile target¡¯s flesh to wither and decay. This area of effect spell causes moderate damage over time. Option 6: Spell [Lesser Wyvern Sting] ¨C At your command, a magically created wyvern stinger shoots forth to impact a nearby enemy. The target is afflicted by a deadly poison that causes serious damage over time, at the cost of neutralizing quickly. It would appear rapidly gaining multiple levels meant I was able to pick two spells from a list of six, instead of the normal option of only one per group. ¡°Nice,¡± I said as I considered the options. It was minor, but it could be seen as a small boon if I wanted to pick two spells I normally wouldn¡¯t have been able to. Of the list, I immediately dismissed the spell to slow and snare undead enemies. The target range would be limited and only shine if I regularly fought the undead creatures. It was too limiting, in my opinion. Having it would be nice, perhaps I would get it eventually, but not at the cost of the other options. I¡¯d buy it if I could. I was happy to see so many new damage over time spells, though I was particularly intrigued by the aura spell which would be applied to the towering Ripley. One of the benefits of my tier two class was any pet-only buff would become permanent. It would remain on her until canceled. Sure, the spell would cost me in the form of a small amount of mana being reserved while it was active, but I felt it was worth it. The option synergized well with my class and Ripley¡¯s constant presence. It would be like instantly having a DoT against all hostile enemies near her. The consideration sparked a question in my mind. ¡°Stell, would lesser necrotic aura cause damage to stealthed or invisible enemies?¡± I asked hopefully. ¡°Yes,¡± Stella said as her eyes went distant. She was reading from her Accelerator screen. ¡°If the creature or mob is considered hostile, then anything close would automatically begin taking damage. Also, unless they have an incredibly high-level invisible spell or a specialized stealth ability, it would immediately break their stealth.¡± ¡°Well, that settles at least one of our picks. We¡¯re totally getting it,¡± I said eagerly. ¡°Being able to interrupt a rogue from backstabbing you will be a lifesaver one day.¡± ¡°Ok, down to four choices,¡± Stella said as we eyed the possibilities. The choice came down to what extra effect from four DOTs would help us the most. Irradiated Venom was pretty standard, though it appeared to cause the most damage. Arrested Affliction dealt decent damage while also making the monster physically weaker by lowering its armor class. Similarly, Ignite Bones caused respectable damage, while also making it harder to hit us with the accuracy debuff. Finally, Wyvern Sting, per Stella, had the highest damage per tick but ended quicker than the rest. ¡°I¡¯m going with the arrested affliction,¡± I said after finally deciding. The benefit of severely lowering a mob¡¯s strength and armor class was excellent for fighting melee-based enemies. Essentially, they wouldn¡¯t hit as hard, and our melee attacks would deal more damage. A win-win, in my mind. After choosing the two spells, knowledge flooded into my mind. Turning to Ripley, I tilted my head in her direction. ¡°Ready to become a death knight?¡± I knew she wouldn¡¯t really be changed into a death knight, but having a constant source of damage following her around was exactly what I would expect from a death knight. Casting the spell for the first time, a portion of my mana pool took on a gray tone on the normally vibrant blue mana bar. It represented the reserved amount to maintain the spell¡¯s aura. A pulse of energy, like the shadow cast from a passing cloud, permeated outwards from her body. Barely visible, it faded away like smoke. An occasional mote of arcane energy flickered into existence here and there before vanishing as if never there. There were no hostile mobs around so the spell¡¯s effects wouldn¡¯t make their true presence known until then. Still, I was comforted to know we had a new line of defense against invisible enemies. ¡°You¡¯re ready to kick some ass, Ripley?¡± Ripley for her part, smiled back, her dark teeth bare. Kick ass, indeed. Chapter 34 - Blazeweave I was still going through the System messages when something caught my attention. ¡°Hey, Stella, why do many of my spells say ¡®max¡¯ next to them?¡± From the large experience gained from absorbing Tsurra¡¯s Accelerator, a good number of my spells jumped in levels, though most stopped at level ten for some reason. Diving deeper, into the character interface, many indicated they had reached max level. I hadn¡¯t noticed it before. Notice! Skill and Spell increase messages have been condensed. Spell: [Minor Deflecting Shield] has increased to level 10. Spell: [Minor Regen] has increased to level 10. Spell: [Minor Shielding] has increased to level 10. Spell: [Minor Fireball] has increased to level 10. Spell: [Selomund''s Song of Travel] has increased to level 10. Spell: [Minor Scent of Decay] has increased to level 10. Spell: [Lesser Soul Leech] has increased to level 11. Stella nudged her face closer to me, eyeing up the screen I was. ¡°Oh, did I not mention that earlier?¡± She looked sheepishly at me before continuing, ¡°So, remember when I talked about breaking down minor, lesser, and the like when it comes to spell strength?¡± ¡°I guess¡­¡± The inflection in my voice hinted for Stella to not beat around the bush. Catching my tone, Stella continued with a little pep in her next words. ¡°Well, as you know, spell strength also determines how high they can advance. Minor spells, as you see here, max out at ten. Lesser spells max out at twenty-five. Average spells, which we¡¯ll see when we get to level twenty ourselves, max out at thirty-five. It continues on like that all the way to master spells.¡± Stella continued, ¡°I¡¯m surprised you hadn¡¯t expected this. It¡¯s one of the many ways the System balances things out.¡± Her witty commentary not hitting me like she probably expected it would. ¡°Ha, did you expect that a level fifty minor fireball would hold a candle to an enhanced fireball?¡± ¡°Thanks,¡± I said sarcastically, stretching the word out. She obviously didn¡¯t catch it, bumping shoulder to shoulder with me with a bubbly grin. ¡°Well, this means we¡¯ll need to get more lesser spells, or better, as soon as possible. Otherwise, we risk our magical damage plateauing, especially considering how quickly we seem to be leveling.¡± As I had my character sheet up, a blinking icon was reminding me to distribute the attribute points I received from the recent spike in levels. Twenty-eight to assign, I pondered inwardly. Taking a deep breath, I was about to start assigning points before Stella stopped me. ¡°Wait,¡± she said as she placed a paw on my forearm. ¡°You should first check out Tsurra¡¯s gear. He was a spell caster, like you, so his gear will likely be an upgrade for you.¡± ¡°Oh wow,¡± I muttered. Looking at even the first few pieces, Tsurra truly had focused solely on his intelligence and mana, though there was a small sprinkling of constitution mixed in. ¡°This crap is fantastic!¡± You received Aratar¡¯s Blazeweave Kote (Arms). You received Aratar¡¯s Blazeweave Kimono (Chest). You received Aratar¡¯s Blazeweave Jika-tabi (Feet). You received Aratar¡¯s Blazeweave Yugake (Hands). You received Aratar¡¯s Blazeweave Puttee (Legs). You received Aratar¡¯s Blazeweave Haori (Shoulders). You received Aratar¡¯s Blazeweave Obi (Waist). Pleasantly surprised, the set resembled what I would imagine a Japanese samurai would wear when he wasn¡¯t in full battle regalia. Pulling each out, one by one, the ¡®blazeweave¡¯ fabric was incredibly lightweight and flexible. It was also resilient as only magical gear could be, I¡¯d need something as keen as Frostrend to cut it. The material was a dark shade of red and was trimmed in a distinctive silver. Combined with the intricate cerise latticework threaded throughout, it was eye-catching, to say the least. Turning the gear in hand, we noticed the kimono, kote, and puttee had a small skull emblazoned in front of a blazing bonfire. ¡°Let¡¯s get this equipped,¡± I said having no idea how intricate and time-consuming the process would take. Stella, ever the joker, convincingly faked like she was helping me don each piece. As I was struggling to get the Kimono folded properly, so as to not look ridiculous, I found her rolling an inch off the ground. She was laughing her ass off. ¡°Come on, Xaz,¡± Stella said as she slapped a paw against her side, a cackling laugh shut tight behind her lips. ¡°Just equip it from your inventory screen. Hahaha.¡± ¡°You¡¯re such a delight,¡± I responded with a heavy dose of sarcasm. Finally done playing with me, Stella¡¯s eyes snapped up at me, clearly impressed. She gave a long whistle, ¡°Sharp. Very sharp.¡± I beamed. ¡°Now, you just need a pair of katanas to finish the motif.¡± ¡°Nah, I¡¯m quite fond of my current weapon of choice.¡± Even better were the set bonuses. After equipping the final piece, energy surged through my limbs. Casually placing a hand on my hip, a radiant smile crossed my face as I read the description. Aratar¡¯s Blazeweave {Set Armor Bonus} (3 pieces): MP increased by 300. (4 pieces): Intelligence increased by 30. (6 pieces): {Doom, Doom, Doom!} All of your damaging abilities and spells now have a slight chance of summoning a fire imp who will fight on your behalf for 30 seconds. The fire imp¡¯s level will be set at your current level plus 5 (maximum 30). Note - only a single imp can be summoned by this effect at a time. However, if the effect is triggered while an imp is already present, the currently summoned imp¡¯s timer will be reset. I was fairly confident that Tsurra''s class hadn¡¯t possessed damage over time spells but, for me, this set bonus seemed almost tailor-made for a necromancer. Every six seconds when my DOTs ticked, I had a chance, albeit quite low based on what Stella saw behind the scenes, to summon a powerful ally. Per spell, I would have around six opportunities for the final set bonus to trigger, whereas Tsurra would only have one with his direct damage spells. Even better, as we continued to learn more of my damage over time spells, the odds would only grow in our favor. My new armor netted me a combined thirty-five intelligence and a boatload of additional mana as each had an average of twenty-five mana per piece. The swap did cause me to lose a few strength, dexterity, and constitution points in the exchange. Still, the massive boost to my intelligence, which translated into more damage and more protection, was more than worth it. Several pieces from my old gearset were given to Ripley, though not any being a significant upgrade but every bit helped, nonetheless. Finally, came Tsurra¡¯s other four rings. Some fine upgrades were to be had there, as well. You received: Gold Earring of Pure Mana. Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. You received: Manavine Ring of Resistance. You received: Hysoto¡¯s Primordial Ring. You received: Ring of Intelligence and Constitution +4 Equipping these as well, I gained another straight hundred and fifty mana, eight more intelligence, and three Constitution. The manavine ring also had an additional five percent all-around resistance bonus. The most impressive piece was the primordial ring which caused all spells to have a five percent chance of taking full effect on a target. All in all, the upgrades were remarkable. It was obvious why Tsurra had such a staggering mana pool. ¡°Alright, then,¡± I said as I stretched and limbered up in my new clothing. ¡°Time to distribute these attribute points.¡± My strength had dipped below fifty points, causing the threshold bonus to be removed, so it was easy to put three points there. Dexterity was my lowest stat by a wide margin, so ten points were swiftly placed to reach the thirty-point threshold. Next, seven points went to Constitution to bring it to an even sixty. Finally, four points went to Intelligence, and the remaining five to Wisdom. Sadly, there wasn¡¯t an Intelligence threshold at two hundred, but I wasn¡¯t about to complain to Stella. Overall, my prowess as a Hunter had shot skyward. In all, I felt good. The only attribute to pass a threshold was my dexterity and, apparently, I had two messages to read from there. Dexterity Threshold Reached (20). Benefits: Plus 7% increased accuracy with all ranged attacks (including spells), skills, and abilities. Plus 3% chance to score a critical hit, attack speed, and ability to dodge incoming attacks. Dexterity Threshold Reached (30). Benefits: Plus 10% increased accuracy with all ranged attacks (including spells), skills, and abilities. Plus 5% chance to score a critical hit, attack speed, and ability to dodge incoming attacks. With the, ¡°paperwork¡± as Stella called it. We made our way over to the survivors. Whatever effect had them muddling around like zombies had finally worn away. The ten survivors had a mix of shock, outrage, and disbelief warring over their features. In all, there was an even split of five men and women. Their tattered, threadbare clothes, barely covered dark bruises, not to mention a fair share of scraps and cuts. Tsurra had not been gentle. ¡°Hi,¡± I said as we approached. Fear and distrust were cast my way, but with my hands held out before me, I was able to relieve some of the tension. Stella¡¯s gentle presence also helped. ¡°My name is Xaz. This is Stella. We¡¯re not here to hurt you.¡± I turned, making a show to look directly at Ripley and Lowki in turn, ¡°Ripley, Lowki, please cover the way we came. Make sure we¡¯re safe.¡± My hope was the intimidating presence of Ripley and the imposing strength of Lowki would be diminished being on the other side of the long room. ¡°You appear injured. I have a regenerative spell that can help. May I?¡± It took our combined effort, and Stella¡¯s soothing skills before the villagers finally believed we were not friends of Tsurra. Each had been essentially comatose so had not witnessed the battle. Though, when we uncovered Tsurra¡¯s body briefly, their relief finally won out. Afterward, several actually carried grateful smiles when we were close. The mood was shattered, though, when nearly a dozen sets of eyes fell upon the wretched pile of corpses in the corner of the room. Grief-laden screams and strangled sobs filled the now seemingly confined space. With Stella¡¯s guiding hand, we ushered the survivors out of the room. Nothing good would come of us remaining in the defiled basilica. In short order, we were trudging towards the cave entrance, torches shining brightly in many of the hands of the surviving men. Lowki was far ahead of the group, scouting for any danger though I suspected none existed, while Ripley took the forward position several paces in front of me. Though the villagers didn¡¯t seem to mind her, I felt it best to keep her interaction to a minimum considering the trauma the group had recently faced, being undead and all. A short while later, we reached the surface. Stella had let the group know what to expect a few times, but nothing could have prepared them for the reality of it. Death was spread out for miles. Nothing stirred. All vegetation was blackened, withered, and devoid of life. Stunned disbelief echoed around on everyone¡¯s faces. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I said, expelling an audible breath. ¡°We didn¡¯t get here in time to stop him.¡± Thankfully the weather was cooperating and wasn¡¯t too cold as I considered the villagers. The morning sun was shining brightly with only a few spare clouds hanging about. At Stella¡¯s suggestion, we spread out as many blankets and quilts as we could. What spare clothes were stored away in my necklace were also given out freely to help supplement their tattered clothes. A few of the men asked to be given weapons, but Stella helped ensure them, as a ¡®goodly¡¯ Hunter, our party would protect them at all costs. Beyond that, when we got to town, their other needs would be seen too. I sent Lowki out to roam far ahead of the group, asking him to be ever wary of any aggressive mobs and to report back to me immediately if he spotted anything. If that came to pass, we would skirt around whatever it was as we didn¡¯t want to endanger townsfolk. Ripley moved to her customary rear-guard position since there was so much open space behind us, no longer insulated by vacant halls. Likewise, she would ensure nothing snuck up on us. Plus, her new area of effect buff would help call out any potential hostility. For me and Stella, we led the procession with the survivors of Tsurra¡¯s quest sequestered in the middle of our formation. Each had huddled closely to one another as we worked our way back to their homes. None knew the state their town would be when we got there, but I could see hints of hope in the occasional eye. There were a few smatterings of brief conversations, mostly initiated by Stella to help keep spirits up. A few shouts of alarm would call out when someone spotted the bounding Lowki who was always a good stone¡¯s throw away from the party. Stella had a good idea and encouraged the idea that Lowki was like a watchful guardian, ensuring our safety. The fact he was probably the most massive feline any had ever seen, helped the idea take root. ¡°He¡¯s the perfect hunter, watching out for us,¡± she said more than once as she spoke with the townsfolk. I also made a few attempts to converse with both the men and women, though the fact I was a Hunter wasn¡¯t helping bridge the divide the previous Hunter they had encountered had caused. Still, we made good time and were faster-paced than I thought we would be. The town up ahead was called Merton and was led by Alistair McKintos, the town¡¯s mayor. The small settlement mainly produced grain and food for livestock As we grew closer to our destination, people began to consider the unpleasant news that would need to be delivered soon. When the survivors turned from their inward struggles to the horrific fate of their loved ones, tears flowed anew. Worse, we found the mayor¡¯s wife and daughter were among the latest group to be kidnapped and ultimately sacrificed. The whole community would be grieving for a long time. Tsurra had been stealthy in his work, at least in the beginning. People here and there disappeared, but soon almost dozens at a time would go missing. Eventually, Tsurra gave up with the subtle tactics, bringing his ten undead thralls with him to collect more and more ¡®offerings,¡¯ as he called it. The innocent and undefended town had no way to resist, so it was made clear how Tsurra had been able to gather so many people in the name of his profane ritual. During our march, I came to know the names of everyone we rescued. Most notable were Natasha and Marlene. The men all deferred to me, not wanting to risk a conversation. I didn¡¯t press the matter and allowed them their space. I caught myself, several times, wishing I could have done more. Though, the thought was quickly squashed as there was nothing any of us could have done. In the end, the only thing these people could do against Tsurra had been to hide in their homes and hope he wouldn¡¯t come knocking. Marlene, a middle-aged woman and one of the only willingness to speak with me, shared more about what it was like in the beginning. ¡°There had been guards, quite a few actually,¡± Marlene shared. ¡°They tried to fight off the Hunter but we quickly found those who resisted were the first to be taken. Eventually, even those sworn to protect us ditched their armor and hid their uniforms. I can hardly blame them though; we were powerless against him and his death things.¡± Natasha, another person who also started warming up to me, chipped into the conversation, ¡°The last time the orc, Tsurra, came into town, he grandly called out that no more of us would be taken. The bastard laughed, calling us nothing better than cattle. He said we were to blame for what was to come, for being so weak.¡± Marlene helped steady the frustrated Natasha, helping her take a deep breath and exhaling it slowly. Holding Natasha by the shoulders, Marlene continued to share what it had been like, ¡°The town was in such disarray and hopelessness. Even as our group was being carried away by his creatures, my only solace was that no one else would die at his hand.¡± The mood was somber. I didn¡¯t have the heart to say that had Tsurra completed his ritual, the blight of his spell would have carried all across these lands likely killing everyone in its path. Stella must have been thinking the same thing because her eye contact clearly communicated to keep that detail quiet. These wounds were still too fresh. It was only the knowledge they thought their sacrifices would save others that had kept them sane. It was Natasha who finally broke the silence. ¡°You all brought us back to life. You saved us for no better reason than it was the right thing to do. You are the only Hunter who has ever looked at us more than fodder. More than just a piece of meat or a body to push around. Thank you, truly.¡± Stella¡¯s voice was calm and reassuring. ¡°We would do it again in a heartbeat. Xaz and I, we¡¯re out here to stop Hunter¡¯s like Tsurra. Anyone who would dream of hurting people like you.¡± ¡°Stella¡¯s right,¡± I added with a pet on her soft shoulder. ¡°This is who we are and we intend to ensure nothing like this happens again.¡± Chapter 35 - Betrayed Our pace had slowed somewhat over the next hour, but we knew we were fast approaching Merton. Lights could be seen about a quarter mile away. Not much was said after, so I finally looked at the quest notification which had been blinking in my vision. I hadn¡¯t felt like looking at it with everything that happened. I knew we had been successful, but the ring on my finger felt like it was made of lead. It still glowed and pulsed like a slowly beating heart, but the light had thankfully lowered to barely above a tiny candlelight. We were about to bring the townsfolk home, so I wanted to get this part out of the way. There was going to be a great deal of grief and emotional pain in our immediate future. Congratulations! You have successfully completed the unique Quest (Timed Event) ¡°The Fetid Blight from the Bleak Den¡± Undisclosed Objective 1: Tsurra the Corrupted slain. Undisclosed Objective 2: Do not allow 101 sacrifices to be completed in the Quest ¡®The Dread Hecatomb Jewel¡¯. Completed! Undisclosed Objective 3: Successfully end the Quest ¡®The Dread Hecatomb Jewel¡¯ Calculating rewards, please stand by¡­ ¡°Oh, I had forgotten about this quest,¡± I said after reading the prompt. ¡°With everything going on, it just slipped my mind.¡± Seeing the objectives completed, a contented feeling washed through me. Here was another example of our small band making a real difference. While it was horrible what had happened to me and to my family, the path we were on made me thankful I had met Stella. ¡°One small step at a time,¡± I said low enough so no one could hear it. My footfalls continued to propel me onward, but it was my heart that kept my head held high. Notice! Quest Rewards have been increased for having only a single party member. You earned 10,000 experience points. Your reputation with the village, Merton, has substantially increased for eliminating the dire threat the Dread Hecatomb Jewel represented. Congratulations! You have successfully completed the Quest: The {Fractured} Dread Hecatomb Jewel. Hidden Success Condition 4: Equip the CURSED ring to interrupt the {Fractured} Hecatomb Jewel¡¯s detonation. COMPLETED Calculating Rewards¡­ Please stand by. ¡°Damn, I was hoping we¡¯d be able to see what the other success conditions could have been,¡± I said with a sigh. ¡°Though, thinking about it, maybe I¡¯m glad we can¡¯t see them.¡± ¡°Why is that?¡± Stella asked. She had floated back over to me with the System messages coming up. ¡°Well, imagine if we learned all I needed to do was put the damn gem into my bag of holding,¡± I said after pausing a moment to consider my reasoning. ¡°Sure, it would explode the instant I took it out, you know¡­ ever. It would probably be listed as my own personal ¡®doomsday scenario¡¯ or some such thing. Though¡­ that would sound pretty cool.¡± I was getting off-topic and, based on Stella¡¯s expression, she was encouraging me to finish my train of thought. ¡°Sorry. Anyways, if I could have just hidden the damn thing away in some extra-dimensional space, I wouldn¡¯t be wearing this cursed ring.¡± Even then, I could feel the ring held tightly against my flesh. No matter what I did, it was stuck there as if it had been welded on. Stella had spied on me trying to wet my finger with my saliva, her eyes going wide at the sight, before my embarrassment got the better of me and I stopped playing with it. ¡®It can¡¯t come off, no matter what you do,¡¯ she had said. Still, a youthful part of me hoped it wasn¡¯t true. The thought of having something forced upon me didn¡¯t settle well in my chest. Nothing for it, at least for now. Stella nodded with the reasoning, ¡°We were able to stop the calamity that thing would have caused. That¡¯s reward enough for me.¡± Quest Rewards - You have earned 10,000 experience points. ¡°Yup. Still, I¡¯m more than happy to get that too,¡± I pointed to the experience prompt. ¡°And, like that, another level down.¡± ¡°One small step,¡± Stella said, echoing my previous words. ¡°And, like that, we¡¯re that much closer to being able to take down Duke.¡± Nodding my wholehearted agreement, a message flashed in front of us indicating I had reached level seventeen. With Merton a shy hundred yards away, I didn¡¯t think long on where to put my new attribute points. Everything went into Intelligence. The more the merrier, I thought to myself. Merton was not at all what I had expected. A part of me figured it would simply be less populated but, what we saw before us, was unnerving. What remained of a crumbling outer wall, which in its prime may have come up chest high, was now little more than a small impediment as we stepped over it. Beyond this meager protection, Merton seemed to be on its last leg. The town sprawled ahead looked¡­ decimated. There was a mix of stone and wood buildings, all covered with slate shingles, but it was as if only every third home was still standing. The haphazard array of destroyed and pristine houses was shocking. Those still standing, at least near the town¡¯s entrance, looked entirely abandoned. Doors hung open, curtains blowing out of open windows. No light or sign of life shining within. ¡°How long had Tsurra been stealing people from your village?¡± I asked a young man named Erickson. Like the other men, he barely said anything to me, but had stopped to gaze upon the spectacle with me. He was a head taller than I was, able-bodied with defined muscles showing over his meager clothes. Stella had chatted with him more than once, which I why I think he was starting to come around to me. Eckhart let out a long dreadful sigh as he looked across his village, broken down and in shambles. I turned to him as my question went unanswered. There, I thought I saw a small spark of¡­ something, behind his eyes. ¡°He had been at it for maybe two weeks,¡± Eckhart finally replied. ¡°The Hunter had started with taking small groups, seeming to be careful to not be overwhelmed by the town guards. It didn¡¯t last long. He came back nearly every day taking ten people at a time, each one held by the living corpse of someone he had taken earlier. No one wanted to be noticed.¡± ¡°Nobody¡­¡± he finished, a war of anger and sadness playing across his features. ¡°There wasn¡¯t anything we could do.¡± I had heard this before, from Natasha primarily, but I wasn¡¯t about to interrupt the man. He looked to need to get this out. ¡°People were afraid to even leave town,¡± Eckhart continued. ¡°It was almost as if he was waiting for those who tried to make a break for it. I was finally found, hiding away in my home. Tied and gagged, like I was nothing more than an animal¡­¡± ¡°As we were leaving town, Tsurra looked back and shouted we were the last to be taken. Of course, no one was around to hear him, but his words still carried throughout what and whoever was left of Merton. With a laugh at our weakness, he said, ¡®The next time you see me, I¡¯ll be a god to you.¡¯ Through it all, the fear, the shouts of people being taken¡­ only one person was left alone.¡± I looked questioningly at Eckhart; this last piece of information was something I hadn¡¯t heard yet. He caught my gaze, his face emotionless now. ¡°The mayor, Alistair, it was almost as if Tsurra was punishing him there at the end. At first, when Alistair had been passed over, time and time again, we thought it simply his good fortune. But the last time before he hauled us away, a part of me doubted he was so lucky. Then, I saw him. The broken man was in the middle of town, distraught and kneeling in the dirt. He had something in his hands, I couldn¡¯t make it out. Then, one of those dead creatures grabbed me by firmly by the shoulder. That¡¯s the last I thought I would ever see this place.¡± Stella sent a private message then, reminding me the mayor had lost both his wife and daughter. Something didn¡¯t add up though, in my mind. Why would Tsurra spare anyone? ¡°Tsurra may just have been punishing him for being the mayor. No one could stop him, and there was a man he could ridicule simply because he was in charge. The evil Hunter seemed to take pleasure in whatever cruelty he could dish out. It may have been nothing,¡± I said with a bit of scorn hinting at the edges of my voice. ¡°Maybe,¡± Eckhart replied. ¡°Something¡¯s nagging me about it.¡± With a great sigh, he continued. ¡°But perhaps you are right. Tsurra did seem to enjoy hurting others.¡± Eckhart spat on the ground in front of him. Stella tried to mirror the man, catching me entirely off guard, though she failed miserably as spittle hung down her muzzle in a comical fashion. I raised an eyebrow her way, the corner of my mouth creeping upwards, though I was turned away enough that Eckhart couldn¡¯t see. Though her fur was as black as night, I could have sworn she turned beat red. Maybe it was just her humiliated eyes I spied. It was quite hilarious, nonetheless. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Our small group continued somberly, silence our only companion when we came around a bend in the road. We were surprised to find what might have been the entire town, or what was left of it, all standing in front of a grandiose home. The mayor¡¯s residence, by the look of it. It was hard to miss, being the only two-story building in town. The mass of people was closely huddled together and I got the distinct impression something akin to a mob was forming based on the unease wafting out. I even spied the occasional weapon, though nothing more than a dagger or short sword. What were they thinking of doing? There was no way they would stand a chance against even a single of Tsurra¡¯s thralls with how chipped and unkempt those ordinary weapons appeared. Though, a dozen or so guards were out, which I hadn¡¯t expected us to find. From the stories we heard on the trip here, those guards not initially taken by Tsurra had removed any semblance of armor or banner from their persons. Wanting nothing more than to fade quietly into the background like everyone else. The guards were in full armor now, standing abreast with a man who loomed above everyone else. I assumed it was Alistair, the village¡¯s mayor. He was on the top level of steps leading up to his home. His guards fanned around and below him like some shield of flesh and armor. The man was as unkempt as the weapons I spied on earlier. He looked to have not bathed in days, if not a full week. He was a tall fellow with a dark head of hair. His robe and clothing were dirty, and positively covered in stains. He had the look of a man who had fallen into a mud hole, tried to wash it off with little success, then couldn¡¯t be bothered to change into something else. Alistair¡¯s eyes were rimmed in red, looking as if he had been crying for days. Dark bags rested under those heavy eyes. And those eyes¡­ something manic flashed in there. We must have interrupted some speech the man had been giving, as a hush overcame the crowd when our small group came around the corner. Alistair peered out at us, an angry sneer on his face. More than a few sets of eyes opened in wide surprise as a few townsfolk recognized people they had probably given up for dead. Shocked expressions turned to peals of joy as at least a few families had been restored. It wasn¡¯t long though before shouts of alarm rang out, more than one person pointing at me. To my horror, they weren¡¯t pointing at my face. They were pointing at my new armor. I must have looked much like Tsurra as my samurai-inspired set protected me. I stood out like a mountain in a barren grassland. Eyes seconds ago, filled with joy and relief of returned loved ones, turned to fear, then to outrage. One voice cut through the angry murmurings, catching everyone¡¯s attention. ¡°Esme! You¡¯re alive,¡± a gentleman shouted, rushing forward to engulf who I assumed was his wife. They buried their faces into each other¡¯s shoulders. Their jubilant embrace hinted to everyone around it wasn¡¯t a threat returning to their mournful city. It was something far more majestic. Hope was rekindling. The mood of the crowd was swiftly returned to one of celebration, for those closest to me easily could see I was not Tsurra. I was no orc. However, before more townsfolk could join in the elation and spread the word, another voice shouted out, catching everyone¡¯s attention above all the others. ¡°Guards! You will apprehend that murderer,¡± Alistair said, a long finger pointing down at me. The man and his small army of guards descended the stairs, villagers being moved aside gracefully. The guards looked nervous and confused. The mayor did not. The disheveled man at first appeared inconsolable, but anger and passion were quickly replacing the emotion. When he was within a half dozen paces, he stopped before us, trying to ring the group though they didn¡¯t have the numbers to accomplish it. The mayor¡¯s pointed finger never left me even as he had walked through the crowd of his people. ¡°Come back to unleash whatever evil magic you¡¯ve cast, have you?¡± Alistair¡¯s face was flushed with anger, and he appeared on the edge of bursting. It was then I noticed the man was not looking me in the eyes. His gaze was locked on the red jewel hanging on my hand, Tsurra¡¯s ring. The cursed ring appeared to be the mirror image of the Hecatomb Jewel. Now, with him mere feet away, the man¡¯s gaze only held my subtly glowing ring. ¡°You will not,¡± Alistair began to say but cut himself off with a wild scream. A crazed look rested upon his face. ¡°No! I will not allow it. I don¡¯t care if it costs the lives of everyone here. You! Will! Die for what you have done.¡± Absolute stillness hang heavy in the air around us. No one dared utter a single word. Alistair had the look of a rabid bear. He had such a craved expression it appeared there would be no rationalizing against the outrage boiling over the man¡¯s soul. I tried to calm the situation down, my voice even and unthreatening, ¡°I am not the Hunter you think I am. My party defeated him, and we rescued these¡­¡± I wasn¡¯t able to finish the sentence. I should have seen it coming, based on how the man was acting, but was too startled to react. With an unintelligible scream, the man lunged, crossing the distance in a flash. Alistair had pulled a wicked-looking dagger from beneath his wool robe, and it was aimed at my exposed throat. I had only expected to find a cheerful reunion when we returned the remaining survivors to town. Nowhere in my mind had unbridled anger even hinted itself as a possibility of occurring. My stunned mind hadn¡¯t even called my battle axe into my hand, I was so taken aback. The moment in time was shattered when Eckhart stepped between us, his hands held up high. The dagger slipped right in between, passing easily into the man¡¯s eye. Like a marionette with his strings severed, Eckhart dropped lifelessly to the ground. He hadn¡¯t even time to scream. Alistair hadn¡¯t any eyes for anyone except me. In his mind, Eckhart was nothing more than an assumed thrall trying to protect his master. After striking viciously against Eckhart, the mayor pulled out the dagger and was once more coming at me. ¡°Stop!¡± My mind tried to blurt out, but the words never reached my lips. My mind struggling to keep up. Eckhart had been slain so quickly; the finality of the act etched permanently into the atmosphere around us. My brain imperfectly suggested I heal the man, but nothing I had would restore life to the dead. My hesitation had cost a man his life. I was too slow to stop it from happening. My mind was in shock, just like everyone around us. Everyone, but Ripley. Even as Alistair¡¯s dagger flashed forward once more, Eckhart¡¯s body still in freefall to the earth beneath us, Ripley had moved. Alistair was so focused on bringing vengeance, he ignored everything else around him. Only one thing mattered to him, my blood. As the now gore-stained dagger bore towards me, a dark gray figure, nearly black from the powerful magic animating her skeletal body, rushed forward. As the great sword finished its arc, everything paused as if the entire world had frozen. Time resumed as Alistair¡¯s body tumbled one way, his head going the other. The abrupt battle had irrevocably ended. Alistair¡¯s body fell, bowing backward over Eckhart¡¯s still form. In his rush forward, Alistair had leaped over the deceased man. Now, as the mayor''s body landed heavily, the impact of the two bodies colliding sounded louder in my ears than it actually was. Irrevocably, two lives had just ended. The normal flow of time flooded back into everyone. Ripley had stepped in front of me, her great sword held at the ready. No one moved, and no guards came forward to defend the mayor. I was glad for Ripley. She looked prepared to snuff out the mortal coil of anyone who threatened me. ¡°Hold,¡± I bellowed, my voice finally coming back to me. Sadness stained the word. It was slightly above a whisper but, with the silence reigning, it crossed the distance to every gathered person. My eyes fell on the bodies before me. It was then something caught my eye, something held tightly in Alistair¡¯s other hand. It was a crumpled roll of parchment. Kneeling, I removed the man''s weapon, adding it to my inventory with a thought. My other hand reached out, taking the wrinkled paper from the man¡¯s now loose grasp. As I began to unroll it, a notification appeared in my vision. Congratulations! You have completed a hidden quest, ¡®Betrayed¡¯. Another System message followed shortly thereafter, my eyes reading the quest information even the silence began to break around me. My expression turned grim further still as I read the note the mayor had been holding so fiercely at his end. Alistair, I hope you found this morning¡¯s activities enriching and wholesome for your spirit. I promise I will take excellent care of your wife and daughter. They will serve me well, in this life or the next. Well, perhaps, just the next life. Thank you for your allowing me to partake freely of the goods from your feeble town. You¡¯re lucky that I¡¯ve decided to uphold at least part of our bargain. For gold will shower around you. Your life will have as much time as your mortal body can contain. No harm will befall you, unlike the people whom you vowed to protect. May you live forever, ¨C The Corrupted There it was. The mayor had been complicit having made a deal with the devil. Based on the letter, Tsurra had offered the mayor money and guaranteed protection for himself and his family, though the Hunter had ultimately betrayed the man with the family part. As another notification popped into my vision, the note dropped from my hand. A part of me didn¡¯t want to share this bit of information with the shocked faces surrounding us. What happened was already bad enough. This would only increase the suffering. Quest Rewards - You earned 2,500 experience points. Seeing fear upon some of the faces nearby, I decided to make sure my voice carried everyone around. ¡°I am not the Hunter your mayor mistook me for. I didn¡¯t want more blood to be spilled. I didn¡¯t mean for this to happen,¡± I said, my voice clear and steady. ¡°I wanted nothing more than to save your loved ones.¡± I turned away, beckoning Ripley to my side. I was walking away, out of town. My hesitation had cost the lives of two people. What was worse, is the mayor couldn¡¯t have possibly hurt me, not with my empowered aegis protecting me at all times. These two had died for nothing. ¡°Wait, please,¡± a familiar voice called out, though my addled mind couldn¡¯t place it. It was kind and gentle, pleading. I stopped and looked upwards at the morning sky, taking a moment to admire its beauty. Thousands of stars were hidden there, beyond the umbrella of blue stretching from horizon to horizon. The universe was there, watching. Seeing the results of my failure. ¡°Please,¡± it was Natasha. A gentle hand rested on my shoulder. It wasn¡¯t forceful or insistent. I got the sense, that if I continued walking it would let me. Stella glided around me, hovering a foot away. Her eyes held a deep care within. ¡°It¡¯s not your fault, Xaz,¡± Stella said before repeating herself when I made no indication whether I agreed or not. ¡°It¡¯s not your fault. You¡¯ve helped these people and I know Eckhart, even in the short amount of time I knew him, would be happy to know his sacrifice meant you could carry on to help others just like him. Like those in this town.¡± Her words rang true to my ears. She was right. It just didn¡¯t feel like it. Stella continued, ¡°Bad things happen and sometimes there¡¯s nothing we can do about it. This world is full of people just like you and me. We can help. We can stand up for them. We¡¯ve done that here. You¡¯ve done that.¡± Stella¡¯s eyes flicked to the people behind me. She nodded over my shoulder to someone I couldn¡¯t see. ¡°You are welcome here. I can see it in the eyes looking at you.¡± I once again gazed up into the endless sky above, a deep breath ushering forth. I was just one person. There was an entire world of people here who needed my help. They needed our help. When I finally turned around, not a single pair of eyes held any malice, hate, or fear. I saw myself in those eyes. Who I represented, and who I wanted to be. Reflected in the countless eyes staring back at me. I felt Stella land on my shoulder. Her presence is more reassuring and comforting than ever. With the hundreds of luminous eyes beckoning me, and the immeasurable gazes from the stars above, in this moment, I knew I could. I would make a difference. Standing there, before the town and the people we had rescued, I realized I already had. Chapter 36 - Mayor of Merton Multiple new notifications blinked away at the corner of my vision, awaiting my attention. I didn¡¯t immediately open them as some of the crowd dispersed. I placed a hand on Stella¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Thanks, Stella.¡± Taking a deep breath, I held my exhale for a moment as I mentally cleared away any lingering doubt. Letting it out, I was a bit more refreshed and ready to keep moving forward. With a nod from Stella, I allowed the System prompts to appear, one after the other. Congratulations! You have become the mayor of Merton. Congratulations! You have unlocked a new settlement. Please see your Accelerator to see the new options open to you. Lead well, Hunter! System Notification: You have been granted a new title, ¡®Mayor of Merton.¡¯ You¡¯ve either been voted in (yeah for Democracy!) or you¡¯ve ¡®disposed¡¯ of the previous holder of this title. Well, the latter is usually the case when it comes to Hunter¡¯s. Either way, you¡¯re in charge now. So, get out there and lead your civilization into a true empire. Title Benefits: plus 25% charisma bonus to all residents of Merton. Plus 10% reputation gains with all friendly aligned settlements within 250 miles. Would you like to change your Title to ¡®Mayor of Merton?¡¯ Note ¨C Title benefits remain regardless of the displayed title. Yes/No? ¡°That¡¯s unexpected,¡± I muttered as I declined the new title. The charisma bonus and positive reputation gains were nice, but I was quite content with my title remaining ¡®the Hunter Killer.¡¯ Unfortunately for me, I never got into the whole empire-building and games like in my former life on Earth. I had nothing against the genre, it simply never appealed to me like MMORPGs had. Here, becoming mayor had only landed in my lap because the previous mayor had gone insane. I hadn¡¯t done anything to earn it, let alone deserve it, in my opinion. Hell, it was Ripley who had killed the man and only in my self-defense. In the middle of it all was the System AI and, in its mind, I was responsible for the man¡¯s demise. I wondered how the villagers would take it, with me suddenly becoming their mayor. My thoughts returned to something Stella had said before, way back when we were helping my friends in Winterfalls after Duke and the goblins attack. ¡°The System stepped in and adjusted their memories to avoid any conflict,¡± she had said seemingly so long ago. Back then Stella had been talking about NPCs being able to accept me becoming a Hunter so easily, so I wondered inwardly if it would happen here as well. Me being the new mayor and all. In short order, the System¡¯s interference was confirmed to be true. As obvious as the rising sun, I wasn¡¯t fazed when every single guard, many of whom had weapons bared minutes earlier, pledged their loyalty to me. The matter was settled, though I considered asking Stella how to get the title removed. I¡¯d have to wait to see what came of it. Maybe I would delegate it My first official order was to take care of Alistair and Eckhart¡¯s bodies. It wouldn¡¯t do to leave them about, which the now-friendly guards wholeheartedly agreed. A pair of the men went to grisly task, assuring me it would be handled properly. I was dead on my feet even though it was probably close to nine or ten o¡¯clock in the morning. Natasha was nearby and caught my glance her way. When she came over, I asked her where we could rest for a while. A confused expression crossed her face at my question. ¡°Um, it¡¯s right here,¡± Natasha said as she pointed up the stairs. I mentally face-palmed. I was the mayor now, and we were standing right in front of the mayor¡¯s home. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m pretty spent,¡± I said with a sigh, I needed a rest. At least a couple of hours. Even though I hardly considered myself mayor, I wasn¡¯t about to turn down the warm bed only a few flights up some stairs. ¡°Thanks, Natasha,¡± I said, trying to force some enthusiasm in my voice. It must have helped somewhat as she returned my words with a gentle smile. ¡°For the time being,¡± I continued. ¡°Can I rely on you to help me with my new¡­ responsibilities as town mayor? This is all new to me and I could use some help." During the long journey bringing people back from Tsurra¡¯s tomb of horrors, I formed a strong connection with the intellectual woman. She had an easy-going bearing, not shying away when most of the other survivors had. She had a stoic bearing and was easy to talk to. From what I had overheard from her conversations with Stella, she was trustworthy as well. Not knowing of anyone better, Natasha was the only person I was confident in right now. ¡°Of course. I¡¯d be happy to.¡± Natasha replied earnestly. My attention wandered, mostly thinking of taking the steps up to my new bed, as Natasha rattled off instructions to the remaining guards. The rest of the village had dispersed shortly after the showdown, slowly at first, but now only a handful of stragglers remained. Several were doing their best to grab my attention, though I pretended not to notice." Maybe later,¡± I muttered under my breath. ¡°Sir,¡± Natasha said questioningly. ¡°Please, call me Xaz,¡± I replied. ¡®Sir¡¯ was too formal for me, and I preferred to keep my relationships on a first-name basis. ¡°Can you manage things for a couple of hours?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± came the quick response. Bidding her well, our much smaller party made the short trip into my new home. Beyond the wood door, we were greeted with a fragrant mix of hearty woods, oils, and freshly cut flowers. A spacious entryway was quickly traversed as I headed upstairs. Mirrors, antique paintings, and decorative embellishments adorned the walls. It didn¡¯t hold my attention as I pressed on, a singular goal in mind. Stella pointed to a room as we got to the second floor, the door quickly falling open and my body touching down on the plush bedding. The bed¡¯s smooth sheets and plush pillow invited me in. Stella landed gracefully on the opposite side of the bed, circling around like a cat before plopping down. In minutes, she had found her way to the side of my chest, sleeping soundly at my side. I found myself thankful for the ease sleep found her. While Stella seemed to have the spirit of a child, at other times she was intensely mature. I was glad she wasn¡¯t too troubled by the events of the day. Doing my best to not disturb my snoring companion, I quietly ordered Ripley to keep watch over us. Lowki pressed his face against the side of the bed, questioningly. I invited him to get some rest if he wanted. ¡°Or, you can help Ripley keep watch,¡± I whispered to the great cat. His response was a giant-sized yawn before flopping heavily on the floor. With my new empowered aegis and with a tireless skeleton Al friend as a protector, little harm could find us here. Dreams found me as soon as I closed my eyes. I awoke a pair of hours later, feeling well-rested. Stella had snuggled herself between my neck and shoulder. Turning my head to look at her, I could only see her legs pointing away. She shifted, my movement rousing her. "Comfortable, are we?¡± I asked jokingly, unable to turn my head completely to the side because of her warm body. Stella yawned before burying her head further into the side of my neck. I believe she uttered something, though it was too muffled to make out. Looking towards the door, Ripley had her back up against the end of the bed, her head locked in place like she was a Terminator. Lowki was nowhere to be seen, though my low position made it impossible to see beyond the corners of the bed. I caught movement in the corner of my eyes, finding his paw-like appendages waving lazily about. It was peaceful and, for at least another pair of long minutes, I couldn¡¯t bring myself to wake Stella fully. Not yet. I was about to lean forward in bed when a notification opened in my vision. The message had been accompanied by a loud chime. Stella sputtered a muffled surprise into my neck. Congratulations on your first 24 hours in-game! The proprietors of Prime World ¡°Echo¡± wish to thank you for your purchase of Hunter Tier {ERROR ¨C NO TIER SELECTION FOUND} and hope that you have enjoyed your time thus far. In this short time, you have received 2,743,373 views and earned 664,622 followers. This rates you in the 95th percentile of all initiate Hunters within their first day for Prime World ¡°Echo¡±! As a show of our appreciation for your performance, and in accordance with your Contract {ERROR, CONTRACT NOT FOUND}¡­ Please hold a moment¡­ ¡°Um, Stella,¡± I said from the side of my mouth, not wanting to turn away from the hovering messages. ¡°These error messages are a bit concerning.¡± Notice! The default Hunter contract has automatically been loaded to your profile. As a show of our appreciation for your performance, and in accordance with your Contract, you will receive one free upgrade to your most recent accomplishment. Congratulations! You have received one free settlement upgrade. You have 24 hours to make a selection, or it will be randomly chosen for you. Choose well! On behalf of the Universal Games, we hope for your continued success as you reach for new heights of fame, power, and glory. May you ever be successful, Hunter! Stella finally righted herself, floating in the air as if slightly tipsy. ¡°You good, Stell?¡± I questioned. ¡°Yup,¡± Stella replied as she opened her eyes wide. ¡°Always a little dizzy when I wake up.¡± Her eyes peered over at me. ¡°Now, you may be wondering if a supreme artificial intelligence requires sleep. Well, this one does.¡± ¡°Anything to worry about this message and the¡­ errors?¡± I asked. Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! ¡°Nah,¡± Stella answered easily. ¡°The default contract, which the System AI gave you, is a good one. Only the extremely, and I mean extremely, wealthy Hunter would bother changing to a different contract. So, nothing to worry about.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe it¡¯s only been a day since you made me a Hunter,¡± I said as I stretched out and moved my feet off the side of the bed. I turned to Stella with a questioning look on my face. ¡°Ready to get back to it?¡± ¡°Yup, though let''s see if this place has any food,¡± Stella gave a great shake of her body, looking as if she was shaking off water though none existed on her. ¡°And, no, before you ask. I don¡¯t want any of your pocket food.¡± I laughed, ¡°Pocket food, Stell, you¡¯ve eaten this before without complaint.¡± ¡°Well, if you must know, we were out in the wilderness if you hadn¡¯t noticed. We¡¯re in a city now.¡± She coughed. ¡°Err, village. Whatever. Don¡¯t look at me like that. We¡¯re in a town so we should get some real food.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s see what we can find then,¡± I replied, turning my head so Stella wouldn¡¯t notice my amusement at her fussiness. As we descended the stairs, the aroma of something delicious hit our noises. Stella immediately perked up and led us directly to its source. As we opened what looked to be a dining room, with its rather large, stained table and ornate chairs, our stomachs were greeted with a large plate of homemade pancakes. ¡°Now,¡± Stella said enthusiastically as she sat down, her small head barely reaching above the tabletop. She floated half a foot higher to give ample room to admire the hearty meal. Rubbing her hands she continued, ¡°Let¡¯s eat.¡± ¡°Say, Stella,¡± I started in between bites. ¡°I think we talked about this earlier, but can you remind me about this prime-world stuff? The message from upstairs talked about us being in the ¡®Echo¡¯ world. Just how many Hunter worlds are out there?¡± I had to wait for a few seconds for Stella to work a mouthful of fluffy cakes and sausages down. As an artificial being, Stella could eat far more than she appeared she could. ¡°Prime worlds are basically starter worlds. Usually, it is randomized so not too many Hunters are placed in the same one. Though, like those special contracts I mentioned, if someone pays enough, they get to choose which world they¡¯ll enter.¡± Another few seconds passed in silence as she helped herself to more breakfast. Actually, not too silent as Stella was making more than a fair share of satisfied grunts with each bite. The food was amazing. ¡°To my knowledge, there are well over a few hundred prime worlds at any given time, and their size can vary greatly. Most are as big as your home planet, but others can be far larger. Beyond a prime world, the sky¡¯s the limit really. As long as Hunters continue to level and ascend there is no end to the number of worlds the System uses.¡± ¡°Any idea how many Hunters are on this planet with us?¡± I asked. ¡°No idea,¡± Stella answered with a mouthful bulging out. ¡°My access to my Accelerator screens grows as you do. In levels, that is. Right now, there¡¯s no way of knowing. Like when we talked about Duke, an Accelerator¡¯s System access still has a decent amount of information marked as ¡®off limits¡¯ to not give an undue advantage. I have more information than the common, or even rare, accelerator, but I doubt anyone can gather information about other Hunters." We ate in silence for a few minutes, basking in the scent of syrup and a warm cooked meal. Natasha must have sprung for this, though I wondered where it came from considering the state Merton was in when we found it. The village must have storerooms, or maybe Tsurra left the mayor¡¯s residence alone meaning this was a typical morning meal for when Alistair was running the place. A new icon had appeared in my vision, which appeared to be a few houses lined in a row. It was my new settlement menu. A small ¡®plus¡¯ symbol blinked in its corner, likely the upgrade I would need to pick soon. I hadn¡¯t even opened the menu but the thought of running an entire town, even as small of one as Merton¡­ Well, let¡¯s say overwhelming wouldn¡¯t be far off the mark. Sadly, for me, when I actually opened the menu after finishing my four pancakes, the feeling only magnified. ¡°Oh, crap. That¡¯s a lot of information.¡± ¡°Just be glad you didn¡¯t receive ownership over a kingdom,¡± Stella¡¯s cheeks bulged as she smiled. ¡°Your fuzzy little head would explode.¡± Taken aback, I shot my fingers up to my head, feeling my short brown locks. They were longer than I normally liked, but it was hardly ¡®fuzzy.¡¯ I asked Stella as much. Stella didn¡¯t answer other than making louder grunts of enjoyment, all the while she wore a happy grin on her face. Seeing she wasn¡¯t going to explain her ludicrous comment, I instead asked for her help with the interface. ¡°Can you help with¡­ this?¡± The information on screen was massive, to say the least. Option upon option was available, all the tabs, drop-down menus, and similar selectable information. In short order, my vision was bombarded with a few dozen windows. ¡°Yup, one second. Don¡¯t go crashing the System,¡± Stella said sarcastically with a casual wave of her paw. ¡°Okay, there, you should see basic information now. If it helps, instead of trying to blunder through like a drunken sailor, ask me and I call pull up whatever you want to see.¡± ¡°Thanks,¡± I said as my eyes tried to make sense of the ¡®basic¡¯ information now in front of me. Obviously, I was a bit lost, so I swiped everything away, closing the settlement interface. ¡°We¡¯re going to be leaving soon, so why bother? I¡¯m hoping I can leave Natasha in charge. Is that, can that be a thing?¡± ¡°Yeah, though I would recommend you click on the bank icon you missed.¡± With a sigh, I pulled the menu back up. Sure enough, there was an icon that had the outline of a bank. I clicked on it. The town¡¯s ¡®vault¡¯ was quite pitiful actually, though after noticing an option for the mayor¡¯s personal safe, my eyes went wide. There was a massive amount of gold there, even a handful of platinum coins. ¡°Blood money,¡± I said with a sneer. I didn¡¯t want anything to do with it. This wealth had cost nearly a hundred people their lives. ¡°You can donate it to the town,¡± Stella said as she pushed her empty plate forward. Not a single cake or sausage remained. ¡°The money could help us, but I feel the same way. With Stella¡¯s help, I transferred close to three hundred gold coins and nearly a dozen platinum pieces into the town¡¯s coffers. I didn¡¯t take any for myself, though the option to do so blinked away in my vision. With the delicious breakfast complete, we made our way to the front door and pushed it open. A warm, earthy breeze greeted our nostrils. ¡°Can you show me information about the free upgrade we got,¡± I asked. The townsfolk were out and about with a fervor. Groups of men and women were working to rebuild what had been destroyed. They had a lot of work ahead of them. ¡°Can you help me pick a good one?¡± My voice went low to keep it from carrying on the wind. ¡°Keep in mind we¡¯re not going to be back here, at least for a long while I suspect.¡± Before Stella could answer, my thoughts returned to Natasha, ¡°There is a way to select another person to be able to take control or at least the reins of the settlement before we head out?¡± ¡°Yeah, you mentioned Natasha earlier,¡± Stella responded as we descended the steps. ¡°It is usually recommended for another to take charge. Not many Hunters, at least not right away, want to set down roots and stay in one place for any length of time. The Game and the System takes this into account and has built-in ways for towns to self-improve.¡± A new window popped up in my vision as Stella continued, ¡°There, enter Natasha¡¯s name, and she¡¯ll be granted access to run the town. She won¡¯t be able to see the interface you can, but she will act in accordance with what helps you and the town the most.¡± ¡°You mean the System will make her?¡± I asked. ¡°Yes, but it won¡¯t harm her or change her personality. The ability to govern will essentially be uploaded into her consciousness. From her perspective, Natasha will simply act like she has always been your second in command.¡± ¡°Thanks, Stella,¡± I said. ¡°This will make it easier. Although, I don¡¯t like the fact the System makes her follow me without her say in the matter.¡± ¡°Trust me,¡± Stella added, her voice empowered. ¡°If she didn¡¯t want to help, the System couldn¡¯t make her. It can affect people in subtle ways, but it can¡¯t force them to go against their nature.¡± Confirming the choice of Natasha to be my second-in-command, the matter was settled. Seconds later, Natasha walked near with a new title resting below her nameplate. It read, ¡®Assistant to Mayor Xazorus.¡¯ ¡°Good afternoon, Xaz,¡± Natasha called out as she approached. She changed, now wearing a simple blue dress. She looked refreshed. ¡°I realize your time is short so let me know how I can help.¡± ¡°First, I want you to look after the village when I leave. Do your best to repair what was destroyed, get the town back up and running,¡± I said as Natasha followed us down the town road where we had first entered. ¡°We¡¯re on a mission, so to speak, and time is of the essence. Can you check to see if another Hunter named Duke passed through town recently? It would have been mid-day to late evening yesterday, possibly even this morning.¡± ¡°Sure, give me a moment,¡± Natasha said as she walked off and called out to some nearby guards. She had a brief conversation with the men before the guards nodded and went in different directions. Natasha came back over. ¡°Eli and Samuel will be back soon after they talk to a few people and guards who were around. Neither had seen your Hunter themselves, but it doesn¡¯t mean he wasn¡¯t here.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll also get people to help rebuild,¡± Natasha continued. ¡°We¡¯ve lost a lot of people so it may take longer than expected, but we have good people around. I¡¯m sure they would be more than happy to help bring our fair village to what it once was.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± I said with small nods of my head. ¡°I¡¯d also like you to get some people to work on town defenses. Specifically, the pitiful stone wall ringing the town. Just about anything can walk over it at this point and I would hate for a monster to get in here.¡± Stella rose up in the air, looking between me and Natasha, ¡°I think I have an idea. The free upgrade could be used to vastly, and speedily, help there. Looking it over¡­ it would come with four guard towers, a barbican main gate, and a myriad number of other defenses.¡± ¡°Do you see anything else we could choose with that upgrade worth considering?¡± I asked but before Stella could answer Natasha jumped in. ¡°Having a wall built quickly would be incredibly helpful both for the development and security of the town. We have access to a stone quarry, but not enough people to mine and move the stone, let alone transport it here, then build it.¡± Natasha said. I appreciated her directness and foresight. She was already proving to be a great pick to help look over the town. ¡°Having a secure place to live would no doubt help with the heartache we all share.¡± I looked to Stella, gauging her opinion. Her eyes were unfocused, skimming left to right, no doubt reading information about the available upgrades. After a short moment, she looked at me and nodded. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s a good one.¡± ¡°Great, thanks you two,¡± I said appreciatively to both Natasha and Stella. ¡°Let¡¯s get that going, if you would, Stell.¡± ¡°Done,¡± Stella said as she swiped her paw in the air. ¡°Nothing needs to be done by the townsfolk with this one. The magic of the System will get the stone from the quarry, lay the foundation, and then build the wall. It¡¯s all automatic.¡± Stella paused a moment before continuing, ¡°Oh, I also designated the wall to reach out to near its maximum range allowed by the upgrade. It should leave the town with plenty of room to grow. It also leaves room for improvement for the nearby shipyard.¡± ¡°Wait, shipyard,¡± I said. ¡°I thought we were heading out on foot. Good work, Stella, but maybe we have an opportunity here.¡± As I spoke, guards Eli and Samuel ran over at a light jog. Both saluted me before describing how a few of the town¡¯s residents had spotted another Hunter. Though most people ducked away trying to remain hidden in fear it was Tsurra. One woman, Nilla, had told Eli she saw the man take a few looks around town but, after seeing it nearly deserted and in ill repair, he simply continued on down the road on the north side of town. Natasha, catching my earlier statement, added, ¡°The road he took runs parallel to the river. It leads to the capital.¡± There was indeed an opportunity here if we were lucky. Duke was on foot, and it sounded like there may be a few ships docked nearby. If I could get passage on one, we could make up some of the ground. ¡°Natasha, do you know if there are any ships leaving soon?¡± I asked after thanking the two guards. ¡°I¡¯m hoping to get passage north to follow this Hunter.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know offhand, but we can ask the harbor master. Follow me,¡± Natasha turned and led us in the opposite direction. Five minutes later, a pair of sturdy-looking ships were presently docked. The flowing river was wider than I had anticipated. It was close to a hundred yards wide. Small waves clipped at a steady pace, the ships bobbing with the rhythm of the water. Natasha asked us to wait a moment before walking over to a burly-looking man. While we waited, I was about to turn to Stella to ask a question about the harbor when a thought crashed into my head. Quickly pulling up the item¡¯s description, I was thrilled to see my thoughts confirmed. ¡°Yes!¡± I called out gleefully. ¡°You alright there, Xaz?¡± Stella asked. ¡°What¡¯s got you all excited?¡± My grin widened as I pulled out the leather-bound tome for lesser chained lightning. Chapter 37 - The Moon Siren Rubbing my hands together, I grinned excitedly at the prompt in front of me. ¡°Do I want to learn this spell?¡± I asked rhetorically before blowing a raspberry. Not waiting an instant longer, I eagerly clicked ¡®yes.¡¯ Like a torrent, information crashed into and over any barrier in my mind. Arcane knowledge settled into places that felt like they had been designed to hold this influx of information. In reality, it only took a moment to complete. From my perspective, hours had passed. I knew. Congratulations! New Spell Unlocked: Lesser Chained Lightning. [Lesser Chained Lightning]. A bolt of electrical energy lashes out from the caster¡¯s hand, striking a hostile target within 30 feet, causing 80 health plus 4n damage, where ¡®n¡¯ equals Intelligence. In addition, up to three extra bolts of lightning fork to strike additional hostile targets as long as those targets are within 30 feet of the subsequent target. Note ¨C Only a single bolt may strike any one target and damage decreases by 10% for each new target struck. Cost: 75 mana. Cast Time: 1 second. Cool down: 10 seconds. Plus 1 additional forked lightning (if a new target is available), plus 3 feet range per four spell levels. ¡°Exactly what I was hoping for,¡± I said after reading the spell description. Doing some quick mental math, my initial lightning bolt would do nearly one thousand points of damage. From there, the damage dropped a small amount with each new target struck, up to four enemies currently. This spell could quickly become one of my favorites because of one simple reason. It only hit unfriendliness. Fireball, as it was so aptly named, detonated into a large ball of fire. The problem with such a spell was the damage was indiscriminate, meaning you could hit friendly targets as well. Or, as I needed to do in Tsurra¡¯s tomb, myself with it detonating too close. This is where chain lightning comes in. This new chained lightning spell was, in a way, the best of both worlds. It put out a large amount of damage and wouldn¡¯t harm any of my allies. I couldn¡¯t wait to test out and level the spell. ¡°As this is the ¡®lesser¡¯ type, it means the spell can level up to a maximum of twenty-five, right Stell? Capable of striking eight different enemies when it¡¯s maxed.¡± ¡°I¡¯m happy you are so thrilled,¡± Stella replied honestly. ¡°I can¡¯t wait to see it too. I know, for myself, I never want to be on the receiving end of this particular spell. Actually, nearly every one of your spells, though regen would probably feel nice. If I could take damage, that is.¡± ¡°We should test out,¡± I was saying when I was interrupted as Natasha was walking back towards us. I slightly turned my face to Stella and spoke out the side of my mouth. ¡°Soon.¡± Natasha had a happy expression on her face, hopefully about to deliver some good news. ¡°You¡¯re in luck. There is a ship planning on departing soon, it¡¯s called the Moon Siren. It¡¯s captained by a man named, Garrin Larsa. I¡¯ve heard of him before and he has a good reputation. He is planning to depart tomorrow, going upriver to the capital city of Allerton tomorrow.¡± Before I could ask a question, Natasha pressed on as if she already knew my next question. ¡°The harbor master said we could probably get him to ship out sooner, we¡¯ll just need to speak with him.¡± ¡°Great, which ship is his ¨C the Moon Siren?¡± I asked Natasha as I looked towards the two docked ships. One had a single mast with a flag of a flying crow on it. The other was far larger, almost twice as long. It had three masts with far more sails. I was eager to get going, knowing one of these ships could grant us the best chance so far of catching up to Duke, if not arriving at the capital before him. ¡°It¡¯s the triple-masted one, on the right side there.¡± As she spoke, Natasha pointed out a hand before leading us down the gangway. We followed closely behind her. Gusts of wind and splashing water reached upwards to land on the wooden board beneath us. The dock creaked and cracked from the weight of our passing, indicating it would need some maintenance soon. ¡°I¡¯ve been told the captain is a friendly fellow and would likely appreciate the added strength from a friendly Hunter.¡± As we approached the schooner, a hail reached our ears from somewhere above deck. We were soon greeted by a tall, lanky fellow with skin darker than anyone else we had seen in town. After Natasha introduced us and asked to see the captain, we were ushered on board with a polite hand. The main deck of the ship was definitely busier than the docks. The crew of the Moon Siren were busy unloading cargo via ropes and pulleys onto the pier. From there, teams of men used push carts to take the goods to a nearby warehouse. All of the men had the same dark-tanned skin as the first crewmember we met. We were led towards the back of the ship, up a small flight of stairs to what was known as ¡®sterncastle deck¡¯ and then beyond into the captain¡¯s quarters. The sailor knocked on the captain¡¯s door and was answered with a quick reply of ¡®Enter.¡¯ Though the voice was somewhat muted as it passed through the closed door, it reminded me of a musical sing-song voice. Almost elvish. Perhaps the captain wasn¡¯t human. Our guide opened the double doors and waved us in. The captain¡¯s quarters were well furnished, everything appearing to be tied down so as to not wander with the natural roll of a gliding ship. Several candles were lit, though ample light came from the stained glass windows at the rear of the cabin. This Captain Larsa seemed to appreciate the finer parts of life. He was bent over a large oak table in the middle of the room, a map flattened out before him with brass weights holding the parchment down. The rich and sweet smell of treated wood permeated the enclosed space. Captain Larsa was human, though there were subtle hints of elven features on him such as long ears, but they didn¡¯t come to a point like mine. He had a strong, sharp jawline, his thin mustache tightly manicured. He wore an elegant red shirt, with tan breeches. Twin scabbard scimitars hung on his hips. He held the poise of nobility, though not a hint of arrogance radiated from him. Only pride and distinction, from what I could tell thus far, came from him as he leaned back from the table, coming to his full height. ¡°Greetings,¡± the man said, his voice pleasant and friendly. ¡°I am Captain Larsa. This is my ship the Moon Siren.¡± Larsa came around the table, crossing the space between us with an outstretched hand. I took it, noticing the firm grip of his calloused palm. ¡°To what do I owe the pleasure?¡± ¡°Hello, Captain. I am Xaz, mayor of Merton,¡± I replied somewhat awkwardly as I used my newest title. I was hoping it would lend weight for the man to help us join him on his trip to the capital, and a day earlier than he was intending. ¡°Natasha, and the harbor masters before her, let us know your plan to leave for the capital city of Allerton. We were hoping to join you, as well as, to hopefully persuade you to leave early.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Larsa asked. ¡°I can¡¯t say I knew the old mayor well before his passing, but I have heard rumors of what you¡¯ve done for this town from my men. If what I¡¯ve learned of you is a representation of the new kind of mayor you will be, I would be happy to grant you passage with us. However, we will need to come to an agreement regarding payment for you and your group.¡± Larsa paused before continuing, ¡°Or, as I see you are a Hunter of some repute, perhaps an understanding can come between us to cover your group¡¯s fare.¡± ¡°I would be amenable,¡± I replied. ¡°Excellent, meeting a Hunter is often a rare thing,¡± Larsa said. ¡°Rarer still is one who uses his unique gifts and talents to help others. Thus, I would be eager to hire your strength and protection for my ship and crew. Bandits do claim parts of the river, waylaying merchant ships, though most wouldn¡¯t dare to touch my vessel.¡± The man¡¯s eyes had a firm quality to them. Here was a man not to be taken lightly when it came to his ship and his crew. All were clearly important to him. He struck me as an honorable man. Stella appeared enamored by the handsome man. She finally mustered the courage to speak, if I knew her as well as I thought I did based on the expression she had been wearing on her canine mug. ¡°More than fair, we would readily sign up. You¡¯ll have our support, as well as our minion and cat companion. Though, that leaves the matter of disembarking this very day. Is there anything we can do to help you make an earlier departure?¡± Larsa looked to Stella, then nodded at Ripley who stood protectively. ¡°We still have some cargo to unload, so if you and your large friend there could help my men complete the task, I would see no reason we couldn¡¯t leave as soon as it¡¯s done.¡± Larsa held out a hand which I shook in agreement with the terms. He turned his attention to the sailor standing near the open doorway. ¡°Number one, please show our friends to the guest berthing below deck then show them to the cargo hold.¡± Larsa turned back to me and Stella, looking between us, ¡°Unless there is anything else you would like to discuss?¡± ¡°No, not at this time,¡± Stella replied. ¡°Thank you, Captain.¡± Larsa gave a slight chuckle then waved a hand at her words, ¡°Please, call me Larsa. My men call me captain more than to my liking.¡± Larsa¡¯s first mate slammed the heel of his boot to the deck, eliciting a spook from Stella. ¡°That we do, captain. Sir,¡± the man said proudly, a widening grin growing on his pockmarked face. It was some good-natured rubbings between old comrades. I liked Larsa even more for it. We said our goodbyes to Natasha and bid her well in my absence. She assured me when I returned to the town, it would be restored to its former glory. Larsa¡¯s first officer led us to our cabin before returning to his duties. It felt like being in a wooden coffin as small as it was, but it had the basic amenities to meet our needs. I didn¡¯t plan on being in here much during the trip. When we moved to return above deck, Lowki remained behind, filling the cushioned bed, his legs hanging over the edge. ¡°I don¡¯t think he likes the sway of the deck,¡± Stella said as I tried to get him to come with us. Lowki growled in agreement. The next two hours were a blur as Ripley and I assisted in offloading the remaining wooden boxes and crates. With our strength attributes, we made quick work of it, so said the men grateful for our assistance. A sailor named Kurt told us we should consider signing on for a season or two, saying we had picked up the work of a half-dozen men. Considering our strength attributes, I could see how we accomplished the work so quickly. Ripley, although she still had no facial expression I could discern, beamed at the compliment. Maybe it showed in her eyes. The day was warm with a gentle breeze carrying over the railing as Larsa and his men got us underway. The ship had a crew of twenty well-trained and capable men by my untrained approximation. I still hadn¡¯t learned the first mate¡¯s name, having only been called directly as ¡®Number One¡¯ by the captain. When I asked a crewman, he only grinned in response. When I was near Number One, he only stared at me before carrying out his duties. ¡°Alright then, keep your secrets,¡± I said when he was out of earshot. ¡°Remember not everyone likes Hunters,¡± Stella said at my side. She caught my disheartened expression. I had thought the man was simply being coy, not thinking he instead disliked me because of what I was. ¡°You¡¯ll win him over, I¡¯m sure,¡± she was quick to add. With the river flowing under the hull, we made a decent pace, so said Larsa when he caught me looking up at the plethora of sails catching the wind. We met the ship¡¯s cook shortly thereafter, a wide man named Gus. Clearly in love with his craft, his gut protruding over a thick belt, the man was nonetheless a professional. His tunic was spotless, he greeted the ship¡¯s newest passengers with a hearty demeanor. The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. When his afternoon chili hit my taste buds, I knew he was worth his weight in gold to the captain and the crew. It was incredibly delicious and I told the man as much. He stood a little taller, even though his head only reached my shoulders. Stella liked him profusely, asking if he had anything he could make specially for her. ¡°Do you have any fish? But not tuna,¡± she exclaimed. ¡°Oh, I heard salmon is lovely though I¡¯ve never had the fortune to try it.¡± Gus promised her a surprise during the evening dinner and got back to his work in the hold¡¯s kitchen. Stella wouldn¡¯t stop talking about what it could be for the rest of the afternoon. She probably came up with a thousand guesses as we explored the vessel. Larsa had suggested we familiarize ourselves, so I smiled and nodded each time Stella had another ¡®sudden and brilliant idea¡¯ of what it was going to be. We quickly became friends with the captain and at least a few crew members. The seasoned men were good people and loved life on the water. I learned Larsa had been a sailor for nearly his entire life, having been found abandoned as a babe by his soon-to-be mentor, Captain Rustle. Larsa explained he learned everything he knew from the proud man. Larsa explained how he tried to emulate his mentor the best he could. With how the crew responded to Larsa¡¯s orders unflinchingly, I knew he had accomplished it. Our first day was uneventful, though plenty educational. I was pleased with the break as it had seemed we had been rushing headlong from battle to battle. Finally, with the help of Captain Larsa, the first mate worked with me, giving me instructions enough to pick up the sailing skill. Although, no matter how hard I tried, I couldn¡¯t get it to level two. The first mate was still standoffish with me, but at least we had broken the no-speaking barrier he had fronted. While I had many successes in picking up the terminology and lingo of the sailor life, embarrassment rushed through me with how long it took me to memorize the difference between port and starboard. ¡°Left, right; port, starboard,¡± I said. ¡°Like you¡¯re reading a book from left to right.¡± Unfortunately for me, after repeating the saying out loud a few times, Stella caught wind of my whispered mantra. She proceeded to pick on me for it for the next hour, at least. She only finally stopped when I had faked a lunge towards her as she rested on the main deck¡¯s rail as if I was going to push her into the river. She didn¡¯t so much as flinch, but conceded to my request to go easy on me. By late afternoon, I finally worked up the courage to scramble up to the crow¡¯s nest, far up the center mast. There, I met an elvish man named Tallos. Other sailors called him, ¡®Tal,¡¯ as a nickname, though only because he despised the moniker. He was rather tall, even for an elf. Tallos was sharp-witted and had an equally keen eye. A bow and full quiver always hung over his shoulder, ready in a heartbeat if necessary. Speaking with him in private well above the prying ears, I came to know him. He had a presence, a way about him. It spoke of years of practice with the bow after countless battles and skirmishes. We shared stories until late in the evening. Promising to bring him up an evening meal, for he was going to work through the evening since his elvish heritage blessed him with infravision exactly like my own, I worked my way back down to the deck. It was slow-going work, as I had to pause several times to maintain my balance. A short time later, most of the crew gathered below deck to enjoy a fantastically seasoned stew courtesy of the Siren¡¯s cook, Gus. Boiled vegetables were expertly seasoned and melted in the mouth. The thick cuts of perfectly roasted beef propelled my opinions of the exuberant man. Variations of ¡®damn, this is good,¡¯ to ¡®Gus is a godsend,¡¯ fluttered in the crew galley. I couldn¡¯t agree more with their compliments. The man was a genius in the kitchen. When I complimented the cook shortly thereafter, he rewarded with me a second bowl along with a whispered, ¡°Keep this a secret from the rest of the crew. Best eat it in your cabin.¡± Smiling the whole while, I was happy to agree. My cabin was perfectly fine, though Lowki wouldn¡¯t budge from his spot on the bed. Tempting him with a juicy piece of beef earned me enough room to rest comfortably. Tallos was thrilled when I followed through on my promise, bringing him a bowl of the wonderous stew. I had only been able to do so by storing it away in my inventory. ¡°Normally, I only get to eat dried biscuits and ratios while on duty,¡± my new friend had said. ¡°Promise me you¡¯ll do the same tomorrow and I¡¯ll show you how to shoot a bow without tearing your arm to shreds.¡± In my previous conversations with the elf, Tallos had known I was curious about learning to shoot a bow. So, it was an easy bargain to strike. ¡°Deal,¡± I replied, the offer more than fair. Stella had been wandering around on her own, mostly hanging around Gus from what I could gather. So, when I returned to our cabin of the evening, I found her lounging belly up on top of Lowki¡¯s sleeping form. Apparently, Gus had expertly grilled her a delectable T-bone steak. She swore me to secrecy after I finally got her to tell me what Gus had made for her. ¡°Those steaks are supposed to be for Larsa,¡± Stella said conspiratorially. ¡°Promise me you won¡¯t tell him.¡± With how blissful she appeared; I easily made the promise. ¡°Little glutton,¡± I amusedly uttered under my breath as I pulled out a sleeping bag. I would need to rest on the rolling floor since the bed was wholly taken by Stella and Lowki. With her engorged stomach pointing proudly outwards, Stella only smiled back at me, easily hearing my words. It had been a good day. My mind wandered back to earlier when I found myself on the main deck, staring up at the sky. A million glints of starlight shone down, bringing peace into my heart. Captain Larsa had walked up behind me, light-heartedly slapping my back. ¡°Now you know why I love it out here,¡± he had said before wishing me a good night. As I moved to return to my room, where the gluttonous Stella awaited, I learned more about the small night crew responsible for navigating at night. I was surprised to find the entirety of the evening crew was made up of half-elves and elves. Captain Larsa had hired these men specifically because of their infravision and how it helped the group steer the ship clear of any hazards. Many a ¡®hail¡¯ was sent my way in passing, owing to our shared heritage. I made a promise to myself to stay up one evening soon so I could get to know these friendly souls. The next day also passed uneventfully. Uneventful, but especially enjoyable for me. Beyond an early morning thunderstorm, the rest of the day aboard the Moon Siren had to be the best I could recall in a long time. Stella was great, don¡¯t get me wrong. But, working hand in hand with members of the skilled crew, conversing over a wide array of topics with Larsa, and getting to know Tallos far better allowed me to realize how much I needed these types of connections in my life. Captain Larsa had a similar outlook on life to my own, doing what he could to make the world around him a better place. He was a font of knowledge and I was grateful for the time with him. Though my sailing skills still wouldn¡¯t level up with his tutelage, my knowledge grew as the minutes flew by. Stella shared with me later after I complained to her about the lack of progress with my sailing skills, saying it was not too uncommon. ¡°You¡¯re not actually piloting the vessel,¡± she had said. ¡°Not really you since Larsa and the helmsmen are guiding your every action. You know, making sure you don¡¯t somehow crash us into the riverbed. We were fortunate a few times, even considering how wide the river is. Luck was¡­¡± Stella would have kept going too if not for the wooden spoon I sent soaring her way. She winked at me after effortlessly dodging the utensil, floating lazily out our cabin window to quickly return to the upper deck. ¡°Little rat,¡± I grumbled to the motionless Lowki. ¡°You know how it is, right?¡± Lowki didn¡¯t respond, other than shifting a massive paw into a more comfortable position. The next day came and went, day three of our voyage. I was pleasantly surprised at how much time I ended up spending with Tallos. We forged a quick bond and he reminded me a great deal of a friend I had known back on Earth. With his oversight, I quickly acquired the archery skill. While I continued to struggle to hit any target called out by the elf, like a particular tree, I was getting closer to hitting the mark. Later when I was mingling with Larsa, he held out a flat palm my way. ¡°That¡¯ll be a gold coin if you please,¡± he had said without clarifying. Not understanding, I nonetheless fished a golden coin from my inventory and placed it in his hand. It disappeared from sight with a quick motion before Larsa let me know why I had paid him a small fortune. ¡°That¡¯s to replace the arrows you¡¯ve been wasting up there. Oh, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll let you know when you¡¯ll need to hand over another.¡± Pretty sure I was being overcharged, likely a fun game for the wizened man, I was happy to comply. Going further, I flipped him two more gleaming pieces. ¡°There, to cover me for the next few days.¡± He chuckled and the coins soon vanished with a flourish of a moment. Whenever I made the tedious journey up to the crow¡¯s nest, I was sure to take a couple of quivers with me. Unlike my sailing skills, my archery skill was progressing, albeit slowly. I reached level three by the end of the third day, a proud fact Stella heard no end of for the rest of the day. When I said I wanted to find an enchanted bow, she stared at me for a minute straight, unblinking. ¡°You. Have. Spells,¡± she said flatly. I didn¡¯t bring it up again, not with her at least. Per Larsa, we had another day and a half¡¯s worth of travel before reaching the capital. I knew immediately I would be missing him and Tallos specifically, but also the entire crew when we disembarked. Larsa didn¡¯t voice out the same, he didn¡¯t seem the type, but I could see how much he valued our time together through the way he smiled at me and Stella. For the most part, Lowki remained below deck in our cabin, though he did make an appearance at least once a day, mostly to relieve himself and nab some uncooked meat courtesy of the friendly cook. Lowki was extremely wary of the water rushing by us on all sides of the ship. I assured our sea-sick friend he was welcome to stay in our cabin as long as he wanted. I always left the door cracked so he could come out if he wanted to. Ripley, for her part, remained stationary next to the wheel and the tight-lipped first mate. The only part of her to move was her head as she slowly gazed back and forth between the two banks. While some people found her to be a bit creepy, I learned from Number One, her presence was reassuring. He said it was like having a warrior covering him with absolute concentration. I wasn¡¯t about to complain to the man slowly opening up to me. Everything was going so smoothly, but trouble found us on the fourth day. When it did, trouble decided to make itself known in a big, and bloody way. I was on the sterncastle deck, standing near the helmsman, conversing with Larsa when a call came from the crow¡¯s nest. I quickly recognized Tallos¡¯ voice, though it carried an unfamiliar edge to the tone. ¡°Derelict ship, dead ahead,¡± the shout called out, getting the crew moving with thousands of hours of practiced motions evident. Larsa¡¯s entire attitude changed, going from jovial to on-guard in an instant. ¡°Expecting trouble?¡± I asked with some trepidation hinting in my voice. I wasn¡¯t scared, not for myself, but I had come to enjoy my minute with the Siren and her crew. Seeing Larsa¡¯s posture, my gut sang a warning of an approaching fight. ¡°Maybe, maybe not. You can never be too careful though,¡± Larsa answered, his eyes never leaving the river ahead. Coming around a bend in the river, I finally spotted it. Tallos called down, the ship appeared to be heavily damaged, the top sail gone, the mast blackened as if it had been on fire. ¡°It¡¯s still afloat,¡± Larsa muttered near me, concern evident in his voice. With his words, my curiosity peaked. The derelict ship did appear to have been burnt to a crisp with how blackened the wood looked. The river narrowed with the vessel riding high against a tall riverbank. Larsa caught my inquisitive look. ¡°If it had been on fire, I¡¯d have expected it to have sunk. Not wrecked up against the river bank. Something is amiss.¡± While the ruined ship wasn¡¯t blocking our path, the narrowing river meant we would need to traverse right across it. ¡°Is it just me,¡± I said to Larsa. ¡°Or does that look like the perfect ambush point. The Siren would all but lose her ability to maneuver.¡± ¡°Exactly what I am thinking,¡± Larsa responded. ¡°You¡¯d make a good officer.¡± The captain called out for his men to arm themselves. His order repeated across the ship, another voice down the line calling it. Cutlasses were unsheathed from a chest that had been ordered up. More than one bow was also strung and held at the ready. Arrows notched. ¡°At the ready, men. If danger is afoot, let¡¯s not allow the Siren to be caught sleeping.¡± Captain Larsa called out in a firm voice. ¡°Stella, go get Lowki up here, quickly,¡± I directed. With haste, she moved below deck, taking the shortcut to our cabin through the window she had been abusing for days. In seconds, Lowki was by my side, all hesitation and wariness gone from his confident strides. No one flinched when he made his presence known. Everyone wanted his formidable strength nearby. When Stella returned to my side, I began looking over my buffs. Ripley¡¯s necrotic aura was up like always, it was permanent after all and, thankfully, only affected hostile targets. I recast my minor shielding. Beyond those, I only had my song of travel buff which was ineffective in combat. I cast it all the same because it may help us close the distance if indeed a fight was on hand. I needed more buffs, I thought to myself. Another thing to add to our growing to-do list. ¡°Helmsman, take us ahead with the wreck on our port side,¡± Larsa commanded. ¡°Stella, do you see anything?¡± I asked. ¡°I don¡¯t see any nameplates or hostile tags. That¡¯s a good thing, right?¡± ¡°Yes, and no. Nameplates won¡¯t show if the target is hidden from view, either by magical or mundane means.¡± Stella said, her voice calm even given the possibility of a threat ahead. I mentally went through my spell list, trying to plan out a sequence of spells should it come to it. My gut said it would, so I prepared myself. Eyeing up a new addition, chained lightning would be the first, I was dying to use it after all. As the seemingly desolate ship came close, to my eyes, it looked as expected. An abandoned ship, seemingly set ablaze days before. As we drew near, the boat wasn¡¯t ruined. It was covered in ash, as if smeared on by hand. My eyes picked out sections of water that had splashed a section clean, showing a pristine hull underneath. About to cry out a warning, Larsa had beat me to it. ¡°Ambush,¡± Larsa yelled out, but it was too late. The trap had been sprung. Chapter 38 - The Pirate King Out of the water sprung a pair of thickly braided ropes which were absolutely littered with large fishing hooks. Each hook was as wide nearly as wide as my forearm. Water that drenched the obstacles exploded outwards as the rope went taut in front of our vessel. Twin thuds, followed by impact tremors sounded from the opposite sides of the riverbank and I got the distinct impression two massive weights had simultaneously struck earth. Whatever it was, the effect had pulled up the interwoven ropes directly in our path, one going up to the height of the Siren¡¯s sails, the other barely making it over the forward deck. With no room to maneuver, let alone enough time to do so, the Moon Siren crashed headlong into the lines. The snaring hooks tore into our sails, ripping long gashes in the fabric as our momentum carried us forward. This all ended when the taut obstacles slammed into the forward mast, bringing our ship to an abrupt stop. ¡°To arms! Repel all boarders,¡± Captain Larsa went into action, rapid firing orders with the crew responding with precision and practiced movements. This was not the first time the crew had been ambushed and it wouldn¡¯t be the last if I had anything to say about it. Still, the trap had been successfully sprung. From the looks of it, we had no way of breaking free without the dozens of hooks being painstakingly removed. We were dead in the water. Obviously, this ambush had been entirely new to our experienced captain though he was working feverishly to remedy our predicament. Then arrows started landing all over the deck from both sides of the river, slamming fore and aft into planking and flesh alike. Shouts of pain resounded across the morning air. New Quest! ¡®Turn the Tide¡¯ has automatically been added to your quest log. No time to read the quest, plus I figured it was previously obvious what I needed to do, I quickly cast my regeneration spell, over and over, on the nearby injured crewmen. With the quick cast time and one-second cool down, I was able to get many back up to their feet and into fighting shape over the next several seconds. Another volley came in, though the crew responded better the second time around, taking cover as a call of ¡°incoming¡± was shouted from high above. After the latest volley ended, aggressive shouts and yells carried to our ears from the vessel moored beside the Siren. Instead of arrows, this time dozens of grappling hooks sailed in, catching sails and ropes. The clattering of ramps followed soon after. ¡°Let the dogs have it, men.¡± Larsa continued to issue commands in days past I wouldn¡¯t have been able to parse or make sense of. Now though, I knew how to respond. A few men still had arrows sprouting from deep wounds, so my regeneration spell was cast again and again, back-to-back, on the injured men. Experienced sailors all, each pulled the sharp projectiles out with grunts of pain, allowing my magic to close the puncture wounds. A pitched battle began in earnest when some three dozen men rushed onto the Siren¡¯s main deck. Many swung over on lines anchored in the sails above our heads. Most boarded using a half dozen ramps bridging the gap between the two motionless ships. Weapons were bared, eyes scanning for Lara¡¯s men. There was a problem, we were outnumbered perhaps two to one. As bodies slammed into each other, the pirates rushed headlong forward, shouts of pain called out from both sides. Larsa¡¯s men were skilled fighters, though even they were hard-pressed with the number of enemies surrounding them. A shrill yell cut through the chaos, the sound only coming from someone mortally wounded, caught my attention. It was coming from the closet bank across the river. Turning my head, I witnessed a second arrow lance into a pirate¡¯s chest. The man¡¯s scream was cut off as the arrow pierced the man¡¯s heart. Tallos was making quick work of the enemy archers from atop the crow¡¯s nest, raining arrow after arrow of his own. He had several full quivers up there, far more than normally needed, in anticipation of our practice session which had been planned for later that day. He would need every arrow available now. Both Ripley and Lowki had immediately bolted into action, even as my first spells began knitting together pierced flesh. Ripley, her great sword swinging in great arcs, was fighting on our deck, though Lowki had cleared the distance between the two ships in a single leap. His claws and punishing quills caused havoc among the enemy¡¯s back ranks, like a living tornado. Even over the cacophony of battle, Lowki¡¯s primal roars were unmistakable. Each one indicating the death of another pirate. His battle cry stirred our men, reminding all we could in fact win against the press of so many enemies. I had to put Lowki and Ripley out of my mind through, I needed to get in the fight. My heals certainly spared the lives of at least some of our men, but my talents were better spent elsewhere. I needed to get into the fight! Even with Ripley¡¯s carving sword and Lowki¡¯s poisonous attacks, the battle was turning against the crew of the Siren. We were outnumbered, now at least three to one as more pirates stormed the deck. Our men were falling before the onslaught of the obviously veteran pirates. Our crew were better fighters, costing the enemy more lives than we lost, but one pirate killed seemed to bring forward two more. We couldn¡¯t replenish our ranks as our enemy could. We were losing the battle of attrition. Being a Hunter, I was able to spy more than one enemy nameplate sporting a level fifteen tag, most were around level twelve. From my time on the ship, I knew the Siren¡¯s crew levels ranged between eight and twelve. I could no longer afford to defer to the role of a cleric. I needed to make up the difference and even the battle. My first spell had already been planned days earlier. My fingers twirled in a particular dance, their movements reminding me of a rolling thundercloud. With the final arcane syllable pronounced, a blinding flash of light split the air causing a momentary break in the pitched combat. Afterimages filled the eyes of anyone unfortunately enough to witness a thick bolt of electricity slashing forward into the closest four pirates. As if possessed, lightning rapidly jumped from target to target with devastating effect. Even as hands futility waved in front of faces to dispel the ghostly image, the smell of ozone billowed outwards. Several men fell smoking to the deck, life snatched from their bodies. Even as shouts of alarm echoed from the enemy, cheers rose from the Siren¡¯s men. ¡°Damn,¡± I muttered under my breath at the sheer ferocity of the spell. While it was unusable again for the next ten seconds, the unrestrained energy that leaped from target to target was undeniable. I was unsure of the levels of the pirates who had fallen, having selected the initial target at random, so I couldn¡¯t tell how the spell¡¯s targeting worked. Did it hit the lowest health mobs, or did it go after the lowest-leveled ones? Maybe Stella could enlighten me later. What was clear was the four deceased pirates hadn¡¯t mustered the close to one thousand health necessary to survive each bolt of lightning created. Still, I planned to continue using my new spell whenever it became available. ¡°Stella, please let me know when the cool down has elapsed,¡± I said to Stella, though I never took my eyes away from the pirates once more hacking into my Moon Siren friends. I considered using a fireball, but only for a split second. There was no way I could use the spell reliably without hitting our men or destroying more of the Siren¡¯s sails. Perhaps I could fling the spell on the enemy¡¯s ship, but I had no line of sight currently with countless men standing between the two vessels. Firing on the pirate¡¯s ship was no good because Lowki was making good use of his agility. So, I moved to my class¡¯s specialty, my tried-and-true spells. Blood boil, acidic bolt, any damage over time spell I could cast reached out with necrotic, acidic, and soul-stealing energy into the enemy¡¯s force. Waves of heat lashed into one particularly tall brigand, his height catching my attention to his determent. The bandit¡¯s back arced in pain, though he quickly regained his composure. His curved blade bit deep into a sailor named Bruce. We had only shared a few words, and now the deep wound would probably cost the man his life. The mortal attack did not go unanswered though, as a shipmate plunged his sword deep into the pirate¡¯s side. I lost sight of the particular battle in the chaotic scene. Focusing on another pirate, I cast my new DoT, Arrested Affliction, followed by yet another Blood Boil. My objective was to keep my Blood Boil spells centered on the greatest concentration of enemies. Once those particular enemies died, the resulting torrent of boiling blood would rabidly seek out nearby hostile targets. ¡°Stella,¡± I shouted so she could easily hear me. ¡°Can you highlight any target with DOTs already ticking?¡± It was important I didn¡¯t overwrite a spell already damaging a rival. With so many pirates around, I needed to cast a single DOT per target. At least, for now. My damage needed to be spread around for my plan to be successful. ¡°On it,¡± Stella shouted back, her arms flashing in the air in my peripheral vision. The effect was near-instantaneous. Each pirate with a DOT affecting him had a new icon floating above their head. The icons differed depending on the spell impacting their health pool, so I would need to take time later to identify which spell was which. In the fierce battle, I had little for it. With each passing second, a new spell was spread out at random, though I always cast my blood boil near the largest group of enemies. My spells and earlier shout had enemies calling out my position. They recognized the damage a spell caster could bring to bear, especially in such a fray. ¡°Kill the mage,¡± an angry voice called out, repeated several times by nearby raiders. Finding myself suddenly pressed upon by multiple foes, my options appeared to dwindle at the shift in battle. I was now a priority for the invaders. About to call Frostrend in my hand, as hand-to-hand combat seemed unavoidable, an arrow flashed in from a far bank to slam harmlessly an inch above my skin. My empowered aegis, I recognized. The potent defensive shield stopped the attack mid-flight, though I still felt something akin to a pinpoint punch hitting my shoulder. No damage dipped my health pool. My mana had been dropping rapidly with so many spell casts, and the damage from the arrow dropped it slightly more. Recognizing the advantage my ward afforded me, I no longer call out to my battle axe. Even as enemies barreled forward, I cast another spell. This time, it was another chained lightning. As long as my aegis held, and it would only fall if I bottomed out my mana pool, my adversary couldn¡¯t interrupt my spell casting. Their swords, fists, or punch daggers no longer reached me. Even as curved swords landed heavily against my protective field, the force of the impact still reaching across the gap to land on my body, I went uninterrupted as a flash of lightning tore down the four closest enemies in an instant. My attention was pulled by another pair of arrows slamming into my shield, so in response, my hands twined through the patterns of a spell that had not yet graced the battle. A small pea of flame struck out over the calm water, towards an archer even now pulling back the string of his bow. My spell connected against him before another arrow loosed. The ball of fire exploded, enveloping him, several nearby trees, and other enemy archers. The man was blasted backward a dozen feet, now nothing more than a blackened shell of his former self. My attention returned to the myriad skirmishes happening all over the deck. Having a hard time picking out an enemy without a DOT ticking down, the press of bodies severely limited my view, I instead decided to call Frostrend into my hand. If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Charging a brigand standing over a down comrade, I held my empty hand up high before swinging it downwards at him. The man must have thought me a lunatic, seeing me weaponless. He made no move to defend against my seemingly harmless attack. Until my battle axe appeared an instant before impact. The weapon slammed into his shoulder, blood and bits of bone showering out from the blow. Worse for the raider, the weapon¡¯s special effect, ¡®blistering freeze,¡¯ took effect. Even as the mist of blood carried in the air, the entire wound flashed a deep blue before freezing over in an instant. Crystalline shards of ice crashed out from the wound, covering his torso in the blink of an eye. My weapon was still lodged in his body. With a surge of strength, I tugged it out. Like an icicle crashing against the pavement, his upper torso broke into tiny chunks of frozen flesh as my weapon pulled free. A nearby pirate looked on with stunned hesitation at his comrade in arms. He stared unblinkingly at the lifeless, ice-coated, form of his compatriot. In his moment of hesitation, the corsair lost his life too. Momentarily without a foe, I peered around at the mass of fighting men. Then, my initial plan became a reality. A detonation of sizzling liquid, like someone opened a fire hydrant, signaled its start. A man affected by my boil blood had finally succumbed to his wound, triggering the specialized effect of my spell, ¡®blistering surge.¡¯ A violent eruption of searing blood showered any nearby foe, scalding like only molten magma. Not a drop landed on any of Larsa¡¯s men. Like dominos, three more enemy combatants¡¯ health pools zeroed out triggering new surges of their own. My earlier casts of boil blood had not been cast from one another, instead concentrating where most of the enemy clustered. My foresight paid dividends as torrents of sweltering blood homed in on enemy flesh, bringing out a complete lull in the battle as more than a dozen pirates lay dead from the cataclysmic eruptions. Experience notifications flashed across my vision, but this wasn¡¯t over yet. My own shout was a second away from erupting, when Captain Larsa called out, ¡°Forward!¡± His sword drenched in the blood of multiple foes, Larsa took the first step, his men following his lead. His call was repeated all over the ship as the onslaught continued. The tide of the battle had shifted. The crew of the Moon Siren intended to make the enemy force pay for their criminal conduct. My mana was down by half, so I took a moment to chug down a pair of my strongest mana potions. Even though I had plenty of mana, I didn¡¯t want to risk my aegis falling as I charged forward to my companions. A shout of outrage and fury, unlike anything yet heard on the battlefield, peeled out from the pirate¡¯s vessel deck. Near a railing, I sought to find out what had created such a powerful bellow. Previously empty planks now had friendly feet clattering to counterattack upon the supposedly ruined ship. My party screen flashed a warning, and I watched Lowki¡¯s health pool drop to dangerous levels. An icon appeared near his name which looked like a paw with a line crossing through it. An idea blasted into my consciousness. Hoping it could work, although I couldn¡¯t see my feline companion, I used the party list to target and quickly cast my regeneration spell upon him. My spell hadn¡¯t fizzled, so I knew it had been successful. Turning my attention to the enemy¡¯s deck, I found the source of the roar. He was a giant of a man, half-man actually. The other ¡®half¡¯ of his horrid, disgusting body reminded me of the troll we killed days back, though this one must have had a part giant in its ancestry. His skin was scraggy and pot-marked as if boils had long ago burst from beneath his rough flesh. Above his nameplate, the System proudly announced him as, ¡®The Pirate King.¡¯ Below, what could only be considered a boss monster, his nameplate identified him as Weatherly, ¡®the Fierce,¡¯ Gnawbone. My inspection of the half-giant, half-troll identified him as being level nineteen. The monstrosity of a man likely didn¡¯t have a single point of charisma, his visage was so atrocious. Seeing the giant man standing twice the height of his brigands, I was reminded of a movie scene with a brawny king standing before a Persian ¡®god-king,¡¯ the size disparity contrasted so intensely between the two powerful men. ¡°You, mage,¡± the pirate king called out to me with a gnarled finger pointing accursedly in my direction. ¡°I challenge you to a duel to the death.¡± When I didn¡¯t immediately respond, he pressed his supposed advantage further, thinking me intimidated, ¡°Or, are you too afraid?¡± Gnawbone¡¯s men, what was left of them, cheered across both decks, bloodied weapons thrust overhead. Weatherly¡¯s confident laugh sounded like a grating rockslide when I made no response to his lethal challenge. Stepping upon the wooden plank, I brandished Frostrend. The gauntlet had been thrown at my feet and I had just picked it up. All other battles ceased, every pair of eyes turning to us. Budding, twisted lightning thickened across my axe, growing brighter by the second. Gnawbone only smiled. The pirate king wore a sleeveless shirt, his oversized arms signifying how much strength the man had heavily invested in. Weatherly¡¯s face was scared and battered from untold battles. One of his two tucks, jutting over his lower lip, was broken off, now just a nub of its former glory. His nose was bent, going slightly to the left, and one of his eyes was shot through with blood. Though, whether it was a result of a recent battle or if it always appeared that way, I couldn¡¯t tell. Weatherly colossal hands on his hips, a superior grin upon his revolting face. As I stepped lightly onto the deck, I noticed a many-notched curving blade, half as long as I was tall, hanging on his right hip. On my left hip, was something I had not expected to see in this world. Of all the pirates we had fought tooth and nail, not one had a similar weapon the pirate king had dangling in a belt loop. Given all of this, it still looked out of place. It was a single-shot, flintlock pistol. Even at this distance, the wood was stained dark, carrying a fine polish in the morning light. The lock, breech, and trigger looked to be coated in gold filigree. The weapon looked magnificent to say the least. ¡°They have guns?¡± I asked out the side of my mouth, knowing Stella was a step behind me. ¡°Not many,¡± Stella replied. ¡°That¡¯s probably the only one around for hundreds of miles. They are so rare, that I didn¡¯t think to mention them. Plus, that one also looks magical to boot. So, be wary. It can most certainly pack a punch.¡± My steps nearly faulted when she continued, barely above a whisper, ¡°Just wait until later worlds when blaster pistols become a thing.¡± Ignoring the comment, I angled myself on the far end of the ship away from the half-troll, my eyes never leaving his confident expression. The remaining pirates and sailors of the Moon Siren stepped back giving us a clear path to one another. I wanted to have as much distance between us before it started. Weatherly certainly understood this, having called me out as a mage, but his outward expression remained steadfast. When I finally pivoted, the long wooden deck sprawled between us, I attempted to glean some information about my foe and his magnificent-looking pistol. Stella had said it was magical so I was hoping to know what I was dealing with. My mana had been slowly refilling as I walked over, the twin mana potions helping speed along the process. Noticing I was no longer in combat, I casually pulled a water skin from my inventory and drank it. To anyone but a Hunter, it would look like I was only taking a simple drink before combat. As a Hunter though, my mana pool began rapidly refilling. By the time combat started, I would have full mana and, therefore, a full Empowered Aegis. Triggering inspect, I stared across the space to my foe. Weatherly, ¡®the Fierce,¡¯ Gnawbone, Mongrel Troll Cutlass (Level 19 - Rare Boss). Mongrel Trolls are the ugly, often isolated, offshoots of the troll and giant races. After centuries of inbreeding, what you see standing before you represents one of the most unappealing creatures this planet has to offer. But, don¡¯t let its repulsive nature fool you. For what the Mongrel Troll¡¯s body gave up in Charisma, it makes up for with additional Strength and Constitution. Never able to have more than a single point of Charisma, this is a foe worth turning tail while you still can. Good luck, Hunter. Next, I inspected his gold-plated pistol. {Crescent-Moon Flintlock Dueling Pistol}. This flintlock pistol is one of a pair of magically enchanted flintlocks specifically created for dueling. Combatants stand back-to-back before walking forward ten paces to then face one another. The fury of the weapons then thunders out across the distance like an avalanche. Unlike mundane flintlock pistols, which are exceedingly rare in a Prime World, this weapon does not have the slight delay normally associated with it. Like a mundane flintlocks, however, these beauties back one hell of a punch. Note - This enchanted weapon will automatically reload itself after a short amount of time. Further, this weapon is capable of piercing most magical and non-magical means of defense. Come what may, there was no turning back now. The pistol was worrisome and complicated things. Upon first seeing it, I figured I would have to contend with a single shot of the no-doubt hard-hitting bullet, but it would have to contend with my soon-to-be fully powered Aegis with my mana seconds away from maxing out. Now though, the previously seemingly impervious shield may not be capable of stopping the shot. Thankfully, I still had a significant health pool, but I would need to ensure I avoided the incoming shot as much as I could. Worse yet, with the weapon¡¯s ability to reload automatically, it posed an even larger problem as our soon-to-commence battle began. Staring each other down, I was out of time for more consideration. A game plan formed in my mind, I could only hope it worked. Before Weatherly moved from my inaction, I shouted, my voice reaching to every onlooker, ¡°You wouldn¡¯t happen to have another magnificent pistol that I could use in our dual, would you?¡± While everyone stared on with bated breath, the sound of the passing river, the creak of strained beams, and even the soft rippling of the sail above reached my ears. My heart began pumping furiously in my chest, far more than even in the engaging battle from minutes earlier. Weatherly grinned and grasped his pistol, bringing it down to his side, ¡°I think not.¡± An advantage I held, unknown to the pirate king, was my invisible aegis. Hoping it would protect me from the initial volley. What I hadn¡¯t counted on was a nearby pirate lunging for my back, a wickedly serrated dagger aimed straight for a kidney. My attention was diverted for a crucial instant as I felt the dagger slam against my Aegis. It still felt like I had been hit with a hammer but all of the damage had been negated. I backhanded the jackass with the flat of my axe, sending him sprawling to the deck. Lowki, having had slowly moved nearby, his illusion projecting him on several paces from where he really prowled, pounced on the fool. A throaty growl sounded from my companion as he lunged his head downward, aiming at the man¡¯s neck. In my moment of inattention, the half-giant raised his pistol and fired. As he did, my only saving grace had been the slight rock of the ship when Lowki had landed. His aim no longer centered on my chest, the unyielding bullet slammed through my aegis, landing with a heavy smack into my left arm. The impact felt like a hundred-ton boulder had crashed into me. Unknown in the moment, my protective shield had bled away some of the steep damage as the bullet passed through effortlessly. Without my aegis, my arm would have been ruined. In addition, had Lowki not caused me to stumble, the bullet may have proved lethal with how practiced of a shot the boss had. As it was, the force of the impact sent me spinning to the deck. I saw my mana drop nearly one thousand points from the single attack. The damage, though, was nothing compared to the crushing blow which spread across my arm. While the Aegis prevented actual damage from reaching me, it did nothing to stop the raw force of the blow. My arm was numb and not responding to my mental bidding. My mind couldn¡¯t make sense of it as I hurried back to my feet, hindered by the inability to use one arm. The impact of a single bullet, regardless of it being magical in nature, shouldn¡¯t have caused this much force to be exerted. It was the only thing that made sense. In the second it took to stand up, it was like the defensive barrier had somehow amplified the physical sensation of the attack. Maybe it was how the potent ability was balanced out by the System. Significant damage could be absorbed through my mana pool with the aegis, though the ¡®punch¡¯ of the attack hit harder than it otherwise would. Reaching my feet, I worked to reorient onto the Mongrel Troll. Panic was racing through me as I had expected the boss to take advantage of my plight by charging headlong towards me. It was not what I saw. Thinking me surely dead from an attack that had likely killed countless foes in these kinds of ¡®duels.¡¯ Weatherly saw no need to rush forward to bury me beneath the weight of his trusty backup weapon, his curved saber. As our eyes locked, both of us hadn¡¯t been expecting the state of the other. My turn, I thought. Like I had done it a thousand times, the fingers on my right hand spun through the necessary gestures for my trademark spell, lesser boil blood. It landed as the pirate king made a guttural road and charged. With precious feet between us, I got one more spell off before he reached me. Back-to-back, Weatherly was infected with Boil Blood and Arrested Affliction. The agony on his face showed how damaging my two spells were. In one hand the boss held his spent, though recharging pistol, the other holding a massive cutlass. Weatherly¡¯s rapid pace carried in front of me, his sword swinging at neck height in an attempt to decapitate me. The attack missed as I dodged aside, ducking my head low. Weatherly¡¯s momentum carried him beyond where I had been standing before he could halt his change. He slammed heavily into the bulky railing of his ship. I had time enough to land another pair of spells before I could dance away no longer. Chapter 39 - Crescent-Moon Flintlock Dueling Pistol With all four of my damage over time spells on the boss, my essence barrier from my necromancer ring would be powering up with each tick of damage. Until those spells wore off, which I wasn¡¯t about to let happen, ten percent of those spells'' damage would create a similar absorption barrier as my empowered aegis. {Necromancer¡¯s Bone Ring}. Crafted for the bone of a long-deceased tyrant and infused with necrotic energy, this ring draws essence from the damage dealt to foes to, in turn, shield you from physical attacks. Rarity: Rare. Slot: Finger. Durability: 828/1000. Effects(s): Plus 1 intelligence, plus 1 constitution, and gain the passive effect ¡®Essence Barrier¡¯. Essence Barrier ¨C When an enemy suffers from your damage over time spells, 10% of the damage dealt is converted into a protective barrier that shields the wearer against physical attacks. The barrier stacks over time and lasts 12 seconds when the wearer''s final damage over time spell ends. While my aegis ability had absorbed some of the damage from Weatherly¡¯s initial shot, my essence barrier would be shoring up my defenses further with each passing second. Two days earlier, Stella and I had a conversation over a bowl of chili, the sun shining above our heads. I wanted to know the interplay between these two magical effects. She assured me, ¡°Essence barrier will be the first to absorb any physical attacks. Once it¡¯s spent, then your aegis will pick up the rest. Keep in mind, that the effect from your ring only works on physical attacks. Anything magical in nature will bypass it entirely.¡± Seeing how much force the mad-giant was putting behind each swing though, even as I did my best to evade and backpedal, I could probably only count on my necromancer ring to absorb blow every half minute. It would need time to rebuild if, and likely when, Gnawbone finally connected. Diving on instinct, Weather¡¯s blade flew scant inches over my head. Thankfully it was not enough to hit either of my defenses as they usually stopped attacks a single inch above my body. As his curved saber flew by harmlessly over my head, I was barely able to avoid the boss¡¯s heavy body as he barreled past me. Once more, the half-giant had put too much exertion into his charge in an attempt to smother me. If he were able to knock me down and get his hands around me, it would be all over. Same as last time though, his momentum had him crashing past. He crashed through a pair of wooden crates lining the top rail, showering the deck with splinters as they disintegrated. Twice now his attempt had been foiled, though barely. My mind convinced Weatherly would continue the strategy as even a single success would win him the fight. Perhaps I could use his supposed advantage against him. Hopefully, I would think of something in time. As the behemoth reached his feet, Frostrend whistled in the air towards his exposed back, tumbling end over end. It sunk between his shoulder blades with a meaty whump. How he howled! Excitement flooded my chest when I saw the flash freeze effect trigger but, unlike previously, the initial rush of frozen crystals stopped before traveling more than a few inches from the impact site. Being a boss, as well as being combined with a troll¡¯s natural regenerative gift, my weapon¡¯s special effect couldn¡¯t take hold fully. Even as Weatherly attempted to dislodge the offending weapon, the frozen tissue was receding at a visible rate. Calling Frostrend back to my hand, I spied a drop of good fortune from my attack. The wound wedged between Weatherly¡¯s protruding shoulder blades was not healing over. I had expected the troll¡¯s regeneration to quickly repair the damage, yet it didn¡¯t happen. Careful inspection showed a ring of frost remained from where my axe had landed. Viscous blood continued to flow down the boss¡¯s back, though it was more of a sludge. Likely a result of Frostrend¡¯s special effect. I would take it, though it was hardly enough to win me the battle as easily as Weatherly could. ¡°Goddammit,¡± I said as my adrenaline-tinged brain made a connection. The boss was a troll! My thoughts careened back to defeating the troll on a bridge outside of Winterfalls from what felt like forever ago. As Weatherly tilted forward, readying another charge, Frostrend disappeared from my hand. As the giant¡¯s massive footfalls vibrated the ship¡¯s deck, I raised both hands. Seeing me make no attempt to dodge, Weatherly grinned in anticipation of victory. His happiness was short-lived however. ¡°You¡¯re a damn troll,¡± I cried out right before flames washed over the boss, engulfing his entire upper torso and blasting him full in the face. What had been a terrifying howl earlier when Frostrend slammed into his back, now, with flames from my dual cast flamethrower biting over his vulnerable troll flesh, the sound that burst from Weatherly¡¯s throat was more akin to a wail. The pirate king held up his hands, attempting to shield his face, even as his charge turned in a spastic twist and wrenching of his massive body as he tried to dislodge the rolling flames. Unable to escape the torrent, Weatherly made a move to the edge of the deck, clearly thinking of jumping into the river to end the searing agony he was experiencing. But, a quick step to my right blocked his path, my unrelenting flames never wavering even as my mana pool dropped at a precipitous rate. The half-troll was so disoriented, his leap only succeeded in landing him further away from the water. The unyielding fire continued to blaze down upon his unprotected skin. The boss attempted to crawl away, but only made it a few paces before curling into a fetal position, doing anything he could to protect his blistering hide. The boss defenseless, all his will to fight fleeing before the onslaught, I shut down my spell. Before I could ask for his surrender, Stella whispered at my side, ¡°Two percent.¡± She likely had been calling out the troll¡¯s health for a while now, though I hadn¡¯t picked up her voice through the raging inferno my flamethrower spell emitted. Especially when it is dual-cast. Something in her tone caught my attention through, it had been laced with what I would have called defeat. It made no sense, we had clearly won, so I turned to her. Understanding dawned and I turned my panicked eyes back to Weatherly. Then the boss¡¯s health reached zero as another round of my DOTs ticked over, eating into what little health had remained. Like a volcano erupting in all directions, scalding vaporized troll blood rocketed away from his detonating body. My boil blood special effect had triggered at the moment of his death. Stella realized this before I had, understanding there would be no pirate king prisoner. Bursts of superheated liquid arced in all directions as if heat-seeking missiles. Several pirates were within range, I realized with a start, but the sizzling blood passed harmlessly between every single person. The blood landed on wood planks and shipping crates. Some even went over the railing to splash the water below. Nothing so much as touched human flesh before it sizzled away into nothingness, leaving behind only tiny singe marks to record its passing. With a sigh of relief, I turned to Stella. ¡°It only targets hostile foes,¡± I said as I turned to men even as enemy weapons clattered to the floor. Seeing their leader helpless, the battle lost, the will to fight had fled what remained of the invading pirates. Meaning the magic of the spell had nothing to hone onto. Their decision to stop had likely saved many of their lives, such as it was. They were pirates after all and I doubted they would be shown leniency from Captain Larsa. Not after the loss of life we surely endured this day. Quest Update: ¡®Turn the Tide¡¯ has been successfully completed. Please review your quest log for additional information and your rewards. Congratulations! Not a single voice split the silence lingering from the death of the pirate king and the near-death experience of my spell¡¯s final effect. The only sound to carry across the deck was the steady clip of the river, sails bending in the breeze, and the creak of the beached ship. Everyone had gone deathly silent. Then, the sailors of the Moon Siren raised their weapons high in the air and let out a bellowing victory, ¡°Huzzah!¡± The battle was over. In all, the crew of the Moon Siren lost eight good men to the raid, with another half dozen seriously injured but quickly on the mend courtesy of my regeneration spell. Only twelve of the nearly three dozen waylaying pirates had survived. More men had been on both sides of the narrow river way, archers the lot of them, though nothing now stirred to either side. Along with my single fireball, Tallos¡¯ many arrows ensured no enemy bowmen. Only the body¡¯s pin cushioned with arrow shafts remained there, the bodies lying unmoving. Looking to the crow¡¯s nest to check on my elven friend, I couldn¡¯t make him out at first. The circular platform was littered with downward-angled arrow shafts, all jutting out in a chaotic mix. I was about to make my way up to check on him, when Tallos leaned over the rail yelling an ¡°All clear¡± to his captain. Tallos still had an arrow notched, his keen gaze sweeping to cover all three hundred and sixty degrees. Over the course of the next few hours, Captain Larsa and his men subdued the remaining enemy force, locking thick manacles on each before leading each down into the ship¡¯s brig. Then came the tedious work of freeing the proud Moon Siren. Many sails were torn and badly damaged, though each was quickly replaced from ship stores, as well as sails plundered from the enemy vessel. While at first glance its sailing days looked to be long over, closer inspection confirmed it was only made to appear that way at a distance. Nothing damaged couldn¡¯t be repaired, though the lost lives on our side were hard felt. Larsa assured his men there would be time to grieve. ¡°Right now, we must untangle the Siren and make our way upstream in haste. We can ill afford more enemies stumbling upon us in our immobile and, thereby, defenseless state. Cut and run, men. Shipmaster, I expect a clean bill of health within the hour.¡± Ripley and I assisted in dealing with the tightly wound ropes holding our ship in place. Careful use of my flamethrower spell helped make short work of it, though I needed to be careful to avoid setting the flammable sails ablaze. The enemy vessel, aptly named the Sickle, wouldn¡¯t be made sea-worthy ever again. After hauling over what initial loot was aboard, we discovered, tucked away in a cleverly hidden pirate¡¯s hold, containers full to the brim with ill-gotten gains, including a quite valuable set of blacksmithing equipment. The pirate ship was then summarily set aflame. Larsa answered my questioning gaze with the practice of, ¡°Scuttling captured pirate vessels is the customary response, in these kinds of situations.¡± The Sickle would soon find its way to the bottom of the river, with only the odd piece of tarnished lumber drifting downstream to mark its final voyage. This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. The surviving pirates all bore indignant scowls, or so I was told, upon hearing the crackle and popping of wood as fire obliterated their ship. Stripped of their gear and weapons, not to mention their freedom, they could do nothing locked behind reinforced steel bars. Above deck, Larsa told me, as captain, he had the right to call for the summary execution of those men. Before I could respond, he turned to me, his eyes showing no hint of the direction he was leaning. ¡°What do you think we should do with those men,¡± Larsa asked me. ¡°Do we end their lives here and now, or turn them to the authorities in Allerton?¡± I hadn¡¯t expected the man to ask me, let alone seek counsel on what to do in the matter, so I hesitated. ¡°Why would you ask me? You are the captain,¡± I finally responded. I had seen enough men slain this day and, regardless of their murderous intent, I didn¡¯t want more blood on my hands. ¡°Without you and your friends, the battle would have likely ended with my men imprisoned,¡± Larsa answered. As he spoke, he gazed out over his deck, his eyes appraising his men as they went about their tasks. ¡°I would probably be dead at the hands of that unpleasant giant. So, while yes, I do have the final say as captain, I would like to know your thoughts.¡± ¡°Enough blood has been spilled today,¡± I replied after a long exhale. ¡°They surrendered, so that should count for something. Otherwise¡­¡± My eyes turned downwards as I paused. The grain of the tar-stained planking beneath our feet catching my attention. ¡°Next time they won¡¯t. With death on either end of a bargain, nothing would motivate such villainous men to drop their swords in the face of defeat.¡± ¡°It would cost more lives, our lives,¡± I said confidently as my gaze returned to Larsa. ¡°So, let¡¯s turn them over to the capital. At least, that¡¯s what I would do.¡± ¡°A fair reasoning,¡± Larsa responded. ¡°That will be the way of it. Number one,¡± he called out, the first mate snapping to attention. ¡°As soon as the Moon Siren is able, take us upstream. We continue to the capital. Our prisoners will be taken ashore, clapped in irons, to receive final judgment.¡± ¡°Aye aye, captain.¡± Before sinking Weatherly¡¯s ship, I had removed his possessions, adding them to my inventory. Not much of his gear was magical except for his pistol, sword, and several pieces of leather armor. The armor was only lightly enchanted and was no upgrade for either me or Stella, so it remained tucked away to be sold at the first opportunity. The heavy curved sword was particularly enchanted and increased the damage, not to mention the force imparted, by its attacks. It now appeared on Ripley¡¯s hip, though she wouldn¡¯t use it until we found her a suitable shield to match the blade. The final piece of loot, the pistol, was all mine. {Crescent-Moon Flintlock Dueling Pistol}. This flintlock pistol is one of a pair of magically enchanted flintlocks specifically created for dueling. Combatants stand back-to-back before walking forward ten paces to then face one another. The fury of these weapons then thunders out across the distance like an avalanche. Unlike mundane flintlock pistols, which are exceedingly rare in a Prime World, this weapon does not have the slight delay normally associated with it. Like mundane flintlocks, however, these beauties back one hell of a punch. Note - This enchanted weapon will automatically reload itself after a short amount of time. Further, this weapon is capable of piercing most magical and non-magical means of defense. Quality: Superb. Rarity: Epic. Type: Firearm (Piercing). Slot: Primary or Secondary. Durability: 9,128/10,000. Speed: Very Slow. Effect(s): Adds 250 to 600 physical damage per attack. This weapon automatically reloads itself after firing in 30 seconds. Note ¨C The bearer does not need to supply any components, nor take any steps for this effect to happen. Once the gun is automatically reloaded, the hammer can be fully cocked and will be ready to fire. Secondary Effect(s): This weapon has a high chance to pierce through all but the most powerful forms of magical and non-magical defenses. Damage is drastically increased if such a defense is penetrated. Note ¨C This weapon has a maximum effective range of 20 yards. Any distance beyond this will have its accuracy severely hindered. ¡°That¡¯s a beauty to be sure. May I?¡± Larsa asked as he reached out a hand. Nodding my assent, I passed him the weapon. Larsa held the weapon close to his face, inspecting every detail as he turned the firearm in hand. Admiration showed in his expression as he examined the intricate golden filigree running down both sides of the barrel. Intricate scrollwork, in flowing lines, played gracefully across the weapon¡¯s golden lock plate where the cocked hammer, as well as other bits I didn''t know the name of, protruded proudly. The weapon¡¯s hickory wood was stained so dark it was almost black. In all, the golden accents contrasted beautifully across the weapon¡¯s length. ¡°A very rare weapon,¡± Larsa said appreciatively, holding his arm out as he sighted down the barrel. ¡°I¡¯ve seen a few in my lifetime, though the last when I was but a young sailor. Though none as elegant as this. It¡¯s magical too, you say? You could likely sell this for a chest full of gold, if not more. I¡¯m tempted to make an offer myself.¡± He smirked before handing back the firearm. ¡°A weapon earned in combat should stay with its rightful owner though,¡± Larsa continued as his eyes remained on the pistol for several more heartbeats. He huffed, ¡°Even if you were willing, I would make no such offer.¡± As I stretched out my hand, sighting down the barrel as Larsa had, he chortled a laugh. ¡°I don¡¯t believe you¡¯ve fired it yet. Would you care to learn? While I never actually held one before, I studied how to use one. They are magnificent weapons.¡± ¡°Please, I would be happy to learn,¡± I replied. Larsa moved us to the nearby rail, prompting me to extend my arm out over the open space. ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll need to reload it. So, take the wooden ramrod, there, under the barrel,¡± he instructed. ¡°Oh, that reminds me. Did you find a gunpowder horn in Weatherly¡¯s possessions?¡± As my fingers touched the gold-tipped ramrod, a System message popped up in my vision. Notice: Your Crescent-Moon Flintlock Dueling Pistol has already been reloaded. Do you wish to unload the weapon? Yes/No? ¡°Right,¡± I muttered, pushing the wooden dowel back in place. ¡°Sorry, I forgot to mention, the pistol automatically reloads on its own. One of its magical properties.¡± ¡°Fascinating,¡± Larsa breathed out. ¡°Sure thing, my friend.¡± Over the course of the next pair of minutes, we learned a little more about how to fire the weapon. Larsa explained I would normally need to place a primer on the mechanism called the ¡®frizzen.¡¯ As it were, all we needed to do was pull back the hammer, the ¡®cock,¡¯ and squeeze the ornate trigger. At Larsa¡¯s direction, after calling out a warning to the men on deck, I took aim. The barrel pointed toward a row of young saplings at the edge of the river bank. Sighting down the barrel, I pulled the trigger. Larsa had earlier advised the gun wouldn¡¯t fire immediately when the hammer struck, reminding me about the item''s description stating the normal delay wouldn¡¯t be present with the epic gun. His appreciation only grew. With a loud BOOM, the weapon bucked in my hand. A young tree, perhaps fifteen yards away, shattered into splinters. The pistol¡¯s kickback was manageable and the pistol felt secure in my grip. Better yet, we discovered the normally thick smoke discharged from the barrel, which often hung in the air for several minutes, immediately vanished. ¡°It¡¯s an added bonus,¡± Larsa said. ¡°Normally the smoke would obscure your vision, not to mention give away your position. Such a fantastic, and civilized, instrument.¡± Congratulations! New Skill Unlocked: Firearms. You have gained the ability and proficiency to use all types of firearms. While using a firearm, gain plus 2% damage, and plus 1% accuracy per skill level. Thrilled with the oomph of my new weapon, I pulled back the hammer, eager to fire another shot. An error message showed in short order, reminding me of the thirty-second cool down. ¡°Stella,¡± I said, turning to my companion. ¡°Can you place a timer in my vision to show the cool down whenever I fire it?¡± In short order, an unobtrusive countdown appeared in my heads-up display. ¡°Thanks, Stell,¡± I said as I holstered the pistol. Larsa had asked a crewmember earlier to fashion a leather sheath, proportioned to fit the weapon. It was a thoughtful gift, I had said as I shared my appreciation to the craftsman. The weapon was a nice addition to our non-magical repertoire. I struck a heroic pose as I gazed over the ship''s railing. Stella snickered. As evening fell, Larsa invited the entire crew to the deck to remember and pay respects to the men lost. While the impromptu wake began somber, the mood, and a generous amount of ale, quickly changed to a celebration of friends lost. Captain Larsa thanked his crew, assuring the families of the men who lost their lives would receive their loved one''s contracted rates. Most raised a mug in response. When Larsa said each man would receive double their customary rates, all mugs were raised. Larsa invited me to his cabin before he retired for the night. Stella followed along as Ripley remained with the helmsman, her watchful gaze ever-present. Lowki, for his part, was back below deck. Likely taking up the entirety of the bed once more. As Larsa removed his weapon belt, he explained the combined bounties from our prisoners, along with the goods taken from the enemy ship, he would be making significantly more coin than expected from this trip. ¡°Still, I¡¯d rather trade all that silver and gold to have my men back,¡± Larsa said with a regretful sigh. ¡°Before you take your leave, I wanted to say thank you, once more. Our fortunes would be quite different had you and your team not been here.¡± Bidding each other a good evening, Stella and I returned to our cabin. To my surprise, Lowki was only taking up half of the small cot, so I was able to lean back and get comfortable. Before my eyelids could drop further, I finally allowed the barrage of System notifications which had been blinking away in a vain attempt to grab my attention. Turning to look at Stella resting on my shoulder, I mentally clicked on the icon. One by one, the messages washed over me. Experience Awarded: Pirate Brigand x 14 (level ranges 12-15) Experience Awarded: Defeating Mongrel Troll Cutlass, Weatherly ¡®the Fierce¡¯ Gnawbone. (Level 19 - Rare Boss) Congratulations! You have successfully completed the quest ¡®Turn the Tide¡¯. Objective One: Help the crew of the Moon Siren defeat the pirate ambush. COMPLETED Objective Two: Help prevent as many deaths of the crew of the Moon Siren. 12 of 20 crewmembers survived (60%) Objective Three: Help prevent the death of the captain of the Moon Siren, Garrin Larsa. COMPLETED Object Four: Slain or incapacitate the Pirate King, Weatherly ¡®the Fierce¡¯ Gnawbone. COMPLETED Calculating Rewards¡­ Please stand by. Notice! Quest rewards have been increased due to the survival of at least half of the Moon Siren¡¯s crew. You earned 11,250 experiences (Base 7,500) Congratulations! You have earned a quest reward, the title ¡®Pirate Slayer¡¯. Congratulations! Your renown and reputation in the surrounding lands have improved. The experience gains shot me straight up to level nineteen, just one point away from choosing my tier three Hunter class. For the moment though, I was quite content with the spell selection appearing in my vision for making level eighteen. Level Up! You have earned enough experience to advance to level 18 and 19. Tier 2 class characteristic attributes have been applied. You have 14 attribute points to distribute. Wisdom Threshold Reached (30). Benefits: Plus 9% increased mana regeneration and magical resistances. Congratulations on reaching level 18. As a Warlock, you are able to choose one of the following class-appropriate skills or spells. Please know that it is possible any skill or spell not selected may be found elsewhere in the World. Additionally, when level 20 is reached, a tier 3 class will be available. Choose wisely. Option 1: Spell [Lesser Unending Darkness] ¨C You call forth the shadow of twilight to leech up from the ground to encircle and grasp a target¡¯s feet within range. This effect slows the target¡¯s movement speed significantly and does an average amount of damage over time. Option 2: Spell [Lesser Undeath] ¨C Upon casting on a recently deceased target, unholy power revives the target to serve you for a short period of time. The target retains most of its health, and mana, as well as some skills and abilities it had. This is an undead creature and is not truly revived back to death. The creature lasts until destroyed, or when the spell duration ends. Option 3: Spell [Lesser Force Bolt] ¨C A bolt of brilliant energy shoots from your palm to strike a target of your choosing. This bolt hones in on the target and is nigh-impossible to dodge. Additionally, as an unaligned spell, this effect is able to bypass most resistances and magical barriers. ¡°Interesting options,¡± Stella said as she hovered in the air next to me as we reviewed the selections. ¡°They most certainly are,¡± I replied with a smirk. Chapter 40 - Nemesis ¡°Choices, choices,¡± I said as I considered the transparent window floating in front of me. My fingers moved across the screen as I looked over each new spell. ¡°This time we have a damage over time snare, what looks like a way to raise temporary undead fighters, and a¡­ wait, we¡¯ve seen this force bolt spell before, haven¡¯t we?¡± ¡°Yeah, it was a spell the vicious Hunter Adom had. His was only a minor version though,¡± Stella answered. ¡°He probably started with it, assigned randomly when he initiated, I¡¯d be willing to bet. Plus, his spell was only level one so I doubt he even bothered to use it. ¡­ You know, since he was so punchy-punchy.¡± Stella acted out the motion, her front paws striking twice in rapid succession. When she followed it up with a snap kick, causing her body weight to shift atop Lowki, the great cat emitted a low growl. ¡°Sorry, sorry. My bad,¡± Stella hushed quietly. After settling the cat, she carefully swiped her paw in the air a few times before an old System message appeared. [Force Bolt] (Level one) - A bolt of brilliant energy shoots from your palm to strike a target of your choosing. This bolt homes in on the target and is exceedingly difficult to dodge. Additionally, as this is an unaligned spell, it is able to bypass most resistances. ¡°Yeah, I remember it now. Looks like we have the upgraded version available with ours also bypassing magical barriers, as well as being nearly impossible to dodge instead of just difficult,¡± I said as I thought about my seemingly unbreachable empowered aegis. It wasn¡¯t the case anymore. With the fabulous pistol sitting on my hip, and the available force bolt spell at my fingertips, my aegis fell a few notches in my mind. ¡°Hopefully,¡± I continued. ¡°There are not many items or spells which have this kind of effect. With my aegis up, I¡¯m not going to lie, it¡¯s been something of a comfort. Knowing there are ways to bypass it entirely¡­ Well, we¡¯ll need to ensure we keep my constitution up there and not just dump everything into intelligence.¡± ¡°Even if we hadn¡¯t found out there are ways to get through your shield,¡± Stella said conciliatorily. ¡°I would have recommended we diversify your attribute gains. Remember, we don¡¯t want to be a ¡®one-trick pony?¡¯¡± ¡°Speaking of our attributes,¡± I said as I called forward my level gain message. ¡°Let¡¯s get those points settled, shall we?¡± Level Up! You have earned enough experience to advance to level 18 and 19. Tier 2 class characteristic attributes have been applied. You have 14 attribute points to distribute. ¡°So, with constitution more important than ever¡­¡± My fingers moved across the screen, placing points here and there while checking to see what net effect it would have on my health, stamina, and mana. In the end, we decided to put five points into Intelligence, bringing it up to a staggering two-hundred and twenty, and the rest into Constitution. It brought my new health and mana pools to slightly under two thousand and close to seventy-five hundred, respectively. ¡°The gains we¡¯ve had to my intelligence have been something. With the real possibility of overtaking Duke when we get to the capital, we may just have a chance.¡± ¡°Back to spells then,¡± Stella said as she adjusted the screens in my vision. ¡°I¡¯m going to say we should probably pass on the force bolt. There are bound to be more spell vendors in Allerton, plus it doesn¡¯t really give us the edge we need. It passes through protections, yeah, but the damage is low comparatively.¡± ¡°It leaves us with the snare, and the short-lived minion spell,¡¯¡± I said as my eyes looked over the spells once more. What¡¯s going to help us the most?¡± Thinking of Stella¡¯s comment about finding merchants soon, reminded me of how common snare-type spells usually were. If the same held true here, I might be able to buy one soon. ¡°I think I¡¯m going with the lesser undeath. Having even more minions supporting us sounds like the right choice.¡± Stella had no objection, so I made my choice. [Lesser Undeath]. If cast within 5 minutes upon a recently deceased, unholy power revives the target to serve you for a short period of time. The undeath minion will follow all verbal commands, regardless of previously known languages, or will take actions to protect the caster if no command is issued. The target retains 80% of its former health, stamina, and mana. Only a random set of the target¡¯s abilities, skills, and spells that it had in life will be available. The raised minion will last until destroyed, or when the spell duration ends. Cost: 400 mana. Cast Time: 10 seconds. Duration: 5 minutes. Cool down: 10 minutes. Plus 30 second duration and plus 1% retention per spell level. Note ¨C Maximum target size is limited to Large. The target¡¯s level will be either its former level or the caster¡¯s level, whichever is the lesser. The familiar experience of knowledge flooding into my mind blocked out all of my other senses. The same as always, it had been as if the spell had always been in my mind, hidden away. As I opened my eyes, every minute detail of the spell was ready to be called forth with only a simple thought. It was exhilarating. ¡°Always awesome,¡± I said with a satisfied exhale. ¡°Ok, what¡¯s next?¡± System Notification: You have been granted a new title, ¡®Pirate Slayer¡¯. As a champion of the law (well, probably), any foe who has attacked, robbed, or otherwise pillaged a seafaring vessel should pay heed to your presence¡­ Wait¡­what? I don¡¯t know what ships are called that only travel on rivers. Okay, okay. Fine, I¡¯ll change it. As a champion of the law (well, probably), any foe who has attacked, robbed, or otherwise pillaged a maritime vessel should pay heed to your presence. Title Benefits: Permanently increases all damage you deal to hostile pirates by 10%. Would you like to change your Title to ¡®Pirate Slayer? Note ¨C Title benefits remain regardless of the displayed title. Yes/No? ¡°Well, that¡¯s new,¡± I said as the System message modified itself in real-time. ¡°A good buff, nevertheless. Though, I think I¡¯m keeping my current title, thank you very much.¡± I selected ¡®no¡¯ and the window disappeared. My next set of notifications dealt with the spell and skill gains I had accrued from the battle. I was particularly happy to see Boil Blood was close to maxing its level out. Notice! Skill and Spell increase messages have been condensed. Skill: [Throwing] has increased to level 12. Skill: [Axes] has increased to level 15. Spell: [Minor Flamethrower] has increased to level 7. Spell: [Lesser Necrotic Aura (Pet)] has increased to level 6. Spell: [Lesser Chained Lightning] has increased to level 3. Spell: [Lesser Blood Boil] has increased to level 19. Spell: [Lesser Arrested Affliction] has increased to level 7. ¡°Hey Stell, I know we talked about spells maxing out, but do skills max out too?¡± I asked after eyeing up my blood boil getting closer to its maximum level of twenty-five. ¡°Sort of,¡± Stella replied. ¡°For skills, they cannot advance past your current level. So, with you sitting at level nineteen, your axe skill would stop gaining experience if it got to that point. Then, once you leveled up, it would start learning experience again.¡± ¡°Makes sense, thanks.¡± With all of the notifications and System messages addressed, I let out a deep sigh and closed my eyes. ¡°Good night, Stell.¡± Within minutes, our small gang of friends were sound asleep. The following morning and early afternoon were uneventful, though our progress slowed somewhat when the typically robust wind died down. Still, Captain Larsa assured me we would reach Allerton well before nightfall. Several vessels, the majority smaller than the Moon Siren, often with only a single mast standing proud, glided past us in the opposite direction. Most appeared to be merchant vessels laden down with goods and cargo. With a few hails and calls of greeting, our crew let each passing trading vessel know to be on guard for possible pirates downstream. Cheers rose from the other ships when tales of our victory against the Sickle crossed the water between our vessels. Larsa shared soon after, ¡°Not many ships would have been able to find victory against what we faced the morning prior. This was an experienced crew. So, the news of one less threat ranging this popular trading route, is a welcomed one.¡± Only an hour later, we began passing a multitude of towns that boarded the periphery around Allerton. To me, it seemed like with every mile the Siren sailed closer, stood another city whose name I would never remember. When I commented as much, Stella proudly listed them off. First in alphabetical order, but before she would expand further, I clamped a hand over her small snout. It didn¡¯t last long, though, when her amazingly sharp teeth nipped my sensitive flesh. When I pulled my hand away, she wagged out a tongue. Larsa knew all the town names, of course. He even knew every single name of the dozens of harbormasters we passed by. The man, and his crew, were well-known and greatly appreciated in these parts. From my little time aboard the Siren, it was well deserved. Countless friendly waves flashed across the river as we sailed onwards. When the towns were so tightly pressed together, I could have sworn we were at the capital by now. So, I asked Larsa as much. His only response was, ¡°You¡¯re in for a treat,¡± but wouldn¡¯t clarify further, even when I pressed the matter. My antics caught the attention of the crew, and I caught more than one upturned grin plastered across their faces. Something was obviously up, though I had no idea what. Stella, still touting proudly from her earlier nip, was even more tightly lipped. My eyes narrowed in her direction, but nothing I did phased her. I had, of course, heard many tales from the crew, and especially Tallos over the several days we fared upstream. ¡°Allerton is a wonder to behold,¡± Tallos had said one evening. When I asked him what was so special, he replied he didn¡¯t want to spoil the surprise. His message was a hint of what I frustratingly feeling today, though it was all in good fun. So, I took a deep breath and let the matter drop. I would find out eventually what the big fuss was about. Seeing my somewhat dejected expression, Stella glided close and bumped into my shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s actually sort of a custom here, to not say anything to new visitors. Unless you were born there, no one will tell you until you see it with your own eyes.¡± She then whispered conspiratorially, ¡°My guess is every man here has felt the same exact way you are, right now.¡± Her words helped soothe my ego. When something in the distance caught my eye, I was glad the surprise had not been spoiled. ¡°Wow,¡± the word escaped my lips as my eyes widened. I finally understood. What could only be the capital city, with vast walls surrounding its huge perimeter, rose above us like some dwarfish vision of the fantasy capital of Gondor, Minas Tirith. Rows of buildings rose up multiple successive levels, each a smaller ring than the one under it. The city climbed up into the sky some three to four hundred feet. While impressive enough, it¡¯s not what captured my imagination. The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. Behind each corner of the broad encompassing fortification, floated four immense stone towers. One for each corner of the city. Blinking in surprise, each tower hovered dozens of feet above the defensive battlement. Windows and arrow slits dotted all across the mighty structures and, even at this angle, it was hard to miss the large burning sphere of magic hanging above each towering obelisk. A warm glow radiated out, bathing everything for miles around in a light. ¡°How?¡± I asked, the word finally stumbling past my tongue. No one answered at first, everyone was taking in the majestic sight. A chuckle sounded from someone on the main deck, before a single word reached my ears, ¡°Magic.¡± Larsa stepped close, slapping a hand on my shoulder got naturedly. ¡°Glad I didn¡¯t spoil the surprise, right?¡± he asked. When I didn¡¯t respond, he pressed on. ¡°The castle proper has appeared this way for a thousand years. The higher tiers of the city can only be entered by the capital¡¯s lords and ladies, though any noble with a title from the surrounding lands is allowed within. As far as the towers, like for us, their mystery will forever remain one. From what I have learned, the towers were created by a mage of considerable strength, named Allerton. This city was named after him and a great sacrifice he made.¡± I shot Stella a pleading look, she knew the question burning inside me. ¡°Sorry, Xaz,¡± Stella started. ¡°The captain is spot on with the mystery part. Even I don¡¯t have access to see more info about those things.¡± ¡°Worry not. There are plenty of other interests to be found here,¡± Larsa said, an air of intrigue in his voice. I beamed back at the man, he was right. There was a lot we could find here which would certainly help with our quest. ¡°How long until we dock?¡± I asked. The river had widened considerably, with offshoots separating into a half dozen streams. All leading away from the city, but filled with vessels of all shapes and sizes. The scope of everything nearby was massive. The Moon Siren was following a fork that ran parallel to the city wall. Up ahead, an array of docks cluttering outward, sat a large port absolutely crammed packed with ships. ¡°Never mind,¡± I added in haste. When we came around the corner of the immense wall, I watched as the docks expanded inward up against it, creating a huge region shaped like an expansive letter ¡®c.¡¯ Dozens of ships sat moored, lightly moving with the rhythm of the water. The Moon Siren was no longer the largest vessel present. The grandest, an order of magnitude larger than our own, was a colossal warship called the L¡¯Ocean. Catching my gaze, Larsa pointed across the waterline of the mighty vessel. ¡°The river here is deep enough to allow the draft of the first-rate L¡¯Ocean. It doesn¡¯t, couldn¡¯t, roam the river ways like we do. Instead, it travels between kingdoms via the nearby Ceres Sea. You¡¯re lucky to have seen her. She¡¯s not often around this time of season.¡± My eyes turned back to the harbor and outlying docks. There was a pattern to be sure across the chaotic scene, but I couldn¡¯t figure it out. On the far end of the expanse, toward Allerton, was a tall portcullis which was wide enough to allow a pair of wagons to pass underneath. Manning the castle gate was a large contingency of guards, each wearing plate armor. Even at this distance, I could tell something was amiss. Obviously highly trained men, something about their agitated mannerisms seemed out of place. About to point it out, Larsa beat me to it. ¡°That¡¯s unusual,¡± he said, eyeing the end of the harbor as he held a hand to shield his eye from the sun. ¡°The last time I saw something like this, a small riot was breaking out when a particularly notorious felon was brought in to face justice.¡± ¡°Somethings afoot,¡± Larsa continued before calling to his second in command. ¡°Number one, get our mooring lines ready with all haste and dock the Siren as soon as able. Then all hands on deck, though keep them aboard for now. I¡¯ll be leaving immediately to speak to the harbormaster and find out what¡¯s happening. I don¡¯t want the men entangled with whatever is going on until I know more about it¡± ¡°Yes, sir,¡± the man replied before carrying out his orders, shouting commands to the crew. I was about to pose a question, when Larsa turned to me. ¡°I¡¯d like you to accompany me.¡± As the crew went about their tasks, Larsa raised his voice, so it carried across the deck. ¡°I was hoping to do this after being secured to the dock, but with whatever is going on, this will do. I wanted to thank you again, Xaz and Stella, along with your formidable party. You saved many of our lives on this voyage. Know you are always welcome aboard and if you¡¯re ever in the need to coin, I¡¯d pay handsomely for your blades next time.¡± As the man held out a hand and we grabbed wrists, shouts of ¡°Here, here,¡± rang across the deck. ¡°Thank you, Larsa. You¡¯re an honorable man and I would be honored to join you and your crew in the future.¡± The Moon Siren¡¯s crew was well-versed in getting the ship situated and moored in a wide slip. In short order, we were docked and walking down the gangway, Larsa in the lead heading towards a central hub. It was a squat building with wide windows allowing an unimpeded view to whoever was inside. As we entered, a man who looked to be in his late fifties with graying hair greeted Larsa, obviously seeing our party approaching. ¡°Go¡¯ to see you, my friend,¡± the man said in a raspy voice. He wore an aging set of clothes which reminded me of a military uniform. His ensemble would have carried a regal look if not for the fact it was covered with mismatched stitches mending old tears. The man¡¯s shirt buttons were near to busting from his ample belly, which was hidden behind many tailoring attempts, his own by the look of it, to account for it growing width. Instead of being a source of embarrassment, however, the man¡¯s hands ran down the old stitches as if feeling an old badge of honor. ¡°Henricksen, it is good to see you, old friend,¡± Larsa greeted the man and the two shook hands. ¡°I¡¯d say the same to ¡®ou, but a damned hornet¡¯s ¡®est has been kicked round ¡®ere.¡± Henricksen had a particular way of speaking but was easy enough to understand. He turned his gaze, peering out a window to the nearby guards. ¡°Seems a buccaneer is making a mess ore¡¯ there.¡± That piqued my curiosity, thinking perhaps it was Duke, though it seemed a remote possibility as we likely beat Duke here by a day, two at most. Stella had assured me our voyage upriver was far quicker than going at it by foot. ¡°Do you know who it is?¡± I asked, a hint of anxiety lacing my voice. The harbormaster looked to me, then to Larsa as if asking who I was. Larsa nodded once, so the Henricksen turned to me, ¡°Only what I can ¡®ear over the din of the docks and the shouts of alarm. I dunno, something about an ¡®unter forcing his way through the merchant quarter.¡± My eyes looked over to Larsa, my gaze wordlessly impressing my need to leave. He saw the urgency in my eyes, having spoken several times about our quest to hunt down Duke. ¡°I know your quest, so please¡­¡± he gestured towards the guards. ¡°With all haste.¡± I was half out the door, when his next words reached us, bringing me up short, ¡°When you reach the guards let them know you have the blessing of Captain Larsa of the Moon Siren. It will aid you in getting past them without much resistance.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± I said over my shoulder, Ripley and Lowki close on my heels as we ran. It took only a minute before we reached the raised portcullis leading deeper into the city. Several of the guards took early note of my sprint, raising hands and halberds. ¡°Ho there,¡± a tall man called as we approached. Two guards had locked their pikes, forming an ¡®X¡¯ to bar our path, their gleaming full plate reflecting sunlight. I could barely make out their features, hidden behind the shadows within their helms. Still, it was easy to see the nervousness carried in their eyes. ¡°Please, I must be allowed to pass,¡± I said between breaths. ¡°Captain Larsa of the Moon Siren said I have his blessing. We only now disembarked and believe we know the man responsible for the commotion in town.¡± It took only a moment, but after I said Larsa¡¯s name, all hesitation vanished, and the halberds were moved aside. The two guards exchanged a look before the man who first spoke gestured with his long pike behind him. ¡°Follow that road, there, Hunter. Do not take any smaller roads you see. Keep on the main path and you¡¯ll find the disturbance. A contingent of guards already left several minutes before you, so if you see them, you¡¯ll know you¡¯re heading in the right direction. If you are stopped, let them know Dock Lieutenant Harris bid you to assist.¡± I thanked the man, and we took off at a sprint. In my rush, I barely noticed the majesty of the city around me. Stella was flying off my shoulder, reminding me to be cautious. ¡°If it is Duke, remember, he may be too powerful yet, so we need to be careful.¡± Her words reached me, and I paused a moment to refresh my armor buff and the movement spell I had forgotten to use. ¡°Thanks,¡± I said before heading off once more. My eyes never left the confines of the paved road and our course. My heart was pumping in my chest louder with each passing minute. None of the citizens I had expected to see were about. Catching movement to our side, I eyed a door close and then heard an audible ¡®click¡¯ as a lock was secured. It seemed everyone had taken shelter in while the guard mobilized to deal with whatever the threat was. The road we took eventually merged with another much wider one. I guessed we were near the middle of the city and now on the main thoroughfare. The buildings to the sides were growing aristocratic and more elegant as we moved deeper into the city. It was not long thereafter we started encountering burned and charred unmoving bodies. Scattered around were swords, shields and broken halberds. Whoever, or whatever, had passed made quick work of these soldiers. My mind screamed this was Duke. Who else could cause so much damage, so easily? Duke hadn¡¯t struck me as a man who had any value on life, especially from lowly non-player characters such as these. Such as I was. Our path took us higher up the elevated crag the city was built upon. We passed through several unmanned and inward blasted gates. The destruction around was worrisome. If this was Duke, the ease of the devastation rattled my confidence over the impending fight. There was nothing for it now, though. So, we continued our frantic pace, our footfalls echoing out against the cobblestone beneath our feet. Passing yet another collapsed guard post, the area leveled out, and up ahead of us stood what had to be over twenty or thirty armed guards. The formation they had appeared to be circular, with heavy pikes pointing towards the center. Expecting the squadron to move in, tightening the ring, the guards instead remained stationary as if perplexed with what to do next. As we got close, I got my first glimpse of the man responsible for the death of my family. The ring of guards had weapons leveled to his seemingly uncaring gate. It was Duke. The bastard had somehow beaten us here. The plate mail guards were packed tightly together, barring any path between the press of their armor, though occasional gasps appeared allowing me to see beyond. Duke, without a care in the world, was learning over a smoking corpse. As one guard¡¯s pike moved an inch forward, a dome of glowing magical energy sprung up around Duke, stopping it like it struck the city wall. ¡°Unless I miss my guess,¡± Stella whispered between her ragged breaths. She was feeling the same anxiety and dread I was upon seeing our nemesis. ¡°That barrier is completely static, meaning if Duke leaves it, the shield won¡¯t follow with him.¡± It explained why the guards were not advancing, no one could get past the field. Duke looked exactly like the day I first saw him. He was a head taller than me, wearing a set of plate armor the color of night. Unlike the standard mail of the guards surrounding him, Duke¡¯s had sharp half-foot long spikes protruding from his pauldrons protecting his shoulders. His unrighteous sword resting easily across his back, jutting above one shoulder. No scabbard held the weapon in place, though. Such a small, peculiar oddity was quickly dismissed from my mind. The menace that surrounded the man like an aura was palpable. This was a predator who had never felt an ounce of fear in his entire life. As I watched, Duke cursed and crushed an object in his hand. He must have looted it from the body below him. With a sigh of disgust, Duke tossed the mangled object to the ground. It passed through his barrier as if it didn¡¯t exist. A glowing parchment appeared in his hands and arcane words began tumbling from his lips, the words jarring in a way it twisted my ears. It was a spell, no doubt about it. Whatever it was, I knew I had to act fast if I had any chance at stopping him. My mind worked frantically to come up with an answer to Duke¡¯s magical protection. I cursed inwardly as my mind considered my options. Whatever barrier Duke had erected was powerful enough to stop mundane weapons. Even as the seconds passed, Duke¡¯s voice growing steadily in volume, I noticed quarrels and arrows shattering around him. I really wished I had taken the force bolt spell now. The gun! The thought crashed through my head. A thunderous BOOM rang out as my pistol spat fire toward the seemingly unconcerned man. It tore through the barrier like tissue paper, leaving a large, ragged hole in its wake. The bullet slammed into the side of Duke¡¯s ebony mail, the resounding crack splitting the air. Quick-thinking guards in the back row of the formation fired arrows and crossbow bolts at the opening, but only a few slipped through. They ricocheted harmlessly off the heavily enchanted armor. Thought whether by my own attack, or the guard¡¯s finally reaching him, Duke startled. Unfortunately, it was not enough to interrupt the villain¡¯s concentration. The final word left his dull lips, and he turned his head in my direction. Our eyes locked for an instant. Mine no doubt shone with determination, where he bore a slight grimace, my bullet dealing at least some damage. As the magic of the scroll began to surround him like a tornado, starting at his feet and quickly making its way up his torso, I thought to inspect the man before whatever was happening took hold. Only a partial System message appeared in my vision but was abruptly cut off as Duke vanished with a sudden displacement of air and a loud thunderclap which sent the nearby men reeling backward. A wicked, malevolent grin splayed across the man¡¯s face right before he disappeared. His eyes narrowed and a single word rang out in his wake, ¡°Hunter.¡± He had been staring directly at me. Chapter 41 - Captain of the Guard The area had gone eerily quiet with Duke¡¯s abrupt disappearance. The echo from the thunderclap of displaced air grew weaker by the moment. The throng of guards stood at the ready. Their swords, halberds, and bows still pointed to the center of their formation where my nemesis was no longer audaciously standing, as if he might reappear at any moment. Duke had been so¡­ unfazed, unconcerned with it all. The damage inflicted by my enchanted pistol barely registered on his face. In his place, lay only a crumpled, blackened husk of a man. If my guess was on the mark, the fallen person had been a Hunter, though it mattered little as we all stood by mute and unmoving. An unheeded System message blinked away in the corner of my vision, having been pushed aside unconsciously as Duke had vanished before my eyes. I reoriented on the message, my eyes scanning the information. Well, at least we had been able to glean a modicum of information from our perilous foe. Duke Xander Marth the Nemesis Hunter, Scourge Titan-Lord (Level 30 MAX Human Hunter) Health 23,247/24,964. Mana 14,932/17,525. Stamina 8,921/9,800. Active Abilities ¨C Juggernaut Resolve, Vampiric¡­ Notice! Inspect interrupted. The target is no longer present, information is terminated. ¡°Men, stand down,¡± one soldier called out, breaking the silence. His voice was a rich baritone and held an abundance of self-confidence. Gleaming plate mail encased the man, though he wore no helmet. His long golden locks of hair swayed gently in the afternoon breeze. His men responded immediately, returning their long pikes to a vertical position, swords slamming into sheathes. Who I assumed was the captain of the guard, or at least a high-ranking officer, approached us. The man¡¯s armor was meticulously maintained, from well-oiled leather straps to the polished shine that generously reflected the sunlight above, here was a person committed to his excellence. An unadorned long sword rested confidently on his hip, and upon his left arm, the man wore an impressive kite shield. He seemed no novice on the battlefield with how he carried himself. ¡°Hail,¡± he said. ¡°I am Baracus, Captain of the Guard. I witnessed you engaged with the criminal, Duke the Nemesis Hunter, attempting to prevent his escape. So, while a Hunter yourself, it¡¯s obvious you are not in league with him. Still, I must ask you for your name, good sir.¡± ¡°Glad to make your acquaintance, Captain. My name is Xazorus,¡± I responded, getting the sense the guard captain didn''t care for frivolous chatter. So, I matched his demeanor. ¡°This is Stella, my friend and guide.¡± At the mention of her name, Stella gave a bow and a polite curtsey, her sometimes-flippant attitude absent. ¡°This is Ripley, my guardian and minion. Finally, my feline companion, Lowki,¡± I finished, gesturing to each in turn. Baracus gave a respectful nod to each other as I introduced them. ¡°Thank you for your assistance,¡± he said, even as his eyes made a quick pass of the area before returning to me. ¡°My guards were unable to bypass the Hunter¡¯s considerable defenses. The man not only slew Hunter Invictus but over a dozen of the city¡¯s finest soldiers.¡± ¡°It was only after your timely intervention that some of our bolts and arrows finally reached him, little good it did though,¡± Barracus finished with a shake of his head. ¡°I have been hunting Duke for some time,¡± I said. ¡°Nearing a week now.¡± Stella coughed at my side as if clearing her throat, catching our attention. ¡°Near a half tenday, he means,¡± Stella said, ignoring my puzzled expression. Unsure why she clarified my words, but trusting in her judgment, I pressed forward without comment. Returning my attention to the captain, I understood why she had clarified my words. I caught the tail end of a perplexed look stretching the captain¡¯s face before changing to one of understanding. ¡°Right, nearly a tenday,¡± I continued, grateful at Stella¡¯s addition now. Lingo from my life on Earth often bleed into my words, some of which people in this world wouldn¡¯t know. ¡°Duke attacked my village, allowing wandering monsters a means of entry beyond a protective barrier. He is responsible, in part, for the slaughtering of my family and taking the life of Stella¡¯s¡­¡± I paused momentarily, about to say ¡®master,¡¯ but the word caught in my throat, tasting foul. That hadn¡¯t been their relationship, Stouter was far more to her. ¡°¡­her friend,¡± I finished. ¡°Unfortunately, it would seem neither of us will find justice now with Duke¡¯s disappearance,¡± Baracus said before ordering his men to return to their posts, making sure they would call out an alarm should any sighting of the criminal reappear. Though, it was obvious he didn¡¯t think such an event was likely. One can never be too careful though, I mused. ¡°I¡¯ve only heard tales of such portable magic,¡± the inspirational captain continued. ¡°Allowing instant transportation many leagues in the time it takes you to blink, an impressive piece of magic.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t get a good look at the scroll,¡± Stella added at my side. ¡°But such spells of teleportation nearly always return the caster to a home settlement.¡± I turned to Stella, interested in knowing more. I had been wondering if we could find out where the knave had escaped. ¡°Such spells normally have a range of one, perhaps two, hundred miles,¡± she continued, a slight wince passing across her canine features at the mention of the distance. ¡°Meaning he likely will not be returning for some time, if at all,¡± Barracus said, striking a thoughtful pose before continuing. ¡°It will take some time for us to take stock of all the damage this murderous criminal caused to life and land. I would like to speak with you further, Stella and Xazorus, though I have pressing needs that demand my attention for at least a pair of hours. Would you be willing to return before nightfall? I may have need of your assistance yet again if you are willing?¡± ¡°Of course, captain,¡± I responded with a nod. ¡°I understand you have much to accomplish after such an attack.¡± Thinking a brief moment, I continued, ¡°In the meanwhile, my friends and I would like to visit a merchant¡¯s area to unload old gear and browse what your city has to offer.¡± ¡°Sargent, please see Master Xazorus to the merchant¡¯s quarter,¡± Baracus said to a nearby man, the soldier stomping a foot in acknowledgement. ¡°Yes, sir,¡± the man responded instantly. ¡°This is Cid, a talented young officer,¡± Baracus said as he held a gauntleted hand the man¡¯s way. ¡°He will see you to your destination. If you have any other needs, please inquire with him while in his company. I am off to the officer quarters in the main barracks. I will see you soon.¡± ¡°Xazorus. Stella,¡± Baracus turned, several men falling in line behind him as he walked away. Before Cid could point the way, I wanted to inspect the nearby body. A guardsman had placed white linen over the burned body. Walking over, no one protested as I flipped a corner of the sheet. Only ruined and charred clothing was revealed, hinting at the intense heat from whatever spell had been used to end the Hunter¡¯s life. While I knew from Baracus the body this was the former Hunter named Invictus, nothing about the corpse showed what he had been. No nameplate hovered above the body. Only a response of ¡®unrecognizable corpse¡¯ appeared when I inspected it. Resting a palm gently on the body, I willed his inventory open. A jumbled window appeared before my eyes, items listed one after the other as being destroyed or as ¡®unknown.¡¯ Duke must have looted everything, leaving nothing of value behind. I was about to say something to Stella when I noticed a mangled piece of metal nearby. It was the object Duke had crushed when I first spied him. Walking over, I picked it up and attempted to inspect it. Nothing appeared in my vision, though I guessed what it probably had been. ¡°It¡¯s the slain Hunter¡¯s accelerator,¡± Stella said as she hovered close to the object, tilting her head side to side as she peered at it. ¡°Well, what¡¯s left of it.¡± ¡°He crushed it like it was a piece of junk,¡± I said coming back to my feet, the shattered metallic pieces in the palm of my hand. ¡°When we defeated those other Hunters, their Accelerators flew over to you to be absorbed. This one didn¡¯t do that. It¡­ didn¡¯t have a chance to.¡± ¡°No, it didn¡¯t,¡± Stella responded, sorrow whispered in her voice. ¡°He destroyed the poor thing. Duke didn¡¯t assimilate any of its power. Unfortunately, with it in this state, it has no value.¡± Stella''s voice quivered, ¡°We don¡¯t even know the poor thing¡¯s name.¡± I rested a gentle hand on Stella¡¯s shoulder before she continued, ¡°We have no idea if it¡¯s Hunter was good or evil, like so many are. As an AI, this wonderous creature didn¡¯t deserve what he did to it.¡± ¡°Why would he do that?¡± I asked though I suspected the answer considering the ¡®max¡¯ level we spied after inspecting him. ¡°Probably a mix of him being max level and, you know, he¡¯s a villain,¡± Stella replied as she closed her eyes. She reorientated on my face, sorrow for the lost life of another Accelerator evident there. ¡°Before you ask, each world has a maximum level. For Prime Worlds, it''s thirty, and we have no way of know how long Duke''s been at that level. The System has the limit built into the world to encourage Hunters to start looking for ways to ascend.¡± I didn¡¯t say anything else, allowing a moment of silence for Stella and her grief. A minute later, I asked Stella, ¡°What would you like for us to do with her?¡± I had no way of knowing the Accelerator¡¯s gender if it even had one, but memories of Adom calling his Accelerator ¡°Midge¡± convinced me they did. Though Stella was wholly unique, she clearly did. Stella flew closer to my hands, resting two paws on the broken shell. She closed her eyes causing a tear to run down her soft face. ¡°I¡¯d like us to bury her somewhere... deserving for my kind. For now, please hold it in your inventory until we find the right spot. Someplace special.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± I said in a gentle voice. As Stella flew to land lightly on my shoulder, I willed the broken soul to my inventory. I turned to Cid, who was waiting patiently nearby, ¡°Can you please see to this man¡¯s final resting place? I don¡¯t know what kind of person he was in life but, in death, everyone deserves to be treated with dignity and respect.¡± Cid nodded before walking a short distance away towards two posted guards. Words were exchanged before Cid returned to our side. ¡°It will be done.¡± As we followed Cid, walking down a wide paved road which was gradually filling with more people as we strode on. I asked Stella for more information about the spell scroll Duke had used, a mix of emotions, ranging from outrage to relief, waring in my chest. One part of me was furious he was able to escape justice but another side, terrified upon realizing his level and tremendous health pool, was relieved. I doubted we stood any chance against him, not at my present level. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°I believe it was a rare scroll,¡± Stella said as she clung to my shoulder. ¡°Quite expensive too. Teleportation magic is either cast via a scroll, as Duke had or through the use of a teleportation circle.¡± ¡°Teleportation circles?¡± I prodded for more information. ¡°Yeah,¡± Stella replied. ¡°A means of permanently available teleportation between two points. In this case, settlements. When a city reaches a certain threshold and has upgrades down a specific path, they can be built. It allows instantaneous transportation from one town to another, granted both have been visited by the teleporting party. This mode of transportation is generally not cheap though, as the price is usually set by the city lord. With the necessary funds, anyone can use them, Hunters most of all. The makers of these Universal Games found out early on that their audience didn¡¯t quite appreciate the time investment needed for a renowned Hunter to travel back and forth between two places.¡± ¡°Are we able to make use of these? Is there one in Allerton?¡± I asked. ¡°What kind of prices could we expect?¡± ¡°First, you would need to reach a friendly reputation with both settlements,¡± Stella responded. ¡°Even if you had this, right now you¡¯d only be able to travel back to Merton as it requires you to at least visit both cities connected by the teleportation circle.¡± ¡°While we have no idea where Duke may have gone,¡± I said but quickly added after seeing Stella¡¯s eyes flick up at me as if I had not been listening. ¡°Other than a nearby city, that is. I wouldn¡¯t mind checking in with Natasha every once in a while, to see how they''re doing.¡± A small smile tugged Stella''s cheeks at the mention of Natasha''s name. ¡°We can make some inquiries around. Maybe someone also knows where Duke typically likes to hang out,¡± Stella said as she eyed up the buildings along both sides of the street. We passed under another of the city¡¯s many iron portcullises, each demarking the edge of another level of the city. Turning down a sprawling pass, the area ahead appeared to be densely populated. Inquiring with Cid about how much longer it would be, he responded, ¡°We¡¯re nearly there, sir.¡± Taking in the sights and numerous smells from the bustling city around us, life appeared to return to normal. Though, the wake of Duke¡¯s destruction hadn¡¯t reached this particular area. Butting up against the man city walls, thousands of homes had built countless dwellings and residences, not appearing exactly alike. We caught an exquisite smell on the wind after coming around a bend, coming to what had to be the merchant¡¯s quarter. Hundreds of shops lined both sides of the twisting road which curved back and forth to maximize the available space. There were stores of every kind, the scent of cooked meat captivating my attention the most. Cid turned to us before giving a quick salute. ¡°The merchant¡¯s quarter, sir. When you are ready to return to the city¡¯s upper limits, simply inquire with any stationed guard and they will be happy to direct you to the main barracks. You need only mention your upcoming meeting with Guard Captain Baracus.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± I said to the man. ¡°I appreciate you showing us here.¡± Cid nodded before heading back the way we had come. My eyes lingered on his back for a moment. The shine of his armor and the sureness of his confident steps failed to hide the optimism of youth his eyes sparkled with. Returning my attention to the wide bazaar before us, the voices of multiple shopkeepers throughout, each calling out to nearby citizens and visitors alike, reached my ears. Promises of amazing deals and only ¡®top quality¡¯ goods to be found past their open doors or under tarps strung over wooden stalls. Taking a deep breath of appreciation, my nose was assaulted by dozens of spices, cooking meat, and yeasty breads. Mixed in was a fair share of incense, premium soaps, and more than one odd odor I couldn¡¯t place. The entire area was bustling with activity, a pointed contrast from where we had just been. Life was swelling to bursting in the tightly packed area, with thousands of people milling from one shop to another. Friendly voices drifted in the air along with sweet honey, fragrant teas, and coffee shops aplenty. Looking at Stella with a smile, I stepped into the chaos hopeful for what we might find. ¡°Hah, this may take longer than a couple of hours,¡± I foresaw. ¡°Nice,¡± Stella replied. ¡°I¡¯ll let you know when we¡¯re close to nightfall.¡± Up first, per the succulent smell of barbeque wafting out at us, was a store proudly claiming to be ¡°Marv¡¯s Magnificent Meats¡± per the wooden sign above the shop¡¯s open doorway. A pair of windows hung open, allowing the aromatic smells to attract potential customers. Not long after, we had garnered quite a large supply of salted pork, cooked sausages, and several varieties of cooked meats, along with a significant amount of beef jerky. The generous bites we had already helped ourselves to were wonderful. Whatever the proprietor put in his barbeque was mouth-wateringly good. I doubted I would be eating from a travel ration for a very, very long time. Marv, the shop owner, had given me quite the quizzical look when I asked her to jar a dozen of her homemade barbeque sauce for us. "It won''t last for more than a day under this blazing sun, though," she said, unsure why it would want so much of the stuff." When I pressed the matter, Marv was still nonetheless happy to earn more of our coin. Telling Marv not to worry, that we would make good use of the lavish substance, I gave a secretive wink to Stella. We both knew one of the important qualities of my bag of holding. Once stored, everything inside was preserved nearly indefinitely. This included enough barbeque sauce to fulfill our needs for weeks, if not months, to come. Stella, for her part, had thoroughly enjoyed the different meats and delicious delicacies. Even now, she was valiantly licking her paws free of the generous sauce that had been smothering each flavorful bite. ¡°Happy?¡± I asked her. With a full belly, she only smiled in response. We stopped at multiple shops as we made our way through the merchant¡¯s quarter. We were able to get nice deals, according to Stella, as we sold off any old or redundant gear that neither I nor Ripley could make use of. Seeing a promising storefront, we entered an enchanted arms and armor store called ¡®Venin¡¯s Arms¡¯ which had me positively excited. Venin¡¯s Arms was a single-story brick-and-mortar building with countless shelves displaying all manner of equipment, the hint of coal hanging in the air throughout the shop. Stella explained the storeowner likely had a forge in the back room when I sniffed at the air, trying to discern where it was coming from. As we approached the counter, a flamboyant man greeted us, his arms and face darkened with odd patches of soot. He was surrounded by a multitude of goods, ranging from broadswords to punch daggers, even a few notable shields. Venin was well-muscled, obviously from countless hours swinging a hammer. His clothing completed the look, a thickly leathered smock wrapping around his waist, covered in numerous scratches and marks from his profession. ¡°Good day, friends,¡± Venin greeted us with a smile, a quick nod of his brow, and a lightly clenched fist. The movement looked as if congratulating us for making a wise decision. ¡°Glad you¡¯ve chosen to appreciate my fine wares. How may I be of service?¡± What followed was a friendly back-and-forth banter between Stella, me, and the shopkeep. It was clear the man appreciated the haggle of a sale almost as much as he appreciated his wares. The man clearly had more experience in such a negotiation as the substantial prices he first advised only ferried slightly lower than the initial asking price. It was all in good fun and heightened the experience. I thoroughly enjoyed our time in the man¡¯s store. ¡°We¡¯ll be back,¡± I said confidently to Stella as we exited the store sometime later, my hands holding our newest acquisition. ¡°The next time, we¡¯ll be the victorious ones¡­ for sure.¡± Stella chuckled, replying with an amused, ¡°Uh huh.¡± Ignoring her, I inspected Ripley¡¯s new shield. The impressive item would match well along with the enchanted curved blade hanging on her hip. When her devastating great sword wasn¡¯t the right tool for the job, the ¡®sword and board¡¯ combo would allow her to be far more defensive. {Phalanx Heater Shield of the Defender}. A shield that protects its wearer from attacks, providing ample protection while also allowing little room for foes to strike around. Quality: Well-crafted. Rarity: Rare. Type: Shield. Slot: Secondary. Durability 1,000/1,000. Armor: 40. Effect(s): Plus 100% armor while stationary, and plus 5 Constitution. The shield, per the shop keep, was made from a mixture of tungsten and high-carbon steel. Venin explained normally such a combination would not strengthen the metal beyond what tungsten innately carried but, through the enchantment process by a friend of his allowed the magical shield to have heightened properties. The enchanter remained nameless, regardless of my several unsuccessful attempts to learn it. The tall shield was an inch thick and felt extremely durable, especially if your feet were firmly planted beneath you, courtesy of its enchantment. Yet, the shield was far lighter than I would have otherwise expected. Emblazoned on its front was a blazing sun with rearing stallion. In all, we paid nearly thirty gold for the item. A hefty price even considering some of the store credit we had earned selling off some old gear. Still, it seemed fair considering the ample upgrade it would have on Ripley¡¯s ability to defend herself. Ripley received a few other upgrades to her gearset, though none as nice as the shield now affixed to her back. She got a slightly enchanted skullcap, a similar cloak to the one she already had though this one was mat black, and finally a pair of wrist guards. All added to her growing defensive stats. I didn¡¯t quite like the look of a skullcap atop her dark skull, but upgrades were upgrades. At least, that¡¯s what I told Stella. Stella, hoping for the best, asked if Venin had anything Lowki could wear. He looked at her, then to Lowki, his expression a perfection of utter disbelief. Stella tried to plead with her eyes, but the merchant wouldn¡¯t budge from the absurdity of her question. ¡°Fine,¡± Stella finally relented. Though, shortly thereafter, to Lowki alone, I overheard her whisper, ¡°Sorry, maybe another shop will have something.¡± I only chuckled. Exchanging friendly farewells with Venin, promising we would stop by whenever we were in town, we stepped back out into the mass of people. The throng was thinning somewhat, as nightfall was perhaps an hour away. Still, if I read the merchant¡¯s quarter correctly, vendors and vibrant salesmen would continue trying to snare at least one more customer before the moon sat shining in the night sky. We hurried our pace, stopping along a few storefronts that looked promising, picking up a few odds and ends before finding what I was most looking forward to. Before us, as I stood proudly with hands on my hips, was a wizard¡¯s shop called ¡®Arcanum Artifacts,¡¯ The store¡¯s entrance was draped in a heavy fabric which I took as unusual. Along with the shuttered windows, whereas every other store hung open to allow smells and sights to flow out, it was an oddity. What I failed to notice was nearly everyone walking nearby gave the place a wide berth, as if they might catch something if they ventured too close. My optimism of finding new spells though placed invisible blinders on my face, tunneling my vision. Pushing the thick fabric aside, I was immediately assaulted with a discordance of warring smells and aromas. Incense from a dozen sources, what had to be hundreds of candles of all sizes, and innumerable diffusers filled with multifarious essential oils all had me blinking away sudden tears. Such was the overwhelming impact; I was sure it was similar to being struck with pepper spray. Even Stella was vainly swiping at the air, her paws ineffectual in dispersing the pungent odors. I was about to ask Stella why someone would think it a good idea to offend potential customers when a haggard voice called out to us in greeting. Had it not been for the promise of new spells, I would have already stormed right back out past the deceitful drop cloth as if the inanimate textile had personally decided to conceal the horrendous fragrances from the public. Hoping my senses would dull over time, unlikely, I squinted past the haze of smoke to the plump woman leaning behind a counter. She was far past her prime, her weathered and wrinkled skin matching the quality of her voice. What transpired next, which I did my utmost to banish to the deepest recesses of my mind a half hour later, had my skin crawling. The owner, who demanded I call her Mistress Minx, which I obviously declined, had me grimacing the entire time. At one point, I went as far as surreptitiously sending a private message to Stella, downright begging her to take the lead in the conversation. I wanted nothing to do with the voracious hag. She had a peculiar habit of calling me ¡°honey,¡± and Stella ¡°darling¡± in an unpleasantly sultry tone which grated on my nerves. Even as we were speeding away down the tight boulevard, I couldn¡¯t help but shake my head and jerk my body spasmodically as if dispelling spiders and cobwebs alike. Stella seemed to have no end with her jabs and snide comments as we sought a guard post to help point us the way to the city barracks. ¡°Now see, she was a nice and upstanding lady. I can¡¯t imagine why you didn¡¯t find her attractive, Xaz,¡± she said as I continued to fail at shuddering away the phantom remnants clinging to my consciousness. She wouldn¡¯t drop it until I threatened to withhold her favorite barbeque sauce from that point forward. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t dare,¡± she replied curtly, confirming just how precious the delicious relish was. When I didn¡¯t respond, staring straight ahead, Stella huffed loudly but thankfully didn¡¯t mention Minx again. In the end, though, our stop at the Arcanum had been worth it. You have received: Spell Tome of Lesser Poison Breath. You have received: Spell Tome of Lesser Ignite Bones. You have received: Spell Tome of Lesser Renew Bones. I promised myself though, that if there was ever a next time with Arcanum Artifacts, Stella would most definitely be going in alone. Chapter 42 - Vengeance of the Waylaid We stopped at a guard post on the edge of the merchant quarter, looking for directions to the city¡¯s main barracks. A pair of armored men assisted us, though only after we mentioned our upcoming meeting with their captain. The two men pointed deeper into the city, to which I idiotically asked, ¡°Are you sure?¡± The two men looked at each other before turning back to me with expressions that said, ¡°Why would you ask that? Of course, we know the right way.¡± At first only embarrassed, I valiantly failed to explain why I had thought the city¡¯s largest barracks would either be on the east side of town, allowing for easy mobilization against anything approaching from that direction, or at least close to the docks to prevent an invasion by sea. Stella had attempted to interrupt my babbling several times but to no avail. Now bright red in the face, I finally relented. They were polite soldiers nonetheless and waited until I ran out of steam. ¡°The main barracks are located near the top level of the city,¡± one of the guards said. ¡°You can get most of the way there by following Helms Street, that one there,¡± he pointed. ¡°Before turning down Barracks Road on the third highest echelon.¡± As we walked away, the younger of the two guards called out to our backs, helpfully adding, ¡°It¡¯s near the heart of the city so guards can be quickly dispatched to wherever they might be needed.¡± He received a bump into his shoulder from his friend for the addition, all the while Stella pushed with all her might into my back to keep me moving forward. I had attempted to turn around, but she wasn¡¯t having it. ¡°Thanks again,¡± she called out behind her and didn¡¯t let go until we were plenty far away. Finally relenting, I didn¡¯t say another word for several long minutes as my humiliation slowly waned. We soon discovered it had been Helms Street which Duke had wreaked much of his devastation upon. Burn marks were etched as wide swatches dug into the paved road. Whole buildings had been blown apart so only a blackened skeletal fame remained. It all marked his passage deeper into the city proper. To me, it appeared Duke had fired spells out almost indiscriminately, though as I tried to ponder it out the more it looked as if he had been trying to hit a fast-moving target. ¡°Probably Hunter Invictus,¡± I muttered as I bent low to inspect a part of the road that appeared to have been seared by acid. The sheer destructive force the man could bring to bear was frightening, to say the least. Chunks of ruined wood, shattered pieces of roofing tiles, and even one split bedframe had been scattered across the road as if thrown by a tornado. Thankfully for many of the residents, only one out of every four to five homes had been destroyed by Duke. Still, many lives had been lost here. I was happy to see the area bustling with activity though. Craftsmen, laborers, and even a cadre of guards were working together to clean up and rebuild what they could. The city would recover. Everyone was pulling together to restore what had been lost. ¡°I can¡¯t even imagine considering throwing my spells around so carelessly,¡± I said to Stella after helping a group of men load a particularly stubborn support beam into a long wagon. The massive wooden joist had been thrown across the street and was blocking the passage of the many carts used to haul off the refuse. ¡°Duke couldn¡¯t have cared less for the innocent people around him as he hunted down Invictus.¡± Stella only let out a long sigh in response, her eyes appraising the city around us. ¡°I¡¯m worried about Duke being max level, Stella,¡± I said as we pressed on, though we paused briefly here and there to help when we could. ¡°I am too,¡± Stella replied from my shoulder. I had noticed she hadn¡¯t taken a turn on Ripley¡¯s shoulder like she sometimes did. Not since before we docked Larsa¡¯s ship. Perhaps she still needed reassurance from our connection right now. ¡°I had thought that maybe we were close to being ready to fight him, but¡­¡± When she didn¡¯t finish her thought, I added where I thought she had been heading, ¡°We likely have no chance against him just yet.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± she said sullenly. ¡°Well, then we¡¯ll just need to get to level thirty,¡± I offered, forcing a little optimism into my voice. ¡°We¡¯re already close to twenty after all. With how quickly we¡¯ve leveled, thirty will be¡­ what? A week away?¡± ¡°That would be nice,¡± Stella said. ¡°Though, the experience needed per level only increases as you progress higher.¡± It was expected, so I didn¡¯t say anything about it. ¡°We know his level, and where we need to get,¡± I said confidently with a sharp nod. ¡°That¡¯s a good thing.¡± Stella nodded a response and at least a little of my enthusiasm was reaching her. Her head wasn¡¯t hanging low anymore. I danced a finger up to my System interface, pulling up the spell information that had recently been downloaded into my mind. The spell books we purchased from Arcanum Artifacts immediately disappeared into the ether after leaving the disagreeable store. I was hoping our new spells would help cheer up Stella a little further. I always enjoyed seeing the details of my powerful incantations. [Lesser Poison Breath]. You exhale a poisonous cloud that expands outwards from the caster in a cone to engulf any hostile target within 15 feet, inflicting a necrotic toxin that burns away at the lining of the target¡¯s lungs. The spell causes 70 plus 2n damage immediately and then every 6 seconds until the spell expires, where ¡®n¡¯ equals Intelligence. Cost: 150 mana. Cast Time: 1 seconds. Cool down: 2 minutes. Duration: 30 seconds. Plus 1 foot maximum range, and plus 10 base damage per spell level. [Lesser Ignite Bones]. A flare of intense magical energy strikes a nearby enemy within 100 feet causing the target¡¯s bones to become immolated and muscle tendons to be burned away. The spell causes 70 plus 2n damage immediately and then every 6 seconds until the spell expires, where ¡®n¡¯ equals Intelligence. Additionally, the target¡¯s accuracy is lowered by 2% per spell level. Cost: 75 mana. Cast Time: 1 second. Cool down: 1 second. Duration: 1 minute. Plus 10 feet maximum range, and plus 10 base damage per spell level. [Lesser Renew Bones]. A beam of magical energy lances from your hand and connects to your undead minion within 25 feet. The energy heals the minion for 44 plus 2n health immediately, where ¡®n¡¯ equals Intelligence, and then every six seconds until the channeled spell is terminated. Additionally, the spell cures minor diseases, and acidic and fire-based damage over time effects as long as the spell is channeled for 10 seconds. Cost: 20 mana per second. Cast Time: N/A. Cool down. N/A. Plus 3 feet maximum range, and plus 4 base healing per spell level. ¡°Adding another pair of DOTs is nice,¡± Stella said. ¡°The more the better, right? Your area of effect poison breath will certainly be helpful if we¡¯re ever surrounded by mobs, though it can only be used in close quarters which isn¡¯t exactly ideal for a necromancer. Your aegis will be clutch in those scenarios. ¡°I want to try out Ripley¡¯s new channeled heal, though I am hesitant to do so with so many people nearby,¡± I added as I peered out at all the faces nearby, everyone hard at work. ¡°I don¡¯t think potentially frightening these people would be a good idea with how freshly scarred the city is from Duke¡¯s rampage.¡± ¡°We can try it out later,¡± Stella agreed. ¡°Combine the new spell with your trusty regen spell, and her health is going to shoot upwards.¡± Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. Not long after, the sun settling close to the horizon, we found Barracks Road. Several hundred guards were milling about, many coming and going to other parts of the city, but our sight was drawn to the three-story building which, if I didn¡¯t know any better, appeared to be made out of an argentine metal. Its silvery shine was unlike anything else we had seen thus far and was an imposing sight that could easily be well-defended if the need ever arose. As we approached, a small contingent of guards stepped forward to greet us, asking us about our business there. When we explained we were there to see Captain Baracus, the men allowed us to pass. We were escorted through the massive building, heading up several flights of stairs before coming to a pair of double doors. Our guide knocked once, the sound ringing loudly against the dense lumber. With a prompt answer of, ¡°Enter,¡± a second or two later, we were led inside. The doors opened inward into a square room about ten yards across. Numerous windows lined the walls, allowing anyone within the room to have easy sightlines to the comings and goings around the barracks. The center of the room was dominated by an oak table so richly stained that the intricate grain of the wood was visible even at this distance. Atop the table sat what appeared to be a replica of the tiered capitol and the surrounding lands, ranging out perhaps a half dozen miles in all directions. Baracus was leaning over the table, flanked by a pair of decorated soldiers. They had been deep in conversation by the looks of it, though Baracus¡¯ attention was now fixed on us. He waived our party over. ¡°Thank you, Lieutenant Jones. You are dismissed.¡± Baracus said to our guide who had remained at the door when we stepped inside. The man saluted his captain and closed the door behind him. ¡°Good to see you, Hunter Xazorus. I am glad to see you. If you are interested, I believe we have a need for your talents. The captain pointed a finger to a portion of the realistic diorama, just outside the city walls. As he spoke, his finger moved to follow a trail leading east out of town. ¡°This is the east road away from Allerton. We need someone, I am hoping you, to follow this route towards a nearby town called Raines to investigate.¡± ¡°How can I help?¡± I asked, though somewhat distractedly as my attention was firmly affixed to the miniature displayed before us. The attention to detail was incredibly impressive, I was actually able to spot several of the destroyed buildings we had passed by only ten minutes earlier. My eyes shot up questioningly to Baracus when a part of the building vanished as if it had been removed. A knowing smile appeared on the man¡¯s face as he responded. ¡°The table is enchanted. It shows the real-time status of every building in our great city. Though it grows less accurate further away from the central keep. Still, it is a blessing to have in my station. It even allowed me to quickly dispatch my men when Duke attacked.¡± As he said this last part, his finger pointed out burn marks along Duke¡¯s path of destruction. ¡°You are a competent Hunter, that is plain to see,¡± Baracus said as he locked gazes with me. He held out his hand once more, this time indicating particular places on the map, pointing to a pair of ruined buildings in turn. ¡°When the criminal attacked the city, he wrought extensive damage to several of our key stockpiles, whether by accident or design, I do not know. In his wake, the city is sourly missing what was destroyed.¡± Baracus pointed once more to the east road and the edge of the map, ¡°We were supposed to receive a large shipment from Raines a few days ago, though only a single battered man arrived in its place. We know not of the shipment¡¯s fate. I am hoping you will assist in discovering what happened, and help us recoup some of the missing goods the city desperately needs right now.¡± ¡°What did the man from the convoy say about what happened?¡± I asked after a moment. ¡°The report from my men said he had been in the lead wagon when heavy boulders began raining down from the sky, taking the life of the man next to him in the blink of an eye,¡± Baracus said as he looked to a rolled piece of parchment in his hand. ¡°His wagon destroyed, the survivor took off for a nearby tree line and never looked back. He reported hearing dozens of massive rocks landing heavily behind him, screams of dying men and horses alike cut off in an instant with each collision. Fearing the same fate, he ran many miles to reach our eastern gate. No one else has arrived, he only arrived just this morning.¡± ¡°I received a similar report from earlier,¡± Baracus continued after reaching out to another piece of parchment. ¡°Reports of tall, massive creatures, though it says little else about who or what they might be. My guess is a group of monsters have camped nearby. This I cannot allow. Not only are they close to a major trade route, but they¡¯ve attacked and killed innocent men.¡± Baracus looked back up at me, a serious expression in his eyes. ¡°You are in good standing with the kingdom, being the Mayor of Merton. And you¡¯re a reliable Hunter. I know this after speaking with the captain of the Moon Siren. I am hoping you will provide aid for us as well.¡± The man came to his full height, looking at me pointedly. ¡°I would like you to find these monsters, slay them, and then report back. Once the area is cleared, I will order a guard contingent with several wagons to retrieve any remaining supplies, should there be any.¡± After he spoke, a message appeared in my vision. It was being offered a quest. New Quest ¨C ¡°Vengeance of the Waylaid.¡± Reports of towering monsters have begun filtering into the city. Great bellowing howls have been sounding across the countryside. People are dying, merchant caravans are being laid low, all by an unknown force that has likely entrenched itself within arm¡¯s length of Allerton. The Guard Captain, Baracus, has bid you to search out and destroy whatever has been causing such havoc. Objective One: Locate the unknown enemy encampment. Objective Two: Slay all monsters. Objective Three: Locate the missing supply shipment from Raines. Objective Four: Report back to Guard Captain, Baracus. Rewards: Experience and a level-appropriate spell or skill. Accept? Yes/No. I selected yes, and the message vanished. ¡°Consider it done, Captain. We¡¯ll head out at first light. Could I ask, while we are away, can you please see if you can acquire any information as to where Hunter Duke may have gone, his home base of operations perhaps?¡± ¡°I will certainly do so, as thanks upon your return,¡± after Baracus spoke the quest message reappeared with a small additional near the bottom. The message was interesting. I hadn¡¯t seen a quest update so quickly after receiving it. Rewards: Experience, a level-appropriate spell or skill, and a possible clue as to the whereabouts of Hunter Duke. Baracus turned to one of his officers, ¡°Second lieutenant, prepare an order for the eastern gate to supply Xazorus and his company with two able horses. He will be traveling on behalf of the city and I intend to offer him this small aid.¡± His man gave an acknowledgment and moved to a nearby desk, returning a minute later with a writ in hand. Baracus looked it over before handing it to me. ¡°I wish you luck and look forward to your return.¡± With the farewell, we left the barracks and began making our way to the city¡¯s eastern gates. Nightfall had fully descended with the bustle of the city falling quiet in response, though plenty of guards still patrolled. Within eyeshot of the closed barbicans leading out of town, we nestled into a friendly-looking inn called, ¡°The Promenade.¡± The buzzing inside was lively and cheers sprung up all around the revelers, especially at a round table which reminded me of a roulette wheel. We didn¡¯t order any food or drink from the innkeeper to his disappointment, answering we only needed a single room for the evening. Stella and I shared a knowing wink, both thinking the same thing, Marv¡¯s delectable barbeque. We would be dining well this night. Between mouth-watering bites, Stella and I spoke at length about our plans when it came time for us to actually face Duke. Stella, no matter how careful she was, continued to attract more than her fair share of the barbeque across her long muzzle. "We do have an advantage over him," she said before asking me to hand her another thick strip of jerky, soon becoming her favorite among our varied stockpile of ever-fresh meats and sausages. So quickly had we stored away the purchases, some even appearing in hand still steaming. "We know more about him than he does about us. Yes, his resource pools are substantial, but they are known." "Plus," she continued, tearing pieces off her jerky with a wrench of her head and sharp canines. "From now on, we will keep all of this in mind whenever we level up. Whenever we choose new spells, whenever we buy new gear." I nodded along, enjoying a souped-up hamburger complete with a thick slice of cheese, crisp lettuce, dill pickles, and a generous amount of wonder sauce. "The next time we see him, we''re going to be ready. We know just how far we have to grow to stand toe-to-toe with him." Lowki was munching away on a slab of steak tartare. He shied away when we offered a drop of barbeque to his meal, to which Stella and I wouldn''t complain about. "We can do this," Stella said as she sucked her paws clean. "I know we can." Soon after, with the promise from Stella, that she would wake us before sun up, our company was resting snugly in our cozy room. The single bed, at our request with the innkeeper, was thankfully expansive enough to allow both me and Lowki to rest easy. The muffled sounds of amusement drifted up from the floorboards, guiding me to a tranquil slumber. Chapter 43 - This is no thunderstorm. Its a thunder battle! Our night in the inn was a restful one, Stella woke us up as the sun broke the eastern horizon. The sound of the waking city grew outside our window. The clomping of boots echoed away from us, marking the passage of a guard patrol. Thankfully, those same patrols were far quieter overnight, though I pondered how they accomplished it. ¡°Probably magic,¡± I mused aloud. ¡°No one wants to hear a dozen mailed boots clanking by at all hours of the night.¡± At some point in the night, Lowki had moved off the bed to rest against the door, the back of her displacer beast tentacles tapping rhythmically in time with her deep breaths against the soft wood. I had been grateful for Lowki¡¯s inability to get comfortable in the shared bed as it had allowed me ample room to stretch out. Yawning and rubbing sleep from my eyes, I cracked my neck from side to side. Today we would be picking up a pair of horses before trying to figure out what manner of monster waylaid the supply caravans. It reminded me of our first day meeting Lowki, and I prayed we wouldn¡¯t find ourselves surrounded by a pack of fire imps. Peering out the window, large storm clouds dotted along the western sky. Right where we would be heading. ¡°That could spoil our morning,¡± I said, eyeing the dark rain clouds. ¡°Hopefully, it¡¯s nothing major. I¡¯d much prefer another morning of sun and only an occasional cloud.¡± I looked to Stella, imaging her drenched before returning my attention to the approaching storm front. I did not want to find out if she had a wet dog smell. I wouldn¡¯t tell her, of course. Stella stretched languidly, floating a foot off the bed as she did. ¡°Storms are actually not too common,¡± she informed the group, though Lowki barely stirred at our voices. ¡°Viewers don¡¯t particularly like them because it can make it hard to see what¡¯s going on.¡± She moved over the window, transitioning between yoga poses, this one a downward dog. ¡°Though they are inevitable because being in a constant drought would be worse. When they do strike,¡± she said before pausing to judge the size of the approaching front. ¡°They can come as a deluge. I think you¡¯re optimism for a bright sunny day is going to be washed away, and in short order.¡± ¡°Well,¡± I replied, double-checking we weren¡¯t leaving anything behind. ¡°Let¡¯s get to it. We still need to pick up our horses from the city guards, which I hope doesn¡¯t take too long.¡± Nothing else for it, I cast my two buffs targeting myself. Our song of travel would speed our steps and my shielding spell would increase my armored defense. I did my best to always keeping them up. Ripley, who had originally been standing guard near the door the night before, suddenly picked herself up off a chair at my words. I hadn¡¯t spied her in the darkened corner of the room, and I was too ashamed to mention I had forgotten about her completely. Her sudden movement startled me, my hand shooting to my chest in surprise. This elicited an amused chuckle from Stella, who probably knew Ripley¡¯s whereabouts the entire time. The combination of the dark gray energy which held her body together, and the new ebony cloak she wore, she had been well hidden. To my eyes, at least. ¡°Oh, hey¡­ Ripley,¡± I said to my skeletal minion as my heart returned to a normal rhythm. ¡°Did you have a good night?¡± I felt awkward and needed to say something. I couldn¡¯t let Ripley know I had forgotten her after all. Though she didn¡¯t reply verbally, she did nod in my direction. Taking it as a good sign, we left the room, locking the door behind us. Soon, the inn itself, though we did stop by the innkeeper briefly to thank him for the pleasant stay. I even flipped him an extra silver coin in appreciation, which disappeared instantly beneath the folds of his sleeves, before we made our way towards the nearby city gate. The promised horses were already waiting for us, in the hands of one of the soldiers from the prior day. Sadly, I couldn¡¯t remember his name. When he spotted us approaching, he took hold of the leather bridles and led the magnificent looking animals our way. ¡°Hunter Xazorus,¡± the man said before handing me the reins. The leather was supple and soft to the touch, high-quality material, not to mention the expensive looking saddles resting comfortably upon the horse¡¯s backs. ¡°Good luck to you, sir. When you return, you can hand these horses over to any gate guard.¡± We were soon riding away from the city, hoping to reach the distant forest on the horizon, at least several miles away, before the rain started in earnest. I was atop a dark bay gelding, while Ripley was astride a beautiful chestnut mare. While I was inexperienced in horseback riding, Ripley seemed to have a knack for it. Stella caught me appraising how fluidly Ripley moved with her horse under the saddle. ¡°The System is helping her know what to do and how to move,¡± Stella said to me. ¡°Helps so the Hunter doesn¡¯t need to worry about it. You though, you¡¯ll need to figure this out. Soon, I hope.¡± I didn¡¯t think I was riding that rough, though I must have been mistaken as Stella glided away to rest comfortably on Ripley¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Well, you¡¯re helpful,¡± I said under my breath as I tried to figure out how to move in time with the rhythm of the horse¡¯s back. Fortune shined down on us, at least for the first few hours of the day. What looked to have been quite the brewing storm only resulted in a light rain which thankfully couldn¡¯t penetrate my magically enhanced cloak. Ripley likely couldn¡¯t care less, though her cloak helped shield Stella who had snuggled underneath it in an attempt to keep herself dry. Lowki was making his normal rounds, more than quick enough to outpace us. He would dash hundreds of yards ahead before hunkering down to stay hidden off the side of the road, waiting for us to pass. Then he would do it all over again. It took some time before our horses got used to his presence, but the animals were well-trained and gave no sign they were thinking of bolting away from the large cat. I did call out to Lowki to sprint ahead ¡°more carefully,¡± to not spook our horses. He caught my meaning, so moved around far covertly whenever he charged ahead of the party. Several hours passed uneventfully as we rode, our pace akin to a jog if we were on foot. There was no need yet to break into a gallop as we had little information to go on right now. The road was a lonely one, with us not seeing a single traveler. It might have been from the weather, I supposed. Unfortunately, the weather worsened into a miserable deluge which came down in fat, heavy drops. Still bundled up in my cloak, I was able to remain mostly dry. It wasn¡¯t a pleasant afternoon, though it continued to be a lonely one. The only sign I had of Stella these past few hours was the large lump on Ripley¡¯s right shoulder, unmoving under her heavy cloak. As Stella had predicted earlier, the storm continued to worsen as the miles passed under the hooves of our reliable mounts. Eventually, we reached the forest we spied early that morning. It had been hidden behind the diagonal sheets of rain. The dense forest ran parallel with our westerly road for some miles but then swung to the north. Our road continued straight on, taking us under the great canopy provided by the thousands of leaves over our heads. It helped shield away the worst of the rain, though the road around us grew darker for it. Not worrying in the slightest, my dark vision ensured I had complete awareness of everything around us. Fierce lightning strikes and booming thunder shadowed our trail but thankfully never appeared too close. Our horses seemed to appreciate getting a break from the unrelenting rainfall, their ears constantly swiveling from side to side, always on the lookout of possible predators. Around noon I called to Stella to see if she was interested in having some lunch. We paused a short while, under a dryer section of the road, huddled close to a massive tree. Stella sat in my lap as we shared some dried meat and honey-glazed bread. I held my cloak over her, protectively, as we shared our meal. Our bellies full, though still miserable from the thunderstorm, we continued along the well-maintained road. Though, we still hadn¡¯t seen a single person coming from the opposite direction. It was concerning but, then again, the storm was quite something. No one would willingly want to travel in this muck, except us of course. Eventually, the thunder and lightning faded into the distance and the rain slowed to a light mist. Within another hour, it stopped altogether. ¡°That wasn¡¯t too bad,¡± I lied as I shook off my cloak across the side of my horse. Not a drop had passed through the impressive material, leaving me dry underneath. ¡°We¡¯re no worse for wear.¡± Stella gave me a slightly irritated look from Ripley¡¯s shoulder, the hair covering her face and head matted down from the rain. For the last hour, she had been poking only her head out from Ripley¡¯s cloak. She yelled out to me earlier that she wouldn¡¯t spend the whole day buried underneath anymore. ¡°Speak for yourself,¡± she grumbled in response. With the storm ended, though the odd splash of water still fell here and when the wind picked up and disturbed the canopy over us, Stella flew over to share my saddle, my hips cupping her small body. Seeing her water-logged noddle, I pulled out a heavy towel from my inventory. Before she could move away, I placed the cloth over her dripping head and, with both hands, rubbed it around trying to soak as much water away from her skin as I could. Though she did try to squirm away at first, just as one would expect of a cornered young pup, she eventually allowed me to continue the gesture. Stella even leaned into it a few times when she noticed how much it was helping. When I finally removed the wet towel, I was greeted with a visage of a puffed-out, afro-styled poodle head. I did my best not to snicker with how absurdly cute she looked, biting back a laugh with all my effort. Stella must have felt something, like a vibration in the air between us. Delicately, like an angry predator readying to pouch, her head turned around to peer up at me. In my periphery, I spied her eyes narrowing as she studied at my expression. Though my eyes were wider than I would have liked, I did my best to pretend I was doing nothing more than keeping an eye out ahead of us as I casually slipped the drenched towel back into my inventory. Several tense moments passed where no words were spoken. Finally, Stella lifted her chin and returned her gaze to the road ahead. When an incredibly small, nearly imperceptible, spasm radiated from my chest Stella snapped her head to the side like a tyrannosaurus attracted by movement. I held my breath for several long seconds, lest the chuckle burst from my lips. At last, she turned her gaze back ahead and I allowed a minuscule grin to appear. I dared nothing more. Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. The storm clouds broke apart shortly thereafter, giving way to long beams of sunlight attempting to reach ground level through the uneven breaks in the foliage above. The scent of rain was heavy around us, a mix of ozone and plant oils. While it was an enjoyable aroma at first, it dissipated as the temperature of the air grew hotter by the minute. Soon, the humidity became unbearable. Moisture clung heavily on my skin, not to mention I had to put noticeable extra effort into breathing the saturated air. ¡°I¡¯m not sure which I would prefer,¡± I said as I wiped sweat from my brow. ¡°This oppressive heat, or the downpour.¡± Lowki broke from nearby cover at my words, giving his body a great shake which showered the nearby area in a fine mist before bounding away in his customary fashion. Stella eyed our companion with mild interest, ¡°Honestly, I¡¯d rather be hot than soaking wet,¡± she said casually. ¡°This humidity doesn¡¯t bother me.¡± Lucky you, I thought but didn¡¯t say. I actually think I¡¯d prefer the downpour. The harsh weather didn¡¯t last much longer, the afternoon giving way to a strong breeze from the west. Our path continued through the woodlands as hours passed us by. We had a few conversations to break the relative silence of the forest. With night on the horizon, we looked for a place to make camp. We still hadn¡¯t seen a soul all day, so I felt relatively safe setting up my small tent a short way off the graveled surface. We tethered our horse¡¯s reins to a pair of nearby trees, ensuring we allowed ample room for them to maneuver around to eat at the tall grass. Stella walked me through the process of unsaddling the horses, which I stored in my inventory, and then guided me through the simple process of brushing both entirely. Working out small bits of dirt went over well with our new friends, with my bay horse getting into it with a couple of particularly itchy spots. I was glad for Stella¡¯s support, and the stronger bond her suggestion resulted with our four-legged friends. When we were done brushing, both horses received a few delicious apples for their efforts during the day. With everything taken care of, we settled down for the evening. Ripley stood proud with her unblinking gaze moving across everything in sight. Lowki was around but must have decided he preferred sleeping alone tonight. Feeling safe with my guardians keeping watch, I pulled my bedroll tight around me, the sound of insects and the occasional hoot of an owl creating a peaceful atmosphere. We would awaken the next morning fully rested and ready for any challenge we might face. I was sure of it. We broke camp early the next morning, Stella guiding me through the simple process of saddling our horses once more. Ripley and I were quickly mounted and on our way. Lowki hovered around for a few minutes before returning to his scouting routine. I obliged the great cat, giving him his round of scratches behind his ears before he left. When we were on the road, moving at a decent pace, Stella and I worked through possible strategies we might employ when we finally came upon whatever monstrous group had taken out the traders. At first, I thought it was probably giants, with the thrown boulders and all. However, as we spoke, Stella was slowly convincing me the monsters would more than likely be a type of Minotaur. ¡°Minotaurs? Great tall beasts with the body of a man and head of a bull¡­ Minotaurs?¡± I asked to which she quickly affirmed those were the ones. Using her unique interface, Stella said it was unlikely giants would be roaming the countryside around the capital, though the data was not absolute in that regard. This simply wasn¡¯t their territory and, unless they went far afield, she was sure it had to be something else. Further, from what she saw in the System metadata, she explained it was far more likely to be a group of Minotaurs entrenching themselves nearby. Such creatures were known to travel south, though rarely seen within fifty miles of the capital, from the northwestern regions of the continent we were on. ¡°If it is Minotaurs,¡± Stella said as her paw swiped the air. ¡°We¡¯ll want to be wary of a rage ability their race possesses. The only natural immunity would be sleep-like spells and effects.¡± ¡°That rules out my sleep spell, though it is pretty under-leveled at this point,¡± I replied offhandedly as I eyed the meager spell. It had been a godsend back when I fought those many goblin raiders back in Winterfalls, and I hadn¡¯t really used it much since. When we finally came out of the expansive forest, which felt like it would go on for days, our road beyond bent to the north leading out to a wide plain of grass and rolling hills. The weather beyond the tree line was far more pleasant than the previous day. Without a cloud in sight, the sunny day helped lift our spirits, as if we were shaking off the dampness of the prior day. Dew clung to tall blades of grass and the road stretched before us. Even Lowki was more energetic, and we quickly lost sight of him as he sprinted into the tall grass. Confident in his support to warn us of danger, we settled back in our seats with the occasional conversation popping in as we road. ¡°So, if it is a camp of Minotaurs,¡± I said during one particular discussion. I voice again that I was disappointed my sleep spell was worthless. ¡°Why don¡¯t I just drop a damn fireball on them or cook them with my chained lightening.¡± ¡°Yeah, we can do that,¡± Stella replied halfheartedly. ¡°Though I feel you''re only dropping these suggestions because you can¡¯t put them to sleep.¡± She was right, of course. ¡°Well, imagine if I told you that you couldn¡¯t¡­ I don¡¯t know¡­ use your interface,¡± I replied flippantly, calling out the first thing that came to mind. ¡°How would you feel? You¡¯d try to scour out any potential reason why it wouldn¡¯t work and how to get around it.¡± I knew I was triggered, taking it personally for some reason, but couldn¡¯t place why I was having this type of reaction. ¡°Xaz, even if you could use sleep on them,¡± Stella said with a huff. ¡°If there are something like twenty of them in a camp, it¡¯s not going to do much. Other than piss them off. We need a better idea.¡± Finally relenting after a frustrated sigh, I added, ¡°You¡¯re right. I can¡¯t just focus on a single spell. Give me a moment, Stell. I¡¯m going to take a few deep breaths to help ground myself.¡± The break helped calm my nerves, my deep breaths settling my rampant thoughts. It didn¡¯t make much sense why a mob¡¯s immunity to a single spell type was affecting me as much as it was. When I reflected on my feelings, I got the sense it stemmed from a part of me that was afraid we would eventually come upon a monster who was entirely immune to my spells, in effect, making me useless. That was the trigger. I wasn¡¯t useless or worthless, I told myself. I was more than my spells. Opening my eyes again, I apologize to Stella. She had remained silent while I worked through my feelings, giving me space which I appreciated. When I apologized, she said she understood why I felt the way I did and not to worry about it. ¡°We¡¯re in this together,¡± she said with a soft, comforting voice. ¡°We¡¯ll figure something out, whatever or whoever we might find ahead. I know we will.¡± By mid-day, we still hadn¡¯t found anything of note. We decided to eat on the go, Stella floating over to sit in my lap as we ate our meal. As I chewed on a piece of jerky, a feeling we were coming close to our objective settled in my stomach. Stella noticed the change in my posture. ¡°What¡¯s up, Xaz?¡± ¡°A feeling¡­¡± I replied as I turned a part of my awareness inwards. At the same time, I kept my eyes scanning the horizon. ¡°Like we might be getting close.¡± We put away what remained of our meal, deciding to trust my instincts. We couldn¡¯t see too far out; the countless hills and hillocks blocked our view to some degree. A thought occurred to me, and I turned my eyes skyward. ¡°How high can you fly, Stell?¡± I asked. Stella glanced at me, not understanding my meaning, ¡°Why do you ask?¡± I pointed a finger out at an opposing mound of earth, blocking our vantage to what came around the next bend in the road. ¡°I¡¯m wondering if you could fly up like a hundred feet and see if you can notice anything.¡± ¡°Not a bad idea,¡± Stella answered before shaking her head from side to side. ¡°I can, obviously, fly though the System limits how far away I can be from you. The Game doesn¡¯t want Hunters using their Accelerators as scouts.¡± ¡°How far is your range?¡± ¡°Moving horizontally is more generous, around ten yards right now, though the distance grows as you do,¡± Stella answered from the front of my saddle before leaping into the air. ¡°Vertically is another matter, I can only go about fifteen feet away from you.¡± ¡°I can see why the Game wouldn¡¯t want you to act as a scout,¡± I said after considering her words. ¡°You are immune to all damage after all. Would you mind taking a quick look, it could help.¡± ¡°As long as you know, I¡¯m not a bird,¡± she playfully replied before gliding over our heads. She returned quickly, shaking her head as she spoke. ¡°Nothing, I couldn¡¯t see anything beyond the hill already blocking our vantage from here.¡± We waited until Lowki returned, though he gave no sign anything untoward was ahead. Shrugging to Stella, we continued finding nothing around the bend in the road. ¡°Must have been imagination,¡± I muttered. Only a half hour later though, we finally found what my subconscious had been trying to warn me about. More precisely, what remained of a fierce battle. Dismounting we walked over with a careful eye on the horizon. We found only the shattered remains of a half dozen wagons scattered across the roadway. No bodies, neither from the dozens of men nor their horses could be found, though some small traces lingered. I tried not to look closer at the puddles of blood or tufts of what may have been skin which looked wedged a few inches into the hard ground. Bile rose in my throat as I turned my head away. Pretty much only splintered and shattered chunks of wood dotted around the circular perimeter the group must have formed at the initial stage of the raid. Little it did to help them, though, I thought. The remains of the wagons fanned out in all directions from the defensive formation, as if wagons and crates had exploded outwards from fierce impacts. The numerous craters, each a foot deep, and the assortment of large stones gave credence to the story of boulders raining down like meteors, all of which to devastating effect. My tracking skill highlighted a footpath away from the battle, though I couldn¡¯t tell if it was coming or going. We moved along the trail, up to the top of a nearby hillock which provided ample vantage to the scene below. Up there, we found dozens of boulders, exactly like those which had wiped out the wagons below. Some must have weighed hundreds of pounds. Nothing short of a castle wall could have withstood such an assault. ¡°I can make out¡­ maybe a half-dozen, dozen sets of tracks,¡± I said as I worked around the ambush spot. ¡°The storm really ruined any chance of finding more.¡± My eyes moved back to the cluster of wagons below as my mind worked out what happened. ¡°They must have pelted the wagons from afar before rushing in to finish the job. That one survivor was lucky to have gotten out of here alive.¡± ¡°Can you figure out which way they left?¡± Stella asked, her eyes trying to make sense of the chaotic footprints around us. ¡°It could lead us to their camp.¡± We circled the road before finally noticing a pair of wagon tracks leading off the road. The rain from the previous day had done a number on my ability to track, but once I got wind of it my tracking ability lit up the trail. ¡°Northwest,¡± I said after ranging around. ¡°They went that way.¡± ¡°They must have hauled away anything of value,¡± Stella said by my side. ¡°Looks like they took one of the wagons to haul away their loot. Not to mention the bodies¡­ why would they take those?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± I replied to Stella, placing a hand on her shoulder, trying to bring some comfort to my diminutive friend. ¡°But we¡¯re going to find out.¡± Chapter 44 - Vagabond Minotaurs My eyes lingered on our horses. There was nothing around but rolling fields, not even a bird was circling above in the vast sky. I turned to Stella, torn with what to do with our four-legged friends as we prepared to depart. She caught my worried expression, waiting for me to voice my concern. ¡°We have no way of knowing how far away they took this wagon, let alone if they took prisoners with them,¡± I finally said, running a hand through my hair. ¡°I¡¯m not keen on accidentally walking up to their encampment on horseback, especially how accurate their rock throws are. I¡¯m thinking we leave the horses here and press on by foot.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t know how far we¡¯ll need to travel. Wouldn¡¯t it be better to keep them with us, at least for now until we figure out what we¡¯re dealing with?¡± Stella asked, bringing up a valid point. ¡°Plus, who knows if we¡¯ll be able to find them if - when we get back.¡± I looked at our mounts, both were grazing nearby with their reins hung over their necks to not get stuck underfoot. ¡°All day yesterday we traveled by horseback. But honestly, we weren¡¯t moving any faster than a jog. There wasn¡¯t a need to go any faster when there were so many unknowns at the time.¡± I took a deep breath and looked out to the open plains as I aligned my thoughts. ¡°A part of me believes we¡¯re close to wherever this encampment is,¡± I continued. ¡°We¡¯re going to find them soon. I can feel it. Just like my premonition before we found those broken wagons. With my movement song, along with my high stamina, I believe we can move swifter and stealthier than we could on horseback. Plus, I don¡¯t want our new friends to get injured.¡± ¡°Should we run back to the forest and tie them up there?¡± Stella asked as she eyed up the grazing horses. ¡°No,¡± I replied with a shake of my head. ¡°We don¡¯t know how long we¡¯ll be away, and I think it safer to let them roam as they please. They are smart animals and can take care of themselves, from what I¡¯ve seen and having got to know them better.¡± I looked to Stella, ¡°I think this is the right play here.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Stella agreed and flew over to her chestnut mare. ¡°Let¡¯s take off everything but their bridle, even the reins. That way they are easier to get a hold of when we get back.¡± Nodding with her words, I quickly stored everything but the two bridles on our horses. Wishing them happy grazing, our small party moved out the road, following the twin wheel tracks highlighted in my vision courtesy of my tracking skill. The wheels were pressed deep into the compact earth as if carrying a great load. We were about to pass over a rise, taking the faster path straight over instead of around it like the wagon had, all to gain more ground on our quarry. I looked back to our horses, moving along methodically and thoroughly enjoying their free reign. ¡°We¡¯ll be back,¡± I said though there was no way they could have heard me. ¡°Stay safe.¡± ¡°They¡¯ll look after themselves until we come back,¡± Stella said to reassure me as she moved to my shoulder, taking her usual place as we gazed back towards the path leading to our enemy. ¡°We¡¯ve got this.¡± The trail was incredibly easy to follow. The combination of the heavy rain from earlier and the nearly overloaded wagon left what was akin to a fire trail in my vision. The wagon had gotten stuck a few times by the looks of it, the wheeling digging into soft mud but appeared to be muscled out of the jam. Footprints twice the size of man were buried next to the tracks, showing the beasts relied on a great deal of muscle to keep the wagon moving. We followed the trail for an hour, going up and around countless berms. As we followed the trail, my tracking skill helped me pick out five different sets of tracks, all the large variants. Each was now highlighted in a different color, a nice perk of my budding tracking skill. My heart sank at the likelihood of finding survivors as I had not yet found a single human-sized track. Either they were slung over shoulders, or the entire contingent of guards and traders had been somehow tossed atop the single wagon taken from the field of battle. The pit in my stomach grew as my mind leaned to one of the possibilities being more likely given everything we had seen thus far. When we crested the latest hill, Stella spotted a small smoke column rising in the distance. We crouched low, though nothing else could be seen across the rolling plains. Stella eyed the distance, squinting her eyes as her neck craned forward. ¡°Maybe a mile off,¡± she said. ¡°It¡¯s a large one too, probably a large bonfire.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s drop fully into stealth and be mindful to not approach from the top of these barrows,¡± I said as I eyed up a path we could take. ¡°I don¡¯t want our profile against the horizon at our backs to give us away.¡± This was a trick I picked up from various first-person shooters back on Earth. I looked to Ripley, Lowki, then to Stella, pausing momentarily on each of my companions. ¡°Let¡¯s find out what we¡¯re up against.¡± Our group collectively crouched low, Stella floating over to Ripley¡¯s shoulder, who I asked to keep close at my side. Ripley had her sword and new shield equipped, a good decision considering how powerful our foes were likely to be. ¡°Lowki, keep close. I don¡¯t think we need you to scout ahead, we know where they are. If we need to retreat, I want us to be close.¡± A part of me wanted our party to spread out, in case we came under fire from flying boulders. For the time being, though, we had the tactical advantage since we had the element of surprise on our side. I doubted what was ahead was expecting a small group such as ours to be out and about, hunting them and not the other way around, I could only hope we would manage whatever presented itself. Our quest was to destroy the enemy and their camp, but if it was too much for us, I wasn¡¯t averse to returning to town and calling in a contingent of guards to help us. Time would tell which route we would be taking. The awareness my stealth afforded me gave no indication anything around suspected our stealthy approach. After a half mile, deep throaty grunts and shouts rang across the valley, though our view of its source remained hidden behind the hills before us. Growing closer, I could make out different voices, but whatever language was being spoken was lost on me. Looking at Stella, I asked her with my eyes if she could understand what was being said. She replied with a shake of the head. The wagon¡¯s trail led off around the left side of the tall hill before what I suspected was the enemy camp. So, we moved around the opposite side keeping ourselves only halfway up the small ridge. That way when we finally observed our foes, our silhouettes wouldn¡¯t be accentuated against the vibrant sky behind us. About to finally get a full view, I motioned for everyone to lower to their stomachs. Whatever was ahead sounded like it was composed of dozens of massive creatures. The deep bestial grunts made it clear the camp was active, so we needed to remain undetected. We inched forward the last few feet, moving aside tall blades of grass to finally see what we were up against. At the bottom of the hill was a large wooden fortification. Thick beams of roughly treated wood were planted vertically in the earth, most over two dozen feet tall, and were packed tightly against one another. In effect, creating an imposing wooden wall made entirely of uncut logs. To my eyes, it appeared as if the monsters had struck down the tallest trees they could find, ripped away every twig and branch down the bark, and then slammed the trunks powerfully into the ground pointing straight up. It created an impressive outer wall of wood which was at least several feet thick. ¡°It¡¯s a palisade,¡± I said barely above a whisper. This was no minor fort wall. If guardsmen from the capital attempted to create something similar, I doubt it would reach half as tall and the trees would only be half as wide. The wall appeared strong enough to go unfazed against even one of my fireballs. I doubted the spell would leave more than a scorch mark against the mighty barrier. Little could be seen beyond inside the enemy camp as the creatures had slathered what appeared to be gobbets of mud, plastering it in between the tightly packed trees like some odd version of insulation. It was poorly applied though great chunks were even now falling away to leave behind a bare sliver of a gap which only hinted at what lay beyond. We were in the center of a wide open plain, with nothing but tall grass for company. Where had the blasted creatures found such an abundant supply of towering trees to create such a base of operation? I looked over my shoulder, the expansive forest had to be many miles behind us. ¡°That¡¯s a long way to haul so many massive trees,¡± I whispered to Stella, who was lying right next to my head. Her small body was compressed against the earth and soft grass. ¡°Whatever those creatures are, they are strong. Really strong.¡± It would take dozens of teams to haul so many trees the imposing distance between the forest and this point. I couldn¡¯t even imagine it being done, it seemed so incredulous. Nevertheless, our foe had accomplished the deed and had an impressive base heavily protected against incursion. Further still, the base had been given an additional layer of protection. A half dozen feet from the base of the wall sat another line of roughhewn logs, half the diameter to those of the palisade, with sharpened tips and planted at a forty-five-degree angle. There appeared no rhyme or reason for the placement of what looked, to my eyes, to be something like an abatis. On Earth, an abatis was a type of field fortification that would slow down surprise attacks and delay an enemy¡¯s advance against the defended position. Unlike a true abatis though, these wooden spikes were not tightly packed or entangled together with barbed wire. While a few improvised pikes were inches apart, most would allow four men standing abreast to pass by easily. Thankfully for our small strike force, the added defensive ring would pose little concern, unless we were daft enough to run headlong into one. Boisterous hoots and murmuring filtered to our ears, along with the scent of cooking meat. Unfortunately, there was also a hint of a stink, reaching even us a stone¡¯s throw away, which reminded me of a pig sty. No one patrolled around the fortification, and though our eyes could only catch bare glimpses, it was easy to tell a significant amount of the creatures were relishing the now-sunny afternoon. The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. While dozens of conversations were happening throughout the camp, the animalistic grunts gave us no hint of what was being said. Unfortunately, we couldn¡¯t see a way into the base from our vantage point, but there was another hill on the opposite side which probably would as it was half as tall as the one we rested on. Catching Stella¡¯s attention, I motioned for our party to circle and come up from the other side. She nodded and our party crawled back the way we had come. Taking extreme care to remain unseen, we backed away and gave the base a wide berth as we worked our way around. In short order, and still undetected, we belly-crawled forward. Several shouts of pain rang out into the country air in the meanwhile, though nothing sounded like it came from a human. It had me worried that we had not heard a single human voice the whole time we were close. I had to push the concern away, owing to the need to concentrate on getting to a better vantage point. When we finally crested the rise, my stomach dropped. Standing near a gate was a pair of ten-foot-tall, heavily muscled beasts with the body of a man and the head of a bull. Each was holding a make-shift halberd which were half again as long as the creatures who wielded them. While the craftsmanship of the weapons appeared to have been made by a blind amateur, the pikes were probably three times as heavy as the ones seen in Allerton. ¡°Minotaurs,¡± I whispered to Stella with an exasperated sigh. ¡°You were right.¡± With skin the shade of red, almost pink, the bullish creatures had the physique of a professional bodybuilder and wore only a simple hide loincloth. Countless cuts and scars adorned nearly every inch of the brutes as if marks of honor to the dim-witted savages. No matter how dull their vacant expressions appeared, even a single swing of their weapon would be enough to cleave me in two. The strength idolized from their bulging biceps to their oversized peck muscles, would put Olympic weightlifters to shame. The main gate was built lower than the rest of the palisade, allowing us an easy sightline inside. Though we couldn¡¯t make out everything, it was clear perhaps two dozen Minotaurs milled about. A large central campfire blazed away, above which sat a skewered wild board. Since we could finally see our enemies for the first time, I moved to inspect one. Vagabond Minotaur (Level 17) The physical embodiment of strength itself, a vagabond Minotaur is a foe not to be trifled with. Able to cut down armored men as easily as wheat in a field, these fearsome creatures value the strength of arms above all else. Anger-fueled, ready to crush opposition at a moment¡¯s notice, these bullheaded monstrosities make up for their idiocy by following the commands of their leaders without hesitation. In Minotaur society, the smartest of their kind are not shunned as one might believe. No, those are propped atop the shoulders of others and given the command of legions. Separated by a caste ideology, these Minotaur chiefs have a keen intellect for battle to rival the prodigious strength blessed upon their race. While the vagabond Minotaur is to be feared, it¡¯s the chiefs who pose the greatest danger to adventuring Hunters. A sword will cut you, sure, but it¡¯s the hand that wields it you should be wary of. Good luck! Equal measures of dread and apprehension filtered into my stomach as I peered at the beasts standing like statues at the front gate. I couldn¡¯t even imagine what their health and strength attributes could be, staggeringly high without a doubt. Worse, we hadn¡¯t spotted the marauder¡¯s ¡®Minotaur chief¡¯ as of yet. The System hinted it was as brilliant as the creatures were strong, a potent mix in an enemy commander. Heck, we would have a hard time battling even one of these ogres, let alone two dozen of the towering monsters. Anyone could cut me down as easily as the thick trees surrounding their camp. ¡°Fall back,¡± I whispered to our party. ¡°We need to make plans ¨C find some way of handling this many.¡± I was shaking my head in disbelief as we edged our way back down. Nightmares of boulders raining down around us like rain swarmed inside my mind. How in the blazes are we supposed to fight this? As we silently retreated, we found a secluded area that afforded us an unobstructed view of the front gate, about two hundred yards away. We sat in the middle of a depression between a trio of short knolls, the combination of the natural divot and the dale¡¯s long-bladed grass meant it was unlikely we would be spotted. I gave Stella a mournful look. ¡°I don¡¯t know, Stell,¡± I said with uncertainty lacing my words. ¡°I think there might be too many for us to handle.¡± I tried to keep any hint of desperation out of my voice, but I doubted I accomplished it. ¡°We could wait for the cover of night,¡± Stella offered helpfully, her voice full of forced optimism. ¡°We slip in quietly, cutting their throats before any are the wiser. Or¡­ we could wait until a group of them wanders off. We saw, what five sets of tracks, from the group who raided the supply wagons? I doubt they all come out at the same time. We could try taking out such a smaller group with our long-range spells once they are far from their home base.¡± As I considered her suggestions, I raised my head above the billowing grass to peek at our entrenched foe. ¡°I don¡¯t know what the answer is here,¡± I said as I raked my brain for a solution. ¡°So, stealth or range? What¡¯s the best choice here? ¡°How about a combination of both,¡± A familiar elven voice said directly behind me. The sudden presence had me nearly shouting in alarm. I held my shout back, though barely. Whirling around, amazement plastered across my face when a friendly face stared back at me. My mind couldn¡¯t comprehend what my eyes were trying to tell me. ¡°What, who?¡± I stammered. ¡°Tallos?¡± ¡°Good to see you too, Xaz. It looks like you need some help,¡± Tallos said as he knelt a few feet away. Ripley had at first started to unsheathe her sword from its decorative scabbard but paused when she realized it was no enemy in our midst. Lowki, who had been hunkered between me and the enemy camp was now staring daggers at the elf. No one had caught his approach and we had been taken completely off-guard. ¡°Worry not, my friend,¡± Tallos explained as if his sudden appearance had been no big thing. ¡°Giants, Minotaurs, even Cyclopes, they are all my specialty. More than one has fallen to my hail of arrows.¡± As he spoke, my mind finally caught up to my eyes. The earthen-garbed archer continued to beam a friendly smile our way. His polished recurve bow sat across his back, with two quivers of arrows resting on his hips. The reinforced leather of the quivers touched the ground as he crouched. Tallos was a striking figure. Sharp angular features, a strong jawline, and a pointed chin looked back at me, my mouth hanging open. My eyes returned to his corded belt and the pair of quivers cramped pack with countless arrows. ¡°You think you have enough arrows, my friend?¡± I asked jokingly, the same as I had done dozens of times when we were chatting away in his crow¡¯s nest aboard the Moon Siren. ¡°By the look of it,¡± Tallos replied as he peered towards the enemy encampment, their bellowing shouts weakly reaching our ears at this distance. ¡°No, I don¡¯t think I do.¡± I held out a gauntleted arm, which Tallos gladly grabbed as we locked wrists with zeal. ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re here,¡± I said as my previous apprehension vanished like smoke in the wind with the welcomed presence of my powerful friend. ¡°Damn, elf, how in the blazes did you find us, let alone sneak up on us?¡± ¡°Natural talent,¡± Tallos replied deftly as he looked to each party member in turn, an avid glint behind his eyes. ¡°Ready to kill some beasts?¡± ¡°Really, how in the nine hells did you find us,¡± I asked Tallos as Lowki pressed against my side, lowering himself completely to the ground. Though I couldn¡¯t explain why, I got the sense the great cat was embarrassed having not detected our elven friend. It was his role to scout for our party, after all, and his job to ensure nothing like what happened actually did. I rested a hand atop his soft head, trying to reassure him it wasn¡¯t his fault. We never even considered someone might be following us. ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong,¡± I continued, astonishment radiating from my words. ¡°I am thrilled to have you here with us now, but how did you do it?¡± As I spoke, my thoughts whirled to Ripley¡¯s new area of affect spell which would harm any nearby hostile foe, something Tallos clearly wasn¡¯t. Up until this point, the AOEs sole benefit was its ability to keep biting bugs at bay, essentially functioning like a giant bug zapper. Even as we rested, soft sizzles sounded around us marking yet another dying bug. I was glad the spell only targeted enemies with aggressive intent. ¡°I may stick out like a sore thumb in a city, but in the wilds and woodlands, not much can mark my passage if I choose not to be,¡± Tallos replied confidently. As he spoke, he strung his bow, showing how adamant he was in taking down the giant creatures. ¡°You already helped me shoot a bow straight,¡± I said pointedly at his powerful recurve bow. ¡°Perhaps you can give me some pointers later on how to be so damn silent.¡± ¡°If we take down even one of those damnable beasts, I would be happy to capitulate,¡± he responded as he notched an arrow across his bow string. As he moved, my eyes roamed over his impressive armor. The muddied green and browns of the treated deerskin, with bandoliers strung diagonally across his chest to allow for easy access, didn¡¯t make as much as a squeak when the conditioned leather moved with his body. ¡°They outnumber us at least six to one,¡± I said. ¡°Even with your arrows backing up my spells, taking down even one will be quite the accomplishment.¡± ¡°Worry not, with your talents as a Hunter, I think together we can even our odds,¡± Tallos said as he crouched low, moving next to me for a better vantage of the enemy fort. ¡°I don¡¯t intend us to attack without due care. I knew how best to take down such foes. As Stella mentioned, they will send out a raiding party, likely soon. We¡¯ll pursue them and attack at the opportune moment.¡± ¡°Then,¡± I continued down Tallos¡¯ suggestion. ¡°When the next group goes out to find their missing friends, we¡¯ll ambush them too.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a good plan, one I¡¯ve done several times before, but never with a group so massive at this,¡± Tallos said. ¡°Alright then,¡± I said, agreeing to the initial outline of our plan of action. ¡°Our objective is to take down these Minotaurs, find or retrieve the stolen goods, and then report back to the city.¡± ¡°Now, we need only wait,¡± Stella said from my shoulder. She had moved to the other side closest to Tallos. ¡°Until a scouting party comes out. Seems simple enough.¡± As we waited, I turned to the elven warrior. ¡°Why did you come?¡± I asked. ¡°I thought the answer obvious,¡± Tallos responded with an amicable grin. ¡°I was hoping to repay the favor you showed me in defending the pirate attack on the Moon Siren. Plus, I care very little for giants, whatever form they take. I¡¯ll tell you the tale later, but such beasts were responsible for the felling of my parents, many years ago now.¡± Tallos paused before continuing. ¡°My kind takes life debts very seriously,¡± he said with a firm set of his jaw, resolve etched across his handsome face. ¡°As Captain Larsa no doubt told you already, I doubt any of us would have lived to see another day against those pirates. I intend to repay you this debt.¡± ¡°I will most certainly welcome your aid,¡± I replied. Though I was quick to add, ¡°But I will not hold you to that debt.¡± ¡°Nevertheless, I will honor it,¡± Tallos responded ardently. ¡°Any other tidbit of information you can share about these Minotaurs?¡± I asked the archer as we hunkered down to wait for our prey to make the first move. ¡°While the beasts have unrivaled strength, their weakness is their intelligence,¡± Tallos said in all seriousness. ¡°When you said they ambushed a merchant caravan, I immediately thought it unlikely they did so without direction. These particular types of Minotaur act as the arm, the sword is their chief. My guess is this camp was set up recently, the benefits of such a construction meaning it unlikely they will be supplanted, with the merchant pack the first to fall victim.¡± It was solid information and matched the information garnered from my earlier inspection. I looked at Stella at my side. ¡°Any concerns with our initial stratagem, my wise Accelerator?¡± I asked cheekily. ¡°Nope,¡± Stella responded with her usual cheerfulness, ignoring my attempt to inject some levity into the situation. ¡°When we see their scouting party, let¡¯s roll out.¡± Chapter 45 - Warband With our initial tactic set, we sat down to wait. There was no way of knowing how long it would take, but we had little in the way of alternate options. With the formidable perimeter of the minotaur camp, there would be no way to cast spells on targets we couldn¡¯t see. This was a bee hive we couldn¡¯t afford to excite, at least not yet. The two guards continued to stand their watch, though their heads barely moved as long minutes passed. ¡°I wish they wore more than those damn loincloths,¡± Stella muttered in disgust. She had floated to Tallos¡¯ side, though had yet to rest on his shoulder like she did with Ripley and mine. They had shared words more than once when we were aboard the Siren but the budding friendship had not yet bloomed. I was encouraged it would soon change. I enjoyed Tallos¡¯ company and quick wit. He could cut verbal jabs as well as the best of them, he was a kindred spirit. ¡°I mean, honestly,¡± Stella continued, unaware of my inner monologue. ¡°It leaves little to the imagination.¡± ¡°Perhaps that is the point,¡± Tallos mused. ¡°You can¡¯t be serious,¡± Stella replied with a skeptical glare pointed his way. Tallos didn¡¯t respond other than a slight smirk tugging a corner of his mouth. ¡°Well, I hope this ¡®chief¡¯ minotaur has some sense to cover himself. Don¡¯t get me wrong, I can enjoy the physique of a strong man, but these things ¨C yuck!¡± ¡°How can they stand so still,¡± I said, trying to change the subject. ¡°We¡¯ve been watching them for like half an hour and they¡¯ve barely moved. I¡¯d be so bored. I¡¯d probably wish something turned up so I could at least do something. Anything.¡± ¡°These Minotaurs are much like simpletons, though a few orders from a competent command can turn them into a deadly fighting force,¡± Tallos said as he looked around our position, ensuring nothing was approaching. It was a bit redundant as I had ordered Lowki to patrol some ten to fifteen yards out, with the utmost importance on remaining unseen. He was to immediately report back if anything dangerous came around. ¡°These two likely have explicit directives if an enemy is spotted. Until that time, they will stand there until ordered otherwise,¡± Tallos said. ¡°We know they likely have a chieftain, but do you think they¡¯ll have something like a sub-commander when they venture out?¡± I asked both Stella and Tallos. ¡°I¡¯m not seeing anything in the metadata¡­ err, I¡¯m not sure,¡± Stella said, not wanting to confuse our newest ally in arms with technical lingo. Tallos either didn¡¯t notice or chose to ignore what Stella was about to say. ¡°From my experience with similar creatures, they likely will have something like a second or third officer to guide their movements. Speaking of which, when we do engage them, we¡¯ll need to be able to quickly identify the leader and take him out first.¡± ¡°Good plan,¡± Stella replied, tilting her head as she spoke. ¡°Take away the hand wielding the sword and all that. Though, a falling weapon can still cut you.¡± ¡°When we do engage,¡± Tallos continued. ¡°Their initial response will probably be to immediately charge our position in an attempt to overwhelm us. It¡¯s what¡¯s most likely to occur. Though, it is possible they may have other standing orders. Still, I doubt it as a raiding party like what I hope we soon find, is usually a simple search-and-destroy party.¡± ¡°I bet their charge is an effective means of dispatching most foes,¡± I added to the conversation. ¡°That it is,¡± Tallos agreed. Another hour passed without little movement outside their base. We discussed different tactical options to use what we knew of the beasts to our advantage. A lot of it was dependent on Tallos¡¯ knowledge of these creatures, which he admitted was heavily influenced by different monsters, mostly giants, so we had to take it with a grain of salt. I nodded and tried to think of ways we could use this information to our advantage. We didn¡¯t have to wait much longer, fortunately. More activity than appeared ordinary could be detected behind the enemy¡¯s barricade. Louder than usual guttural shouts reached our ears, almost as if a brawl had broken out in the fort. While it was impossible to know what was being said, a single voice cleared above all others. It carried with it a sense of dominance and self-assurance. It was deep and menacing. When the palisade gates swung open, a small warband walked out. The time had come. ¡°I mark five in total,¡± Tallos said by my side. ¡°When we see which direction they are heading we¡¯ll need to move.¡± ¡°Hopefully they keep a direct path, wherever they''re headed,¡± Stella added as she floated over to land on my shoulder. We had long since decided to lay down on our chests as we had closely monitored the enemy gates, though now with our quarry visible, we quickly transitioned into a kneeling position. ¡°We can then scout out anything in their path and try to find the best place to stage an ambush.¡± Stella¡¯s words were spot on, matching the tactics our group had settled on after several discussions over the course of the last hour. Our plan leaned heavily on the beasts keeping to a relatively narrow course, though we did have backup plans if the Warband instead chose to wander. ¡°The Minotaurs won¡¯t be moving overly quickly, unless agitated and we¡¯re seeing no sign of it here,¡± Tallos said his bow held tightly in his hands. We studied our prey. The small band conversed momentarily with the gate guards, who soon moved into the inner fortification and were replaced by another pair. The guards were being rotated. ¡°There,¡± Stella and Tallos said, almost in unison. Stella smiled and deferred to Tallos to continue. ¡°Ok, they are heading west, towards uncharted territory. I had hoped they would move south, but luck can only guide us so much.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s swing south of the base,¡± I said, nodding at our foes. ¡°They¡¯re going around along the north side. If we¡¯re quick, we can quickly overtake them as they continue west.¡± Copying Stella¡¯s words from earlier, I added, ¡°Let¡¯s roll out.¡± I felt her tighten her grip on my shoulder. As we jogged, taking a wide course with plenty of hill cover to mask our passages, I recast my movement speed buff and layered my shielding spell on myself. Tallos seemed impressed when his steps carried him further and faster than he was used to. ¡°An impressive ability,¡± he commented appreciatively. ¡°Oh, another thing I just recalled, I¡¯ve often seen, when fighting against giants, one runner is typically ordered to disengage from battle if it¡¯s obvious it''s turning against them. We need to be prepared for such an eventuality.¡± I turned to Lowki who was jogging beside me. I intended to turn him loose soon to ensure our path was clear of enemies, but for now, I wanted him close. ¡°It will be your responsibility, Lowki. If you see one of the Minotaurs trying to flee, you¡¯ll need to break off and bring the runner down.¡± Lowki ushered a soft growl before nodding a single time. When we judged we were beyond the western perimeter of the minotaur base, we turned sharply north to regain eyes on our quarry. Although we had an extra three hundred or so yards to sprint to reach this point, the Minotaurs were in no rush. The group of five came around the corner, looking to be speaking amongst themselves without a care in the world. Their confidence was well-founded as I inspected the group. Their levels ranged from fifteen to as high as nineteen. I pointed out the highest leveled Minotaur to the group, marking him as he could be the commander of the warband. The muscled group each bore either a great axe, a great sword, or a club as thick as my torso. Though all were marked as having poor quality, they would surely cause devastation with a single strike. Additionally, each wore what looked like a makeshift backpack of intertwined leather straps that hung low on their backs as if something heavy was within. ¡°Boulders,¡± I whispered to my companions. ¡°Maybe three to four each, by the look of it.¡± Tallos nodded his assent at my words. ¡°They¡¯re continuing west, good.¡± Without a further word, our party retreated down the hill the way we had come before moving off in a sprint to gain as much distance as possible. ¡°We need to be careful of our positioning,¡± Tallos said when we were well clear of our foe. ¡°They have a powerful sense of smell, with the wind blowing from west to east, we won¡¯t be able to cross to the north without potentially giving away our position.¡± ¡°So, we¡¯ll need to stay south of them, if at all possible. Copy that,¡± I said in between heavy breaths as we ran on at a breakneck pace. The earth beneath our feet was relatively level and firm enough there was little concern of slipping. ¡°Ok, we¡¯re probably a mile in front of them. See there,¡± I pointed. ¡°That river, there. I think we could use it to slow down a counterattack.¡± If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. We trotted up to see what, if anything, could be used to our advantage. The steam was a small brook, perhaps three or four feet deep and twice as wide, the water moving at an agitated pace. Foam and frothy burbled hectically, making it hard to see anything below the waterline. ¡°They¡¯ll need to cross this,¡± Stella said. ¡°It should be deep enough for Ripley to kneel and wait underneath. She doesn¡¯t need to breathe after all.¡± ¡°Good thinking,¡± I said as I touched a finger to the ice-cold water. ¡°It should conceal most, if not all of her.¡± I eyed up my tall minion before adding, ¡°Well, maybe part of her head will still show.¡± Tallos moved closer to the brook, looking to be judging our relative position. He eyed the sky above before taking notes of small landmarks in our surroundings. ¡°The wind is favorable, though they may pick up our scent when they near the stream. In twenty or so minutes, they¡¯ll be here. So, we have a short time to come up with a plan of attack.¡± Tallos said this without a hint of tiredness in his voice. He wasn¡¯t even breathing hard, unlike me. His breathing was slow and even, whereas I was slightly winded from the fast jaunt. ¡°Alright,¡± I said as I studied our surroundings. ¡°Here¡¯s what I think we should do. See the small tree to the north, the crooked one to the left of the creek? Let¡¯s have Ripley wade into the middle of the stream and submerge herself there as best she can. The tree will mark her position to us. When we engage, I can give a simple mental command for her to emerge and attack the nearest Minotaur.¡± ¡°Once in range, they will be charging the stream, directly toward her hidden position because Tallos and I will be on the opposite side when the fight begins,¡± I continued, pointing out several positions as I narrated my plan. ¡°We¡¯ll move however north or south we need so as to keep Ripley submerged from directly in line between the opposing groups. Lowki, I want you to hide yourself in the tall grass, over there to the southeast of us all. Once the battle begins, you¡¯ll attack from their rear. Though, remember, you¡¯ll need to break off if any of them turns to escape.¡± I turned to Tallos, ¡°We¡¯ll be on the western side of the river, though we won¡¯t be too close to each other. I¡¯d like for you to fire at the Minotaurs, but from beneath the tall grass. I¡¯ll start everything off with my spells and I¡¯ll do what I can to grab their attention. They will hopefully charge at me, allowing you to remain hidden as you rain arrows on them unseen. When they reach the river, Ripley will emerge and do what she does best.¡± ¡°I will be the focus of their counterattack. I plan for them to focus solely on me as the rest of you crash down on their position. The river is the choke point where we wither them down. The river and with Ripley¡¯s ambush, their charge should hopefully be halted. If the monsters somehow get past Ripley and get close to me, I¡¯ll switch to melee and engage.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll begin firing as soon as you make your presence known,¡± Tallos said, nodding along with the plan. ¡°If either Ripley or Lowki seem to be in trouble, I¡¯ll concentrate my fire on whichever minotaur is harassing them the most. Remember, we cannot allow a single of their kind to get back to their fortification, or this will be all for naught. They are too many for us now but, with luck, five of their brethren will fall today.¡± ¡°Ripley, Lowki, Tallos,¡± I said to each in turn. ¡°We fight until none can lift a finger to harm anyone else. They¡¯ve earned what¡¯s about to happen. We¡¯re here to avenge the men they¡¯ve slain. Today, we¡¯re justice.¡± I locked gazes with each member of my team. ¡°Let¡¯s get it done.¡± Ripley and Lowki quickly disappeared from sight. Lowki into the tall grass to the south, and Ripley¡¯s dipping into the river with only the head marking her position. It was dark enough so could be mistaken for a rock. There was nothing for it, so I didn¡¯t dwell on it. Ripley was able to keep her glowing eyes below the water line, at least. Otherwise, her eyes could have been a dead giveaway, literally. Tallos and I crossed the river but as we did so I had a sudden inspiration. Thinking quickly, I instructed us to both dive into the frigid water to clear away as much of our sweat and scent before battle as possible. The Minotaurs would certainly smell us as they approached if their sense was as powerful as Tallos believed. Though, I hoped to delay our discovery as much as possible. If everything worked out, we would be the first to act when our enemy arrived. Tallos and I would occasionally lock gazes as we waited. We had about twenty yards between us. I hoped it was enough. My nerves were a bit frayed. My plan called for me to be the main focus for our enemies. Whatever they did, their counterattack would likely be five raging bulls charging me down. This wasn¡¯t going to be easy. In short order, the horns of the Minotaurs crested a small ridge first, then they came fully into view. Weapons were slung over their shoulders. It was a good sign, they hadn¡¯t picked up our scent and were not on guard. One small victory so far. Tallos and I shuffled our positioning slightly as planned, using the crooked tree as a guide. We used it like the point of a rifle and aimed it at the approaching force. We needed to keep Ripley in between us and their band. Any counterattack would need to pass right by her. I¡¯d finally get to see her necrotic aura in action against a true foe, I thought as I moved into my new position. My stealth gave no indication our presence was being noticed. So far so good. I locked eyes with Tallos once more, my unspoken words crossing the distance in our stare. ¡°When my spell fires, rain hell down upon them.¡± He nodded grimly back at me. A pressure slowly built in my temples. With a start, I realized it was my stealth skill warning me our foes were coming close to spotting us. When I quickly turned my attention to the band, I noticed, though was not shocked, when the lead pair was sniffing at the air. They couldn¡¯t see me yet but had picked up my scent. Before they could sound the alarm, I stood up, the enchanted cloth of my blazeweave kimono flapping gently in the wind. I was on the very edge of the limit of my spell but they were close enough. My hands traced identical patterns in the air as I double cast my most powerful damage over time spell, lesser blood boil. Mystical and arcane syllables came out at precise moments, sounding to echo off one another. I wasn¡¯t dual casting the spell. No, I had two different targets. The lead Minotaurs. With the ease of long years of practice and familiarity with the spell, my motions were precise. My words were spoken perfectly. Two blurs of dark energy raced from my fingertips as my twin spells completed. The magic of the spell ripped across the space between us in an instant, looking like a tight swarm of locusts had burst forth to eat the air between my foes. As my spells connected, shouts of alarm roared out from the pair. Those yells were cut off as both flinched back, grabbing at their arms and chests. Before any more could react, I was already deep in another double casting, this time my lesser ignite bones, targeting the same two beasts. I was only dimly aware of arrows singing off to my side, their shafts nearly invisible as they honed down on the enemy. I dare not glance in his direction, lest I give away the archer¡¯s position. Even as I had completed my first spell, Tallos already had several arrows in the air. While I had a narrow set of targets, the lead Minotaurs, Tallos was given free rein to target which foe he pleased. From their jerking bodies, at least some of those arrows had found their mark. I knew Tallos was deadly with his keen bow. I doubted many arrows would miss their mark in this battle. As Tallos fired a continuous stream of arrows, I wound my spells between a new double cast of boil blood, this time targeting another two of the beasts at random. I followed each next with two lesser soul leeches to get some of my absorption shield going. Our enemies had not been stationary during our opening salvo, however. As our attacks and spells landed, the entire group of Minotaurs, save one, grew a brighter shade of red as if molten lava had formed beneath the layers of their skin. Instantly, these creatures were covered in what looked to be boiling water vapor. With horrendous peels of anger, the bulls charged. The beasts were packed so closely together that I was only able to keep an eye on four of them. One bull, though he was charging along with his group and looked identical to his comrades, had not made his own impression of a gigantic steaming humidifier. From what Tallos had said earlier, it had to be the group¡¯s commander and, as such, was a high-value target for my spells. Unfortunately, the massive bodies of his friends kept him out of sight enough so my spells were unable to target him. ¡°Damn,¡± I muttered between spell castings. I would, for now, have to hope Tallos would see the same thing and change his target to the commander. With the distance between us rapidly shrinking, I continued to cast as many of my DOTs as I could in our short window of opportunity. Lesser blood boil, lesser arrested affliction, lesser soul leech, lesser ignite bones, each flew as quickly as I could manage. I went so far as to intentionally try to speed up their spell casting, but I couldn¡¯t be sure it had any effect my focus was so pinpoint in the moment. My mana dropped at a prodigious rate, but I put it out of my mind. I needed to cast all I could, while I could. Though I couldn¡¯t see him, the number of arrows Tallos loosed in as many seconds was staggering. Before the fight, I had thoughtfully handed him one of my stored quivers. Seeing how quickly he could shoot, I should have given him another. From what I could see, Tallos was alternating his shots, never striking the same creatures twice in a row. He wasn¡¯t singling out the leader, but there was little I could do for it now. Panic spiked through my chest as I saw the bulls shift their sprinting gait, to larger and larger bounding leaps. Whatever effect their rage buff had on them, I had no idea. No matter what it did, to my horror, they looked to be preparing to leap straight over the river where Ripley was lying in wait. We had been hoping the river, which was at least six feet wide, would slow them down momentarily so Ripley¡¯s sudden emergence would hinder their mad dash. By the looks of it, it wasn¡¯t going to happen. With their loping gait, I was soon to have at least four of the Minotaurs upon me. I doubted my ability to survive against such a combined assault. I had to think quickly, the spell which had been on my lips fizzling away to nothing. If I didn¡¯t do something soon, it would be game over. My initial thought was a fireball, but I doubted it would stop more than a single bull. I could aim it towards the ground, just before the river, though my timing would have to be absolutely perfect. I needed something that was guaranteed to hit¡­ at least four of them. That¡¯s it, I thought excitedly as the idea raced through my mind. The range of the spell was too short from where I was though. So, without another thought, I was sprinting headlong towards our dangerous enemies. Stella and Tallos must have surely thought I was a madman. Nowhere had this been part of the plan. Sliding to an abrupt stop, dirt and loose stones rolled under my sliding feet. Chanted the words of my spell as quickly as I could, and I rushed to complete it in time. It was like speed-talking an already difficult tongue twister. As arcane phrases moved cohesively with the gestures of my articulating fingers, I could only hope I was fast enough. Chapter 46 - Resistance is Futile As the final syllable escaped my lips, a sudden burst of ozone saturated the air around me. A bolt of thickly coiled lightning shot away from my palms, twisting sporadically in the air but always correcting to reach the intended target. Even though I attempted to rush my spell casting, I was not quick enough for the two leading Minotaurs. As the bolt of lightning struck the first airborne foe, it crashed out at his brethren in the air next to him. Zigzagging with each strike, the thunderbolt crashed into the third and fourth closest foes. The explosion caused by the superheated air cracked for miles around. Before the brilliant flash of light blinded me, I witnessed the two leading bull¡¯s grotesque bulk lock rigid. Like being hit by a stun gun, every muscle tensed as if they were holding a pose for a bodybuilding competition. The spell, albeit momentary, effectively transformed them into falling statues of their former selves. I couldn¡¯t see anything further as I desperately blinked away the imposing afterimage the bolt had burned into my retinas. When the spell cleared, two Minotaurs thrashed wildly in the flowing river. It looked as if they were frantically searching for dropped weapons which, with how large they were, had to have immediately hit the bottom of the river. Then my eyes focused on an immediate threat, one of the Minotaurs had miraculously kept his footing when he landed from his laborious leap. As I frantically ducked under a swing that would have torn my body asunder, I spied the other leading bull slowly picking himself up after crashing face-first into the compact earth. Even though I dodged under the massive great axe, which whistled above my head, the rage-induced Minotaur¡¯s forward momentum didn¡¯t falter as he crashed through me. I was sent spinning, the tall grass quickly enveloping my sight. While no damage passed through the mana barrier afforded me by my empowered aegis, the raw brutality of the impact transferred into me without the slightest degradation. As I poked my head up to catch sight of my foe, I witnessed Ripley bursting upwards from underneath the flowing river. Water blasted away as if a grenade had detonated under her. I caught a glimpse of her curved sword slicing into a befuddled Minotaur before I stole my attention back to my immediate danger. Unseen by me, Lowki had taken the opportunity to come out of hiding directly behind the trailing Minotaur commander. The brute had been in the process of commanding his troops to forget their weapons and simply crush Ripley to a pulp. His words were cut off, however, as several hundred pounds of cat flesh suddenly crashed atop his back. Like an attacking Velociraptor, Lowki¡¯s rear jutted towards the sky as his snapping tail could only be seen above the tall grass. Though, vicious downward slaps from his tentacle spikes rained down one after the other. The ogre¡¯s massive strength was not to be underestimated, however, and even as heavy as the cat was, the enemy would take more of a surprise attack to be thwarted. In a feat of athleticism that would put professional martial artists to shame, the command Minotaur shot straight back up to his feet all while Lowki scrabbled on his back with all his might. Unfortunately for the cat, his large canines could not penetrate the creature¡¯s thick neck. Whether it was an innate resistance to piercing-type attacks or the simple fact his neck was as wide as a tree trunk, Lowki¡¯s prime method of dispatching foes was proving ineffective. With a brutal motion, the quick-witted antagonist slammed an elbow into Lowki¡¯s ribs, eliciting a deep exhale as his breath was blown out of him. Momentarily stunned by the vicious strike, the Minotaur took full advantage of the reprieve from Lowki¡¯s claws and showering tentacles. In a lightning-fast motion, the commander spun around and, with both massive hands, crushed down on Lowki¡¯s ribcage before tossing him away like a rag doll. Lowki¡¯s efforts were not in vain, however. His distraction against the enemy leader had caused the two Minotaurs in the river to fail to abandon their fruitless attempts at locating their downed weapons. This afforded Ripley a few precious seconds of unabated ferocity against the closest monster. The simple-minded creature was so intent on his singular focus, that Ripley¡¯s blade slashed the life right out of the fiend. No matter a monster¡¯s tremendous health pool, a torn throat that gushed torrents of bright blood would lay low even the fiercest of foes. As the Minotaur finally stumbled upon his weapon, his arms no longer carried the strength necessary to lift it. He fell face-first beneath the raging water, never to move again. All the while, Tallos has seen my plight and was quick to render me some much-needed aid. Seeing my foe towering so close by, he had to pick a different target. Tallos knew one errant missile could easily strike his friend, as much as his enemy. So, unwilling to risk it unless my need turned deadly serious, Tallos turned his bow at the other leading Minotaur who had regained his feet. In the short time the chaotic battle had seen, only Tallos recognized that of the four Minotaurs who used their rage-inducing race ability, only one still had the cascading waves of heat emanating from his enormous body. It was the one closest to me and, Tallos quickly surmised must have been the only brute able to shake off the debilitating jolt caused as my spell passed through his body. Arrows flew through the air, one after another. Each landed heavily into the Minotaur''s chest, his arms, and his shoulder. Through it all, the beast barely flinched as if the arrows were nothing more serious than an insect bite. He oriented on Tallos¡¯ position, no longer hidden as the stream of arrows was easy to follow even for such a dim-witted monster. With a downward swing of his great sword, the fletching of Tallos¡¯ many arrows shattered as the weapon cleaved through them, leaving only tiny shards behind. He lowered his head, the crowns of his horns threatening a painful death, before charging the elf. Thankfully, it would be several long minutes before the creature could once more enact his rage ability. Tallos, no novice to fighting such creatures, knew best how to react. As he backpedaled, all the while releasing arrow after arrow, he prepared himself to spring away as the fearsome Minotaur hammered close. Each time the beast¡¯s massive feet crashed on the hard earth, Tallos could feel the heavy impact tremors radiate up his legs. Tallos aimed a shot directly at the beast¡¯s skull, hoping to penetrate the tender gray matter beneath. Holding it for an instant to ensure the arrow''s flight was on target, he released it. As quick as a diving falcon, the arrowhead struck the monster¡¯s lowered head. The arrow burst as if striking a steel tower shield. Splinters showered the monster¡¯s head but to little effect. Tallos doubted the Minotaur even considered the feeble arrow. With no more time for another shot, Tallos dove to the side right as the beast barreled past. He misjudged the timing, however, having expected his last arrow to outright kill or at least slow the storming bull. As it passed, one of the monster¡¯s jutting horns clipped across his leg, tearing a long furrow that quickly stained his leg red. As I had only moments earlier, Tallos was sent spinning away to crash heavily into the bending reeds of grass which did little to soften his landing. As I breached tall grass, my eyes found the sizzling, red-hot, monstrosity who was even then turning back to locate his prey. Smoldering eyes reached mine and, without thinking, I dual cast my flamethrower directly at him. It was my only instant cast spell, and I was keenly aware I wouldn¡¯t have time for a full second casting without being interrupted. A fountain of flames washed over my enemy, completely immolating his upper torso and face. When the mob took a pair of steps forward, his sizable hands moving into the inferno, I knew I had misjudged the effectiveness of this particular spell. I was dimly aware damage was being inflicted, as the numbers flashed across the bottom of my vision, but the creature no more reacted than if I had thrown peddles his way. Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. Daring not to end my spell, even as it dove headlong toward me, I again leaped sideways hoping the torrent would at least blind the burning beast in my desperate attempt to roll away. It must have worked as I didn¡¯t feel the monster''s feet crash like anvils on my body. Sadly, my roll was suddenly altered as I slammed my hip against a large rock. Thankfully, the expected flash of blinding pain didn¡¯t cross my protective shield. Though, it did send me spilling away in an uncoordinated tangle of arms and legs. Calling my axe to hand, I rose to a monstrous axe hammering into my chest. The blow chunked a huge portion of my remaining mana. The single attack had taken over a thousand mana points with it! Again, my aegis did nothing to protect me from the momentum of the attack and I was sent rolling anew. Thankfully, my body was quickly lost in the tall grass, a fact which may have been the only thing to save my life. Flat on my back, I threw Frostrend over my head as the Minotaur''s eyes caught sight of me once more. I didn¡¯t know what to expect but I hadn¡¯t counted on the beast to push out his bulging peck muscles as if inviting the blow to land. This was no ordinary weapon, however. This was a challenge the mighty Minotaur should have let pass by. Like a meteor landing, the weapon sunk deeply into the savage¡¯s chest, sinking one of the double-bladed beards to the hilt. A flash of azure magic marked the weapon¡¯s special effect triggering, a blistering freeze. Like a shattering piece of glass, ice crackled outwards from the wound and flash froze everything it touched. A wince of extreme pain finally crossed the beast¡¯s features as it stumbled back. It had not been expected such a debilitating blow could have struck him so ruthlessly. Seeing my opportunity, I recalled the weapon to my hand and threw another overhead attack at my foe. The Minotaur¡¯s hand slipped through the suddenly disappearing axe head as if he had been trying to confirm the weapon¡¯s existence. His hand found nothing but glacially frozen flesh. When Frostrend landed a second time, it split the beast¡¯s thick skull. The Minotaur crashed to the earth, every muscle of his body relaxing at the same instant. Lowki, across the stream and facing off against who was likely the smartest foe on the field, was having a difficult time securing the kill. He was battered, bruised, and likely had several broken ribs. Thankfully, he returned each of those heavy attacks courtesy of the commander¡¯s trunk-like club, in kind. Whereas the club only damaged the flesh and tightly corded muscles underneath, Lowki¡¯s new tactic was far outpacing the damage dealt to his opponent¡¯s body. Near the beginning of the frantic back and forth, Lowki had imparted his solidifying strike in one forceful attack. The magic of his former incarnation¡¯s ability left behind partially petrified sinew and muscle. The fact his rival was moving much slower, both his movement and attack speeds being hampered by the powerful ability, was likely the only thing keeping Lowki in the fight. Though he dared not pull his attention away, even for an instant, Lowki instinctually knew he was alone in this struggle. Multiple quills from his formidable, envenomed spines had poison pumping through the Minotaur''s veins. With each new piercing spine he could muster, more of the compounding poison would be injected into his enemy¡¯s body. Lowki was keen to allow the poison to do its job for him, but the commander knew from the green ooze seeping around the wounds from the countless quills effectively put a countdown on his remaining lifespan. His eyes swelled with outrage and hate as he intended to take this damnable cat with him to the grave. Lowki wasn¡¯t fast enough to dodge aside a suddenly thrown bludgeon, the tall grass momentarily blinding him of his opponent¡¯s visage as they circled one another. The Minotaur though, had been waiting for this precise moment. Even as the weapon landed heavily against Lowki¡¯s neck, not his skull as intended, the cat¡¯s blistering reflexes had given him enough time to turn his head aside. Following behind the exhausted missile, which was lost and entombed behind the bladed grassland, the command Minotaur crashed down atop the great cat. The monster¡¯s bone-crushing hands work feverously to find purchase around Lowki¡¯s vulnerable neck. Like twin adders, Lowki¡¯s barbed tentacles slammed repeatedly against the monster¡¯s sides and back. The appendages had barely enough room to maneuver as the breath-shattering Minotaur lay astride and on top of the supine Lowki. Death was fast approaching both combatants as the commander finally found his target. Straining to squeeze the very life from Lowki¡¯s neck, the murderous Minotaur felt his heart feebly struggle to keep on beating against the tremendous amount of poison flooding his muscle fibers. Darkness descended within one set of eyes, the intense struggle having finally decided who was the victor and who was the conquered. Nothing agitated the tall grass for long moments. With a tumult of wind bellowed in, folding the green stalks down upon the combatant¡¯s bodies, something stirred to break free. Ripley hovered defensively towards her one remaining foe. Her shield was held firm in one hand, her blade balanced deftly in the other. She instinctively knew the formidable protection offered by her bulwark was doubled in magnitude as long as she remained stationary, courtesy of its magical properties. Ripley had come a long way since I had first summoned her. Before she was no better than an intimidating automaton, now she was a cunning and calculating warrior. The brutish Minotaur, even now as he attempted to puzzle out the impressive shield wall arrayed against him, twitched in response to the shooting pain running across his body from Ripley¡¯s aura of necrotic potency. Slowly but inevitably, it was eating away at the beast''s tremendous health pool. The half-witted brute had made several attempts of his great sword to batter away his skeletal foe but to no avail as his previously unstoppable attacks failed to penetrate Ripley¡¯s enhanced defenses. Though not as powerful as my empowered aegis, Ripley, in the right circumstances, was just as unyielding. Several tactical options smoothly worked their way through her legionnaire mindset. With her foe staggering at regular intervals, and when the Minotaur was close enough, she finally pouched. As the monster¡¯s eyes grimaced in pain, Ripley¡¯s sword flashed out, cutting deeply into the beast''s venerable orbs. He tattered backward in exquisite pain, nearly toppling into the freezing water. For Ripley, she knew his battle was over. It had become inevitable for her assailant. Her void-like eyes moved silently forward as she ended the Minotaur''s struggles. A stillness settled upon the battlefield. Little stirred as a strong breeze bent the endless field of grass over upon itself, as if long stalks were trying mightily to touch the ground with their bladed tips. Tallos, who was flat on his back, allowed his head to fall gently to the earth beneath him. The final adversary¡¯s life had been ended with an extremely well-aimed, and fortuitous, final gambit. As Tallos continued to breathe in ragged gasps from the tumultuous fray, blood ran uninterrupted to soak into the natural hue of his pants. His opponent rested uncomfortably in a similar position as Tallos several feet away. He was flat on his back, with an arrow¡¯s fletching protruding from an eye socket. The nearby stream ran red for several long minutes, as it parted around a skeletal figure. The rest of the enemy force was bleeding out to nourish the vibrant grasslands. My eyes quickly found Tallos, Ripley, and then, finally, Lowki. We had survived, though barely if the numerous wounds coating us had anything to say about it. Ripley¡¯s top half was covered in sanguine fluid, though it would soon wash away as she trudged towards me. Tallos limped up to me, and I quickly spotted the makeshift tourniquet his belt emulated. It was wrapped tightly above a ghastly wound that had soaked through nearly all of his pant leg. Seeing pain etched across his normally graceful face, I quickly intoned my regeneration spell upon him. In moments, the wound was covered over by a tremendous scab, which then faded into tender pink flesh. ¡°Thanks,¡± Tallos said as he plopped heavily next to me. We eyed up the approaching Ripley, who looked no worse for wear. Actually, she was the least injured of the group. ¡°Looks like her new shield worked wonders against her fatuous attacker.¡± ¡°It means stupid,¡± Stella said after I turned an uncomprehending gaze at the elf. ¡°Lucky for her,¡± I replied as I propped myself up on my elbows. ¡°Lucky for all of us by the look of it.¡± I motioned for Lowki to come near, ¡°Are you okay? Here, let me help you with that limp. Glad you¡¯re alright, too.¡± After giving Lowki a taste of my restorative magic to speed up his recovery, I cast it again on the lounging Tallos, just to be sure he was topped off. The wound had looked horrendous when I first eyed it. I let out an exultant sigh of relief before turning back to my friends, ¡°Ready for another round?¡± Tallos returned my remark with a jubilant grunt of his own. ¡°With pleasure,¡± he uttered behind a beaming smile. ¡°But, let¡¯s take a few minutes, yeah?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t argue with that,¡± I said as I plopped back down atop nature¡¯s comforter. Soon, Stella also helped herself with a hard-earned break as her familiar weight settled atop my chest. She didn¡¯t say anything more, though she had probably been scared to death with how close the battle had been. I would need to check in with her soon but as she snuggled into a tight ball above me, I was confident she was doing alright. Chapter 47 - *Interlude - Narek the Indominable* Narek the Indominable was exceptionally large for his breed of Minotaur, standing well above the heads of those under his command. Gifted with the strength comparable to at least three, if not four of his lesser brethren, meant he was a hurricane made flesh. The envy of every Stalwart, unflinching warriors sometimes no better than cannon fodder, Narek¡¯s tumescent body displayed his majesty with his every move. Even the horns protruding from his prominent head put other Minotaurs to shame. Unlike his warriors, Narek was decked from head to toe in an amalgamation of leather and plate armor. Countless blood-stained leather strips were lashed around his massive frame, with sturdy plates protecting vital areas. The elasticity of the leather was necessary, so only the treated and de-feathered hide from the elusive choranaptyxics from his home country could be used. Narek, himself, had slain a Major Choranaptyxic with his bare hands in the grand colosseum to the thunderous cheers of the autochthones. The same creature¡¯s snake-like hide now protected his body. The importance of such armor had been made obvious to Narek, as it had many times across his many battlefields. Unlike his lowly Stalwarts, who could only use their frenzied rage ability sparingly, though it did afford a significant magnification of their already prodigious strength, Narek was blessed with the superior version. It was afforded to him by his evolved heritage. Woe any enemy unfortunate enough to cause him to enact the ability, as it not only amplified his strength to unbelieved heights but also caused his body to swell well beyond his already ponderous girth. Even protected in his armor, Narek would never shy away from an attack. He recognized the prudence of a war leader to ensure his survival for the sake of the Stryker Legion he was charged with. Four Stalwarts, combined with field officers known as a ¡®Herald,¡¯ made up a ¡®Fist.¡¯ Five Fists formed his Stryker Legion. His legion followed his orders with fervent devotion. His legion¡¯s success relied heavily on Narek¡¯s foresight and planning to keep the oft-thick-headed Stalwarts from overextending themselves. Those lowest caste members of the Society had no propensity for strategy or tactics beyond the simplicity of swinging a weapon at an enemy. His field officers, the Heralds, ensured the legion followed Narek¡¯s directives, but they had some latitude to modify those orders to ensure victory. Those battle-hardened troops assisted Narek, though the overarching success of his legion rested solely upon his shoulders. Narek¡¯s word was law. So, risking a war leader¡¯s life for the simple pleasure of hammering an enemy to paste, which he did enjoy from time to time, was best left to his Fists. While Narek found it irritating at times, the constant need to order his warriors for anything beyond the basic, their absolute loyalty spoke to something deep within him. A need. While it felt foreign to his Minotaur mind, it was a companion he had known before this life. Such thoughts confused Narek as he had no recollection of such a life. Any attempts to grab hold of it glided away as if it were smoke on the wind. If he had a life, it felt as if it was buried away, hidden from his sight. Narek had dropped subtle hints to his Heralds, but none so much as hinted they were aware of a life outside of the Society. Perhaps only the brilliant knew such things, he mused to himself. His present command had placed him within arm''s reach of some human capital city. Narek was well aware of the potential complications that could arise from such proximity, but he cared not. Not yet at least. He should have several long weeks, perhaps a few months, to raid and plunder before his legion would need to withdraw. His warriors were more than a match for any ten humans but, eventually, the human city would muster a large enough force to displace him and his legion. Narek was confident he would have more than enough warning before such an eventuality. Such tactics had been used by the Society for hundreds, if not thousands, of years with great success. Narek secretly hoped a Hunter would stumble upon his camp. Such sweet rewards could be found if a Hunter could be vanquished. The thought was pushed to the back of his mind as a Herald approached him. Narek hoped the officer would bring word of the Fist he had sent out earlier that same day. The force was overdue, so perhaps they were finally returning with a bounty in hand. Not even the smallest sliver of doubt entered Narek¡¯s mind. Nothing in the region could stand against a Fist. Of that, he was sure. ¡°My Orator,¡± the Herald said in the warfare language of the Society. He spoke with the proper respect and deference, so Narek allowed the Minotaur to continue. ¡°I regret to inform you that we have had no sign of the first Fist. Herald Sye and his Stalwarts should have returned hours ago.¡± While the lowliest warriors of the Society spoke a broken language of grunts and guttural clamors, all of which Narek and his Heralds easily understood, only those brutes who showed a modicum of intellect were taught the polysyllabic language of their race called the ¡®Maxim.¡¯ Each successive class within the Society had their own language, so only the very brightest Heralds, as Narek had been years ago, would ever learn an upper-class language. Few outsiders of the weaker races knew of the Minotaur caste system. Narek was a member of the third class, commonly known as the Legionnaires, and had been so for a decade. The fourth and highest class, known as the Revered, were Minotaurs who had been blessed by the gods to wield powerful magicks. One day, he was sure, Narek would find his god¡¯s favor and be bestowed such gifts. He only had to prove himself worthy. ¡°What you mean to say, Carn, is that Sye and his Fist found some bounty and, instead of returning it to me, are out there partaking of its pleasure,¡± the war leader fumed through gnashed teeth, barely holding back an explosive outburst. Narek¡¯s subordinate bowed low, his head nearly touching the muddied ground. ¡°A Herald must fulfill your spoken law, Orator. While it is unknown how the Fist fares, Herald Sye would never do such a thing.¡± When Narek stepped a foot closer, Carn prostrated himself further. Though Narek would never say it aloud, this particular Herald was one of the most capable within his Stryker Legion. He was still a far cry from Narek¡¯s brilliance but could be molded into a keen-edged weapon with the right motivation. ¡°Since you found it fit to bring this news in such ignorance, you will go out with your Fist and determine the truth of the matter.¡± Narek¡¯s eyes swept out among his crowd of Minotaurs, many of his Heralds watching their interaction. Nerek narrowed his eyes. It was always Carn who broke ill news, he realized. The other officers must suspect he was the least likely to be punished on these rare occasions where a mistake had been made. Their cowardice stroked his anger, so we decided to amend his order slightly. ¡°Carn, you will select another Fist to go with you,¡± Narek said with a wicked grin, relishing what he was about to say. ¡°That entire Fist will be subservient to your commands.¡± It was a great insult to debase another Herald to succeed his Fist to another. Carn would pounce on the opportunity like a leopard. Narek was willing to reward his most devoted Herald. ¡°See it done immediately, I will not suffer further delay,¡± Narek continued. ¡°You will return in no less than four hours.¡± Narek didn¡¯t need to ask if his officer understood. Carn wouldn¡¯t be in his position if he required orders to be repeated or explained. Narek¡¯s word was law and he would see it carried out. Still, Narek¡¯s dreadful gaze fell heavy upon his Herald as Carn regained his feet. ¡°If you return without full knowledge of what transpired, or without a bounty, you will not like what awaits your return.¡± ¡°Yes, my Orator,¡± Carn replied respectfully before turning to find whichever Herald he intended to humiliate. The thought brightened Narek¡¯s mood, though only slightly. Narek rested heavily once more upon his marble throne. The monstrosity of a chair took the combined efforts of an entire Fist to haul with them, but it reminded his warriors of their station. Narek let out a heavy sigh. He would need to find some enjoyment of his own until Carn returned. Perhaps a flogging would brighten his mood. Hours passed as Narek¡¯s thoughts returned to the mystery even his penetrating mind couldn¡¯t seem to unravel. This tended to happen whenever he found himself biding his time while his orders were being carried out. More often than not, he moved to violence to distract himself. Narek was infuriated a part of him was locked away. With Carn soon to find out what happened to the missing Fist, Narek allowed his thoughts to probe at the edge of his consciousness. Perhaps this time, his tenacious mind would unravel the enigma that this far had thwarted him. Narek had been a war leader, an Orator, for over ten years now. He had been a Herald for twice that many before his advancement to his current station. He remembered little of his time as a warrior, for even he started as nothing more than a mindless thrall. Narek shook his head as if dispelling the old memory. The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. He returned his thoughts to the matter of his former life. A life he was certain had happened if he allowed himself time to contemplate it. What precious few thoughts he could uncover led him to the inescapable conclusion he had been some type of criminal before this life. He remembered the thrill of¡­ stalking his victims and savoring the scent of blood. ¡°A criminal to a war chief,¡± Narek said to himself. His deep voice carried to the ears of his minions nonetheless. They paid it no heed. ¡°A step up to be sure.¡± Nothing else came from his intense concentration, though Narek suspected he would continue down his personal toil until one day all the puzzle pieces would finally lock into place. Returning to the present, he gazed out upon his legion. Two Fists milled about, though they accomplished little. The fortification had long been completed and what fun had been looted from the feeble humans a Fist had secured, by way of the ambush he had meticulously laid out, had long since spoiled. Such weaklings didn¡¯t last long through the guilty pleasure his race tended to enjoy. Though Narek doubted many races would last long after dismemberment and disembowelment. Nonetheless, it had been an entertaining number of days seeing the morsels squirm under such glorious pain and suffering. The memory brought some joy to his black heart. As the hours passed though, Narek was growing restless. When night fell in earnest without a word from Carn and his two Fists, Narek¡¯s melancholy was deteriorating into fury with each passing minute. No one was foolish enough to come close to his throne, lest he vent his anger to anything within striking distance. ¡°Where in the abyss are they,¡± Narek shouted in outrage, unable to contain himself any further. ¡°You,¡± he pointed at the warrior. Narek couldn¡¯t be bothered to remember the fool¡¯s name. ¡°Herald, approach.¡± Narek¡¯s jaw was clamped tightly, the last word hissed between clenched teeth. ¡°My Orator?¡± the servile Herald asked after approaching the foot of the throne. ¡°How may I be of service.¡± It took a hairsbreadth of time for Narek to recognize the Minotaur hadn¡¯t spoken in Maxim. He was speaking the common tongue so the simple warriors could understand his words, perhaps to sway Narek¡¯s wrath. It would not avail him. Narek was moments away from backhanding the presumptuous fool when another Herald approached hurriedly from the direction of the gates. Something in the man¡¯s gaze stole Narek¡¯s attention from the physical rebuke. He bore the look of someone bearing answers. At last. ¡°Report,¡± Narek said, even as the closest Herald slunk away unmolested. When Narek issued a command, he expected a swift response. So, when the gate Herald stuttered a response, Narek felt his mood drop into lethal intensity. ¡°Herald Minas, I said report!¡± Narek¡¯s fierce gaze swept his warband. His warriors were out and about as usual, doing whatever dull task would occupy their weak minds, but with a quick mental count Narek knew something was amiss. More than half his warriors were not present. ¡°Only a single Stalwart is approaching, my Orator,¡± Minas finally blubbered out. Narek would need to punish the weakling later for his lack of alacrity. ¡°Only one?¡± Narek said forcefully. ¡°Where is the rest of the contingent?¡± Where in the abyss were his warriors? Two Fists would obliterate any opposition, he didn¡¯t doubt. His Stryker Legion wasn¡¯t here long enough to pull in any substantial threat this fast. Perhaps some minor dragon had descended from the snow peaks of Vilhius, nothing less could wipe out nearly two whole squads. Three Fists now, he realized. Still, one Stalwart had returned, so one way or another, Narek would find some answers. Before Minas could respond, two Minotaurs stationed at the gate hefted the steel-reinforced drawbar and placed it to the side. The double doors were pushed open, giving a clear sight of what lay beyond. Narek¡¯s eyes locked onto an approaching warrior perhaps two dozen yards from the posted sentries outside. The Stalwart moved with a noticeable limp, obviously wounded from battle. ¡°See to that warrior. Bring him to me. Now,¡± Narek barked, spittle flying with each word. Narek had long decreed that in the face of certain death, at least one rear Stalwart would retreat to the fort. Against all odds, it appeared to have happened here today, though it was surely an impossibility. Three Fists lost. It was unheard of, certainly without ample warning beforehand that any Orator worthy of his station would have long responded to. Rage simmered in Narek¡¯s chest at the inconceivable humiliation. He viciously tore the thought asunder. He would turn this debacle into victory, no matter the cost. Narek leaned forward atop his throne, squinting as the two sentries posted outside the fort moved to intercept their injured comrade. Narek''s mind was already working feverishly. He was already contemplating sending a communique to the nearest Revered to demand more warriors. It would be endorsed, certainly. Only a strong enemy presence would be able to accomplish the feat laid out before him. The Revered would have to capitulate. While it would take at least a tenday to receive his reinforcements, Narek was confident he could withstand any siege this countryside could throw at him behind his well-fortified position. Narek reached for a nearby tankard and wafted it down in one fluid motion. It tasted like it had been fermented in a dung heap, but Narek cared not. He returned his gaze to his two guards. Narek saw the wounded minotaur stand to his full height as if his injuries no longer plagued him. Narek could now see the Stalwart carried an axe in one hand, and a great sword in the other. That¡¯s odd, Narek thought. His warriors only ever fought with a single weapon. There wasn¡¯t enough to in their stockpile more than one per Minotaur. Narek shrugged off the thought. Perhaps this was a Stalwart victorious from battle and close to becoming a Herald. What happened next, even Narek¡¯s genius mind could not have foreseen. As his sentries approached, the injured Minotaur rose both weapons high before slamming the weapons down into the unprotected necks of his comrades. Such a thing had never been heard of before. In all of Narek¡¯s long years on the battlefield, nothing like this had ever happened. He blinked back in confusion as if trying to unsee what just happened. It never occurred for Narek to order his men to defend against a lethal blow from another Minotaur. Sure, fist fights were common among the lower-class warriors, but they never rose to a deadly level. Such warriors were so proud of their fortitude that every one of his men would allow a fellow Stalwart to land the first blow before any form of retaliation. It was a matter of pride and honor among the brethren. The massive weapons found little resistance as they cleaved both sentry''s heads from their shoulders. Geysers of blood rushed from the wounds, showering the ¡®injured¡¯ warrior with the sticky substance. ¡°Kill that warrior,¡± Narek shouted, his gruff voice carrying for a hundred yards in all directions. ¡°Now!¡± His remaining six Stalwarts and two Heralds moved to follow his command. Three carried massive great axes, two more had laborious great swords, two had cudgels, and the final Minotaur brandished the unusual iron knuckles he preferred. That one didn¡¯t kill his enemies quickly, instead, the Herald rained down a thousand punches before his victims finally succumbed to the blackness of death. Eight against one would be swift and brutal. Narek wouldn¡¯t find out what happened, but there was nothing for it now. Narek found another tankard, downing the foul in one swig, before returning to the show. For whatever reason, this last drink had been a mixture of ale and blood, which wasn''t all that bad surprisingly. Sitting down atop his throne once more, Narek waited patiently for the gore that was sure to follow. His fighters were charging past the rigid gate when their charge faltered unexpectedly. Narek could read his Minotaur¡¯s body language. Something had gone wrong. Narek took careful note. He couldn¡¯t see what had slowed their charge exactly, but Narek could have sworn something had flashed in from the left, along with a haze of heat from the right. ¡°What in the abyss?¡± Narek uttered in disbelief. Before anyone could respond, a bolt of brilliant light flashed into existence and slammed into several of his Minotaurs in rapid succession. Narek¡¯s sight was momentarily stolen by the sheer luminosity of the lightning, leaving scorch marks in his vision. Three of his warriors were on the ground, spasming with their weapons lying ineffectually near them. Then the traitorous minotaur reached the fallen band, where he immediately set upon the hapless beasts. As if he was death itself, his weapons landed again and again, turning those unfortunates into mincemeat. The betrayer¡¯s punishment didn¡¯t go unanswered, for even as his killing blows landed, two Stalwarts standing on opposite sides slammed their weapons into him. An axe cleaved into the betrayer¡¯s shoulder, biting deeply. From the other side, a great sword severed an arm just below the elbow. Narek grinned in anticipation for the gout of blood that would soon follow the mortal wounds. The fool was dead, nothing in the bull¡¯s expression registered understanding that his life had ended. But nothing happened, no blood ran free. To Narek¡¯s amazement, the turncoat rushed forward to another Herald as he ushered orders to the remaining warriors. In a move that should have been impossible, considering the excruciating pain his shoulder wound must be inflicting, the traitor slammed his remaining great axe into the backpedaling Herald¡¯s chest. Snatching away his life in an instant. Neither Narek nor one of his Heralds, consider the mortally wounded Stalwart capable of such a move. It cost the Herald his life. Narek¡¯s attention was solely fixed upon the betrayer as it was cut down with cruel efficiency by the four remaining warriors, so he didn¡¯t catch the stream of arrows, nor the near-imperceptible haze of magic slashing across the air. When his warriors moved to turn to an unseen enemy, for Narek couldn¡¯t see behind his fortification¡¯s impenetrable walls, they too hesitated and faltered. ¡°What?¡± Narek shouted as he rose to his feet. Then he saw it, dozens of fletchings dotted up and down his warriors¡¯ arms, their chests, their necks. Minotaur skin then shied away from the normal ruby hues to a swelling black of necrosis. When a black panther-like beast soared out, landing atop the last remaining Herald bearing him to the ground, Narek felt an uncontrollable firestorm swell in his breast. Triggered without his conscious will, waves of heat began cascading off his body. Muscles and tendons bulged as power flooded him. Had it not been for his meticulously constructed armor, his transformation would have torn it to shreds. Instead, it increased in size to accommodate his new stature. With waves of marvelous energy coursing through his body, Narek bellowed a challenge that shook the air for miles. It was the fiercest Warcry he had ever bellowed, the intensity such that it tore small rents in his mighty lungs. As blood began to drip down his maw, he charged. Chapter 48 - Gestalt Legionnaire Minotaur I stood wide-eyed, at who was undoubtedly the boss, as the enormous Minotaur charged towards Lowki¡¯s position. I was positioned about one hundred feet off to the side of the palisade wall. So, while I could see most of the inner fort, anything inside would have difficulty spotting me in return. As a result, the boss took no notice of me as he ran, his attention fixed squarely on Lowki¡¯s black body. From what I could see, this was the final remaining foe we would need to deal with. Though, the realization was rather moot considering the horror bearing down on us. The Minotaur¡¯s tanned skin started glowing a vibrant red as waves of heat radiated off his gigantic body. Like the regular Minotaur''s we had been fighting, the chieftain had quickly responded to our threat by triggering his rage ability. Unfortunately for us, it looked to be far more powerful. Not only were vast steams of water vapor cascading off his body, but the enemy commander¡¯s body was growing in such a way it reminded me of the Hulk. Even at this distance, the Minotaur boss, who was already one and a half times the size of an average warrior, was growing larger with each long stride. About a dozen yards into his charge, a normal Minotaur would look like a dwarf if they stood side by side. When the monstrous beast¡¯s war bellow crashed over me, it was like a snap of a whip slamming against my psyche. An animalistic apprehension hammered in my chest, and I was momentarily frozen. It wasn¡¯t a stun per se, as I was immune to such effects. Instead, this was almost like a primal fear. I was a field mouse who had just spotted a diving hawk inches from my tender face. As I stared at the horrendous beast, unable to move past the panicked feeling for several key moments as my eyes roved over the boss¡¯s ponderous body. He was wearing what appeared to be a swath of dyed leather. Hundreds of strips covered almost every inch of his body, along with several gun-metal gray pieces of plate armor that covered his chest, abdomen, and groin. As the massive creature grew in size, I expected to see slivers of his skin become visible. The hope of a possible vulnerability was short-lived, however, as the leather bindings appeared to widen and grow as much as he did. Finally snapping out of my hesitation, I inspected the likely incredibly problematic enemy commander. Narek the Indominable, Gestalt Legionnaire Minotaur (Level 20 ¨C Elite Boss). Most civilized races are unfamiliar with the four-tier caste system that has been rigidly ingrained into the heart of Minotaur society for centuries untold. More still would not care to ponder how a bottom-ranked stalwart could rise to be crowned as a terrifying war leader known as a Gestalt Legionnaire Minotaur. Years of blood, sweat, and endless combat; that¡¯s how. For those few stalwarts who survive long enough, as well as develop a level of intellect that would rival most humanoid races, these titans of brute force should never be underestimated. Capable of astonishing levels of brawn, these mighty foes are matched with a keen mind capable of impressive reasoning and tactical prowess. Being only a single step shy of the caste¡¯s pinnacle Minotaur, many a Hunter¡¯s final moments in this world have come to a swift and brutal end courtesy of these aberrant foes. Our party knew well in advance a boss would most certainly be located somewhere within the fort. Whatever type of monster we had been expecting though was absolutely blown away like a candle facing down a tornado upon seeing the real thing. The sheer size and ferocity of the elite boss, at first, looked to be far too much for us to handle even considering the ample time we had spent formulating a plan of action. Though, seeing Ripley standing at the ready, barely out of sight beside the gate with her great sword in hand, provided me some small comfort. Her role was to strike out as the boss as he ran past, doing all she could to hamper his movements while Tallos and I rained down destruction. Lowki had lowered himself to the ground, ready to spring away the second the war leader reached him. Lowki¡¯s role was to be elusive and do all he could to keep the boss¡¯s attention firmly fixed upon him or Ripley. I wished I still had my undead Minotaur which I had raised shortly before the battle began via one of my newest spells. Sadly though, it had been destroyed moments earlier, and the spell¡¯s cool down had many minutes to go before I could use it again. Given our dramatic foe, however, I doubted I would be allowed to cast it anyway. [Lesser Undeath]. If cast within 5 minutes upon a recently deceased, unholy power revives the target to serve you for a short period of time. The undeath minion will follow all verbal commands, regardless of previously known languages, or will take actions to protect the caster if no command is issued. The target retains 80% of its former health, stamina, and mana. Only a random set of the target¡¯s abilities, skills, and spells that it had in life will be available. The raised minion will last until destroyed, or when the spell duration ends. Cost: 400 mana. Cast Time: 10 seconds. Duration: 5 minutes. Cool down: 10 minutes. Plus 30 second duration and plus 1% retention per spell level. My eyes caught Tallos¡¯ movement as he readied another arrow to let loose as soon as the boss emerged. He set himself up around fifty yards on the opposite side of the gate. We felt it was a good plan because whatever appeared would be attacked on essentially all sides once it left the safety of the fortification. We were as ready as we would ever be. As soon as the boss was in range, I would apply every single damage over time spell I could. Tallos would fire every arrow until he ran out. I had given him all my stored arrows, learning over the course of several battles that the more he had, the better. The words of my most potent spell ready upon my tongue, I began casting as soon as the charging bull crossed into my maximum range. I kept my voice low and knelt low, hoping to remain hidden for as long as possible. Seeing the towering brute, the thought of getting into melee range with the boss seemed a lethal move. I could only hope Ripley and Lowki would keep him pinned down. Fear of one or both dying in this fight shot a lick of worry into my subconscious but there was nothing more I could do now. Thundering footfalls of titanic feet shook the ground and, even at this distance, I could feel the vibrations running up my feet. The size of the boss was astonishing. His strength attribute had to be in the many hundreds range. As the words of my spell were completing, Stella¡¯s words mirrored my thoughts. ¡°We need to break that rage ability,¡± she called out beside me. Only the smallest part of her head was poking above the tall grass as it waved in the wind. The huge creature cleared the gates, barreling down at the waiting Lowki. Ripley bolted out behind him, her great sword¡¯s tip whistling in the air. Her aim was lower than I had expected. It was aimed for the sweet spot, right above the ankle. The Achilles tendon, I realized in an instant. Ripley had only seen the boss for a moment before engaging and quickly deduced the importance of slowing the massive creature down. Her increased intelligence and self-awareness had once again astounded me, making me even more thankful I had specialized in her for tier two class. It had given her greater capabilities which were on display. We would need every weapon at our disposal to take down this foe. Ripley¡¯s expertly aimed attack connected against the boss¡¯s trailing foot, severing his tendon like a snapping rubber band. Immediately, the boss faltered in his charge to crush Lowki. It wouldn¡¯t be until later that I would learn how exceedingly lucky we had been with Ripley¡¯s initial swing. The fine edge of her magical great sword only barely managed to slide in between two folds of Narek¡¯s leather armor. Had it bit a quarter inch above or below her mark, the attack likely would have failed to penetrate. Thus were the defenses of our incredible foe. As it were, our luck manifested, and we had stolen the initiative away from the Minotaur chief. As he fell to a knee, both of his enormous hands went wide in an attempt to stop himself from face-planting. Then I noticed the arrows bouncing and ricocheting off the staggered mob. A sense of dread passed at a realization. While Tallos had chosen wisely to not target the boss¡¯s most protected parts, namely those covered in armored plate, his angle afforded him an unobstructed view of the Minotaur¡¯s exposed side. Trying to leverage the momentarily stunned boss, he was aiming to pierce a lung. Unfortunately for us, barely a single arrow penetrated what looked like simple leather. Worse yet, the arrow that successfully pierced the impressive armor had only done so by perhaps a scant inch or two at most. Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. The power of my spell lanced across the distance between us, looking like a distortion of air as it passed to connect with the chieftain¡¯s bulky arm. Surprise struck me a new when a System message appeared in my vision, bypassing the normal blocks Stella and I had in place to avoid undue distractions while in combat. Notice! Your spell, Lesser Boil Blood, has been partially resisted. ¡°Shit,¡± I exclaimed. I had forgotten to start the battle with my scent of darkness. If there was ever a time to lower a monster¡¯s resistances, it was now and I had fumbled it. Determined the mistake would not linger, I started the long cast time for my scent of darkness. Three seconds was still a long time in battle, but there was little I could do for it. As the boss turned from his kneeling position toward Ripley, who had taken the opportunity to slash out with her weapon once more, this time targeting the boss¡¯s back, the Minotaur extended a hand before making a clenching motion. Out of nowhere, an enormous war hammer appeared in his hand. The sudden appearance reminded me of summoning Frostrend directly from my inventory, though I had no idea how the boss had accomplished such a thing. As if in slow motion, and for what must have felt like a casual backswing for the boss but like an avalanche to poor Ripley, the weapon¡¯s dark metal head crashed against her side. Bone crunched as she was sent flying away to land heavily against the wooden palisade wall a dozen feet behind her. I could do nothing but watch as my spell neared completion. I stole a glance at my party interface to see Ripley¡¯s health go from a vibrant emerald to flashing red in a single blow. Stella¡¯s voice blared out a warning as I finished my casting, ¡°That¡¯s a summoned weapon, it won¡¯t remain forever!¡± Stella didn¡¯t pause in providing helpful information even as my spell exploded against the Minotaur¡¯s back like a swollen grapefruit, the spell''s magic leeching into his armored body, lowering his resistances by a significant amount. ¡°The boss¡¯s rage ability likely allowed him to resist a significant portion of your boil blood. There! Scent of darkness landed fully. It should help bridge the divide.¡± Notice! Narek the Indominable has been afflicted with the Scent of Decay! All resistances to fire, poison, acid, and disease are lowered by 25% (MAX). ¡°That¡¯s new,¡± I said as the notification was instantly absorbed by my subconscious. I hadn¡¯t known this specific spell could max out. Still, a quarter reduction in those resistances was nothing to sneeze at, all the same. ¡°Sorry,¡± Stella said to my side as I began another spell, this time my new ignite bones. I knew I needed to get all of my DOTs on the boss as quickly as possible. ¡°I had meant to bring it up, but never found the opportunity,¡± Stella finished as arcane words rushed past my lips. The chief moved as if to finish off the struggling Ripley when Lowki entered the battle. His aim was spot on and he landed with all three pairs of legs slamming into the impressively wide upper body of the Minotaur before springing away. As her claws dove into his leather armor, her twin barbed tentacles slammed simultaneously into the hulk¡¯s covered neck though I couldn¡¯t tell if anything had been able to pierce the leather strips. The tactical importance of Lowki¡¯s decision to attack and immediately disengage was made clear as the boss made another swinging backhand with his impressive weapon. For how easily he moved it, the massive hammer looked to weigh no more than a feather in his meaty hand. Lowki was quicker than her skeletal friend, thankfully, and the counterattack missed by a safe margin. Lowki¡¯s keen mind showed further when the ripples of energy reached across the boss¡¯s body as her solidifying strike worked to turn muscle into stone. ¡°The slow only partially took hold,¡± Stella cried dejectedly, before cursing loudly. I had no way of knowing how well Lowki¡¯s special ability landed but, thankfully, owing to her special System access, Stella had been able to see it. ¡°It¡¯s still going to help,¡± I said between spell castings. The boss now had lesser arrested affliction attempting to seize the war lord¡¯s heart. ¡°He¡¯s already hobbled, so anything to slow him down further is a really, really good thing for us.¡± I had been hoping Lowki¡¯s flanking attack would distract the chief from the vulnerable Ripley, but the boss was single-minded in his pursuit. Even as Ripley worked to regain her feet, switching over to her curved sword and heater shield, I had an increasing sense of dread with what was about to happen. My fear was realized as the boss slammed his gigantic hammer atop her. Ripley rose her heavily enchanted shield to block but, even with the impressive additional defense it afforded, it was no match for the titanic strength the boss had coursing through immense body. Sadly, for Ripley, she splattered much like the grapefruit from my scent of darkness had seconds before. Cracked, splintered, and broken bones flew out in all directions. Her shield, which had done its best to weather the blow, was slammed at least a foot into the compacted earth under where she had been kneeling. Ripley¡¯s flashing health bar in the party interface grayed out as she was pulverized into dust. She was out of this fight and would be for some time until she was resummoned. If I lived to do it, that is. ¡°We have to break his rage,¡± I said through gritted teeth. ¡°None of us can survive an attack from him.¡± My mind scoured my options, first landing on my Roaring Strike. It could stun an enemy but, then again, a boss might be able to resist it. My thoughts settled onto my specialized boil blood and my arrested affliction. Both had a small chance to effectively stun the target. Boil blood, from my understanding, due to the intense pain it caused, and arrested affliction from its chance to seize the enemy¡¯s heart. I would need to hope one of them worked as it was like fighting an immovable and unstoppable force. Arrows continued to rain in, though to little effect. I heard a muffled shout, owing to the distance between us, come from Tallos. There was little I could offer him in the way of support. If we made it out of this, I would need to see about upgrading his bow. For now, whatever small amount of damage he could inflict was the best he could do. Lowki continued his pattern of springing in with taloned claws and barbed quills, slowly chunking away at the Minotaur''s likely substantial health pool. Unfortunately for me, my spells caught the raging Minotaur''s attention and he attempted to run me down but could only manage an odd shuffle courtesy of his destroyed ankle. At this point, every single one of my DOTs was eating away at the boss¡¯s health; lesser boil blood, minor acidic bolt, lesser soul leech, lesser arrested affliction, and lesser ignite bones. Every six seconds a substantial amount of life was being boiled away by intense heat, scorching acid, spasming muscles, ignited bone marrow, and soul-crushing force. I would need to inquire with Stella later how much damage my combined spells were doing, though it mattered little against this goliath. After each of my spells was running its course, I turned to my fireball spell to supplement my spell casting. I could let the boss get close enough for my chained lightning and my poisoned breath, though I feared allowing him to do so. Who knew what special ability the mighty warrior could muster? The towering Minotaur began slamming his war hammer against my incoming fireballs, causing the spell to detonate with marginal effect away from his body. It burned him, a little, but for only a fraction of what the spell was capable of. Lowki took one too many chances and, whether bad luck or a brilliant ruse from Narek, his war hammer skidded off the great cat''s hip as he was springing away. Lowki let out a howl of pain and a debuff appeared next to his name in the party interface. He had a broken hip and was trying to create as much distance between himself and the boss. Lowki was outside of my regeneration spell''s maximum range, so I would have to risk getting closer to try to help him. The war leader winked at me, which surprised me to no end. Here was a raging hulk monster who could take punishment like a steel door, and was now brazen enough to wink at me? The bastard had the full faculty of his mind, even while roided-out to the moon. ¡°Oh, to the abyss with that,¡± I muttered angrily even as the boss turned away from me, eyeing my injured pet. I would have to risk it. Lowki was wailing pitifully as he clawed his way through the dirt, trying to get as much separation between himself and the massive boss loaming towards him like an inescapable meteor. I wasn¡¯t going to make it. Given the spell¡¯s one-second cast time, along with the fact it may take more than six to twelve seconds to mend the damage if it even could, Lowki would be long dead by then. Even with the mammoth¡¯s irregular steps, foot by foot, he was inching closer to the gravely injured feline. Finally, in range, a paltry thirty feet that I hoped I wouldn¡¯t soon regret, I chanted the words to lesser chained lightening with as much alacrity as I could. Narek¡¯s war hammer was lifted high, poised to end Lowki¡¯s life. In my panicked mind, I couldn¡¯t recall at the crucial moment if Lowki would revive or not. No! My inner mind screamed out at the universe. I no longer cared what I had initially felt about Lowki when the System first transformed him into my pet companion. He was no longer simply a criminal who had escaped justice in my mind. He was a friend and damned if I allowed anything to harm him, if I had anything to say about it. As the hammer began its downward swing, to potentially snuff out the cat¡¯s life permanently, my spell casting completed. Lightning as bright as the sun and thick as my arm fired out, exactly where I had aimed the spell. The back of Narek¡¯s head. Chapter 49 - Murderous Intent I forced my eyelids closed right before my spell completed. I was hoping to avoid burning an afterimage into my vision at such a critical moment. Even still, the extreme luminescence of the attack had me turning my head aside. When I opened my eyes a split second later, relief washed through me. Though I could hardly afford to pause another moment. The giant-sized war hammer had not descended. It was held stationary over the boss¡¯s head, gripped tightly by his two massive hands. Whether from my bolt of lightning or perhaps from a timely stun effect from one of the spells ravaging through the boss, either way, the boss was momentarily frozen. He was locked rigid as if lockjaw had seized every muscle in his body. I didn¡¯t waste the opportunity. I charged forward, spotting a thin stream of smoke rising from a dark burn mark at the base of Narek¡¯s skull exactly where I had aimed my deadly blast. The power was so intense it burned a fist-sized hole in the protective leather, exposing newly charred flesh beneath. While the leather provided exceptional defense against melee weapons, magic appeared to be able to make a far greater impact. Words to my regeneration spell darted off my tongue as my fingers moved in the necessary patterns to place healing magic upon the mewling Lowki, who was even then scrabbling away. My heart froze at his whimpering cries. With the behemoth¡¯s high resistances, I had no way of knowing how long the stunning effect would last, so I needed to be quick with the rest of my ludicrous scheme. Standing right behind the boss, as my recovery magic flowed into Lowki¡¯s body, I summoned Frostrend into my hand. There was also no way of knowing of long it would take my regenerative magic to repair Lowki¡¯s ruined pelvis, if it could at all. What my friend needed was more time, as much as I could give him. I intended to do just that. An earsplitting roar howled from deep within my chest as I triggered one of my few melee skills. The noise reverberated across the battlefield, perhaps rivaling even Narek¡¯s at the start of our titanic struggle. Frostrend slashed across the war leader''s back in a blur as he began turning my way, the previous magical stun no longer holding him motionless. Faster than my eye could follow, my special attack, Roaring Sweep, crashed into Narek''s unguarded flank right below the ribcage. So narrow was my focus, that I hadn¡¯t noticed two important changes to our conflict in as many seconds. First, he was no longer searing hot from his enhanced rage ability. Each millisecond that passed was stealing away another inch from his statuesque height. Second, the imposing war hammer which had obliterated Ripley, and seriously maimed Lowki, had vanished. Recalled into whatever astral space it had been summoned from, the boss was once again weaponless. Regardless of what caused Narek¡¯s initial paralyzation, it had stolen away two of the overpowering advantages he had held. While he was still a dominating figure, I was like a child standing behind his parent, but the balance shifted in this fight. Skill (Axe): Roaring Sweep. Effect(s): You ferociously swipe an axe in a horizontal arc. If the blow connects, the target(s) become stunned for 2 seconds. Cool down: 2 minutes. Plus 0.5 seconds of stun every 5 skill levels and minus 1 second cool down per skill level. Frostrend blasted into Narek¡¯s side, digging in surprisingly deep. Whether a result of the weapon¡¯s enchantment, or slipping between two strands of leather, I couldn¡¯t know. What I felt from Frostrend was the power of the special attack passed unhindered and undiminished into his torso. Once more, the dreadnought of a mob was held fast. Backpedaling to create distance between us, I began recasting my damage over time spells on the heavyweight beast. Enough time had elapsed since the start of battle meaning my thirty and sixty second duration DOTs were beginning to wane, something I normally didn¡¯t see as most monsters would long ago been killed. Here though, the elite Legionnaire Minotaur must have a health pool so vast it would rival a lagoon. As spells landed on the boss one after another, I spied Lowki¡¯s writhing movements turn into sagging limp before he bounded away erratically. I had given him enough time to escape the headman¡¯s axe. A third spell was completing when the boss roared anew and, for a split second, I feared he was triggering his rage ability once more. Thankfully, no steam rose from his disproportionately shaped body. His already towering height remained static. Throwing his arms out wide like an infuriated grizzly bear, Narek reminded me of an umber hulk from earth myology. With how massive his shoulders and upper body were, I didn¡¯t doubt he still had strength enough to fell a giant sequoia tree with a single blow. Lowki disappeared into the underbrush, though the Minotaur still swept his gaze around furiously in a vain hope of finishing off the wounded panther. With his latest adversary stolen away, Narek¡¯s head swiveled in the direction of my chanting as a fourth spell penetrated his flesh, injecting harmful necrotic energy. Enemy eyes promising a deadly and painful end locked onto mine. The outrage dancing behind his black irises conveyed such murderous intent my throat threatened to lock up. The boss began moving towards me, his tattered ankle barely supporting his laborious weight. Somehow the boss ignored the reality of his ruined calf, though the injury thankfully slowed his forward mobility. For the moment, my attempt to back away was quick enough to match his long, sluggish strides. As my final damage over time spell connected solidly with the top-heavy boss, I considered my next step. Sudden and unexpected movement seized the breath in my lungs. Triggering a new ability, Narek flashed forward in a blur. He crossed the modest distance in less than a second. Stella would later tell me the boss used a special bull-rush ability, though she had no way to predict it until after witnessing its capability in action. Utilizing the extreme momentum built behind the ability, Narek¡¯s fist collided with my chest like a runaway landslide. The move was so instantaneous, that I barely had time for my eyes to widen in shock as the force of a tectonic plate crashed into me. The merciless blow imparted enough force it would have caved in a vast section of the mountainous wall surrounding the capital city. It was only a combination of my necromancer¡¯s bone ring, essence barrier, and my empowered aegis that allowed me to weather the onslaught. Essence Barrier ¨C When an enemy suffers from your damage over time spells, 10% of the damage dealt is converted into a protective barrier that shields the wearer against physical attacks. The barrier stacks over time and lasts 12 seconds when the wearer''s final damage over time spell ends. Since the start of the battle with Narek, my bone ring¡¯s special effect had been slowly but inexorably stacking up an impressive protective field. In effect, creating an invisible shield that would protect me against any and all physical attacks. With all of my spells ticking away consistently for over a minute, the barrier had grown to impressive levels. It shattered like a fragile pane of glass in the path of a hurricane. My vision devolved into a chaotic mix of dizzying stars, blinding whites, and obscuring darkness. I was launched dozens of feet away to crash heavily against the hard-packed ground far afield. My body limply tumbled until my back crashed against what must have been a jutting stone. I was left in a sitting position, facing the confident war leader. Narek couldn¡¯t know it, but while my mana pool had dropped into the triple digits, not a drop of pain was transferred into my body. Empowered aegis absorbed what had to have been thousands of points of damage yet could do nothing against the momentum of the strike. Incapable of being stunned, it nonetheless took me precious seconds to reorganize my thoughts. It felt like I had been shot out of a cannon. The Minotaur¡¯s gaze never left me, so single-minded was his pursuit. He would reach me in moments. His gaze promised death, his eyes as unforgiving as the grave. Narek didn¡¯t feel pity, or remorse. He would certainly, absolutely not stop until I was dead. But he had forgotten about Lowki. Upon seeing my meteoric crash, my feline companion quit the subtle tactics. Like a quarter-ton wrecking ball, Lowki struck. In an act of desperation, the great cat¡¯s twin barbed limbs slammed against both sides of Narek¡¯s unprotected face, quills digging in deeply enough they pumped poison directly into his mouth. The acidic-like liquid instantly seared away the tender flesh within. At the same time, Lowki''s enormous body slammed against the back of the boss¡¯s head, four sets of serrated claws reaching around to hold his skull like a vice. This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. Because of the opening afforded by my lightning bolt at the base of Narek¡¯s skull, Lowki¡¯s back legs, which were kicking furiously, finally found purchase, digging in deeply with each impact. However, the legionnaire was no pushover and vastly outweighed the panther. Regardless of Lowki¡¯s bulk, he was not heavy enough to bear this beast to the ground. As Lowki clawed Narek as only a cat could, the war leader reached up to firmly grab the cat¡¯s midsection. With a motion that looked like someone slamming a slab of granite into the dirt, Narek body slammed Lowki over his spear-like horns into the earth at his feet. The move did not go unpunished, however. Lowki¡¯s barbed quills and two sets of gagged claws had been holding tight against the boss¡¯s bulbous head while his back legs pumped furiously. Such was the war leader¡¯s strength that even the stubborn Lowki could not resist. As the cat was lifted, Lowki retaliated by tearing long rents across Narek¡¯s head. The movement pulled free ragged strips of flesh, stuck fast by Lowki¡¯s claws, that looked eerily similar to the leather wrappings covering the crazed monster¡¯s body. The colossal Minotaur instantly regretted his decision, his hands reaching to the ruined flesh as he shrieked out in agony. All the while, Tallos¡¯ constant stream of fletched missiles slowed drastically as the battle played out. He was likely running low on ammunition so had been carefully picking his shots, attempting to find whatever weak point was available. There had not been many. The elf sprinted closer, coming within fifty feet of the boss to maximize his pinpoint accuracy. As I reached my feet, the boss¡¯s thrashings allowed me to spot a few fletching protruding from the hollow at the base of Narek¡¯s head. Seeing the vulnerable Lowki laying helplessly beneath the goliath¡¯s trampling feet, I charged forward, Frostrend already spinning end over end towards the gigantic foe. As I pulled closer, I quickly chugged a mana potion. My aegis would not be strong enough to withstand another attack from the massive boss. Instead, I simply needed the mana to see me through a sudden inspiration. ¡°I¡¯m out,¡± came a shout in the distance, undoubtedly from Tallos. His voice was coarse and laced with apprehension. It was not a good sign. Tallos could no longer impact the outcome of our frantic battle. ¡°You might be able to retrieve some of your spent arrows,¡± Stella shouted in response as she pointed toward mounds of flesh around the front of the palisade. Tallos must have had the same idea, as he was already moving towards the fallen Minotaurs. As I grew closer to the frenzied enemy, I threw a fireball into his face. The spell stole what little sight Narek could have managed between the thick streams of blood flowing profusely down his face. His head rocked backward. Not pausing an instant, I followed with a scintillating bolt of lightning. Burning ozone filled my nostrils and the space between us. In the wake of the inferno left by my fireball, I had no way of knowing if the electrical discharge struck Narek¡¯s face or his madly flailing hands. It didn¡¯t matter. I was close enough. Sensing my presence, giant hands reached out blindly in an attempt to grapple me, but I evaded the feeble attempt. Feet away from his broad body, I intoned lesser poison breath for the first time. The one second cast time elapsed as arcane words burbled from my lips. The spell completed. Opening my mouth wide, I exhaled a dense verdant cloud. The fumes rushed out, fanning out in a wide cone to fully encompass my enemy¡¯s massive body. [Lesser Poison Breath]. You exhale a poisonous cloud that expands outwards from the caster in a cone to engulf any hostile target within 15 feet, inflicting a necrotic toxin that burns away at the lining of the target¡¯s lungs. The spell causes 70 plus 2n damage immediately and then every 6 seconds until the spell expires, where ¡®n¡¯ equals Intelligence. Cost: 150 mana. Cast Time: 1 seconds. Cool down: 2 minutes. Duration: 30 seconds. The spell alone wouldn¡¯t finish the boss, I knew. Stella shouted his remaining health but in the mad rush of battle, her words didn¡¯t register. A calm settled over me as I lowered myself to a kneeling position, Narek¡¯s fist passing mere inches over my head. This was it, the final step of my swiftly constructed plan. I could only hope game logic would hold true here like I was hoping. Either it would work, or it wouldn¡¯t. Tranquil acceptance settled within me as I rose both hands toward the swirling emerald vapor. I could hear Narek¡¯s choking coughs as he futilely attempted to expel the caustic poison. My only instant-cast spell, flamethrower blasted upwards like the blast from twin booster rockets. As the flames touched the roiling mist, the fumes parted enough for the boss¡¯s bloodshot gaze to finally connect with me. The malevolence held in those scarlet orbs promised pain, unlike anything I could fathom. It was the last thing I saw before the toxic fumes that encapsulated Narek¡¯s body detonated. The concussive force blew my body backward as I once more crashed against the hard ground beneath me. At such a close distance, the blast burned away the last of my mana and tore a substantial chunk of my health away. It took several long moments as the pain I finally was forced to endure abated. It felt like my lungs had collapsed from the impact and at long last, I was able to draw in deep, rasping breaths of air. Holding my chest, I leaned forward to see what had become of the final Minotaur. At first, nothing was there. There was no shadow cast down upon me like the foretelling of doom. Then a fine mist the color of crimson sprinkled down upon me. It was blood. It wasn¡¯t until I came to a seated position, I discovered Narek the Indominable¡¯s fate. What remained was a decimated, mangled, headless mass that barely resembled the monster¡¯s former self. The detonation from my gambit of spells had wholly disintegrated everything above his neckline. We were victorious. Long minutes passed as I took stock of my condition. My mana pool had been completely drained, though was even now slowly filling up thanks to my innate regeneration. The same went for my health bar but it was half full, thankfully not dipping down to dangerous levels there at the end of the fight. After a few seconds, both resource pools began filling at double the initial pace owing to the fact we were no longer in combat. ¡°Are you alright?¡± Stella asked by my side. She was floating a few inches from the scorched field the detonating inferno had caused. Her face held a concerned, yet relieved expression. I couldn¡¯t blame her. I was feeling something similar. ¡°Yeah, yeah,¡± I said as I waved away the lingering fumes from the blast. ¡°I¡¯m okay, though I feel like I was run over by a steamroller.¡± ¡°A what?¡± called an approaching voice. It was Tallos, looking none the worse for wear. A fistful of arrows was held tightly in his grip, the tips dripping with congealing blood. No doubt they were some of his retrieved arrows he had been planning to use a second time against the formidable boss. ¡°You look horrible, my friend.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t argue with you there,¡± I replied, taking in a deep breath as my frayed nerves continued to settle. ¡°Never mind about the steamroller, I¡¯ll explain it another time.¡± ¡°How did you know that would happen?¡± Stella asked as she tilted her head toward where the boss had been standing earlier. ¡°I didn¡¯t,¡± I replied casually, coming to my feet and stretching out my back. ¡°I hoped it would. Damn, but that hurt.¡± Stella didn¡¯t say anything for long seconds. Instead, she looked at me incredulously, before turning to Tallos with an expression that said, ¡°Can you believe this madman?¡± ¡°Would you like for me to explain how stupid your gamble was?¡± Stella finally asked in such a way it was clear she was asking a rhetorical question. ¡°You could have asked me long before now if the vapor from poison breath was flammable. If it hadn¡¯t been¡­¡± Stella pressed her lips tightly together. ¡°I know, I¡¯m sorry,¡± I said, trying to smooth over Stella¡¯s volatile state. ¡°The idea came out of nowhere. I knew was pretty sure the boss still had more than enough life to end us, so I had to try something.¡± Stella screwed up her face. Her canine mug held an undeniable relief, yet also carried a quality as if she was about to go into a tyrannical tirade. ¡°You will promise me, never to do it again,¡± her tone brooked no argument. ¡°Did you know the blast could have easily bypassed your aegis entirely since it was your spell? You would have been better off just backing off and letting your DOTs finish him.¡± ¡°Sorry, Stell,¡± I muttered weakly, she was right after all. ¡°I acted rashly, and it could have gone completely different. It won¡¯t happen again.¡± Stella did her best to calm herself down, pressing her paws against her side. She turned her back from me, probably so I wouldn¡¯t see how scared she had been for me. ¡°When I saw Lowki lying there,¡± I continued, facing her back. I sighed and shook my head from side to side, though she wouldn''t see the movement. ¡°I thought the boss was going to finish him. Permanently.¡± When Stella turned right around, words on her lips, I held out my hands as if to interrupt what was sure to come. ¡°I know, I know. At least, I think I do. Though in the moment Lowki was vulnerable, I couldn¡¯t remember if he would be gone forever if he was killed. I acted and it nearly cost us everything.¡± Stella stared at me. Her face unreadable. Finally, she sighed as if releasing all of her bottled tension. Her entire body shook free the last vestiges of her remaining stress. ¡°Lowki can¡¯t be permanently destroyed. He will come back, same as Ripley. Please remember it for next time.¡± ¡°I will,¡± I replied, and I was serious about it. ¡°Well, I''m pretty sure that was the last of them. We would have heard something by now.¡± Dusting myself off, while also wiping away the small droplets of blood covering my face, I turned to the wooden gates. The massive double doors were swinging ever so slightly in the breeze. The inside of the fort looked completely abandoned. Nothing stirred within. Lowki bounded up and brushed his face against my waist, moving much like he normally did but with a single dragging back foot. I cast another regen to speed along his recovery. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s take a look inside,¡± Tallos offered helpfully, to which I wholeheartedly agreed. I wanted to get away from the ruined body of what remained of our captivating foe. I tilted my head towards what remained of our vanquished foe. "Think there''s any loot to be had there?" I asked. "I doubt it," Stella replied, not looking back as she floated forward with Tallos. "You''re more than welcome to check that bloody mess by yourself, thank you very much." Chapter 50 - Reinforced Palisade Stooping low over Narek¡¯s corpse, I placed a pair of fingers on a relatively clean section of his red-banded leather to open an inventory window. I had no intention of trying to peal the armor off his grotesque body, something which appeared would normally have been needed. Slowly, bloody strip by bloody strip. Hence, I was even more grateful the System allowed a looting mechanism. Tearing off pieces of armor from a deceased body, wasn¡¯t something I ever wanted to experience. Loot was great and all, but going to such a degree¡­ It felt too callous. While I wasn¡¯t expecting much, considering the horrendous state of the body and a significant portion of the red-leather, this was a boss after all. Regardless of Stella¡¯s comment, I was hopeful, especially for the red leather strappings that spiraled along every inch of the Minotaur¡¯s massive body. The damage-resistant armor had done a fantastic job keeping Narek safe from the most serious physical attacks. His war hammer, to my disappointment, had long since vanished. While fighting against Narek, Stella had called out it was a summoned weapon and probably came from some short-lived ability the war leader had. I certainly wouldn¡¯t have complained if it could be looted, though I had no idea if any of us could have wielded the weighty maul. Keeping my gaze sequestered to only the lower half of the headless corpse, I willed an inventory window to appear. This close to the body, the stench was revolting, nearly overwhelming. My best guess was the boss didn''t bathed a day in his life, and I had no intention of guessing how he had used a restroom in the form-fitting garb. Based on the pungent odor¡­ No, I thought, shutting down this particular line of consideration. My tenacity was rewarded, though not as much as I hoped. As I reviewed the item description, my eyes immediately noticed the ¡®destroyed¡¯ status under the armor¡¯s durability. {Choranaptyxic Leather Wrapping of Extreme Defense}. Made from the hide of a Major Choranaptyxic, the countless leather wrappings of this armor are considered by the Minotaur race to be at the zenith when it comes to physical defense. The most interesting and widely celebrated aspect of Choranaptyxic-hide, which has been retained during the crafting of this item, is that the leather will grow and shrink with the wearer to maintain maximum efficiency. Note - During the crafting process, this full-body armor has been supplemented by reinforced titanium plates to protect vital areas. Quality: Masterwork. Rarity: Epic. Type: Armor. Slot: Multiple. Durability: DESTROYED. Armor: N/A. Properties: N/A. Notice! This is a destroyed magical item and may not be used. Notice! This item will no longer self-repair, however it may be used as a crafting material by an appropriately skilled individual. As I looted the armor, knowing it would instantly vanish from the body, I closed my eyes before turning around to face my patiently waiting companions waiting. While the impressive armor was no longer functional, I had hopes to one day find someone capable of turning into something equally magnificent. Considering the hundreds of long strips of leather, it could be possible two man-sized versions may one day be crafted. ¡°Good idea to close your eyes,¡± Stella said as I turned around. Almost casually, as if unconsciously, Stella¡¯s eyes flicked down to the body. ¡°Oh crap, I¡¯m going to be sick¡­¡± Rubbing her arched back, Stella¡¯s stomach relieved itself of its contents. I did my best to ignore the nauseating gagging noises she emitted as I reassured her, ¡°There, there. It¡¯s alright. Just let it all out.¡± I made the mistake of trying to bring some levity to the situation as I turned my gaze away from her heaving, eyeing up open plains and serene grassland surrounding us. ¡°No one¡¯s going to be upset at the loss of our precious barbeque dinner,¡± I said cheekily. ¡°We have more than enough to let this go to waste.¡± When the non-stop retching abruptly went deathly silent, I knew my fate had been sealed. Ever so cautiously, as if in slow motion to delay the inevitable as much as possible, I turned my head toward the suddenly tense ball of muscle under my hand. I didn¡¯t know how she did it, but I would swear on my life my friend¡¯s irises flashed a vibrant crimson for a split second. Fierce canine eyes, brimming with the promise of pain, stared up at me. ¡°Sorry,¡± I said with a rictus grin, stretching out the word. I nearly flinched at the expected rebuke, both physical and verbal. Stella, however, knowing she couldn¡¯t physically harm me, only glared. Finally, at long last she spoke, her words slow and deliberate. ¡°You don¡¯t get to comment again, ever, about how much of the luxurious barbeque sauce I eat. Never again.¡± Willing to capitulate to just about anything, I enthusiastically agreed with a firm shake of my head. ¡°Yes, yes, yes. Of course, whatever you say.¡± Tallos, who had been watching our amusing interplay, came to my rescue. ¡°Shall we get on it?¡± he asked. Stella held her head high as she answered, ¡°Yes, let¡¯s.¡± As we approached the vacated fortification, I allowed my blinking notifications to appear in front of me. Stella, for her part, didn¡¯t turn around. Nor did she move to sit on my shoulder. She effortlessly trotted in the air, between Tallos and me, as if I no longer existed. Experience Awarded: Vagabond Minotaurs x 25 (level 15-19) ¨C 8,150 experience Notice! Experience has been split among party members. Experience Awarded: ¡®Narek the Indominable¡¯, Gestalt Legionnaire Minotaur (Level 20 - Elite Boss) ¨C 6,000 experience Notice! Experience has been split among party members. Quest Update ¨C ¡°Vengeance of the Waylaid.¡± Objective One: Locate the unknown enemy encampment, ¡®Advanced Outpost, Reinforced Palisade,'' COMPLETED. Objective Two: Slay all monsters. Vagabond Minotaurs, 0 of 25 remaining. Defeat ¡®Narek the Indominable¡¯, 0 of 1 remaining. COMPLETED. Objective Three: Locate the missing supply shipment from Raines. Objective Four: Report back to Guard Captain, Baracus. Rewards: Experience, a level-appropriate spell or skill, and a possible clue as to the whereabouts of Hunter Duke. The experience gains brought me incredibly close to my next level. I was a few hundred points shy of reaching level twenty. Though, I had been hoping all of these monster kills would have pushed me over the edge. Sadly, it appeared I would need to wait until we turned in our quest back in Allerton. At my next level, I¡¯d be able to choose my next tier three Hunter class which I was very much looking forward to. I had to tamp down my anticipation, lest my impatience cause me to do something foolhardy. Although¡­ Perhaps I could have us look around for a few more monsters to slay, I wondered to myself. ¡°I see your eyes darting around, Xaz,¡± Stella said beside me. She had flown over to me to rest on my shoulder as we approached the unlocked gate, apparently forgiving me for my earlier impertinence. ¡°You have a look about you as if you want to do something reckless.¡± Remaining silent, I wasn¡¯t about to confirm her suspicion. ¡°I can tell from your shocked expression, that I¡¯m on the mark,¡± Stella continued with a knowing look, something in my face had obviously given me away. ¡°I know you took a peek at your experience, Mr. Hunter. Yes, you¡¯re close to level twenty and the impressive tier three upgrade but, if you learned anything from the last battle, you need to be more considerate about your actions.¡± Bunching my eyebrows, I looked at her, not quite sure where Stella was going with this. Our small party passed by the wood gates and it was almost as if we walked through an invisible threshold from lush emerald grasslands to a barren desert. Every stalk of grass had been trampled so completely, that the interior space reminded me of an outdoor horse stable. Caked mud piles, withered unfertile sludge, and russet clay topsoil gave a stark contrast to the rich savanna at our backs. The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. ¡°What are you talking about, Stell?¡± I asked, my eyes roaming around the confines of the stronghold. Dozens of sizable tents, each large enough to accommodate three to four men, were pressed against the interior wall. A large fire pit burned in the center of camp giving off enough firelight our party no longer needed to rely on our darkvision. ¡°I know I already said you could have backed off from the boss, there at the end of the fight,¡± Stella replied. ¡°There were other options available to you that could have potentially ended the fight.¡± I was about to ask what those options could be when Stella eyed my waist. Unsure of her meaning, I patted my hands on my sides as if looking for a lost set of keys. When I felt the unyielding handle of my flintlock pistol, I bowed my head in shame. ¡°Yeah, that,¡± Stella continued, her gaze locked on the firearm. ¡°It would have torn a large chunk of his health there at the end. Damn, you could have used your pistol two or three times throughout the entire fight. You also forgot about your new execute skill when Narek''s health redlined. Those two things would have left you in a far safer position that wouldn¡¯t have relied on sheer dumb luck to pull out a victory.¡± When she noticed my face flush, she softened her voice. ¡°I don¡¯t say this to make you feel bad, Xaz,¡± she said. ¡°I know you understand how important it is to learn from each encounter. We learn the most from our mistakes and, while you didn¡¯t technically fail here, you were balanced on a razor¡¯s edge.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± I replied as I clasped her shoulder. ¡°I¡¯ll do better, I will learn from this.¡± I knew her concern was rooted deeply with how scared she had been for my well-being. She was my friend, and I owed it to her to heed her words. This was not given with malice or ill intent. Stella wanted nothing but the best for me. I trusted her. Before she could fly away at the sudden movement, I pulled her close and pressed my lips lightly against the top of her head. Her hair was silky smooth and smelled of lavender. At first, Stella didn¡¯t know what I was doing so initially shrank away before settling. I think she appreciated the show of affection. ¡°Look there, to the right of the bonfire,¡± Tallos was pointing a hand to a high stack of crates and wooden boxes. ¡°Is that what you¡¯re looking for?¡± Sure, enough, the firelight had partially obstructed our view what our main objective. Stacked high were dozens of supply chests and trunks of all sizes. Underneath it all appeared to be a deteriorating wagon. One of its wheels was missing so the whole cart tilted at an odd angle, spilling contents around it. As we got closer, it looked as if the Minotaurs had been slowly pulling off large pieces of lumber before tossing them into the fire. Thankfully, not many of the strewn crates were opened and, for the most part, looked largely intact. Quest Update ¨C ¡°Vengeance of the Waylaid.¡± Objective Three: Locate the missing supply shipment from Raines, 13 of 15. ¡°Looks like we need to find two more crates,¡± I said after reading the notification. ¡°I¡¯m sure they''re around here somewhere.¡± Our party separated as we ransacked through the many giant-sized tents ringing the camp. As we searched, I finished reviewing my last set of notifications. Next, was a list of my skill and spell increases which, as it appeared in front of me, astounded me with how many rose in levels. Over the course of the day, and several intense battles, I was pretty sure I used nearly single one. Notice! Skill and Spell increase messages have been condensed. Skill: [Axes] has increased to level 16. Skill: [Stealth] has increased to level 13. Skill: [Throwing] has increased to level 13. Spell: [Lesser Soul Leech] has increased to level 12. Skill: [Dual Casting] has increased to level 10. Spell: [Lesser Arrested Affliction] has increased to level 10. Spell: [Minor Flamethrower] has increased to level 9. Skill: [Tracking] has increased to level 9. Spell: [Lesser Necrotic Aura (Pet)] has increased to level 8. Spell: [Lesser Poison Breath] has increased to level 7. Spell: [Lesser Ignite Bones] has increased to level 7. Spell: [Lesser Chained Lightning] has increased to level 6. Skill: [Firearms] has increased to level 5. Spell: [Lesser Undeath] has increased to level 4. What had me excited was my lightning spell would now fork an additional time, striking out at a fifth enemy if there was one close enough. While not a usual part of a necromancer¡¯s skillset, it was fast becoming a favorite. The last System notification was a surprise, to be sure, but a welcome one. Congratulations! New Skill Unlocked: Quick Cast. You have gained the ability to quickly cast spells. Mana cost will be 200% of the usual mana cost of the spell minus 1% per every ten points of Intelligence. Cast time is decreased by 50% plus 1% for every twenty points of Intelligence. Note ¨C Channeled spells or spells with an instant cast time, cannot benefit from quick cast. Quick cast was a welcome addition to my collection of skills. While the increase in mana cost could be prohibitive, I typically had a surplus of mana. In situations like those faced against the Minotaur¡¯s leader, using this new skill would allow me to layer my DOTs and spell on him that much quicker. This skill was more for situations of urgent and dire need, so I wasn¡¯t planning on using it regularly. Approaching a tall marble throne I found one of the last remaining supply crates. Who I assumed had been Narek, had been pounding back a dozen or so bottles of wine before shattering them against the side of his impressive seat. Several mugs of what may have contained ale was mixed in the shattered pile of glass. My question notification was updated to show only a single chest was remaining to be found. In a cloud of darkness, Ripley reappeared a few feet from me. Since my tier two transformation, any time she was outright destroyed would cause her to be automatically resummoned after fifteen minutes. She looked no worse for wear, with her great sword and shield slung across her back, a curved blade resting comfortably at her hip. ¡°Good to see you, Ripley,¡± my hand went to my skeletal friend''s shoulder. ¡°We¡¯re looking for the missing supplies, so if you could guard the main gate, I would appreciate it.¡± Ripley acknowledged me with a nod of her head before she trotted off. Glad for her return, I met up with Stella who was flagging me down. From the look of it, she was in a tent close to twice the size of any other. It was probably Narek¡¯s. Tallos jogged up, his quivers once more brimming with arrows. ¡°I found a stockpile of arrows among one of the broken crates, I don¡¯t think the capital will mind,¡± he said unconcerned. I doubted anyone would care. ¡°Other than that, I haven¡¯t found anything worthwhile. Nodding along, we approached Stella. ¡°I think I found the last one, though it¡¯s in a lockbox so I can¡¯t be sure,¡± she said as we came close. She was hovering over an iron chest the size of a shoe box. It looked well made, complete with thick rivets and reinforced hinges. A marred lock hung across its front. ¡°I think Narek was trying to pry it open but, even with his considerable strength, couldn¡¯t get within.¡± When I reached out a hand, my quest objective was completed confirming Stella¡¯s suspicion. Quest Update ¨C ¡°Vengeance of the Waylaid.¡± Objective Three: Locate the missing supply shipment from Raines, 15 of 15. COMPLETED. Objective Four: Report back to Guard Captain, Baracus. As I knelt low to inspect the strongbox, I caught a whiff of something horrible. Not desiring to figure out what it could be, I picked up the chest and moved it atop the marble throne. Before leaving, I glazed around the inside of Narek¡¯s tent, finding nothing but empty mugs, a few crushed kegs of what may have been mead, and a soiled bedroll. I had no intention of looting any of it. I could not pick a lock, nor had any of us found a key to my knowledge, so I turned to Tallos who was inspecting the side of the reinforced chest. ¡°I don¡¯t suppose you have any skill in picking locks,¡± I asked my tall friend. He moved his hands gently across the metal as if looking for something noteworthy. It reminded me of trying to detect a hidden trap. I had forgotten about that possibility so pulled my hands back as if I was touching a hot stovetop. ¡°No,¡± he replied easily, no sense of urgency in his voice. He looked up and met my eyes, nodding towards my hands which had flinched back. ¡°And, I doubt the chest is still trapped, if it ever was. You have nothing to worry about since it looks like the Minotaur chief did everything from slamming a heavy weapon against the lock to smashing it against a boulder in his attempt to open it. Any trap which might have been present would long ago have been sprung.¡± Well, that explained his casual and carefree attitude. The chest indeed looked battered, though nothing indicated it would split apart any time soon. It was solidly built. Though, my eyes lingered on the padlock when an idea struck. ¡°What if¡­¡± I mumbled. ¡°I get some acid in there?¡± My acidic bolt came to mind, though I wasn¡¯t entirely sure I could use the spell as my mind worked the problem. When Stella and Tallos looked at me curiously, I pressed forward with my idea. Tallos had an optimistic look, while Stella looked doubtful. ¡°Look, none of us can pick the lock, and who knows where the key is. It could be anywhere,¡± I said, motioning around us. ¡°It was probably dropped and smashed into oblivion in some random pile of mud, with how torn up everything is. For all we know, we¡¯ll never find it.¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean we need to try forcing it open,¡± Stella said. ¡°We could simply return it to Baracus as our quest objective indicates. I don¡¯t think we need to risk destroying the lock, or maybe even what¡¯s inside.¡± As my mind was working through her words, Stella continued. ¡°It¡¯s a well-made lockbox. My guess is the chest was probably for one of the deceased merchants. It¡¯s probably full of gold and silver. I doubt we¡¯d want to keep any of it, even if you managed to destroy just the lock. So, unless you want to take a hit on the quest from Baracus, I¡¯d recommend we get ready to head back.¡± ¡°I agree with Stella,¡± Tallos added, mirroring Stella. ¡°If this is part of the supplies you were tasked to return, it wouldn¡¯t be right to take possession of resources that didn¡¯t belong to us or weren¡¯t rightly earned from a slain enemy.¡± Nodding at their words, I didn¡¯t immediately respond. While I would love to know what was inside, my mind was picturing grape-sized emeralds, princess-cut diamonds, and dozens of other gems matching the color of a rainbow, we wouldn¡¯t be able to keep it. Mentally, I shook my greedy thoughts away. ¡°You¡¯re both right,¡± I finally said. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t feel right, and it¡¯s not who we are.¡± Sighing the rest of the feeling out of my chest, already feeling better with the decision, I looked to each of my companions. ¡°Let¡¯s get out of this pigsty. All ready to go?¡± With no dissenting opinion among us, we collected a steadfast Ripley at the gates and left the bleak enemy encampment without a single glance back. We¡¯d break to set our own camp, no doubt, but we all wordlessly agreed we¡¯d feel better doing so among the lush rolling fields that stretched across the calm night¡¯s horizon. Chapter 51 - Deep Conversation Before departing the former Minotaur outpost entirely, Tallos and I worked our way around the battlefield ensuring nothing of value was hiding upon the defeated Minotaur¡¯s bodies. We checked the remains of each but, like our earlier battles with the bipedal bull-headed beasts, only their weapons had any value, and it was marginal at best. Given the poor construction and horrible balance of the weaponry, in order to have any chance of selling them, I¡¯d likely have to have the lot re-smelted and sold off as raw material. So, in the end, it was not worth the effort to retrieve them. Before leaving the corpse-littered field nearby, Tallos called out my name, asking me to hold a moment. Following the elf¡¯s gaze, my eyes found a dozen or so bulbous lumps poking above the tall grass. ¡°We shouldn¡¯t leave the bodies to rot and fester,¡± Tallos said when he had my attention. ¡°In my travels, before meeting Captain Larsa, I used to be party to a small battalion of elves. We would roam far and wide, always on the hunt to take down monstrous foes. For me in particular, I sought to spill the blood of giant and giant-like kin. Very rarely, we would stumble upon a significantly large force as we did hear. After we secured the battlefield, our commander, a wise elf by the name of Stelion, instructed us to burn the horde of bodies.¡± ¡°Was it an elf custom?¡± I inquired. ¡°Not so much as simply a wise precaution,¡± Tallos responded as he paced the area, deep in thought. ¡°Our leader explained not taking care of so many dead could have severe unintended consequences. Such as inviting powerful, and possibly, undead monsters. Having such a concentration of death energy can severally impact the local area.¡± Nodding along, we agreed to arrange for the dead to hold an open-air cremation. It all reminded me of an ancient funeral pyre. While it was true our enemies in life were dangerous, in death everyone deserved to have their remains treated with dignity. The choice was not a difficult one. Beyond the respect shown to a defeated foe, I didn¡¯t want to be responsible for further loss of life, innocent life, if the bodies remained undisturbed. Namely, the loss of life would be the countless individuals who used the nearby trade route between Allerton and Raines. What I had initially suspected would take several long hours of grueling physical labor, considering how much larger the bodies of the dead were compared to our elven stature, actually only took a quarter of the time. Stella helpfully reminded me I could use my bag of holding to quickly and easily place the bodies into my inventory. It was almost effortless to arrange the dozen or so bodies atop one another. Seeing a look in Tallos¡¯ eyes, as if he was reliving old memories, I moved the bodies as carefully and respectfully as I could. In short order, a blazing pyre was soaring high into the midnight sky with thousands of burning embers dancing toward the millions of twinkling stars above. ¡°Thank you for asking us to honor the dead,¡± I said, turning to my elven friend. ¡°It was the right thing to do.¡± ¡°Indeed, it was,¡± Tallos replied. ¡°Now, let¡¯s depart in earnest to set up camp. I¡¯d recommend at least a thousand, perhaps two, yards to the south.¡± Wordlessly agreeing, our small group of friends left without a look back. We moved at an unhurried pace, finding a wide, flat hilltop sometime later. In the far distance from where we had come, the pyre diminished and now appeared as only a flickering candle flame. It was quick work to set up a pair of tents and Ripley was more than happy to stand guard over what remained of the evening. As I was preparing to slip inside my bedroll, Tallos let me know he intended to supplement Ripley¡¯s overwatch with a scouting patrol of the surrounding area. With his full elven heritage, Tallos shared he required very little sleep, perhaps four hours every other day. So, he was more than happy to wander about in stealth to help keep an eye out for any potential enemies. It was no wonder he made such an excellent sentry up in a crow¡¯s nest of the Moon Siren. The rest of the evening went smoothly and without incident. While I had slept, Lowki left my side to accompany Tallos as he quietly stalked from hilltop to hilltop. The pair kept a watchful eye and, thankfully, found no hint of wandering monsters. As I was preparing our morning meal, a smile came to my face as I compared my two companions to an onyx panther and an elven ranger stalking the darkness for foes. When Stella asked me about it, I shared a rousing tale of a noble dark elf ranger and his powerful summoned feline companion and how they battled against the forces of evil. I probably didn¡¯t do the story justice, though Stella enjoyed it all the same. As my eyes appraised Tallos, who was hunkered nearby atop a small hillock fifty yards I turned a questioning look to my canine companion. ¡°Say, Stella, do you think there is any way you can do to Tallos what you initially did to me?¡± ¡°What do you mean,¡± Stella replied with a thoughtful look. ¡°As in, see if I can make him a Hunter?¡± Her tone hinted she found it unlikely she could accomplish the feat. ¡°Yeah, do you think it can be done?¡± The idea had come to me in the night. I had dreamt of an Accelerator hovering over Tallos¡¯ shoulder as we traveled across worlds, defeating powerful demons. When I woke, I recalled he was much like I had been those many days ago. Stolen away from a life he can¡¯t remember to play a role in the Games as some ultra-realistic non-player character. If I could change or alter his fate, it was worth at least the consideration. I pulled out one of the uncommon Accelerators from my inventory, one previously owned by Adom the Savage. The metallic orb lay in my palm, entirely inert and without a whisper of the power it could bring into the world. ¡°With one of these,¡± I said as I held Stella¡¯s gaze. Leaning close, I continued, hope brimming over in my tone. ¡°With your help, could it work?¡± Stella¡¯s features softened as she considered her response. She closed the distance between us, her eyebrows drawing close together. ¡°I don¡¯t think it can be done, Xaz. I know what it would mean to you, freeing someone so like yourself. What happened between me and you, that¡¯s never happened before to my knowledge.¡± Her eyes went distant, no doubt viewing information available to only her. ¡°While this is a power I have, or at least had when we first met, it¡¯s not something I can replicate,¡± Stella continued with a shake of her small head. ¡°Do you see anything, anything hidden within the System that could¡­¡± I trailed off, a tightness in my throat blocking my next words. While the transition to a Hunter had been jolting like nothing I had ever experienced, I would do it again in a heartbeat given the choice. The person I had always been had been buried away, seemingly never to escape the darkness in my mind placed by the System. Now, I was thankful beyond words to have my memories returned to me. If I could offer the choice to Tallos, I would. Stella continued to work on the problem, her paws moving across several screens I could not see. ¡°Sorry,¡± she finally said. ¡°All I can see is that, maybe, one day it could open up for me. And it¡¯s a strong ¡®if,¡¯ likely only if you reach a staggeringly high enough level. Remember, my System access grows as you do. I wish I could offer more but there is no guarantee it will ever be a possibility.¡± Tallos was fast approaching, likely getting a hint of the cooked sausage on the ever-present breeze around us. ¡°Thanks, Stell. I¡¯ll need to be happy with that for now.¡± ¡°The two of you seem to be in a deep conversation,¡± Tallos said merrily, Lowki close on his heels. The two were bonding more and more by the minute. ¡°Care to share?¡± ¡°Perhaps one day,¡± I replied with the hint of a small smile reappearing on my face. ¡°Fair enough,¡± Tallos replied as he took my offered plate of steaming sausages and hot cakes. We shared our meal in silence, though Stella noisily dipped each hearty link into a tiny tray full of her favorite barbeque sauce. She made adorable smacking noises with her lips as she enjoyed her meal bringing a friendly smirk to Tallos and my faces. Soon after, our tents returned to my bag of holding and my song of travel increased our movement speed by a third, we crossed over the rolling fields in search of our roaming horses. Tall stalks of emerald blades parted around us as she traversed the tranquil prairie. Shortly after, we found our charges. The pair of horses happily grazing on the tall grass without a concern in the world. The two noticed our approach, with the gelding even turning our way in recognition. Grabbing the horse¡¯s halter, Tallos quickly moved aside to corral the mare. ¡°You guys look no worse for wear,¡± I said after whispering soothing noises to the pair of nags. ¡°Happy to see us?¡± The horses make no indication, one way or the other, of course. ¡°So, we have only the pair,¡± Stella said as I pulled out the two saddles stored in my inventory. Handing one to Tallos, I worked to saddle up my bay stallion who seemed eager to be moving. ¡°While Ripley was riding the mare before, she can probably keep up with us as long as we don¡¯t move too quickly. She¡¯s quite tireless after all.¡± ¡°Tallos,¡± I said, motioning to the chestnut horse he was saddling. ¡°Are you comfortable riding her?¡± Tallos was in the process of making cooing sounds as he worked. His hands worked as if in a familiarity of horsemanship. He pulled an apple from a belt pouch, taking a bite himself before offering it to the light-brown filly. ¡°That would be most welcome,¡± he said with a smile as his new friend took a big bite of apple. ¡°Would you be alright with it, girl?¡± he asked as the horse munched on the snack, juices dripping from her lips. He turned a bright face to me, nodding the horse¡¯s unspoken affirmation. This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it We were approaching mid-day, a small group of clouds coming our way from the west. Not a storm cloud was on the horizon. We would have a clear and wonderful afternoon travel back to the capital city. Mounting up, we turned our mounts towards the expansive forest far afield. True to Stella¡¯s prediction, Ripley lopped along at a light jog, her long strides allowing her to keep up with us. Among the long shadows under the forest canopy, Tallos and I spoke more about his experience with giant-kind. He was happy to share tales of old friends, spirited battles, and comrades lost. I quickly learned that Tallos¡¯ disdain for the giants of all kinds stemmed from his childhood. ¡°My family had been slain by a roving band of giants while I was still very young,¡± he explained, though with none of the expected sorrowfulness I would have expected from the telling of such a tale. ¡°I was taken in with the man who would become my mentor. He taught me the art of archery, how to stalk giant-kind, and how to live off the land.¡± I spent most of my youth and early adulthood hunting down the types of fiends who had taken my mother and father.¡± ¡°That explains why you¡¯re so skilled at it,¡± I replied casually. The air in the woodlands was a step or two more humid as we continued under the towering trees, seeming to me like we were traveling within a rainforest. It wasn¡¯t as overbearing as the previous day, though I still broke out in a light sweat from the humidity. ¡°Let¡¯s take a small break. Our horses are building up a lot of sweat. We don¡¯t want to overdo it.¡± Lunch quickly turned into early evening when we finally broke the tree line at the edge of the expansive boreal forest. Allerton hailed far out in the distance, its thick alabaster walls standing proudly on the edge of our horizon. ¡°What are your plans, Tallos, when we enter the city,¡± I asked my friend, we had paused to take in the scene of the tiered capital city and the floating obelisks visible even at this distance. ¡°Will you be returning to the Moon Siren, or would you seek to remain with us?¡± ¡°For now,¡± Tallos replied with an unforced laugh. ¡°I intend to continue with you until my life debt is repaid.¡± We met eyes at his words. ¡°You owe me nothing, plus I doubt I would have survived back there.¡± Tallos didn¡¯t respond other than to tilt his head with an easy smile. The matter settled; I didn¡¯t press him further. In my mind, Tallos was free to leave. He owed me nothing. Though, if I was honest with myself, I enjoyed his companionship and would be happy if he remained at our side. Additional words were not shared as we quickened our pace to the city walls. As we approached, a pair of guardsmen greeted us at the raised portcullis. At least one knew us from the prior day, so showed no concern as we trotted up. ¡°Hello again,¡± I said as I dismounted, Tallos following my lead. I offered the reins to the soldier. ¡°I¡¯d like to return these two fine mounts. They served us well, my many thanks. Can you please help me find Guard Captain, Baracus? We bring word of the merchant caravan which had gone missing.¡± ¡°Of course, Hunter Xaz. Captain Baracus left word as he believed you would be returning this day, perhaps tomorrow at the latest,¡± the friendly man said. He struck me as a man who thoroughly enjoyed his job and appreciated the honor he brought to the city with his principled efforts. He called over a squire, instructing the young man to see to our horses. I gave the friendly mounts a pat on the neck as they were led away before calling out to the squire. Flipping the young man a silver coin, I asked he ensure our parting friends were well cared for, as well as an ample supply of juicy apples. He graciously confirmed it would be done as I instructed, pocketing the silver. My tip was more coin than the squire likely earned in a month. ¡°The captain is within the city barracks,¡± the leading guardsman continued an appreciative grin on his face. ¡°He certainly will. Would you like for us to accompany you to the barracks?¡± ¡°No, but I thank you for the offer,¡± I replied with a hand to my chest. ¡°Good day to you then, sir.¡± He lifted his halberd once, giving a single thump of his butt to the ground. ¡°We¡¯re glad you have returned safely.¡± ¡°What is your name, my goodman?¡± I asked. ¡°Guard Darius, sir.¡± The man replied. ¡°Good day to you as well, Guard Darius. It¡¯s clear you take your duties and bring honor to your station.¡± My compliment caught the man off-guard, bringing a prideful smile to his face. ¡°Thank you, sir,¡± Darius replied brightly. The usual hustle and bustle of the city around us brought comfort to my shoulders. I hadn¡¯t been consciously aware of it but I had been holding tension worrying Duke may have returned while we were away. Nothing in the friendly movements and going about of the hundreds of citizens hinted such a travesty happened in our absence. A cool breeze followed us as we ascended the several levels of the hilltop capital. Life had returned to normal, it would seem, so I hoped Duke would never return. Perhaps, when we turned in our quest, Baracus would have some word or clue to our next step. We found our way to the main barracks in short order. The place was bustling with activity, armored men coming and going from all directions. Nearing the main entrance of the building, a door guard recognized me, flagging us over. ¡°Hunter Xaz, are you here to see the captain?¡± Nodding at his question, we were led inside and found our way up the familiar flights of stairs to the command room from where we had last seen the guard captain. After a swift rap on the door, we were led inside. Most of the windows were hung open, allowing the din of soldiers moving far below to reach our ears. A gentle breeze flowed into the room which slightly rustled several nearby sheets of parchment. The oaken table still dominated the space, immediately drawing eyes to its lavishly stained wood. Baracus was leaning against a corner of a desk. He wasn¡¯t wearing his plate mail as he had been during Duke¡¯s incursion. Now, he wore what I took to be the uniform of his station, and it made him look quite regal. It reminded me of military livery. A black jacket complete with a silky dress shirt, and navy blue pants with a golden stripe running from hip to just above his polished boots completed his ensemble. The guard captain held an book in front of him. Turning his gaze as we entered, a friendly smile creased his fine features. ¡°Hunter, Xazorus,¡± he said as he placed the book down atop his mahogany desk. ¡°It is good to see you. I hope you bring good news regarding the missing caravans.¡± He came around his desk with an arm extended which I eagerly took, locking wrists with the proud man. ¡°We do, indeed, bear news though not all of it good,¡± I replied conflicted, pressing my lips together in a slight grimace. The thump of marching boots filtered up into our room from the streets below. ¡°We were successful, though I regret to inform you we found no survivor from either the merchant convoy or their guards. All the men were lost at the hands of an entrenched band of Minotaurs.¡± A pained expression fell like a shadow across the captain¡¯s face before he pinched the bridge of his nose. ¡°As I had feared, though I had expected as much.¡± Before he continued, Baracus straightened himself and took a cleansing breath. ¡°Were you able to bring justice to those responsible for committing such atrocities?¡± ¡°Yes, my friend,¡± I replied with a nod of my head as I attempted to steer the conversation beyond the bitter pill that was the loss of an unknown number of men. We had found no remains in the end. ¡°The vagabond Minotaurs and their leader, Narek the Indominable, have been defeated. Their advance outpost, a reinforced palisade made of colossal timbers, lies a day¡¯s journey west of Allerton. The camp is beyond a mighty forest, whose name I am not familiar with, and then into the open plains of evergreen grassland beyond it.¡± ¡°I believe I know of where you speak,¡± Baracus replied. ¡°And did you discover the hijacked supplies from the city of Raines?¡± ¡°We did,¡± I answered. ¡°We found all the supplies which had been stolen. It lies within the now abandoned fortification. You need only send out men to recover it. Sadly, none of the wagons stolen were land worthy for us to bring back. However, we did find this chest which we believe belonged to the lead merchant lord.¡± ¡°Thank you for returning at least this,¡± the man said as I placed the reinforced chest atop his sturdy banquet-sized table. ¡°Merchants within the city had reported it would have been among the goods stolen away. It will be returned to its rightful owner.¡± At Baracus¡¯ words, the quest was updated and completed in my vision. With a quick thought, I moved the message to the side as the captain continued speaking. ¡°I would much like to hear everything of your tale. It must have been quite harrowing considering the foe you faced and your relatively small band. Had I known it was Minotaurs, I would have sent a contingent of guards with you. So, please tell me, how many of the vile creatures did you put down? I will see you justly rewarded for your efforts.¡± Over the next half hour, with Stella and Tallos jumping in a few times to ensure I didn¡¯t miss any important detail, we shared how we had defeated twenty-five of the impressive beasts. We shared how at least five Minotaur had shown considerable intelligence compared to the simple monsters they commanded, as well as of the fuming monstrosity leading the band named Narek. With each word, I imagined Baracus¡¯ eyes widen further but he remained professional and only interrupted a few times to ask clarifying questions. ¡°It is quite the tale, Xazorus,¡± the captain said when we finished. We had moved to a nearby set of chairs surrounding a similarly stained oak table, though only a quarter of the size of the one that monopolized the room. ¡°I am surprised even more you were able to emerge victorious. Such a feat would have taken perhaps three or four scores of my finest soldiers and, certainly, without a significant amount of casualties. Your prowess as a Hunter is growing, and the legend of what you did will no doubt ring around the city in only a day. Thank you, truly, for uprooting a horde of monsters who would have taken days or weeks to displace.¡± Well-earned respect and mirth radiated out from the man. It had been a vibrant retelling of our story these past days. ¡°I would not have been able to do it without Tallos, here,¡± I said and gestured to the proud ranger at my side. ¡°He was instrumental in the success of the mission.¡± Baracus nodded to us as a previously stored notification popped up in my field of vision. Sure enough, we had completed the quest, and the System was calculating the rewards. This was likely why it had maximized itself once more. Congratulations! You have successfully completed the quest ¡®Vengeance of the Waylaid.¡¯ Objective One: Locate the unknown enemy encampment, ¡®Advanced Outpost, Reinforced Palisade,'' COMPLETED. Objective Two: Slay all monsters. Vagabond Minotaurs, 0 of 25 remaining. Defeat ¡®Narek the Indominable,¡¯ 0 of 1 remaining. COMPLETED. Objective Three: Locate the missing supply shipment from Raines, 15 of 15. COMPLETED. Objective Four: Report back to Guard Captain, Baracus. COMPLETED. Rewards: Experience, a level-appropriate spell or skill, and a possible clue as to the whereabouts of Hunter Duke. Calculating rewards¡­ Please stand by. Chapter 52 - Quest Reward Baracus held a hand towards Tallos, the two grabbing each other''s wrist, as my eyes continued to scan the System notification. ¡°Hail, ranger Tallos. Though we have not met, I have heard tales of your bravery from Captain Larsa of the Moon Siren,¡± Baracus said with a hint of admiration. ¡°I am pleased to meet you. Thank you for assisting Hunter Xazorus in defeating the Minotaur threat.¡± ¡°Thank you, Captain,¡± Tallos replied with a grateful tilt of his head. ¡°I have a particular proclivity when it comes to raining arrows upon any giant-kind, Minotaurs being no exception.¡± ¡°The city is glad for it,¡± the proud warrior said with an appreciative grin. ¡°Now, before I present Xazorus with his due reward, would you both bear with me one moment? I would like to check on something first.¡± At his words, Baracus opened the closed doors before calling to a nearby runner. The two spoke quietly, only snippets of the conversation reaching my ears. I caught something about inquiring with the merchant guild. The messenger thumped a foot against the hardwood floor before saluting his captain. As the soldier disappeared down the stairs, Baracus moved to his desk instead of rejoining joining us at the city miniature. My eyes lingered on the open doorway for several moments as the motion of guards walking down the hallway caught my attention. Baracus reached low, the sound of a drawer sliding open echoing through the room. The veteran placed one, then two tomes, atop his mahogany desk. Both were the size of a typical spell book. Picking up the pair, Baracus returned to us before setting the unusual books in between us. The captain motioned for me to inspect them, apparently, the rewards he spoke of earlier. One of the books was made of dark leather that seemed to pull in particles of darkness an inch from its smoky surface. The effect was fascinating to witness as if the book was pulling in tiny motes of shadow from the air. The other tome was made of an unusual teal leather which reminded me of snakeskin. As my eyes examined what was undoubtedly a spell book, arcane words across its binding flashed momentarily golden as if some mystical fluid was filling the space within the unrecognizable letters. ¡°I was confident in your return and successful completion of the task I set before you. Though now, considering the tale you have shared with me, I feel it inadequate,¡± Baracus said as we inspected two tomes. ¡°While at this time I can only offer you one of these,¡± he said as he flicked his gaze back to the open doorway as if expecting someone to turn up at any moment. ¡°I have taken steps to amend the rewards in light of the merchant lockbox you returned. ¡± ¡°For the moment though, you may choose one of these spell tomes,¡± the guard captain continued. ¡°After meeting with you the other day, I spoke with Captain Larsa to inquire about your capabilities and your method of combat. With that knowledge, I confided with one of the city''s archmagi, who in turn recommended the spell books laid out before you. It is my understanding both are quite valuable, so I am hopeful at least one will fit your needs. Please know our city will look favorably upon you and your party from this day forward.¡± Congratulations! You have earned 10,000 experience points. You are able to choose one (1) of the spell books offered by Guard Captain, Baracus. Option 1: Spell Book of Lesser Wyvern Sting Option 2: Spell Book of Lesser Invoke Terror Congratulations! Your reputation with the capital city of Allerton has greatly increased. Its citizens and guards will look upon you favorably from this moment onward. Congratulations! Your actions within the capital city of Allerton have reached an important threshold. You are now considered an ¡®Honored Citizen of Allerton¡¯ with any nearby settlement affiliated with the capital. Continue to act in a manner that benefits its citizens and surrounding lands to open new possibilities, quests, and additional rewards. As the rewards rolled in from the quest completion, my experience bar filled completely before flashing a vibrant amber. A notification icon appeared in my vision, blinking to catch my attention, though I left it unopened as I wanted to finish my conversation with Baracus first. I would cross into level twenty when we were done. With the message unread, the usual surge and swell of energy denoting a level increase had not yet overcome me. First glancing at Stella, I ran a finger across the snakeskin tome. The leather had a tackiness to it as if it would stick against the nearby wall if I only pressed the book up against it. You have found: {Tome of Lesser Wyvern Sting}. {Tome of Lesser Wyvern Sting}. Quality: Well Crafted. Rarity: Uncommon. Type: Spell Book - Consumable. Durability: 100/100. Properties(s): Teaches the spell [Lesser Wyvern Sting]. Note ¨C This is a single-use item and will be destroyed when used. The title of the spell was familiar, though I couldn''t place where I had last seen it. As I read the System message, the spell''s name was highlighted in my vision indicating more information could be gleamed. Concentrating on those words, I willed for additional details to appear. Spell ¡®Lesser Wyvern Sting¡¯ ¨C At your command, a magically created wyvern stinger shoots forth to impact a nearby enemy. The target is afflicted by a deadly poison that causes serious damage over time, though at the cost of the toxin quickly neutralizing. I shot a questioning look Stella¡¯s way. She immediately caught the meaning behind my look. ¡°Yup, it¡¯s the same spell offered back when you reached level sixteen.¡± Nodding my thanks, I moved my attention to the other tome. Swirls of a shadowy substance appeared randomly across its surface. Motes of blackness, like an inky cloud, sunk downwards as if being pulled into an invisible drain. Lifting the obsidian book, it was neither hard nor solid to the touch. Instead, it felt like pressing a fingertip against a partially inflated basketball. As I applied pressure, testing the unusual effect, the innate resistance of the enchanted material increased to match however hard I pressed. ¡°What is this made of?¡± I asked in awe as I handled the book. Turning it over, I was amazed at the simple sensation of holding it, as if I wasn''t holding a book. Instead, it was like holding a pliable cloud-shaped book. Holding the book close to my eyes to continued, ¡°It¡¯s like I¡¯m not actually holding it, as if this shadowy stuff keeps my fingers just off its surface. It¡¯s an unusual sensation, to say the least.¡± ¡°Sorry, no idea,¡± Stella said even as she swiped her paws in the air. ¡°Nothing beyond what you can already inspect is listed in the data.¡± You have found: {Tome of Lesser Invoke Terror}. {Tome of Lesser Invoke Terror}. Quality: Well Crafted. Rarity: Uncommon. Type: Spell Book - Consumable. Durability: 100/100. Properties(s): Teaches the spell [Lesser Invoke Terror]. Note ¨C This is a single-use item and will be destroyed when used. Spell ¡®Lesser Invoke Terror ¨C A psychic bolt of energy lances from your hand and strikes a nearby enemy dealing a small amount of direct damage. The target¡¯s mind is filled with overwhelming panic and fear causing it to flee from you. Additionally, while affected by this spell, the target¡¯s mind becomes confused and muddled resulting in a decreased movement speed of 33%, as well as an uncoordinated retreat. Note ¨C Any damage inflicted to the target while under the effects of this spell has a chance of ending this spell early (physical damage equals moderate chance, magical damage equals low chance). Note ¨C This spell does not affect constructs, undead, or other creatures immune to fear. ¡°Hmm, having more damage over time spells would be welcomed,¡± I said as placed the book back next to its brother as we considered our two options. ¡°If I remember right, you previously said that this wyvern sting would damage an enemy far more than our usual DoTs, right? Though at the cost of ending far faster than the usual thirty seconds to one-minute duration of our other spells.¡± Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. ¡°Exactly right,¡± Stella answered as she floated close to the invoke terror tome. She was closely inspecting the book, trying to touch its surface like I had been. ¡°Though we can¡¯t know exactly how hard it hits, it¡¯s going to be impressive.¡± She turned away from the mysterious book, glancing at an invisible screen. After a few seconds, she continued her train of thought. ¡°It only lasts three ticks. So, after the initial damage, it lasts another 18 seconds before dissipating.¡± ¡°That¡¯s close to half the duration of my other DoTs,¡± I said as held a finger to my lips. ¡°Meaning it would be best to cast it as the final DoT in a spell rotation or, perhaps more usefully, I could use it to kill weaker mobs with just the single spell.¡± ¡°Why would you cast it last,¡± Tallos inquired beside me. When I was on board the Moon Siren, we had talked to great lengths about my spells as Tallos had shown great interest in them. Though, I couldn''t recall if I ever talked about the finer reasoning behind my DoT casting order. ¡°With my damage over time spells, against powerful enemies, it is a good tactic to start with whichever spell has the longest duration. From there, you cast your remaining spells in descending order, from the longest durations to the lowest," I replied. "Meaning there is no loss of efficiency with the mana spent to apply those spells" Stella added but Tallos still had a look like he wasn''t fully understanding so she pressed on. "It wouldn¡¯t make sense to spend a thousand mana points on your spells, only for them to stop halfway through. Whatever was lost would be mana wasted." "Hmm," I said as I contemplated another way of explaining it. "Think of it like this. Imagine you have six arrows but they all move through the air at different speeds. If you wanted all the arrows to land at the same time, against a distant enemy, you would first fire the arrow that moved the slowest." "And then to the next slowest arrow, so on and so forth," Tallos said, finally understanding the analogy. "You''re ensuring your spells are causing their maximum damage. Thanks, that makes sense now." ¡°So, what about the other spell,¡± Tallos inquired as he pointed to the teal book. ¡°Invoke terror,¡± I read aloud. ¡°Quite simply, it causes a monster to turn and run away. Though, I¡¯m glad it comes with a snare effect. It wouldn¡¯t work well if a monster simply bee-lined away from us. Thankfully, as it is, I¡¯d be able to get a few DoTs on the target without too much risk of the fear effect breaking.¡± ¡°Right,¡± Stella said. ¡°It synergizes well with your specialization as DoTs have the least chance of breaking that fear effect. Though, from what I am seeing in the metadata, you may only be able to reliably cast two, or at most three, spells before running the risk of the fear breaking.¡± Baracus was waiting patiently nearby, every so often peering back to the open doorway. I guessed he was familiar with other Hunters discussing similar topics, so he was not prone to interrupt us. I was surprised then when he asked an enlightened question. ¡°Would the invoke terror spell be usable on multiple enemies? If not, it would be less useful.¡± As my impression of the man rose, I considered his question. Baracus was right, being only able to fear a single monster would severely limit the spell¡¯s worth to me. ¡°Checking,¡± Stella said as her paw moved side to side in the air. ¡°yes, it can be used on multiple targets. Nothing bars it from being cast on a different monster. Great question, Captain.¡± ¡°I have had the fortune of spending a great deal of time with our current archmagus. I picked up a thing or two about the theory of spell casting. Such knowledge can be useful when fighting hostile wizards,¡± Baracus said as he waved away the compliment. ¡°Speaking of wizards, I meant to tell you earlier, that we will be better prepared should Duke return. I have enlisted the aid of several powerful spell casters to swiftly and decisively respond in the event of that possibility.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good to hear, my friend,¡± I said. ¡°I have been worried Duke may come back in search of me. I¡¯ glad to hear you¡¯ve taken steps to prevent him from bringing harm to anyone else in the city.¡± I turned to Stella, ¡°So, which are you leaning toward?¡± Personally, I was leaning toward the lesser invoke terror to expand our battle tactics and crowd control capability but I was curious for her thoughts. ¡°Her opinion may not be necessary,¡± Baracus interrupted as the messenger from earlier came up the steps and stood waiting at the doorway, a folded parchment in hand, Baracus met the man across and opened the letter. After reading it, the two spoke in a low tone. As the courier departed, Baracus turned back to us with an energetic look about him. ¡°Good news,¡± he said with a wide smile, taping the letter in the air. ¡°Because of the return of their lockbox, the merchant guild has agreed to cover the cost for the other spell tome. They are essentially purchasing the spell on your behalf from the archmagus. So, my friends, you need not choose one spell, you have earned both.¡± ¡°Thank you, Captain,¡± I said with a genuine smile. ¡°I appreciate the consideration and inquiry with the merchant guild on our behalf. Both spells will be a welcomed addition to my repertoire.¡± ¡°You are very welcome,¡± Baracus replied earnestly. ¡°I know your need is pressing, ever forward in your pursuit of the criminal Duke. So, I have one more thing to offer you before you leave." He reached across his desk to a stack of documents, picking up the top one. It reminded me of a manila folder from Earth, though what Baracus handed to me was made of thin leather instead of stiff cardstock. Opening the folder, it contained a semi-detailed map of the area surrounding Allerton. mostly extended far to the east. North of the city, some dozen miles or so, was the Ceres Sea which extended beyond the top edge of the map. My eyes followed the river we had traversed with the Moon Siren, as it ran north to connect with the expansive sea. Baracus came to stand beside me, his finger indicating what looked like a city far to the east. It did not have a name listed. ¡°Duke has been to the capital multiple times over the years, though I never had the displeasure of meeting with him personally. From what I gathered, while you were handling the Minotaur threat, I have learned Duke mostly hails from this settlement. Though neither I nor any of my contacts know its name. It is there I suggest you continue your search. Sadly, the settlement is at least several hundred miles away as the crow flies. Either way, I hope this small bit of information helps aid you in your quest.¡± A knock on the door caught everyone¡¯s attention. An individual wearing the attire of a businessman stood holding a stack of loose parchment tucked under an arm. Baracus nodded at the man, before returning his attention to us. ¡°Thank you again,¡± he said. ¡°If you¡¯ll excuse me, I will be ordering a contingent of city guards to make haste to the former Minotaur encampment. We¡¯ll see to the safe return of the supplies to the city. Please feel free to see me whenever fortune favors you a return to Allerton. Farewell, my friends. ¡± Bidding Baracus well, Stella, Tallos, Ripley, Lowki, and I left the barracks. We moved across the cobblestone street towards a bench to discuss our next step. The bustle of patrolling soldiers surrounded us, though none paid us much attention. ¡°So, it would seem we know our next course, far to the east,¡± Stella said as Tallos and I sat down. A few citizens waved our way when we caught each other''s gaze. Most though were having indistinct and hushed conversations as they moved from one part of the city to another. Ripley stood closest to the road, her eyes roaming for any potential danger, although I hardly expected any. We were right across from the main guard barracks, after all, but she was ever vigilant. Lowki had plopped himself down right at my feet, causing me to swing my feet over him to avoid being crushed by his not-inconsiderable weight. ¡°It is not shown on the map but do you see, here?" Tallos asked as he pointed to a green section on the map about halfway between Allerton and Duke''s settlement. ¡°Within this forest is an elven province. I would recommend we travel through these woods. My people may be able to provide guidance or clues to aid us in our hunt. It¡¯s at least a good tenday''s hike from where we are now though.¡± ¡°Seems as good of a plan as any,¡± I said as peered over at Stella, who nodded her agreement. ¡°Okay, we¡¯ll need to travel north to this bridge, here. It is the closest way to get across to the east.¡± Tallos looked from the map and then up to me, ¡°I am not averse to travel by foot, though do we want to consider purchasing horses to help magnify how much we can travel each day? Our last pair of horses did make our journey back from the Minotaur camp an easy one.¡± ¡°I had considered that. Unfortunately, we¡¯re running low on coins. Silver coins we have a decent supply of, sure, but we¡¯re running low on gold,¡± I replied. ¡°We spent most of our wealth outfitting ourselves before departing for the Minotaurs. We can certainly inquire with one of the stable owners but I¡¯m not feeling confident we have enough for a pair.¡± ¡°On foot, it is then,¡± Stella said as she hovered gracefully nearby. When Tallos and I looked her way with raised eyebrows, she gave a proud harrumph, ¡°We¡¯ll not me, of course. I¡¯m too unique to do anything but fly wherever I¡¯m heading.¡± ¡°You¡¯re something alright,¡± I said under my breath. Tallos snorted a laugh. ¡°Before we go,¡± Stella added with mock indifference. ¡°Might I suggest we restock our supply of barbeque sauce? It won''t take long, I''m sure.¡± ¡°Sorry, Stell,¡± I replied sarcastically. Her fa?ade wasn''t fooling anyone. ¡°I don¡¯t think we can afford to get any more of Marv''s marvelous sauce.¡± Stella¡¯s eyes went wide and her demeanor bordered on outrage for an instant. When she caught my mocking tone though, her eyebrows narrowed to a needle point. ¡°Uh-huh." I purposefully ignored Stella and turned back to Tallos. ¡°Do you need anything from the city before we head out? There is still enough daylight yet,¡± I said before slowly turning my gaze to Stella. ¡°I think we can spare a few minutes to swing past the merchant¡¯s quarter for a resupply.¡± ¡°No, I am ready to depart at any time,¡± Tallos responded before a sly smile crossed his face. ¡°Though, I would be happy to indulge myself in some of that wonderful sauce, if I may?¡± I could see the internal calculations running through Stella¡¯s mind. She was calculating how much extra barbeque sauce we would need to purchase if we had three people enjoying the wonderful stuff. ¡°Oh, yeah. Xaz, let¡¯s get a move on. I would hate for us to arrive and find the shop closed for the evening.¡± Tallos and I shared a look. He hadn¡¯t meant what he said about the sauce, I could easily tell. He only said as much as a jab towards Stella. ¡°Come on, come on,¡± Stella called out before sprinting through the air away from us. I could only smile broadly at her back in response. Chapter 53 - Tier 3 Hunter Class Selection To Stella¡¯s great relief, we arrived well before her favorite store closed for the night. We walked into Marv¡¯s shop to an excited shout of ¡°Stella!¡± as if the store owner had known the floating poodle his entire life, the two finally finding one another many after years. Stella¡¯s excitement was no less enthusiastic than the portly fellow¡¯s, which brought quiet snickers from her other companions. When Stella commented ¡°sparing no expense¡± when it came to purchasing more of the man¡¯s ¡°special sauce¡± I felt the intense need to step forward and intervene. Several silver coins later, our supply of the wonder sauce had grown to extraordinary levels. It was all worth it, considering the happiness beaming from Stella. She knew quite well that we literally had enough of her favorite condiment stored away in my bag of holding to cover even her voracious appetite for at least several months. Marv didn¡¯t question our bulk purchase this time around, more than content to earn that many more coins. ¡°Money well spent,¡± Stella said offhandedly as we left the shop, her words slightly garbled as she chewed on a spicy sausage. ¡°You know, it¡¯s an investment for our future.¡± As Stella continued her meal, licking juices from her paws, I moved our small band of adventurers to the edge of the quarter. Ignoring a sudden need to poke fun at my canine friend, I focused on preparing for my upcoming level and tier three class selection. While plenty of people still massed around this section of the city, it was thinning as nightfall approached. The normally boisterous din of hundreds of overlapping conversations was slowly abating as the minutes ticked away. Thankfully, the pleasant aromas of everything from tantalizing treats to rising honey breads, to roasting hearty meats soaked in succulent marinades, did not follow suit. It was a comforting and delightful environment to be in, to say the least. Before leveling up, I needed to read the two spell books we earned for completing the Minotaur quest. Upon reaching level twenty, I would be given a slew of options for my tier three Hunter class. A vital piece of information to consider was the choices I would receive were directly impacted by the number of skills and spells I had acquired since my last tier upgrade. In this case, back from level ten. Essentially, if I learned four spells, I would only be given four options. So, it behooved me to first learn as many spells as possible before reviewing my level notification. Those two books represented a pair of new class choices. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s get these learned,¡± I said as I withdrew each spell tome from my inventory. Focusing on each hardcover in turn, a System prompt appeared asking me to confirm if I wanted to learn the spell. Selecting ¡®yes,¡¯ the now familiar sensation of learning rapidly passed through me. The pages flipped faster and faster of their own accord, as if the book was reading itself, and every trivial piece of arcane knowledge was downloaded directly into my mind. Like my brain had connected to a world-spanning WIFI network, gigabytes of information transferred to me in fractions of a second. Thankfully, the experience was never painful, though I wondered if there was a limit on how many spells could be learned in one sitting. Once the process was completed, the hardcovers disappeared like smoke in the wind, now nothing more than particulates. Left behind in their place were the necessary gestures, verbal components, and other subtle nuances I needed to keep in mind during spellcasting. I had complete familiarity with my new spells. Congratulations! New Spell Unlocked: [Lesser Invoke Terror]! [Lesser Invoke Terror]. A psychic bolt of energy lances from your hand and strikes a nearby enemy within 100 feet, dealing 10 plus 1n damage, where ¡®n¡¯ equals Intelligence. The target¡¯s mind is filled with overwhelming panic and fear causing it to flee from you. Additionally, while affected by this spell, the target¡¯s mind becomes confused and muddled resulting in a decreased movement speed of 33%, as well as causing an uncoordinated retreat. Cost: 75 mana. Cast Time: 3 seconds. Cool down: 1 second. Duration: 2 minutes. Plus 10 feet maximum range, and plus 1% decreased movement speed per spell level. Note ¨C Any damage inflicted to the target while under the effects of this spell has a chance of ending the spell early (physical damage equals moderate chance, magical damage equals low chance). Finally, this spell does not affect constructs, undead, or other creatures immune to fear. Congratulations! New Spell Unlocked: [Lesser Wyvern Sting]! [Lesser Wyvern Sting]. At your command, a magically created wyvern stinger shoots forth to impact a nearby enemy within 100 feet. The target is afflicted by a deadly toxin that causes 150 plus 3n damage immediately and then every 6 seconds until the spell expires, where ¡®n¡¯ equals Intelligence. Cost: 75 mana. Cast Time: 1 second. Cool down: 1 second. Duration: 18 seconds. Plus 10 feet maximum range, and plus 25 base damage per spell level. ¡°Hey Stell,¡± I said a few seconds later, finally opening my eyes when the process was completed. ¡°This wyvern sting is something else. Can you check my math? With my current intelligence, will the poison damage be nearly eight hundred damage initially, and, what¡­ after eighteen seconds, will do close to half the damage of my boil blood? If so, this is one powerful spell.¡± ¡°Seven hundred and ninety-five damage per tick to be exact,¡± Stella said without pausing from her cleaning, though she did look up at me with a contented smile. ¡°So, yeah, close enough.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t wait to use it,¡± I said before looking between my companions. My next words were tinged with enthusiasm. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s level up!¡± Finally, I allowed the persistently blinking icon in the corner of my vision to grab my attention. Focusing on the golden upswept arrow, I willed the information to appear. Level Up! You have earned enough experience to advance to level 20. Tier 2 class characteristic attributes have been applied. You have 7 attribute points to distribute. Congratulations! You are now able to select your Tier 3 Hunter Class. Connect with your accelerator for more details. Upon reading the notification, the now familiar amber light descended over my body as if a portal had opened above to bath me in its radiant energy. An influx of power coursed into every fiber of my being, plunging deep into my core causing it to expand slightly as the invigorating aura flowed throughout. Feeling as if I had awoken from the most restful night of sleep ever, I basked in the refreshing feeling. In seconds, the glow disappeared as if it never existed, leaving me rejuvenated in its wake. Several citizens and a pair of guards had slowed upon noticing the sudden appearance of dazzling brilliance but only for a moment as Hunters were well-known within the city. ¡°You look good, well rested,¡± Tallos said appreciatively. ¡°Even I feel a bit better from simply standing near you with whatever splendid magic sufficed you.¡± Smiling to Tallos, acknowledging his remark, I pulled up my character sheet to see where to put the seven attribute points from the level advancement. My tier two class points were already added, I noticed, adding four points to my intelligence, wisdom, and luck stats automatically. ¡°Hey, my wisdom just reached fifty,¡± I said, surprise evident in my voice. ¡°Nice.¡± Wisdom Threshold Reached (50). Benefits: Plus 11% increased mana regeneration and magical resistances. Not deliberating long, I added one attribute point to my Intelligence, bringing it to two-hundred and twenty, and the remaining points into my Constitution. These changes brought my health to nearly twenty-two hundred, and my total mana pool to only a few hundred points shy of eight thousand. For a moment those two resource pools felt sky-high, yet after seeing the damage potential from my new wyvern spell, my confidence in my survivability didn¡¯t seem as lofty. Not only that but part of me was hesitant to figure out the damage from a dual cast wyvern sting. My enemies would no doubt have the same potential with their spells and abilities. There was nothing for it, except to continue to grow in power. Still, it was a sobering thought. I could only imagine the damage output someone like the max-leveled Duke could doll out. Shaking my head side to side to dispel the undesirable thoughts, I returned my attention to Stella. She hadn¡¯t noticed my internal plight, her paws roving over information I couldn¡¯t see. Stella caught my gaze, glancing back at me from the corner of an eye. ¡°Ready to see your tier three options?¡± she asked expectantly. Even Tallos appeared optimistic about what was about to come. He knew from our prior conversations a Hunter¡¯s strength soared to new capabilities with each successive tier. While he was entirely a physical ranged attacker, Tallos had secretly shared back in the crow¡¯s nest those many days ago, how he wished he had a talent to cast arcane magic like I did. At the time, I had told him he would perhaps learn how to do so, one day. I still believed it. ¡°Advancing is kind of a big thing for Hunters,¡± I had explained to Tallos, back aboard the Moon Siren. At the time, he nodded along as if he was already aware of this, though he never actually met another Hunter before me. ¡°When picking a new class, we¡¯re able to choose one of the skills or spells we acquired since our last advancement. The class selection causes us to specialize in whatever spell or skill we pick. Doing so gives it more potency, as well as the potential for a whole new host of benefits along with it.¡± ¡°My first Hunter class became available when I reached level five,¡± I had said as we rested our backs against the solid frame. ¡°At the time, I specialized my boil blood spell and, as a result, became a Necromancer. An effect was added to boil blood which turned it into my most used spell, it was that good. Then, when I reached level ten, I picked the intensify death skill, so became a Warlock. Better yet, Ripley¡¯s capabilities were enhanced to what she is now. She¡¯s a powerhouse in her own right.¡± ¡°The two of us became far stronger together than we could have been alone,¡± I had said. A part of me yearned for more of those blissful nights with Tallos, with countless stars shining down upon us as we conversed the evening away. Back in the present, I would now be making a similar choice. My tier three class awaits. ¡°Yes, please,¡± I replied at long last, eagerly rubbing my hands together. ¡°Yes, sir,¡± Stella replied formally, an ounce of tease hinting in her tone in response to my civility. With one more swipe of her paw, a multitude of options exploded in my view. I hadn¡¯t realized how many skills and spells had been stuffed into my core since becoming a Warlock. The list was quite substantial and ran the gamut with definitive variety among them. Notice! The following options are available to be selected as your Tier 3 Hunter class. Please know that this change is irreversible, and these particular classes may never become available again. Follow your path and choose wisely, Hunter. Please select your Tier 3 class. Note - After selecting a Tier 3 Hunter Class, any additional levels gained thereafter will automatically increase several attribute points as indicated in the class descriptions below.
Available Classes Level 20
Spell or Skill Class
Throwing Death Caster
Execute (Axe) Warmonger
Firearms Void Mark
Quick Cast Ascended
Lesser Necrotic Aura (Pet) Putrefier
Lesser Cure Poison & Disease Deterger
Lesser Chained Lightning Discharger
Lesser Undeath Wraith
Lesser Renewal of Bones Reviviscence
Lesser Soul Leech Scourge
Lesser Arrested Affliction Disruptor
Lesser Poisoned Breath Toxicant
Lesser Ignite Bones Incinerator
Lesser Invoke Terror Horrifier This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.
Lesser Wyvern Sting Vitiator
¡°That¡¯s a big list,¡± I said to Stella as my eyes went wide as saucers. I suddenly felt overwhelmed with so many choices. Stella nodded as she hovered up to rest comfortably on my shoulder, her presence instantly helping me calm down. ¡°Unless you feel otherwise, let''s rule out Death Caster, Warmonger, and potentially Void Mark as they are all melee-focused. I¡¯m looking to continue the path of a spell caster. Oh, and we can probably skip over Ascended as well. If you disagree though, please weigh in.¡± ¡°I think we can skip over those,¡± Stella replied after a moment. She had been perusing more information through her Accelerator access. ¡°Death Caster would enable you to add DoT effects to your axe throw, which is not very helpful since we could just cast them unerringly. It does magnify the potency of the spells, though not by enough, in my opinion, since you risk missing the enemy entirely with a poorly aimed throw. Warmonger would allow you to automatically execute an enemy when their health gets low enough but it¡¯s only if you deal more damage with your physical attacks than spells. So, again, not for us." ¡°Void Mark is not too bad,¡± she continued. ¡°It looks like you would shoot damage over time¡­ wait? Ravens? Wow, yeah, I¡¯m reading that right. Sounds fun, I¡¯m not going to lie. Probably looks badass. The problem is you have only the one gun, it has a thirty second delay between shots, and you''re unlikely to find another, any time soon. In all, a bad decision for us. For Ascended, all your cast times would drop by half. There are some other small bonuses, but it''s not worth it. You can already layer your DoTs onto a monster in something like six or seven seconds, so reducing that by half probably isn''t too useful for us right now.¡± ¡°Alright, let¡¯s move on down the list, one by one,¡± I said, mentally selecting Putrefier. It was the class tied to Ripley¡¯s necrotic aura buff. Putrefier (Tier 3) Class Description: The Putrefier is a force to be reckoned with and enemies would do well to avoid bunching together when facing down this dangerous foe. Forevermore, the Putrefier¡¯s spells are charged with additional necrotic energy causing a malevolent aura to surround every target of a Putrefier¡¯s spells. Any single target damage over time spell cast by the Putrefier causes the target to be enveloped in a deathly haze which moderately damages other nearby hostile targets. Plus 4 Constitution, Intelligence, and Charisma per level. I read the prompt a pair of times before turning to Stella. ¡°This class seemed to be able to do some serious damage to groups packed closely together,¡± I said, impressed by the possibility. ¡°However, I have an important question to ask before seriously considering this class further. If I cast two identical DoTs, but on two different monsters, will they both take additional damage from the other''s necrotic aura?¡± ¡°Sadly, no,¡± Stella replied quickly, her paw moving furiously in front of her. ¡°Only one damaging aura is added per spell. Meaning, only the first target in your example would radiate this Putrefier necrotic effect. The range of the harmful aura looks decent though, at twenty-five feet.¡± ¡°Thanks, Stell. That¡¯s too bad. While this class would still do very well against large groups of mobs, this effect maxes out at seven instances since I can only effectively cast seven DoTs right now. Plus, I doubt we¡¯ll want to actively engage a horde of monsters. I¡¯m not built for it, at least not yet.¡± ¡°Yeah, makes sense,¡± Stella affirmed. ¡°Okay, moving on, Deterger coming your way. It¡¯s from learning your cure poison, corruption, and disease spell¡­ Actually, I won¡¯t bother you with the prompt. From what I see, the class gains the ability to automatically remove hostile DoTs from you and allies as long as they are close enough. I¡¯m pretty sure we could gain more from the other classes.¡± ¡°Fine by me,¡± I said, nodding at her words. ¡°Discharger is next in line. Now, this one I¡¯m excited for as it¡¯s from my chained lightning. Please, please, please be good.¡± Discharger (Tier 3) Class Description: The Discharger has learned to tap into the innate connection shared among all creatures. Forevermore, any damage over time spell cast by a Discharge will be supplemented with an electric-chaining effect, allowing single target spells to automatically transfer from the initial target to other nearby hostile enemies. This effect will always chain at least one time, though additional chain chances decrease significantly with each new target. Plus 4 Intelligence, Wisdom, and Luck per level. ¡°This is sort of like the Putrefier class,¡± Stella said, her eyes scanning the information. ¡°It¡¯s also strong against groups of enemies. With each DoT chaining at least one time, it¡¯s like casting two spells at once, and sometimes more. This could be really good against something like a pair of monsters, for example. Once you layer all your DoTs, both foes will have the same stack of spells chipping away at their health. Sadly, the effectiveness of this chaining property grows more chaotically as group size increases. From what I am seeing, the target of the chain is entirely random, meaning it could end up hitting the same monster on a recast.¡± ¡°Yeah, the randomness sort of dilutes the effectiveness against larger groups,¡± I muttered as I considered Stella¡¯s comments. ¡°Sure, it would at minimum double my DoTs spreading around but, with the randomness inherent to the class, I feel like it would be a nightmare trying to keep track of it all. I might end up wasting mana, doing nothing more than refreshing a spell¡¯s duration. Don¡¯t get me wrong, I like the class. So, let¡¯s keep it in mind. Doubling my damage per second does sound powerful.¡± ¡°One last thing before we move on,¡± Stella added with a wince. ¡°This chaining effect would be wasted on a single monster, like a solitary boss.¡± ¡°Hmm, yeah¡­ Crap. Against one enemy, this class wouldn¡¯t bring anything extra to the fight,¡± I clenched my teeth at the thought. ¡°Okay, how about Wraith then? I¡¯ve only barely scratched the spell¡¯s potential, I feel.¡± "Coming at you." Wraith (Tier 3) Class Description: The Wraith has mastered the mysticism that permeates the veil between life and death. As a result, a permanent aspect of this corruption now empowers the Wraith¡¯s spells and, to a limited degree, the caster himself. Forevermore, all spells cast by the Wraith will have their durations enhanced. Additionally, at the precipice of death, the Wraith will immediately become an undead version of himself, gaining additional powers and abilities. Plus 4 Intelligence, Wisdom, and Luck per level. Note ¨C If triggered, the Wraith is able to remain in this undeath state for a set period of time, after which life seeps back into the Wraith¡¯s core. However, should the Wraith be destroyed while under these effects, death will be permanent. Finally, this effect has a significant internal cool down before it can be triggered again. Neither of us spoke for long seconds. ¡°I wasn¡¯t expecting this,¡± Stella muttered, as surprised by the development as I was. ¡°This mechanism has the potential to keep you alive just before you would normally die. Well, sort of.¡± She turned to me, a serious expression on her face as she shook her head from side to side. ¡°I know of nothing else that even comes close to this. I didn¡¯t even think such a thing was possible until now. Death is death. It¡¯s permanent. Now though,¡± Stella said as she returned her gaze to the floating notification. ¡°You will have a chance to come back to life if your health ever drops to zero.¡± ¡°Well, this is the best so far,¡± I replied confidently. Even Tallos¡¯ attention had been caught by Stella¡¯s words. ¡°So, what happens if Xaz were to die if he picked that?¡± Tallos said, coming close to my shoulder. He tried to see the prompt himself but, of course, couldn''t see the System window. ¡°What would happen to him?¡± ¡°From what I see in the data, for a short period, Xaz would take on some of the properties shared by all undead creatures,¡± Stella responded, then pointed a paw toward Ripley. ¡°Like her. Though, we have no way of knowing right now how the change will play out. But what I know for certain is, if Xaz were to die and remain in this undead state for long enough, he would come back to life.¡± We all shared a look; this single ability alone nearly cemented my decision right then and there. Having a chance to fight through what otherwise would have been certain death seemed¡­ mythical. The moment was lost when Stella turned to me, an expressly innocent look on her face. ¡°Do you think you¡¯d stink?¡± A flat stare was the only response I could muster. Tallos and I both stared blankly at Stella. Even Lowki peeked up a feline head, his ears twitching as if in irritation. ¡°What?¡± Stella asked sincerely. ¡°Oh, you know, it¡¯s a valid question,¡± she added defensively. ¡°Let me ask you this one question,¡± I said flatly. ¡°Do you think Ripley¡­ stinks?¡± Ever so slowly, Ripley, who had been facing away from the party, turned her upper body, then her head to peer at our hovering companion. The effect was quite chilling for the fact Ripley¡¯s feet remained planted to the ground and hadn¡¯t turned with her. She was a gross caricature with her upper half twisted nearly one hundred and eighty degrees around as she stared at Stella. Ripley¡¯s hooded face stared hard at the suddenly shrinking poodle. ¡°Umm,¡± Stella stammered. ¡°No, not at all. Come on, Xaz, why would you ask me that?¡± I could have sworn Ripley¡¯s dark orbs had narrowed to miniature spheres for a moment there. I hadn¡¯t realized it, but Ripley had also been bent slightly towards Stella, her presence quite unnerving even though I hadn''t been the intended target of her ire. Upon Stella''s confirmation regarding the lack of an aroma, Ripley turned back around, returning to keeping an unblinking eye on our surroundings. Stella shot me a look which scream, ¡°What the hell, Xaz?¡± I mirrored her expression, shooting the unspoken question right back at her. ¡°Okay, okay,¡± Stella said as she shooed away the question. ¡°Let¡¯s keep going. Up next, is Reviviscence from your renewal of bones spell.¡± Reviviscence (Tier 3) Class Description: The Reviviscence is a master of maintaining undead minions, pets, and similar beings. Forevermore, a permanent bond comes into being which connects the master with his servants. This bond causes any physical or magical damage inflicted to one, to instead be split amongst the entire group. Further, a small portion of all damage will instead be absorbed to create a small heal over time effect. Plus 4 Strength, Constitution, and Intelligence per level. Note ¨C Both damaging and healing effects are shared by all bonded by a Reviviscence. Additionally, there is no maximum distance to this beneficial effect. ¡°Interesting,¡± I said after reading the class description. ¡°But, not right for us. This class could be useful if I had something like a dozen Ripley¡¯s running around. We would effectively have one massive health pool split between all of us. As it stands now, however, some of the damage Ripley sustains will be split with me. That doesn¡¯t really make sense for us.¡± ¡°Agreed,¡± Stella said before pulling something out of thin air. Apparently, we were taking so long, she decided to help herself to a little snack. Slipping a marinated piece of jerky into her mouth, she continued with a mouth full of food. ¡°Up next¡­ Scourge. This one comes from your lesser soul leech. This could be a good one.¡± Scourge (Tier 3) Class Description: The Scourge has stepped beyond the power of mere mortals and has entwined his core with an aspect of the Eldritch. Forevermore, the Scourge has a vampiric quality that taints all cast spells. This effect leeches away a portion of the hostile foe''s life force as additional damage. This can be compounded by casting several different spells on the same target. Plus 4 Constitution, Wisdom, and Charisma per level. Note - All damage over time spells cast by the Scourge gains the ¡°vampiric embrace¡± debuff and drain a small percentage of health away, replenishing and restoring any wounds the Scourge may be suffering from. ¡°It¡¯s a nice class,¡± I said, paying particular attention of the vampiric embrace debuff. ¡°Adding leeched health to every DoT will greatly improve my survivability. Though, in a way, it¡¯s a bit redundant right now. If everything goes to plan, I should rarely take damage, especially with my Aegis running all day, every day. So, unless I¡¯m regularly taking damage, this class¡¯s special effect would be lost on me.¡± ¡°This class could change your fighting style, making you a front-line fighter instead,¡± Stella offered. ¡°Simply place all your spells on an enemy, then charge in heedless of counterattacks. You''d probably heal right through the damage.¡± ¡°True, but it sounds risky. What happens when my spells start wearing off and I¡¯m suddenly too close to a boss to back off, let alone cast a spell in the middle of a fray? If I didn¡¯t have my Empowered Aegis, it might have considered this class further, but this added regeneration is wasted on me.¡± ¡°Fair enough,¡± Stella replied. ¡°The next three, I¡¯m going to send you all at once. They are all essentially the same thing, just pay close attention to the debuff each has.¡± Disruptor (Tier 3) Class Description: The Disruptor''s magical prowess becomes laced with unholy might and deathly energy. Forevermore, all spells cast by the Disruptor will cause a hostile target¡¯s muscles, veins, and heart to seize and spasm which causes a moderate amount of additional damage. Finally, there is a small chance that the target loses consciousness as blood flow may be momentarily halted by a seizing heart. Plus 4 Constitution, Intelligence, and Luck per level. Toxicant (Tier 3) Class Description: The Toxicant life force has been permeated with the soul of a lesser emerald dragon causing poison to run through his veins, and deep into his core. Forevermore, all spells cast by the Toxicant will cause a moderate amount of additional poison damage. Additionally, the Toxicant is able to breathe out a noxious vapor that causes serious harm to any nearby enemy. This breath attack has a moderate cool down. Finally, once per hour, a Toxicant is able to opt to cast a damage over time spell as a wide cone of toxic energy instead, impacting any hostile target within its area of effect. Plus 4 Strength, Constitution, and Intelligence per level. Incinerator (Tier 3) Class Description: The Incinerator''s soul begins to burn with the fires of a descending meteor, causing destructive energy to entwine with any magical spell that leaps from his fingers. Forevermore, all spells cast by the Incinerator will cause a hostile target¡¯s skin, muscle tissue, and bones to blacken, combust, or even break which causes a moderate amount of additional damage. Finally, an Incinerator¡¯s spells have a small chance of causing additional debuffs ranging from additional damage to debilitating effects. Plus 4 Dexterity, Constitution, and Intelligence per level. ¡°So, these three are all pretty similar,¡± Stella said after I reviewed each. ¡°The difference is the additional damage type and effect that is built into the classes. Unholy for Disruptor, poison for Toxicant, and fire for the Incinerator. Disruptor adds a debilitating debuff, though it appears to range from slightly uncoordinated attacks to an enemy outright losing consciousness. So, not bad, albeit potentially unreliable. Toxicant does grant you a single instant-cast breath attack, every once in a while. Beyond that, it essentially allows you to turn a single cast DoT to an area of effect cone. Finally, the Incinerator adds more damage than the other two, plus may add a few debuffs as you cast spells. The debuffs are not as consistent as a Disruptor''s, though.¡± Looking over the three options, none stood out to me. ¡°Their nice but I think we can rule those three out.¡± Stella nodded. ¡°Ok, the second to last. Horrifier from your new invoke terror spell. Coming at you.¡± Horrifier (Tier 3) Class Description: The Horrifier exudes such a dreadful presence that he alone has the potential to send an entire army of weak-willed soldiers running for their lives, heedless of the urgently shouted commands from superior officers. Forevermore, a permanent fear aura projects outwards from the Horrifier, leaving all but the most powerful enemies shuddering in terror. Additionally, every damage over time spell cast by the Horrifier has a small chance of applying a mesmerizing debuff which causes the target¡¯s mind to temporarily dissociate from their body. Further, with the debuff expires, there is a moderate chance the target will lose all recollection of the past few minutes. Plus 4 Constitution, Intelligence, and Charisma per level. ¡°Now, I¡¯m all for my presence alone causing an entire army to run away,¡± I said smugly as I glanced at Stella. ¡°But I doubt it¡¯s that easy.¡± ¡°You would be correct,¡± Stella confirmed. ¡°Though the ability to mesmerize enemies could be quite beneficial.¡± ¡°Yeah, if I intended to fight in a group, or if I wanted to leave my enemies alive in my wake. I think we can pass on this one too.¡± ¡°So,¡± Stella said as she made one final swipe of her paw. ¡°That leaves only the Vitiator from lesser wyvern sting.¡± Vitiator (Tier 3) Class Description: The Vitiator¡¯s life force has been merged with the soul of a lesser jade wyvern causing powerful toxins to run through his veins, and deep into his core. Forevermore, all spells cast by the Vitiator will cause a moderate amount of additional toxic damage. Additionally, the Vitiator gains an additional limb, a wyvern tail, which is capable of firing toxic barbs which cause a high amount of damage to the effected enemy. This barb attack has a low cool down. Finally, once per hour, a Vitiator sprouts wings allowing for control flight for a short period of time. Plus 4 Dexterity, Constitution, and Intelligence per level. ¡°Wings and a tail? Sign me up,¡± I said enthusiastically. Though my excitement was softened somewhat at the realization I would actually grow a wyvern¡¯s tail. It was all good in theory until new protrusions started growing on you. ¡°So, the tail is permanent, and the wings kind of, what... fold out of my back?¡± ¡°More or less,¡± Stella replied after a moment. ¡°A problem is we have no way of knowing the size or effectiveness of the tail. It could also be difficult to use, though I doubt it as the System would normally step in to assist you. Still, it could take time to familiarize yourself with it.¡± ¡°As for the wings¡­¡± Stella continued but I interrupted her. ¡°Awesome, right?¡± ¡°Let me put it this way,¡± Stella said with pressed lips. ¡°Do you want to go flying only for your wings to suddenly disappear? This isn''t an ability to let you glide, let alone arrest a potentially fatal fall with such a short-lived skill.¡± ¡°I doubt you would enjoy having a tail,¡± Tallos added. ¡°Plus, you might find it harder to one day find a mate.¡± That was a fair point. Our small group went through the pros and cons of each class several more times, night falling around us as we carefully considering my options. While Tallos was not a Hunter himself, he was able to contribute, relying on his wealth of experience. In the end, we had my decision locked in. With my finger hovering over the confirmation button, I looked at each companion in turn as I tilted my head to the side. Hopefully, I wouldn''t regret this decision. ¡°Here¡­ we¡­ go.¡± Chapter 54 - Tier 3 Class Unlocked, Wraith Immediately following my class selection, a warm tingle began radiating from deep within my chest. It started subtly but, as the seconds passed, the feeling magnified as if an infinitesimal star was being birthed within my obsidian core. Like the leaves of a blooming flower, waves of energy were cast outwards, slowly at first but reaching every cell in my body in short order. The energy was greedily absorbed by my muscle fibers and organs. It soaked into my bones as if they had suddenly become porous like a sponge. Power traced along my arteries, roared into veins, and dove plunging into capillaries. Every part of my body was strengthened with each passing wave of magically enhanced vitality. As the process continued, my body became as light as air and I lifted off the ground to the surprise of several onlookers, several stopping to point at my transformation. Where my last class advancement felt like a hurricane of energy gathering around me before hammering in, this felt like a thundering supernova that was expelling swells of force at an ever-increasing pace. A hot fervor encompassed my entire body as the intensity built to a crescendo. It was not at all painful, thankfully, and unlike a level advancement that bathed my body on the outside, this change was coming from within. There was no illumination shining down upon me from an unseen source. Instead, as each new burst of radiance expanded outwards, which now had the tempo of a rapidly beating heart, energy flowed to touch every inch of my skin. It held such an intensity that tiny beams of crystalline rays were cast out of every pore. To those around me, it must have looked like a thousand delicate laser beams were shining out at every conceivable angle. No longer able to keep my eyes open against the outpowering of energy, my vision was nonetheless overwhelmed by an azure luminescence. Unknown to me, with each passing second, every cell in my body was being reinforced and tempered. My cells were remade to be better suited at holding the extreme energies that were pushing me into another hierarchy of potential. My thoughts were clearer, my mind focused on a vorpal edge. My body contained enough raw power it felt as if I could topple mountains. With my consciousness pulled inward, I was mentally observing my core when the cascade reached some unknown threshold. It was as if, now that my body was remade, the System moved its attention to empower the source of my power. Suddenly, a far larger explosion of force, like a tsunami crashing outwards after a meteor strike, surged inside my core. A deluge of preternatural ice crashed against my core''s event horizon-like surface, shattering into a million icicles that rebounded chaotically within. In the end, every millimeter of the obsidian sphere was pierced by innumerable shards of ice. I knew instinctively what it represented. It was the power my new class brought with it. This frost barrier would enable me to continue fighting, beyond my death, if only temporarily. My Wraith form had been unlocked and it sat ready to be unleashed if ever required. With this last discharge of power, my core shrunk slightly inward from its enriched density, as if gravity was pulling it closer together. As my feet touched the ground, my inner eye could sense the frost barrier clinging to my core¡¯s surface. It was as hard and unyielding as the strongest metal, yet so deceptively fragile it would seem as if anything could shatter it. At the moment of my death, this crystalline structure would flood my body with enough strength to keep me fighting. Death would not take me. I would be given another chance at life. I was now a Hunter, perhaps the only according to Stella, who would survive his death. As a Wraith, this frozen wellspring of razor-sharp ice was ever ready and vigilant to protect me should the worst happen. As my awareness returned to my companions, who were staring in awe, a sense of rightness overcame me. It was like my intangible lifeline, a thickly braided and resolute cord, took on a new unyielding characteristic. It was similar to the same determination I had to make this world a better place. It felt real. ¡°Congratulations,¡± Stella said as my eyes found hers. She was hovering a small orbit around my chest, her gaze moving up and down as she inspected me. ¡°You¡¯re now the highest tier this prime world allows. You won¡¯t be able to move into the next one until after you ascend. That, and reach level forty. For now, how do you feel?¡± ¡°Like I have the fortitude of a mountain range,¡± I replied instantly. ¡°Like my body has enough fuel to run a dozen triathlons, back-to-back. I feel good, really good.¡± ¡°It was an impressive display, your transformation,¡± Tallos said as he stepped in front of me, his appraising eyes taking me in. ¡°You look the same but have a different feel to you. As if everything nearby is being pulled towards you. You did say advancement is one of the pinnacle achievements for a Hunter. I didn¡¯t fully understand it then, but I do now. It was amazing to witness.¡± Taking a moment, I closed my eyes and breathed deeply. The night air was crisp and refreshing. ¡°It was intensely invigorating,¡± I said, opening my eyes once more as I placed a hand on Tallos¡¯ shoulder. ¡°I feel like there¡¯s nothing I cannot do. And this force encasing my core¡­ Stella, I have to say, I feel the Wraith power protecting me like it''s some impervious permafrost.¡± Stella nodded as she moved close to rest a paw on my shoulder. ¡°To my knowledge, nothing like this power has even been hinted at being remotely possible. It¡¯s a hidden card up your sleeve which may very well save your life in the future. At least on a Prime World, no other Hunter will suspect you have this.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t intend to use it, but knowing it¡¯s there...¡± I paused as I collected myself. ¡°It¡¯s like a new sense of confidence has implanted itself within me. It¡¯s not something calling me to charge recklessly into battle or to take stupid and unnecessary risks, but it¡¯s like I now know I can do what I need to do.¡± ¡°I¡¯m happy for you,¡± Stella said, a smile tugging the corner of her lips. ¡°We have a lot of work and preparation to do yet, but now you¡¯re on the same playing field as Duke. We¡¯re only a few steps behind.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve got this,¡± I said, recognizing the truth of my words to a whole new degree. Congratulations! Tier 3 Class Unlocked, Wraith. All spell durations have been permanently increased. The increased amount is as follows: Minor tier spells ¨C 75% increased base duration, rounded up. Lesser tier spells ¨C 50% increased base duration, rounded up. Average tier spells ¨C 40% increased duration, rounded up. All other tier spells ¨C 30% increased duration, rounded up. Congratulations! You have unlocked a new trait, Wraith Form. Wraith Form ¨C At the moment of death, when the Hunter¡¯s health points reach zero, this form will automatically be triggered. While in Wraith Form, the Hunter will take on the characteristics of an undead version of himself, meaning, but not limited to, increased resistance to most forms of attacks and an increase in base attributes. At the moment of transformation, health, mana, and stamina will be replenished by 50% of normal maximums. Additionally, any ongoing determinantal effect will be removed. Note ¨C This effect has a duration of five minutes. After this period, if the Hunter has at least a single point of health, the undead form will revert to living flesh as life seeps back into the Wraith¡¯s core. However, if the Hunter is defeated while under this effect, death will be permanent. Once activated, this effect has an internal cool down of seven days before it can be triggered again. After reading the message a pair of times, I let out a long, contented sigh. Tallos was standing close, so for his sake, I read the notification aloud so he could hear the changes that had come over me. He couldn¡¯t see System messages, so signaled his appreciation with a grateful nod. ¡°The added duration to all of my spells, not just my DoTs, may not seem like much at first but is actually a game changer for my class,¡± I said with a low whistle. The nearby streets were now almost completely vacant, with shop windows and doors firmly locked tight, so I ushered our party to head for an inn for the evening. Tallos looked thoughtful at my words. ¡°I get it, I think,¡± the elf said at my side as we walked towards a lower level of the city. I planned to take us back to the inn we visited before debarking for the Minotaur fort. ¡°Though, maybe not,¡± Tallos added after a brief moment of hesitation. ¡°Against weaker mobs, it won¡¯t make too much of a difference. The monsters will be dead long before the spell would have normally ended. Against multiple foes, enemies with large health pools, or even bosses, this boost will significantly increase my total damage output. Think of it this way, with all of my spells going, my damage per tick,¡± I said but paused when a confused look came over Tallos¡¯ face. ¡°Every six seconds, I mean. My damage per instance won''t be changing. That will remain the same. However, now with this increased duration, my spells will hurt for longer.¡± ¡°Got it,¡± Tallos said appreciatively. ¡°As a Wraith, you¡¯ve increased the length your spells afflict your foes. You''re capable of dealing more damage over a longer period of time. If I had undergone a similar transformation, it would be like me having an extra arrow magically summoned to follow right behind each of my shots. It''s extra damage, for free, as long as the enemy remains alive that is.¡± ¡°Exactly. One problem with spells like my DoTs can be their durations,¡± I added as we crossed under a portcullis. The guards stationed there rose their halberds as a show of respect as we passed. I raised a fist to my chest in reply. ¡°Before becoming a Wraith, some of my spells only lasted a short eighteen seconds and others, at most, a minute. It means my spells can wear off at varying times. If I don¡¯t reapply them promptly, the amount of damage my spells cause drops considerably. Now, with my spells lasting longer, I won¡¯t have to recast as often. I can focus on using other things, like hacking away at a monster¡¯s lifeline with my trusty Frostrend or flinging lightning bolts. As a Wraith, my spells have become more reliable. I have to worry less about spells ending unevenly. I can focus more on the battle and what my next action will be.¡± If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°In all, I¡¯m thrilled with this new class,¡± I added appreciatively. ¡°Our enemies are only growing in strength as we press forward. Now, I have too.¡± ¡°I¡¯m happy for you,¡± Stella replied genuinely. ¡°It was the best pick for you right now. Even better, when you reach level twenty-two, you will get your first selection of average-tiered spells. They''re going to be sweet!¡± We were at last approaching the familiar inn. From the hearty commotion within, it was bustling with patrons. So, I paused our group against the side of the building for a moment. I had one more notification to review. ¡°Before we go in, I want to take a look at my improved and, now specialized, undeath spell.¡± "Yeah," Stella said as she peered through a window. "It''s going to be hard to hear each other in there." At her words, the last System message awaiting me appeared. Once more, I read the information aloud, so Tallos be able to contribute his thoughts. Congratulations! You have specialized in the spell, [Lesser Undeath]. It has been upgraded to [Undeath], *Specialized*. Note ¨C Spell level 4 has been retained. [Undeath]. If cast within 10 minutes of a target¡¯s death, unholy power revives the target to serve you for a short period of time. The undead minion will follow all verbal commands, regardless of previously known languages, or will take action to protect the caster if no command is issued. The target retains 100% of its former maximum health, mana, and stamina. Additionally, most of the target¡¯s previous abilities, skills, and spells that it had in life will be available. Cost: 700 mana. Cast Time: 10 seconds. Duration: 9 minutes and 45 seconds (base 7). Cool down: 10 minutes. Plus 45 second duration, and plus 2% additional health, mana, and stamina per spell level. Note ¨C Maximum target size is limited to Huge. The target¡¯s level will be either its former level or the caster¡¯s level, whichever is lower. Specialized Effect ¡°Undying Fidelity¡± ¨C This spell may now be recast on the same target any consecutive number of times without ill effect. Each new casting will refresh the spell¡¯s duration to the maximum. The target of the spell will also cease decaying unless left in prolonged sunlight. Additionally, the target will now be able to use all previous abilities, skills, and spells, that it had in life. ¡°Nice,¡± I said in admiration, leaning back against the hardwood exterior of the inn. People continued to pass by with most going inside, though none paid us much attention. ¡°With its current level of four, I can keep the same creature alive indefinitely. Well, as long as I recast this spell after each cool down. It¡¯s also my first ¡®average¡¯ tier spell, meaning its maximum level is thirty-five, right Stella?¡± ¡°Exactly right,¡± Stella confirmed. ¡°At max level, your undead bloke would remain animated for a little over a half hour. It''s at level fifteen when you¡¯ll be able to keep two minions going at the same time. That''s the point when the spell''s duration will reach twenty minutes.¡± Tallos turned a gaze towards Ripley, indicating her skeletal makeup. ¡°While I am quite comfortable with Ripley¡¯s undead presence, might I suggest we plan to do something to conceal whatever undead creature you raise with that spell?¡± Tallos wore a distant, pained expression as if he was imagining a rotting body discharging bile with each heavy footfall. ¡°Yeah, that''s a good point,¡± I replied acutely aware of his concern. The Minotaurs I had raised just yesterday had been quite horrible. Up close, the odor had been horrendous. ¡°We¡¯ll toss a hooded cloak over them, and we¡¯ll be fine, I¡¯m sure.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Stella chuckled before motioning with an outstretched paw toward the entrance. ¡°We ready to head inside? I could go for a warm glass of milk and a tasty meal. I hope they use a nice marinade.¡± Tallos and I shared a knowing look. Of course, that last bit was what Stella was really looking forward to. ¡°I¡¯m good,¡± I replied with a warm smile. ¡°Let¡¯s get a room for the evening and head out at first light.¡± The common area of the inn was brimming with raucous laughter and boisterous shouts. Passing through the front door, only a few tables were entirely devoid of patrons. Numerous maids, all with plates held high overhead, moved about the room expertly serving steaming bowls of stew and clinking glasses of foaming beer. A plump bartender worked furiously behind the counter to the sound of dozens of scuffing barstools dragged around the busy establishment. I hadn¡¯t much enjoyed the bar scene in my previous life but the friendly and inviting atmosphere shimmering from every corner of the common area invited me to stay. I had planned to move straightaway to a room but hesitated as I took in the scene around us. ¡°On second thought, would you guys care to get a table? I think spending at least a few hours around such amiable folk might do us some good.¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s a wonderful idea,¡± Stella smiled broadly, her alabaster teeth contrasting against her black muzzle. Even Tallos nodded in agreement, even though I knew he generally did not like being around large groups of people. ¡°Let¡¯s hope a bar fight doesn''t break out, they all do look rowdy. Though, I believe I could manage it. You know, I am not opposed to engaging in a bit of fisticuffs should the occasion arise.¡± Stella¡¯s concern was extremely short-lived though as the crowd easily parted around us. Giving us, well, Ripley actually, a wide berth. Considering how jammed-packed the place was, it was an impressive sight as we moved to a corner table. ¡°I doubt you need to worry, Stell. No one is going to be interested in starting a fight with her around,¡± I shouted to be heard over the cacophony of the rambunctious crowd. "Though, I would be interested in this ''bit of fisticuffs'' of yours. Would you care to demonstrate?¡± It wasn''t long before we were all leaning back in our chairs, sharing laughs and recounting tales over half-eaten bowls of a lovely bison stew and a dozen or so empty mugs. Stella was currently doing a rendition of a battle she supported with her old friend, Stouter. Her paws waved in the air deftly as if she carried an invisible weapon that flashed out mightily against unseen foes. ¡°Feel my wrath,¡± she shouted, her voice far deeper than normal in imitation of her lost companion. ¡°Stouter would say to his foes, huzzah, and, on guard!¡± When she crashed into a fresh tankard, one only recently placed behind Stella¡¯s small frame as she was gliding over the table in mock battle, the foaming ale drenched her entire diminutive body. With a powerful shake, that nearly sent her tumbling off the table, our party was soon wiping away tiny droplets of the rich brew. Her antics didn¡¯t end there, as she moved to another adventure with the ''honorable'' Stouter. This next one had something to do with defeating a warren of kobolds, but I couldn¡¯t be certain due to her slurred, stumbling words and her gruff imitation of a manly voice. A little inebriated myself, I didn''t think twice when Stella asked if Ripley could take a large swig of ale with us. Readily agreeing, even Tallos didn''t advise a word of caution against it. Everything went downhill from there. Ripley, obedient as ever, didn¡¯t look particularly pleased when a tankard of sticky alcohol spilled down her chest. She couldn''t actually swallow the firewater. Coated in the sticky substance, Ripley sat motionless as her beady eyes narrowed at the indignity. All to the peals of laughter erupting from Stella. Several hours later, far beyond my initial estimate, we found ourselves in a well-adorned room. As everyone settled down for bed, I pulled up my character sheet, desiring to see what twenty hard-fought levels worth of trials and tribulations resulted in. I was not disappointed, though knew I had a long way to go yet before we would challenge Duke.
Xaz the Hunter Killer Accelerator: S.T.E.L.L.A.
Level: 20 Experience: 199,949
Race: Half-Elf Tier I: Necromancer
Armor Class: 150 Tier II: Warlock
Tier III: Wraith
Reputation
Views: 3,425,853 Followers 685,097
Statistics
Health 2180 Health Regen: 160/min
Mana 7725 Mana Regen: 361/min
Stamina 835 Stam. Regen: 64/min
Attributes
Strength: 51 Dexterity: 31
Constitution: 76 Intelligence: 220
Charisma: 77 Wisdom 50
Luck 62
Resistances
Stun 100% Magic +26%
Mind Altering +100% Disease +15%
Traits Abilities
"Mind & Matter" Darkvision
"Exalted Acceleration" Clear Headed II
Adaptability Spell Strike (Necromancer)
Keen Senses Empowered Aegis
Wraith Form
With a broad smile on my face, I closed the menu and rolled my shoulders before laying back gently against my bed. ¡°Good night, Stella,¡± I whispered to my friend, though she couldn¡¯t hear it passed out as she was. Gently cradling her small body, soft snores sounded as she slept peacefully in my arms. ¡°I wouldn''t have thought artificial poodles could get drunk, but I¡¯m delighted you can. It was a fun night together.¡± In the morning, it would be time to continue the hunt. Chapter 55 - The Wonders of Magic Beyond my initial estimations our party would oversleep when settling into bed late the night before, my eyes flickered open as the first rays of the day breached our curtained windows. Based on the sheer quantity of beer we imbibed, I was positive we wouldn¡¯t wake up until closer to mid-day. As my eyes adjusted to the brightness, I was pleased it wasn¡¯t the case. We would be able to make good use of the morning now. Even better, I realized my head completely lacked the expected pounding headache I should have had when waking up. A smile spread across my lips as the clatter from the street filtered into our room. Rocking forward slightly in an attempt to sit up, I discovered how uncomfortable my rest had been for at least the last portion of the evening. Lowki, who had initially plopped himself down on Tallos¡¯ cot, must have crept over at some point to intrude on my bed instead. I couldn¡¯t recall when it happened, but Lowki decided to put himself dead center in our twin bed and, as a result, forced me to the very edge of our mattress. With one arm nearly hanging off the side, I turned my head to gaze over his slumbering bulk. Apparently, with future inns, I would need to inquire if a bed equivalent to a California King was available for rent. Stella was no longer cradled in my arms, and when I turned my head to peer over the muscular body of Lowki, a weight shifted atop my head. I turned my head back slightly to see midnight black paws hanging across my forehead. Stella moved herself at some point, most likely when Lowki forced his way into the middle of our bed, to instead straddle my wavy brown locks. As I adjusted, Stella¡¯s petite claws reflexively hugged my skin as if threatening me to remain motionless. Trying to look towards her, not risking her claws to be extended across my scalp further, I reached my hand to pry one of her paws away gently. ¡°Hey, Stella,¡± I said softly. ¡°Mind letting go of my scalp?¡± She mumbled a reply which sounded awfully like, ¡°Five more minutes,¡± though it sounded like she was speaking through a mouthful of bread. When her claws finally retracted as she drifted further asleep, I jerked my head off my pillow and sat upright. With the sudden disappearance of my body, her unconscious weight rolled towards the depression I made in the soft bed. She ended with her back against my hip, though barely stirred as she tumbled. Tallos began picking himself out of bed, though I wasn¡¯t sure if he had already been in the process of waking, or if I woke him. Neither of us felt particularly rushed in the morning air, though part of me wanted to head out sooner rather than later. In an attempt to wake Lowki, I twisted in bed so my feet hung off the side, before leaning back forcefully. The movement moved him no more than if I had slammed my back into a solitary boulder. He barely seemed to notice as my half-elven weight crashed atop him. However, I could understand why since Lowki outweighed me by something like four to one. Seeing Stella and Lowki¡¯s stubbornness to continue sleeping, I figured more direct action was needed. Springing up to my feet in one fluid motion, my abrupt disappearance once more caused Stella to rock in place. ¡°Xaz,¡± she muttered sleepily before placing a paw over her closed eyes. ¡°That wasn¡¯t nice, I was trying to sleep.¡± ¡°Time to wake up,¡± I cooed in her ear as I bent close. When that didn¡¯t work, I tousled the hair on her head. Finally rousing my small friend from her beauty sleep, I added, ¡°The day¡¯s a wasting.¡± Stella blew a raspberry and exaggerated rolling her eyes at me. Though, in short order, she was hovering over the bed as she rubbed sleep from her eyes. Lowki, for his part, still hadn¡¯t budged. ¡°How did you sleep?¡± I called over to Tallos as he donned his leather chest piece. Pulling the hard leather over his lithe frame, his deft fingers worked at the straps as he slipped an arm through his lone leather pauldron. The earthy greens and dusty tan of his garb fit his persona as if calling attention to his free-spirited nature. The armor fit him perfectly as if it had grown around him like a natural extension of his body. While the hardened leather wasn¡¯t magically enchanted, it provided a decent amount of protection against all but head-on strikes. ¡°Fairly well,¡± Tallos replied absently as he clasped his belt and two quivers. ¡°Though much better once Lowki gave me full control of my bed.¡± He turned his eyes to the ever-sleeping form of Lowki¡¯s immense body, snorting a chuckle. ¡°Thanks for your sacrifice, Xaz.¡± ¡°Though,¡± he continued as he craned his neck. Rubbing the bridge of his nose, he bore a pained expression as he closed his eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll need some water to break the ache pounding behind my eyes.¡± I looked over to the floating Stella, who caught my gaze but failed to respond to my curious look. ¡°So, why is he hungover, and I¡¯m not?¡± I asked when she didn¡¯t catch my meaning. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure I drank more than he did.¡± Stella stared back silently, letting out a slight sigh. ¡°Because you¡¯re a Hunter, and he is not,¡± she replied as if her statement perfectly explained why only Tallos was feeling the aftereffects of our evening. When I moved my hands as if in confusion, she continued. ¡°As a Hunter, you enjoy all the benefits of drinking, but none of the side effects. You can¡¯t get hung over, like the rest of us.¡± This last bit, she rubbed a paw against the side of her temple. ¡°A wonderful gift you have, though a part of me wishes you could lend it to me right about now,¡± Tallos said with a small grunt of pain. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine enough, once we get moving.¡± ¡°Speak for yourself,¡± Stella replied absently. ¡°I don¡¯t think I can muster the energy to move out, just yet.¡± As she finished her comment, I moved close and helped her to my shoulder. ¡°Lucky for you,¡± I smiled up at her. ¡°You need only rest here.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going to complain about that,¡± Stella replied contentedly. ¡°What¡¯s the plan for the morning again?¡± ¡°First, we¡¯re going to check on the price of a pair of horses, though I doubt we have enough funds to cover it just yet,¡± I answered as I followed Tallos¡¯ lead in equipping my blazeweave armor set. It was far easier for me though, as I only needed to move each from my inventory screen to my character sheet, each piece appearing instantly as I did. The magically reinforced fabric always reminded me of the clothes a Samurai might wear beneath his hardened raiment. ¡°After checking, we¡¯ll be heading north to the bridge spanning the channel away from the Ceres Sea. It shouldn¡¯t take us more than an hour to get there by foot if we can¡¯t acquire new mounts.¡± ¡°And from there?¡± ¡°Thankfully, my in-game map was updated with the details shared by Baracus. Though it was mostly the general topography between us, and the settlement described as potentially being Duke¡¯s,¡± I replied as I expanded my mini map. Tallos couldn¡¯t see the screen but didn¡¯t seem bothered as he continued getting ready. ¡°There¡¯s a town, here, called Mammoth that¡¯s about a day¡¯s travel east of the bridge. So, I think we should head there, hopefully before nightfall.¡± We were ready to go, though Lowki still hadn¡¯t budged. Trying something new, I clicked my tongue, seeing if that would work where force had failed. As if he had been awake the whole time, the great cat sprung off the bed with surprising quickness and agility. Stella jostled backward in surprise, though kept her position by grabbing firm with her claws. Leaving the inn, we inquired with some nearby guards, learning of a horse stable only a couple hundred feet outside the city wall. Thanking the men, our group crossed under the open portcullis at a leisurely pace. Empowered by my movement song buff, our footfalls sped us along as if we were instead moving at a fast power walk. Soon after, paddocks of a dozen grazing horses marked our destination. Sadly, the barn owner turned us away as we couldn¡¯t cover the twenty-five-gold cost for even one of the fine animals. ¡°Sorry, Stell, though I¡¯m not sure why you¡¯re disappointed,¡± I said. She seemed rather displeased at the outcome of the visit. Around us, people of all sorts were coming and going with more than a few heavily laden wagons clogging the narrow boulevard. ¡°You¡¯ll be resting on one of our shoulders the whole way.¡± Stella didn¡¯t respond, so I didn¡¯t press further. My best guess was she enjoyed how much easier it was to chat while on horseback. ¡°I promise, when we can afford it, we¡¯ll get some horses,¡± I offered, though Stella only nodded in response. We picked up our pace upon leaving the city¡¯s fringes, leaving behind the bustle of people laughing and calling to one another. Greetings and hails were shared freely as we passed by wagons and a fair share of other travelers, owing to our increased movement speed allowing us to outpace nearly everyone. The morning weather was ideal, with a high enough population of clouds to provide ample shade as the miles passed. The sun shone brightly against the blue sky, and the temperature was warm and comfortable. Stella still seemed like she was brooding, so I started up some easy banter between her and Tallos. Shortly before a sturdy marble bridge became visible over the horizon, she loosened up and soon her sweet laughter traversed the space between us. The bridge ahead was composed of five arched piers, with the largest diameter semi-circle in the dead center. Large marble blocks stacked atop one another gave the structure an impressive visage. Solid cutwaters split the raging river into five avenues for ships to pass beneath. The parapet along the edge ran some four or five feet above the roadway allowing sight of the multitude of carriages and people walking from one side of the river to the other. Along the corner of each arch were elegantly chiseled depictions of impressive warships giving the look they were engaged in fierce combat. Even at our present distance, the marble bridge didn¡¯t seem as high when considering the numerous ships between us and the bridge which would need to travel underneath on their way to the Ceres Sea. My eyes narrowed in confusion as the arches rose perhaps four dozen feet from the clipping river¡¯s waterline. Some of the largest ships, with their four masts standing proudly and countless sails unfurled to catch the stiff morning breeze, had no chance of passing through without their upper portions being sheared off. About to pose a question to Stella, my words caught in my throat as one of the cruisers was a half dozen feet away from colliding with the center arch. No one else seemed to care or even take notice of the upcoming disaster. I gazed on in amazement as the top of the ship, its mast, and billowing sails clipped through the marble foundations, phasing phase straight through. It was like that section of the bridge had been nothing but an illusion, though I knew for certain that was not the case. I could only imagine some formidable magic was at play here to allow such seamless passage. Magic really could solve any problem so it would seem. As we continued our approach, dozens of ships passed through the bridge to no apparent ill effect. The smaller vessels used the archways closer to the riverbanks, with the largest ships using the centermost three archways. With how tall the parapet was, we noticed that the passage of a ship didn¡¯t impede the steady flow of wagons and people milling about. Coming around the corner abutment, we finally found our way up to the impressive roadway laid out before us. Running across to the far side of the bridge was a single, incredibly long, marble slab. The bridge was a good sixty feet wide. Horse-drawn carriages and wagons traveled the center of the bridge, while pedestrians walked close to the edge next to finely polished wood handrails that ran down the entire length. As we moved along with the flow of foot traffic, I was treated to the mysterious magic of the bridge firsthand. Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. From our new perspective, it was now the masts and many sails that seemed to phase out of existence like some ghostly apparition as it passed through the marble structure. At one point, a horse-drawn carriage moved right through a mast that was four feet in diameter, and not even the horse gave it a second thought. ¡°This is some impressive magic,¡± I muttered in disbelief after seeing such a remarkable display. ¡°I do love seeing the look of wonder on your face, Xaz,¡± Stella said beside me. Her head tilted forward so she could see my entire face. ¡°I¡¯m surprised you didn¡¯t expect such a thing after witnessing the floating obelisks back in Allerton.¡± ¡°Maybe one day I¡¯ll get used to the wonderous nature of this world,¡± I said, my eyes taking in the simplicity of the bridgework around us. ¡°That day is not today, however.¡± Crossing to the far east side, we saw where most of the people were traveling to and from. Running the entire east side of the coastline, all the way to the sapphire ocean far in the distance, were the most magnificent homes I had seen in the world. Mansion-sized estates, marble manors, and intricately carved wooden households, each enormous enough to cover a city block, arrayed one after the other. Each luxurious home had a pathway down to the edge of the river which hosted sprawling docks filled with expensive-looking sailing yachts. ¡°The rich and famous side of Allerton so it would seem,¡± I muttered as we left the impressive marble structure behind. The familiar grassland with thousands of small hillocks from the western side of the river, gave way to expansive country fields of forests and tilled farmland the further away from the capital we traveled. Pausing on the side of the road for lunch, we enjoyed a meal of sliced ham and dried fruits. Thanks to the properties of my bag of holding, the nutritious pork was piping hot as if we had just been handed it by the preparing chef. Stella, like usual, summoned a small dipping cup of Marv¡¯s special sauce. Friendly passersby waved to us as we rested, most heading toward the capital. Though, a few of the wagons we overtook earlier caught up as we relaxed on our break. One young wagon driver who caught my attention wore a particularly wide grin as he passed by. Packing up, our bellies warm and satisfied, we continued. In short order, we fast overtook the same waggoner from earlier. As we did the driver called out a friendly taunt at our backs. He promised, in an embellished inflection about how he would, ¡®catch up¡¯ and ¡®pass us by¡¯ as soon as we paused for our evening meal. Seemingly in good fun, as if the driver was poking fun at our magically enhanced speed, I only waved and smiled back at the man. Unbeknownst to my friends, I had just silently accepted the man¡¯s challenge and, when we were out of eyesight, I intentionally increased our tempo to a light jog. When Stella inquired why we quickened our pace, saying we were in no rush, I insincerely responded, ¡°The exercise will feel good under the afternoon sun.¡± Stella gave me a side eye as if she knew my real intentions. I didn¡¯t see it, but she mouthed the word ¡®ego¡¯ to a smiling Tallos. As the miles disappeared, Tallos and I chatted more than a fair bit. He shared tales of his free-spirited childhood among his elven brethren. Midway through his telling, images of absurdly tall trees with dozens of suspended bridges spanning wide wooden platforms, everything a few hundred feet in the air, unfurled in my imagination. ¡°Kelewithe is a true wonder to behold,¡± Tallos said of his home city. ¡°Most of our homes are built within the enormous naturally formed tree hollows, or directly upon the platforms using only reclaimed lumber of fallen trees.¡± ¡°Sounds like it would be a spectacular sight to see one day,¡± I replied wistfully. ¡°You need only wait then a good tenday, as you¡¯ll see similarly constructed homes when we reach the elven kingdom we¡¯re heading for.¡± Motioned to slow our hurried pace as I figured we created more than enough space between us and our inevitable pursuer, Tallos continued describing his upbringing. ¡°My parents were wood carvers by trade, making everything from tables and chairs to more decorative pieces sold to nearby human cities,¡± Tallos reminisced as he bounded lightly on his toes as we walked. ¡°They wanted to impress upon me their desire for carving the marvelous heartwood of Kelewithe teak. Unfortunately for them, I had long instead developed wanderlust for the forest. My homeland¡¯s woodland spanned a hundred miles in all directions. Where I was born, a world away and many days south of the human capital city, I fell in love with the land, the forest, and the ever-peaceful prairies. Tallos glanced up into the cumulus clouds floating lazily over our heads as he recollected old memories. ¡°While the death of my parents had been devastating, I count myself blessed in a way. The awful tragedy brought my aching soul to my oldest friend, my mentor. He was a like-minded warden, named Zeik. He saw within me, an orphaned child, a kindred spirit. Soon after my parents passed, Zeik adopted me and took me under his wing. For the next two decades, he taught me all I know. From archery to herbalism, to stalking prey regardless of their size, Zeik guided me. Without him, I don¡¯t think I ever would have had the courage to leave my hometown. He was once quoted as saying my spirit, my ¡®essence,¡¯ was akin ¡®to the gale of a thunderstorm.¡¯ Always roaming, always seeking a new challenge, that¡¯s who I am.¡± ¡°Sounds like someone I would very much like to meet,¡± I remarked. Tallos had a glow about him as if the memories sparked something deep within himself. ¡°So, what brought you to sign on as a member of the Moon Siren?¡± ¡°You would have been able to consider yourself blessed, had you been able to meet my friend and mentor. I believe he would have immediately taken a liking to you, as I did. Zeik¡¯s death was, in a way, responsible for my decision to leave my birthplace. Zeik fell in battle defending a distant elven hamlet against the same giant monsters who took my parent¡¯s lives. Zeik¡¯s death enraged me at first, I won¡¯t lie, but my anger was tempered by the wise counsel of our village¡¯s elders. Instead of charging out, which likely would have resulted in my death, I was charged with exploring the world to find like-minded people. As you saw among the varied nature of his crew, Larsa welcomed aboard any man or woman regardless of their heritage. I was quick to see this honorable man held no ill will like so many other humans did against those who didn¡¯t share their heritage.¡± ¡°Even before I met the man,¡± Tallos narrated as he continued his story, a cheerful look upon his striking face. ¡°I first learned of Captain Larsa from a half dozen elves, all passing through my home on their way through the expansive forest kingdom. Stories shared about Larsa instantly reminded me of Zeik. So, when I decided to embark on my adventure away from Kelewithe, I intentionally sought the man out. My respected elders were correct in their counsel, telling me my purpose would become clear upon finding souls akin to my own.¡± Tallos turned his head skyward, breathing in the beautiful summer air as if summoning pure contentment into his being. ¡°I miss my friend, Zeik, deeply. In his honor, I dedicate myself to saving innocent people against any giant or their kin. So, after you saved my life and were sent to bring justice to those marauding Minotaur, I knew my life¡¯s journey was being altered.¡± ¡°I can say confidently if you are anything like your old friend,¡± I said, the corner of my lip rising in a smile. ¡°Then he was certainly the hero you¡¯ve described him to be. You will make his memory proud.¡± ¡°Zeik reminds me of my friend, Stouter,¡± Stella added cheerily a few moments later, though a single tear had fallen upon her cheek. ¡°If those two had met, they would have certainly become the heroes told as the legends they were.¡± ¡°Without a doubt,¡± Tallos agreed as he invited Stella to share a place on his shoulder. Stella smiled gratefully and landed lightly next to his head. ¡°The noble duo would certainly have inspired many to follow in their wake.¡± By early evening, the gentle breeze that had been accompanying us all morning gave way to moderate gusts which created eddies of dirt particles that likely skirted the roadway. The bright sky above was soon encased in dense cloud cover, with only irregular breaks allowing sunlight to fall upon our path. Our party shared more tales as we closed in on our destination. We thoroughly enjoyed each other¡¯s company. Stella would jump in from time to time, making one joke or another, all the while flitting between our shoulders. With the frequent travelers heading in both directions, there was no need to scout for potential ambushes, so Lowki kept himself close. He was broad enough at the shoulder¡¯s so I could rest a hand upon him as we walked. He seemed to appreciate the contact, so much that he would brush against my hip to prompt a desired pet or scratch of his ears. The rolling prairies, more prominent on the opposite side of the capital, gave way to the eastern landscape that was lined with trees, graceful meadows, and pastures. Butterflies and dragonflies zoomed about randomly, and small gophers and deer moved around carelessly. The warm earth, pollen, and countless flowers permeated the air around us. Birds cawed lazily among the squirrels and chipmunks chirping excitedly, so our worries evaporated in the serene atmosphere. When I shared tales from my life back on Earth, my stories raptly held Tallos and Stella¡¯s attention. I spoke of the wonders of science and technology, and a fair amount of my favorite movies and video games. Stella always perked up at those parts. ¡°I like this television device you¡¯ve talked about,¡± Stella said at one point. ¡°In a way, it reminds me a lot of the audience tuning into the Game, here on this world and thousands of others. With your shows from your old home, millions would excitedly watch their favorite contestants, just like Hunters here. If I ever could, I¡¯d like to play some of the video games you¡¯ve talked about. Sounds like fun, being the hero saving the world and all.¡± ¡°You already are a hero, Stell,¡± I said confidently which had Stella beaming back at the kind words. We continued, mostly in silence as we enjoyed the day, though we did laugh at the odd tale one of us shared. When the sun was closing on the horizon, Stella spoke up, letting us know we would find the next town soon. ¡°As we know, it¡¯s called Mammoth, though don¡¯t let the name fool you. It¡¯s not as large as it would seem,¡± Stella said as her paw moved over an invisible screen. ¡°The city was actually named for the hunting prey preferred by the settling hunters, now a hundred years past. Mammoth is listed as a medium settlement, both in size and population. It does appear to have seen a generous increase in population in the last year, with many new homes built to accommodate the increase in citizenship.¡± Stella sat back on her haunches, pressing a paw to her lips. ¡°Hmm, this is new. I see the city has a magistrate appointed by an official from Allerton, though, I¡¯m reading it was a political posting, almost as if he was placed here as a punishment. This is interesting, normally this type of information isn''t available to me. I''m wondering if I can access it because of your increased reputation or increase in levels. Either way, we have greater access than before.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a nice added benefit,¡± I said. ¡°I wonder if that info will help us. See anything else of note?¡± ¡°Yeah, so Magistrate Ussek, as I mentioned, has fallen out of favor with the capital city. He has oversight of Mammoth still but doesn¡¯t hold much true political power. Not sure if that helps, but it¡¯s what is listed.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll find out, I¡¯m sure,¡± I said as the town became visible a few miles up the road. Like the village of Merton, the city didn¡¯t have an outer wall or fortification protecting the town. Wood homes ranging from single to triple-story buildings seemed jarring compared to the expansive countryside surrounding Mammoth. The residences were nothing compared to the lavish mansions seen earlier in the day, though were more upscale than those seen in Merton. Coordinated movement caught our attention as a guard patrol came around a city corner. Instead of the plate armor worn in Allerton, these men were protected by tan leather brigands, spaulders, bracers, and reinforced leg guards. Each man had sheathed swords, though as they moved horridly about, they were calling out something we couldn¡¯t make out at this distance. As we neared the city, it was clear the guards were agitated by something, based on their curt shouts, exaggerated movements, and not to mention their assertive expressions. Of the citizens we could see, most halted their conversations when a patrol drew near, before heading down the road the guards had just come from. Others still, behind the back of the barking soldiers walked in the opposite direction as if they didn¡¯t want to be involved in something. ¡°Something seems off, wouldn¡¯t you say?¡± I asked the group. ¡°Indeed, though, for what reason we cannot yet know,¡± Tallos replied quietly as we approached the main thoroughfare patrolled by a quad of guards. ¡°Sounds like something about a city-wide meeting.¡± As we were about to draw close to the armored men, they abruptly turned around in unison before marching back the way they had come, giving our party not a single glance. ¡°I guess we¡¯ll need to follow to find out,¡± Stella said casually. ¡°Hey Stell, does our reputation with Allerton reach out here?¡± I asked, turning my head in her direction. I recalled receiving a prompt after turning in the Minotaur quest, making me an ¡®honored citizen¡¯ of the capital. I was hoping that would extend out here, though I wanted to see if Stella could confirm that or not. ¡°Yes, it does,¡± Stella replied quickly. ¡°We should be able to count on your reputation all the way to the edge of Tallos¡¯ elven forest.¡± We continued to follow the central road further into the city of Mammoth. Storefronts covered with striped awnings, numerous colorful flower boxes, and tree-lined sidewalks accompanied us as the crowd of people steadily increased as we made our way. We looked to be on a main road heading toward the center of town. We lost sight of the city guards as they turned down an offshoot road, likely looking to call even more citizens to whatever was happening ahead. ¡°Well,¡± I said as the townsfolk we were following picked up their pace, furiously whispering among themselves as they trudged on. ¡°Let¡¯s see if we can figure out what has everyone on edge.¡± From the clamor and commotion coming from ahead, many people were gathered. Perhaps the entire town. Chapter 56 - Magistrate Ussek Spacious houses lined both sides of the paved road. Most were family homes, though a few colorful storefronts with windows brimming with extravagant merchandise were peppered in between. Lawns were meticulously maintained, hedges neatly trimmed, and nearly every family home had an front veranda completed with rocking chairs, porch swings, and an assortment of hanging flower baskets. Everything had a warm, welcoming feel to it, The aesthetic of each building similarly styled as if the citizens were all part of the same homeowner''s association. Tallos, Stella, Ripley, Lowki, and I continued to follow the small cluster of residents deeper into the city. Steadily, more folks joined our swelling ranks. They come out from side streets, some with guards following close behind, others from residential homes. Each a curious onlooker desiring to know what was happening. From the loud commotion ahead, it sounded as if the entire town was in attendance. Nearly everyone wore confused expressions. Ahead, the roadway opened up into a wide courtyard absolutely bursting with residents. Guards were scattered around, most milling about. They looked no more knowledgeable than anyone else. Most of the crowd was facing away, everyone trying to peek over the shoulders of those ahead in an attempt to get a better vantage of the middle of the town square. When an authoritative voice boomed out, calling for everyone¡¯s attention, the clamor of the gathered crowd slowly diminished as hundreds of conversations quieted. With standing room only, the crowd standing shoulder-to-shoulder, we had no way of seeing who had called out. ¡°Quite down, please. May I have your attention? Please bear with me, everything will be explained,¡± the voice shouted as if for the third or fourth time. Finally, the crowd¡¯s chatter stilled enough only a soft murmur of indistinct conversations remained. ¡°This man, this despicable and cowardly mage, has been brought here to face the consequences for the vile and heinous crime of murder. He stands before us to face true justice.¡± From our position in the back, we could only make out the top of the speaker¡¯s head. He must be standing upon a raised platform, though we had no way of knowing for sure. Behind the speaker was a wooden structure comprised of two upright posts connected by a crossbeam. The seemingly hastily constructed structure was incongruous with the beauty of the city. It lacked the high polish and meticulous care of the homes and shops we had recently passed by. This was built only recently. The voice paused and I could barely make out the man thumbing toward the wooden posts. Heads from the crowd turned to whatever he was indicating. The voice continued, having firmly grabbed the attention of every soul around. As he spoke, all remaining murmurs stilled, leaving behind only his booming voice. ¡°Marrek stands accused of murdering a fellow citizen. We will find justice this very eve, of that you can be assured,¡± the voice hollered. ¡°He committed this crime to take the dead man''s shop, wares, and everything else of value. Consider yourself lucky for my timely apprehension of this criminal, for he could have easily turned his dreadful magic against anyone here. Do you think you would have the power to resist? I think not.¡± Who I was suspecting was the city¡¯s magistrate, was laying it thick. Whoever it was, he was clearly an experienced public speaker. ¡°Well,¡± he continued, his tone and vocal delivery seemingly stemming from years of practice. He had the crowd fully engaged and held their rapt attention. ¡°I, your humble Magistrate Ussek, before you all, will pronounce judgment against this man. In the name of justice, I condemn this villain so he can no longer wriggle his tainted hands into our fair city¡­ into your homes. Each of you should consider yourself fortunate I was able to see through the lies of that malevolent monster.¡± Mumbles of agreement and condemnation gathered steam with each new word from the magistrate. He varied his rate, ensuring everyone was able to keep up. After an intentional pause so the crowd could shout verbal attacks directed at the focus of their ire, the magistrate continued. ¡°You all knew Mr. Corm. He was a gentleman. He was a good man who only sought to help our fair town with his enchanted baubles, his inventive creations, and his sublime magic. I¡¯ve heard from many of you how he endeavored to help whenever and however he could.¡± ¡°This gentle soul has been stolen from you, from our community,¡± the magistrate said in an exaggerated tone. As he continued his speech, I began subtly began making my way through the crowd. Others had the same idea but, unlike me, were making little headway. As heads turned to my touch or my press past them, people gave way. I wasn¡¯t sure if it was because I was a Hunter or the serious look in my eye, but it made little difference. I needed to get closer. We were about halfway through the crowd when the oration continued. ¡°Sorcerer Corm made our lives easier. We could go about our daily lives, confident of his support, especially those who work nobly in our mines. But this jealous thief coveted everything Corm acquired from years of honest work. Like most of you, Corm had been a close confidant and friend. I wish I had been quicker to see this mage''s twisted ways.¡± Even I could tell everything about the supposed friendly was likely a lie, and I didn¡¯t even know either man. Something about the way he spoke irked my sensibility as if I could tell it was said only for the benefit of the crowd and a personal vendetta. ¡°For his honest life, his commitment to bettering our community, the despicable Marrek blasted our friend with evil magic. He tore a fiery hole straight through the man¡¯s chest! No one else could have accomplished such a thing. No other knows the magic necessary to end Corm''s life this way. Only Marrek could have done this, we all know this to be true.¡± The press of bodies was far tighter closer to what I now saw was a raised stone platform. To move closer, I would need to be far more aggressive than I wanted to in this moment. Thankfully, we were close enough to finally see the city¡¯s magistrate, in all his gaudy magnificence. The portly man wore a delicately flowing black robe inscribed with golden runes that covered nearly every inch of the many folds layered by the fabric. While not personally versed in runic magic, with only a cursory glance, and drawing upon my arcane knowledge, it was clear the patterns were mostly gibberish. The runes held only enough magic to glow brightly enough to be visible in daylight. Beyond the magistrate¡¯s attire, he was meticulously well-groomed. Here was a man who took great care and pride in his appearance. He had an elegantly braided ponytail hanging over one shoulder and a neatly trimmed beard that came down to a point above chest. A half dozen sparkling earrings on each ear, and an ostentations golden chain around his neck attempted to vocalize the wealth the man possessed. It was almost as if, with his flamboyant appearance, he tried to make it clear who he was. He was the man in charge. No one could mistaken him as anything less. In a not so subtly way, the magistrate wanted to let everyone know where they stood, and where he did, far above. I disliked the man immediately. ¡°We¡¯ve all seen what this mage can do, wonders no other among us can,¡± Ussek repeated his earlier statement. ¡°He called down the fire of the heavens, impaling a bolt through the chest of our dear friend. There is no denying what Marrek has done. We know his guilt beyond any doubt.¡± Pausing dramatically, Magistrate Ussek visibly took in a great lungful of air, his chest puffed out as he thumbed behind him. ¡°This day he will pay for his crime!¡± he screamed. ¡°Never again will he be able to harm another innocent person.¡± Ussek was, without question, a talented speaker. From the reaction and approval of the crowd, their hostile cries of indignation and outrage, I knew what would happen next. It felt like I was in a movie scene, with an aristocratic politician calling for the death of a presumed guilty criminal. In those stories, just like we were seeing here, the demand for punishment would soon follow. Regardless of any evidence or a well-reasoned defense, the criminal would be put to death. It no longer mattered if the person was actually guilty or not, the passion stirred by this skillful orator was on the cusp of stoking the passion of the mob beyond reason. This was all a spectacle, a sham. The consequences of a mob mentality were on the brink of disaster. The hatred filling the square was almost palpable. The mob¡¯s anger was swelling and soon, nothing less than flowing blood would sate its hunger. I needed to act. ¡°We can¡¯t let this happen,¡± Stella whispered next to me, mirroring my inner thoughts. ¡°Nothing he said shows this person criminal is guilty.¡± I nodded along as she spoke, fully in agreement. Tallos pressed a hand to my side, his voice cutting through the increasing unease of the crowd. ¡°If we don¡¯t do something, that person is going to be put to death, guilty or not.¡± I turned to Stella, a single question on my lips that needed to be answered quickly, ¡°Does a city magistrate have the authority to condemn a man to death?¡± ¡°No, not entirely,¡± she replied, her eyes scanning unseen System information. ¡°He would still require the consent of the local guard and whoever is in charge there.¡± Stella looked expectantly at me. It was the answer I was hoping for. ¡°Hold!¡± I roared, putting as much force as I could muster behind the word. Such an abrupt stillness descended over the rowdy crowd it was as if I had instead cast a powerful dweomer of silence. The horde of stunned citizens quickly backed away, creating ample space around our party. As if suddenly standing in a singular glade among a forest of trees, the entire attention of the town was riveted upon me. Those directly in front, having moved aside, finally gave us a full view of the magistrate and the target of his ire. Hands bound, a gag firmly stuffed in his mouth, stood a willowy figure. The defeated man was flanked on either side by towering guards who, had they been Hunters, must have placed every attribute point into Strength and Constitution with how muscular they were. While the taken-aback magistrate stared daggers my way, I finally comprehended the nature of the wooden structure built behind him. It was a gallows. A limp noose dangled over the center bream, the rope swayed gently in the evening breeze as if careless of what transpired around it. ¡°Who are you?¡± the magistrate asked with enough scorn it could have set tinder ablaze. ¡°You have no authority here!¡± ¡°I am Xazorus the Hunter Killer,¡± I replied, thinking quickly on my feet. By using my formal name and title, I hoped both were enough to stem the tide Magistrate Ussek had deftly spun. My instinct told me the magistrate was a person who would refute anything I said unless I had the authority to back it up. Magistrate Ussek was momentarily taken aback by my title but recovered quickly. ¡°Irregardless, I alone dictate what happens in my city.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not even a real word,¡± Stella muttered softly from the side of her mouth, low enough so only I heard her. She snorted derisively. ¡°Irregardless, what a fool.¡± If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°Being the town¡¯s magistrate does not grant you the sole authority, nor the ability to act as judge, jury, and executioner,¡± I replied confidently, stepping forward several paces in the vacancy left by the retreating crowd. ¡°Nothing but speculation and conjecture has been presented here. You have not demonstrated enough evidence to place blame, let alone convict, the man behind you for the heinous crime you¡¯ve accused him of.¡± ¡°Would you so easily convict anyone who had the ability to cast a spell of fire?¡± I added quickly, a plan of action forming in my mind. The magistrate seemed to hesitate at my question. Hunters were well known, of course, and wielded power unlike any other. Seeming to gather his courage, Ussek replied indignantly, ¡°Your opinion matters not, Hunter.¡± His last word spat with obvious disdain. ¡°If you dare speak up again, where you have no authority, I will see you labeled a criminal and have you banished from my city for disrupting this lawful carriage of justice.¡± As the magistrate finished, several nearby guards moved forward, forming a loose formation around us. At the same time, an urgent System notification exploded into my field of view. Normally, such a message should have been auto-minimized, but the System deemed it worthy enough to bypass my notification settings. Upon reading the entirety of the message, I could understand why it did so. WARNING! If you continue along your current course, your actions will have severe consequences on your reputation among all residents of Mammoth, including but not limited to; being labeled a criminal, placed under arrest, and banishment. I looked to Stella. Her tiny paws already swiping at the air, though she could only shrug in response a moment later. Looking pleadingly at her, her movements drove frantically in the air as she attempted to gather more information. Biting back a retort, not wanting to risk banishment, I held my tongue as I fumbled to consider what to do next. Strictly speaking, I didn¡¯t need to interact with anyone from Mammoth. We were only here in search of a potential clue of Duke¡¯s whereabouts or, perhaps, information about his settlement far east. Getting banished, while inconvenient, would surely condemn a possibly innocent man. Seeing no further comment from me, Magistrate Ussek turned to the crowd, an air of superiority and smugness gushing out from him. He returned to recounting the ¡®vile acts¡¯ of the bound prisoner, attempting to provoke the crowd once more. It meant we had some time. ¡°Is there anything we can do here?¡± I asked. ¡°It¡¯s pretty obvious without our intervention, the mage is going to be killed. If we try something, we¡¯ll either be arrested or forced out of town. That, I can live with. Allowing an innocent person to be put to death, I won¡¯t.¡± My mind raced. It seemed far too simple for a man¡¯s guilt to be determined solely by his ability to cast a fire-based spell. The town was large enough I could safely bet at least a dozen people could cast something like it. However, with how determined for bloodshed the magistrate was, I couldn¡¯t blame them for not speaking up. ¡°It seems this is some type of hidden question, with unknown hidden objectives,¡± Stella said with obvious frustration. ¡°For whatever reason, the System is not sharing many details.¡± My mind started to work on the problem as Stella continued, ¡°Being a Hunter isn¡¯t going to cut it, clearly. Perhaps if the Magistrate was an ethical person, he would let you raise a proper defense to the charges. But, with his political position, his ultimatum appears valid. We need to have something called a ¡®locus standi,¡¯ according to the metadata.¡± It sparked an idea. I had always been fascinated with laws, from their subtle nuances to their intricate legalese. In my prior life, I focused was primarily on ancient Roman laws, so Stella¡¯s comment about a ¡®locus standi¡¯ seemed familiar. Unless I was mistaken, it meant I needed to have the right or legal ability to appear in a court of law. When I thought of it this way, a question formed in my mind. ¡°Would an ¡®honored citizen¡¯ from Allerton be able to challenge him?¡± Stella¡¯s frantic searching halted, her paws pausing in the air as she carefully pondered my question. An excited look came over her face as paws began swiping furiously once more. My question stemmed from a seemingly inconsequential System notification, back from when we completed our Minotaur quest for Captain Baracus. Prompted by Stella, the prompt reappeared. Congratulations! Your actions within the capital city of Allerton have reached an important threshold. You are now considered an ¡®Honored Citizen of Allerton¡¯ with any nearby settlement affiliated with the capital. Continue to act in a manner that benefits its citizens and surrounding lands to open new possibilities, quests, and additional rewards. ¡°Yes!¡± Stella shouted at long last. Her word momentarily catching Magistrate Ussek¡¯s attention, though he rolled on stubbornly. ¡°That will work,¡± Stella said before making a definitive cutting gesture, a confident look upon her hopeful face. ¡°Call upon your honored standing and you should be able to challenge him. Tell him you ¡®call upon your rights to defend and advocate for the accused.¡¯¡± ¡°I said to hold!¡± I thundered out once more, firmly catching the attention of every eye in the plaza. Before the now red-faced magistrate could utter a response, undoubtedly for guards to apprehend me, I continued as my stern visage bore holes in the lofty adjudicator. ¡°As an Honored Citizen of Allerton, I call upon my right to defend and advocate for the accused.¡± The flushed man blubbered something incoherent. The guards who had started closing ranks when I spoke paused their advance. ¡°Preposterous,¡± Ussek finally articulated, suddenly sounding like his mouth had become stuffed with marshmallows slathered in honey. The mob¡¯s building anger simmered to a cool rumble as I purposefully strode up a nearby set of stairs to stand beside the magistrate on his raised dais. Stella, for her part, sat proudly with her back held straight, as if she was justice herself. As we approached, the obviously flustered and bewildered Ussek turned a deeper shade of crimson. Unless my guess missed the mark, the magistrate had never been so openly challenged in public thus giving birth to his current shell-shocked appearance. ¡°Nonetheless, I have the right,¡± I stared down at the man. Ussek was a foot shorter than me, though quite a bit wider around the middle. As if cold water had been splashed across his steaming face, a change came over Ussek''s demeanor. He was still flustered, but arrogance returned to his body language. Flinging out his hand dismissively, Ussek conceded to my request. ¡°Fine, it will not matter,¡± he said with gleaming eyes as if he were already victorious. "The evidence, as I said, is irrefutable.¡± ¡°So, help me understand,¡± I said leadingly, my voice thick with derision. ¡°Are you condemning this man solely on his capacity to cast a fire spell?¡± ¡°Yes. For the last time, this is irrefutable,¡± the magistrate replied with a definitive nod of his manicured head. In his mind, he already won the argument. The ill-tempered man hesitated a moment when his ¡®irrefutable¡¯ statement didn¡¯t dissuade me in the slightest. Instead of defeat registering behind my eyes, only self-confidence stared back into his blue eyes. A bead of sweat ran down the side of his face as he unconsciously wet his lips. For the briefest of moments, he bore the look of a man who realized his opponent may have already been two steps ahead. He was entertaining the possibility of defeat. Winking at Ussek, I uttered an arcane word as I worked my left hand imperceptibly at my side, forming the simple gestures required for one of my first spells. With a dramatic flick of my other hand to the sky, I called upon my rarely used firebolt spell, the power rushing out from my core like a blazing meteor. I couldn¡¯t even recall the last time I had used it. A rapidly spinning inferno akin to a miniature sun, shot upwards traveling well beyond the speed any mundane arrow could achieve. The gazes of every soul in the crowd turned skyward to watch its rapid ascent. Wanting to ensure no one would be harmed by the errant spell, its damage potential was now in the triple digits thanks to my heightened Intelligence attribute, I made a show of raising a hand near the magistrate¡¯s face before snapping my fingers. At the same time, I mentally terminated the spell forcing it to fade from existence well above everyone¡¯s head. ¡°If the only evidence you have against Marrek,¡± I began, tipping my head towards the restrained prisoner, my tone clear and distinct to ensure everyone present would catch my words. ¡°Is the ability to cast this spell, then your mockery of a verdict must be overturned.¡± My words were at first directed at Ussek but as I continued, my gaze moved to the astonished crowd below the dais. ¡°The magic you just witnessed is nothing more than a novice-rank spell. Anyone with even a modicum of magical talent is capable of casting it.¡± I paused for a moment, allowing my words to sink in and to see if anyone, the Magistrate included, would refute my claim. None did. Ussek wasn¡¯t standing amicably beside me, a vein on his temple was swollen to near bursting, his face crimson once more. But, like the gathered crowd, no words were forthcoming. I pressed my advantage, ¡°I demand Mage Marrek be released, immediately. No one of sound mind would convict him simply for having the capacity to cast spells.¡± A zealous gleam descended over the fuming magistrate¡¯s eyes. ¡°If Marrek did not commit the murder,¡± Ussek said, his tone honed to a keen edge. "Then you condemn yourself. You have as much admitted to your guilt. You killed our friend! No one else has the potential of the spell you just cast.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not listening,¡± I said with a slow shake of my head as if scolding an impudent child. ¡°You have no physical evidence, nor a witness to the crime. Marrek, no more than me, can be convicted of the murder you seem so willing to place upon someone¡¯s, anyone''s, shoulder.¡± Stella, still proudly resting on my shoulder, crossed her paws across her chest, the matter clearly settled. I held Ussek¡¯s gaze for long moments, only silence passing between us. He couldn¡¯t refute my words, and we both knew it. Continuing with the initiative before the man could devise another scheme to errantly place blame, I intentionally turned the focus away from the man. Perhaps I could uncover some clues as to who actually committed the murder. ¡°Where was the man, Corm, killed?¡± I asked the gathered crowd. It took a moment but a voice from the crowd called out at long last. ¡°He was found at the entrance of the silver mine,¡± cried a woman¡¯s voice from somewhere in the crowd. Ussek tried to turn a glare upon whoever had spoken, but there was no way to identify the speaker. His face reminded me of a kettle about to boil over. ¡°Who said that?¡± Ussek bellowed impotently. ¡°Has anything else happened in or around the mines, anything unusual?¡± I pressed on, purposely ignoring the city magistrate. I turned away from the fuming man, though I was sure to keep him at the edge of my periphery. Something in body language said he was about to reach a tipping point and, perhaps, do something foolish. A new voice carried over the crowd, this time from a man I could see clearly. He was wearing a grubby woolen shirt and had silvery soot covering most of his face and hands. ¡°Some of our miners have gone missing. We pleaded to Sorcerer Corm and, he told me, he said he would look into it for us,¡± the disheveled miner said before pausing and looking downward. When his eyes returned to the dais, this tone quivered with dismay. ¡°We found his body the next morning. He was trying to help us!¡± Quest received: Mystery in the Mines After learning details from Magistrate Ussek and the residents of Mammoth, it appears something nefarious may be taking place at a nearby silver mine. Several miners have gone missing in recent days, and at least one person has been found slain, a gaping hole burned through his chest. The city is in distress, its residents jumping at every shadow. Will you take it upon yourself to discover the mystery behind these disappearances? Or will you allow more harm to befall Mammoth through inaction? Objective One: Secure the release of Mage Marrek. Objective Two: Investigate the local silver mine and identify the cause of villager Corm¡¯s demise. Objective Three: HIDDEN Rewards: Variable. Experience, at least one rare magical item, and a significant increase in reputation. Accept: Yes/No? Accepting the quest without a moment of hesitation, I had no intention of leaving the city to an unknown fate, I addressed the crowd once more. ¡°As a law-abiding Hunter, I will not allow any other resident of Mammoth to perish. My party and I will leave immediately for the silver mines to determine the cause of Sorcerer Corm¡¯s death and bring those responsible to justice,¡± I pledged with conviction. There was no bravado in my voice, only genuine sincerity. I believe my honest commitment touched many in the crowd, seeing the truth of my words. Shoulders visibly relaxed, releasing a heavy burden borne of anxiety. Heads bobbed gratefully, comforted by my vow. While some in the crowd were still restless, judging from the many hopeful eyes peering back at me, my promise had pulled the teeth of mob. ¡°We will find those truly responsible for your friend¡¯s fate. Before we do, I submit once more, due to an absence of any genuine evidence, that Mage Marrek be released immediately. Or, by my authority as a Hunter and an honored citizen of the capital, I will pass judgment over this Magistrate.¡± I didn¡¯t know if I actually had any such authority, but it sounded good in my head. The magistrate had finally had enough. My contempt and apparent disrespect reached a tipping point. With venom etched painfully across his features, Ussek swiftly pulled a serrated ebony dagger from his sleeve far faster than I thought possible. Screaming in fury, he plunged the pitch-black blade toward my unprotected face. Chapter 57 - A Dagger to the Eye A collective gasp rang out from the crowd upon seeing Ussek¡¯s darkened dagger flashing headlong toward my face. While part of me believed Ussek could have eventually devolved into some form of aggression, I was not expecting such brutal swiftness he demonstrated now. I was caught off guard. While most of my attention had been directed toward the citizens standing around the raised dais, I had intentionally kept the squat man at the border of my vision. The sudden blur of motion, the gleam of sunlight glinting off the serrated edge, had my mind working in overdrive to desperately catch up. The only way Ussek could have achieved such a lightning-fast move was by magical means. I hadn''t expected that. Worse for me, as I reactively twisted toward his shout, a vulnerable part of my face was presented to the madman, my eye. Ussek¡¯s aim was so precise, it too must have been enhanced by magic. I only had enough time for my eyes to widen in shock as the tip of the blade crashed in. My head rocked backward from the attack, my vision exploding into a chaotic mix of brilliant sparks and a dazzling array of colors. Half of my vision was overwhelmed in an instant. Even as I was reeling from the attack, I had enough awareness to throw a hand behind me, signaling Lowki to stand down before he potentially counter-attacked. Ripley, on the other hand, didn¡¯t need a signal. Well in advance, around the time we ascended to stand next to Ussek, I sent my guardian a mental command to hold her position, no matter what Ussek attempted. As I waited urgently for my vision to clear, additional strikes impacted all over my body. My arms, my chest, not even my kidneys were spared as blow after blow rained down on me. My frenzied attacker circled around me, his wicked blade tearing repeatedly through the space between us. Finally able to orient on my assailant, as his unrelenting dagger crashed in once more, this time aiming for my exposed neck, my hand darted out faster than even the hasted Ussek could move. While I had been taken aback by the alacrity of his assault, the man didn¡¯t realize he never had a chance to begin with. My aim was perfect as I intercepted the ebony blade. My fingers clamped down on Ussek¡¯s wrist like a vice, stopping his thrust cold. He tried frantically to pull his dagger back but my superhuman strength must have made it feel like he was trying to pull a blade buried to the hilt in ironwood. Though he jerked mightily to withdraw, my hand did not budge. The midnight tip of the blade poised dangerously close to my neck, but unable to move in the slightest. Realizing he wasn¡¯t making any headway, my assailant finally turned his gaze upward. At first, Ussek¡¯s visage reminded me of a cornered wild beast with nothing to lose. However, when our eyes locked, his expression changed to that of a trapped animal as his eyes widened in absolute disbelief. Ussek stared in bewilderment as not a single blemish, not a single mark from his repetitive attacks marred my face, let alone my body. Not so much as a single drop of blood could be seen anywhere. Where he had expected to find a ruined eye socket, only my twin silver-eyed glare back. Ussek trembled. ¡°Wh¡­ what?¡± Ussek garbled as his head twitched in disbelief, his attempts to break free morphing unconsciously into ineffectual jerks and spasmodic convulses. When I began to squeeze, Ussek¡¯s eyes flared in distress. Bones began to audibly crack as I steadily increased the pressure. The magistrate¡¯s former furious roar disintegrated into a peel of agony as his hand was pulverized under my unrelenting onslaught. When I finally released my grip, Ussek¡¯s raven-black dirk clattered to the hard stone as the man fell to his knees cradling his ruined appendage. ¡°So,¡± I began, my voice calm and measured. The square was utterly still. Everyone single person present heard my words as they crossed the open courtyard. ¡°Attempted murder. Is that how you respond to lawful requests?¡± I paused a moment to let my words sink in. The gathered citizens, the dozens of guards, and every single person stood by in stunned silence. No one had been expecting to bear witness to such an all-out bombardment which should have left me as an unrecognizable bloody mess on the hard stone. In an act of desperation, Ussek lunged for his fallen weapon, far slower than only moments earlier. As the unbroken fingers of his left hand wrapped around the hilt, I noticed that a clear jewel at the bottom of the hilt flared emerald for a moment. So, it¡¯s a property of the blade, I thought casually, not worrying in the slightest at the fast-approaching attack. There was no need, not anymore, anyway. Swift as a viper once more, the teary-eyed Ussek stabbed his weapon toward my chest. Unfortunately for him, the tip of the knife stopped a scant inch above my blazeweave kimono, the folds of my garment not feeling so much as a needle prick. Exactly the same result as every other previous attack from the rabid magistrate of Mammoth. Ussek had been in such a blind rage, he failed to notice not a single blow touched my skin, let alone pierce my seemingly vulnerable eye. As he had attacked with his non-dominant hand, the force of his latest blow felt like someone had jabbed a pair of fingers into my chest. It was barely worth noticing. That was how every melee attack now felt, thanks to my ever-present empowered aegis. However, it still allowed the physicality, the force of the impact, to reach through. When his dagger impacted my eye, while absent any pain, it felt as if someone had punched my delicate orb. My vision erupting into blinding flashes of light should have been expected. My defenses were strong but not invulnerable. I still had not moved or reacted in any way to the latest attack. Forgoing the attempt to simply stab me repeatedly, the magistrate was determined to push with all his might in an attempt to overwhelm the invisible barrier surrounding my body. As long as I had mana running within my core, he wouldn¡¯t make any headway there. Emphasizing this point, I leaned over the crouched man, pressing his blade back in the process. Casually, I wrapped my fingers around his left wrist. Recognition spread across Ussek as he remembered what I was capable of doing as I held his wrist and the many bones of his hand. His eyes expanded fearfully once more. I didn¡¯t break his hand this time though. I simply held the position. He couldn¡¯t retreat or disengage, he might as well have been cast in stone for it mattered. ¡°Magistrate Ussek,¡± I said in a professional tone as if I held no animosity over his grim actions. ¡°You have perpetrated the crime of attempted murder against an honored citizen of Allerton. You have falsely condemned a man to be put to death without due cause or legal authority.¡± As I denounced his actions, the realization of what he had done truly filtered past the man¡¯s thick skull. His trembling worsened as the implications sunk in. ¡°Know I am well within my rights to execute you on the spot for your crimes against me. So, before I decide if I will seek this legal remedy, I will instead allow you an opportunity to face your crimes in accordance with the laws of the land.¡± ¡°Do you, Magistrate Ussek, permanently abdicate your position as this city¡¯s magistrate henceforth? Do you admit to the crimes you are accused of? Do¡­ you¡­ yield?¡± My words radiated conviction. This was no simple consideration the man faced. Unless I missed the mark, his admittance and surrender had legal ramifications, not to mention serious repercussions. My suspicion was confirmed moments later when every nearby guard relaxed their stances, their weapons no longer held at the ready. Everyone looked for the defeated man¡¯s answer. ¡°Yes, yes. I yield,¡± Ussek responded scornfully. ¡°Now release me!¡± ¡°I accept,¡± I responded, letting Ussek go. No longer resisting, his blade clattered uselessly beside him. He didn¡¯t make another attempt to retrieve it. Ussek¡¯s venomous gaze drilled into the closest pair of guards. If his words could cut, they would have surely been able to slice through steel. ¡°Guards! I demand you arrest this Hunter for assaulting me.¡± Neither man moved. ¡°What are you standing there uselessly for?¡± Ussek, still on his knees, asked before shouting several expletives to berate the men. ¡°On my authority as a magistrate, you will place this lunatic under arrest. Now!¡± I knelt beside Ussek as he cradled his shattered fist, staring right into the man¡¯s eyes. ¡°You truly don¡¯t listen, do you? Not even to yourself,¡± I said to the broken man. ¡°You are no longer the city¡¯s magistrate by your own admission. You no longer have that authority.¡± Before Ussek could respond, I turned to the two guards the former magistrate had chastised. ¡°Guards, place this criminal under arrest and remove him from the dais to await charges. Additionally, please send word to Allerton that Magistrate Ussek has seceded his position in perpetuity. Finally, Ussek should have charges filed against him by a local guard captain for the attempted murder of an honored citizen, as well as dereliction of duty. However the captain sees fit.¡± The two men ascended the steps, metal manacles appearing between them. Seeing what they attempted to do, I quickly intoned my regen spell on Ussek. Resting a hand on his trembling shoulder, healing magic glowed brightly in the fading evening light. In seconds, Ussek¡¯s hand was restored to complete health, though would likely be stiff for at least the next few hours. As Ussek rose to his feet, gapping wondrously at his no longer aching hand, the guards clapped iron over his wrists, the metal bracelets snapping in place. When a guard made eye contact with me, I asked, ¡°Will you bear witness to what has transpired here, truthfully, and on my behalf?¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Without a moment of hesitation, the two guards pulled Ussek off the stage, his wrists shackled closely together. I quickly lost sight of him in the crowd. ¡°Well, that was exciting,¡± Stella said in a cheerful tone. ¡°Where are we off to next?¡± I rubbed my hand softly across the side of her petite body before bending low to retrieve Ussek¡¯s dropped dagger. ¡°Don¡¯t you know, we¡¯re going on an adventure,¡± I replied with a satisfied grunt. ¡°So, what do we have here?¡± The midnight black weapon was impressive. The serrated dagger was shaped like an isosceles triangle, the bladed section of the weapon looking as if it had been stretched to over a foot in length. The blade was widest at the hilt, just above the thin cross guard, and came to a wickedly sharp point. So fine was the tip that it looked capable of punching a hole through most defenses. Apparently not magical ones, I thought gratefully. If it had, that blow to my eye may very well been a lethal one. Thankful for my aegis yet again, I turned the weapon over to peer at the base of the weapon and the jewel that caught my earlier attention. The hilt was made of a dark wood I didn¡¯t recognize. It was fashioned perfectly to fit in the hand. The jewel was crystal-clear, about the size of a grape, and may have been shaped like an eagle¡¯s head. Holding the gem close, no hint of whatever emerald magic had flared remained. ¡°Must need to be activated,¡± I said to myself as I admired the weapon. As I mentally queried the System to ¡®inspect¡¯ the blade for its properties, another message popped up immediately overlapping the weapon¡¯s information. ¡°Alright then.¡± Congratulations! You have completed the hidden quest, ¡°The Mad Magistrate¡±. As a result of your actions, an innocent man has been saved from a horrible fate. Wherever you are, only the honest pursuit of justice will prevail. Standing against a tyrant, your honor and cool temperament dispelled the furious anger that had been so nearly stoked in the heart of Mammoth. Instead of fear or suspicion, its residents now look upon you with respect and admiration. Well done, Hunter. Quest Rewards: 2,000 Experience, a rare magical dagger, increased reputation with all citizens of Mammoth, & significant reputation with the local mage, Marrek. If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. The crowd around us began to disperse with the spectacle ending. Not a drop of the once-building wrath remained in the public¡¯s consciousness as people returned to their homes. Most of the guards remained to ensure an orderly departure, while several more approached the stone platform on their way towards us. My eyes returned to my other notification as it would take the armored men several moments to reach us. {Serrated Ebony Parazonium} Once a symbol of courage worn by commanding officers, this blade has been tainted with profane magic turning a once beautiful object of integrity into an assassin¡¯s weapon. Quality: Well-crafted. Rarity: Rare. Type: Piercing, one handed. Slot: Primary or Secondary. Durability: 792/1,000. Speed: Very fast. Effect(s): Adds 15 to 20 damage per attack, doubled if used against an unsuspecting target, and plus 40% accuracy. Secondary Effect(s): Twice per day, a haste effect can be triggered which greatly enhances the user¡¯s attack speed. Note ¨C This effect only remains for a short period of time and automatically ends if contact with the weapon is lost. Requirements for magical effects: Assassin, Rogue, Cutthroat, or a deceptive class type. ¡°Well, that first message about the hidden quest explains why the System had been mothballing me,¡± Stella said as she pointed an accusatory claw where the notification had been a moment earlier. ¡°Damn thing nearly cost an innocent man¡¯s life. Now, that weapon¡­ Well, I guess it says a lot about the old magistrate since he could use its magic¡± ¡°Indeed. Still, we had enough to go on thankfully,¡± I said as the guards moved to release the bound prisoner standing under the gallows. The two mountainous men previously holding him released their charge without complaint and sauntered away with the remaining guards. Once released, only Marrek approached us as he rubbed soreness from his wrists from the heavy shackles. I swiftly stored the dagger in my inventory, unsure if we¡¯d ever be able to make use of it due to its restriction. ¡°You look¡­ a little worse for wear,¡± I said to the man, considering his haggard condition. He wore soiled threadbare cotton clothing which looked entirely uncomfortable. His long dark hair was matted and disheveled, a particular clump spouting oddly off the side of his head. ¡°Would you mind if I cast a restorative spell on you?¡± ¡°Please,¡± Marrek replied as he paused a respectable distance away. I started with a minor healing wave to instantly shore up any superficial injuries, then layered it with my regen spell. Within seconds, he was looking refreshed. His muscle tone returned, having previously looked before like he hadn¡¯t eaten in days. A gleam returned to his exhausted gaze and his back straightened with relief. ¡°Thank you, Hunter,¡± he said as he offered his hand. I gladly shook it. ¡°Please, call me Xaz,¡± I replied politely as my hands returned to my sides. In order, I pointed out my friends. ¡°This is Stella, Tallos, my guardian Ripley, and the panther¡­ using the gallows as a scratching post¡­ is my companion Lowki.¡± As I shook my head in amusement over Lowki¡¯s antics, Stella floated forward to offer her paw to Marrek. He considered a moment before shaking it carefully. At the exchange, I beamed brightly at Stella¡¯s back. ¡°I¡¯m more than aware of what would have happened had you not arrived,¡± the mage said, relief showing in his relaxed body and a long sigh. ¡°Magistrate¡­ Ussek, had his guards roughly place me in irons days ago. I didn¡¯t put up any resistance, but they beat the snot out of me anyway. I thought I was dead for use when they dragged me under that noose.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad we were able to arrive in time,¡± Tallos said after shaking hands with the man. ¡°While Xaz did the heavy lifting, for sure, there would have been no way we would have allowed your death sentence to be carried out. One way or another, banishment be damned, we would have put a stop to it.¡± Marrek hesitated for a moment, his eyes returning to me with a look as if something was bothering him. Not wanting to press the issue, I waited patiently for him to say what was on his mind. ¡°But¡­ you¡¯re a hunter. Don¡¯t get me wrong, you saved my life, and I am entirely grateful for it but¡­¡± Marrek uttered with a perplexed expression, not willing to finish his sentence. ¡°But you¡¯ve never heard of a Hunter willing to do the right thing,¡± I finished his thought lightheartedly. Marrek inclined his head. ¡°We get that a lot. Unlike most Hunters you¡¯ve probably heard of, I¡­ we,¡± I said before motioning to our small group. ¡°¡­are looking to do the right thing for the people of this world. It may come as a surprise, but I was much like you before I became a Hunter.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of such a thing,¡± Marrek responded skeptically. I could hardly blame him. ¡°Hunters, at least the few I have heard of, come from off-world do they not?¡± ¡°In a way, Xaz did come from another world,¡± Stella said as she glided to my shoulder once more. Marrek had a look as if he wanted to probe this line of questioning deeper, but Stella moved to another topic before he could. ¡°Xaz and I started our journey together only a week or so ago. In that time, we¡¯ve done a lot of good and helped a lot of people. We¡¯ve also taken down a pair of shameful Hunters. Xaz even has the title to prove it.¡± ¡°Well, I am grateful for what you¡¯ve done,¡± Marrek said as he rubbed his arms, the threadbare cloth barely thick enough to protect him from the cutting wind. ¡°I¡¯d like to see if I can repay you for the kind act, though, would you care to return with me to my home? I need to get out of these ragged things.¡± We talked with Marrek while we walked, his home not far from the city square. He told of his rough handling by the guards, but his words stuck in his throat when he spotted his storefront. His shop had haphazardly boarded windows, the lumber carelessly hammered from the outside, likely at the magistrate¡¯s request. His windows were also long ago shattered, its glass crunching noisily under our feet. ¡°Well, this is unfortunately and wholly unpleasant,¡± Marrek exhaled. ¡°If you will excuse me, I¡¯ll be right back.¡± We waited while Marrek went inside. When he slammed his shoulder several times into the door, I started to offer my assistance, but the third time was the charm. The door bent inwards at an odd angle, one of the hinges having broken away. The door had been securely locked, and Marrek probably doubted he would ever find the key after being manhandled during his arrest. Hence, the blatant forced entry. ¡°Well, that was entertaining. And when I say entertaining, I actually mean terrifying,¡± Stella said as we waited patiently outside. Thuds and muffled curses came from behind the boarded windows. The inside of the home was probably in a similar disarray as the outside. ¡°Marrek was only minutes away from having his life taken. Plus, the System warned you about being arrested and banished at any moment. It was a lot to take in,¡± she looked to Tallos who was resting comfortably with a back against the wall. ¡°I know you said we would have done something to stop it, regardless of the consequences, but had it come to that¡­ I¡¯m not sure we could have taken on an entire city.¡± ¡°Thankfully, it didn¡¯t come to that,¡± I replied with a conciliatory gesture toward the both of them. ¡°He wasn¡¯t wrong though. We would have risked the consequences. It''s who we are.¡± ¡°And the people,¡± Stella spat to the side, or at least tried. It was adorable, exactly as it had been the last time she attempted it way back after rescuing the villagers from Merton. I wisely kept those thoughts regarding her endearing quality firmly shut behind my teeth though. I didn¡¯t want to get bitten. ¡°They were just going to stand by and let it happen!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t put too much blame on them,¡± I said, attempting to shore Stella¡¯s meager view of the townsfolk of Mammoth. ¡°We have a saying where I¡¯m from. A person is smart. People are dumb, panicky, dangerous animals. I would like to believe if the people in the square had the chance to look upon the situation as we did, without a political leader riling them into a frenzy, they would have come to our conclusion.¡± ¡°Still,¡± Stella huffed. ¡°They should be ashamed of themselves.¡± Tallos was watching a couple moving quickly down the streets. Their postures were hunched, shoulders slumped, and their conversation appeared strained. ¡°I think many already are,¡± he replied as he pointed at the departing pair. Shortly thereafter, Marrek returned wearing a simple dark blue robe. The material looked soft and came down to his ankle. He wore open-toed sandals, straps crisscrossing over the front of his foot. A leather belt was synched at his waist, an odd assortment of potion bottles, and a pair of tomes hanging at his side. Marrek had taken the time to care for his personal hygiene, his hair combed slick back style. Though, he still bore a distressed stubble beard, with flecks of gray sprinkled throughout. ¡°You¡¯re looking far better, my friend,¡± I said as Marrek approached. ¡°Feeling better than I have all day,¡± he returned a bright smile. ¡°So, I assume you would like me to show you to the silver mines, based on what you said back there?¡± ¡°Indeed, we would, if you would,¡± I replied thumbing to the road behind us. ¡°Please, lead on.¡± We moved through town without interruption, though I was pleased to see more than one person offered an apology to Marrek as we passed by residential homes and storefronts alike. Considering the importance of the quest at hand, I figured we¡¯d stop by some shops after taking care of it. In no time, we came to a short-walled section, right on the city¡¯s edge according to my mini-map. The mortar stone wall was only three feet high, so wasn¡¯t placed there to keep people out. As we walked onward through an unlocked steel gate, I was suddenly shocked at the size and shape of the mine opening before us. I had been expecting some short hill or a wall with a hole leading downward. I wasn¡¯t expecting to find what was laid out before us. The reason for the short retaining wall became obvious as the earth dropped away from us, descending deeper, layer by layer. The silver mine''s excavation reminded me of an inverted pyramid, with a long stone-cut square stairway running deeper with each new layer into the ground. The bottom was perhaps three hundred feet below. ¡°At first, this was simply a place where slabs of stone were collected to pave the city¡¯s many roads,¡± Marrek offered as we descended. ¡°It was perhaps¡­ a year ago now when the city discovered the silver mine. The expensive metal within allowed the city to flourish.¡± Making our way to the bottom, the cave entrance came into view. ¡°You may be interested to know that started as an iron mine, but good fortune and luck shone upon the first miners when strong veins of silver were found. The entrance travels south away from the city with countless branches and interconnecting tunnels. I haven¡¯t explored all of it, though I¡¯m told it fans out at least a mile in every direction if you get deep enough.¡± ¡°Were monsters ever found within?¡± I asked as we paused near the cave opening. I was hoping for a clue about how dangerous the place could be. ¡°Nothing ordinary folk couldn¡¯t manage, at first. Still, to this day, no one has explored all the depths the mine has to offer. With possibly a hundred side passages, all those nooks and crannies, my guess is it would take a dozen years to fully explore the space. Anyway, every once in a while, a formidable creature is discovered, and then people like me are sent in to handle it. From what I¡¯ve personally defeated, I doubt any would pose a threat to someone of your caliber, of any member of your party for that matter.¡± Stella beamed up at the seeming compliment, though I hadn¡¯t the heart to tell her Marrek was likely excluding her considering her diminutive body. She seemed pleased, so who was I to rain on her parade? Maybe I¡¯d point it out to her later, I thought wryly. ¡°Did any creature you¡¯ve seen have the capability to cast magic, specifically fire magic?¡± Stella asked, still grinning. ¡°To my knowledge, nothing with the ability to cast spells has ever shown itself,¡± Marrek responded firmly. ¡°Most of what we¡¯ve had to deal with are huge subterranean lizards called razorbacks. Hell, I even burned a flock of vampiric bats a few months ago. The miner who stumbled into their nest thankfully had only little drained blood before his friends were able to pull him out.¡± Marrek ran a hand across his greased hair. ¡°I¡¯ve been wracking my brain for what could have done such a thing to Corm. He was a powerful sorcerer in his own right, and his body was found just outside this tunnel as if he had been running away from something,¡± he said while rubbing the back of his neck. ¡°The worst I fought was a pack of aggressive basalt beetles. Those bastards looked to crush you under their flat carapaces before spiking their body temperature to such a degree it could boil water.¡± Marrek caught my frown. ¡°You need not fear facing them anymore. We found all you need to do is toss a water skin on them and their own heat causes their bodies to shatter. Though, I didn¡¯t know it at the time, to my misfortune. Not to worry, we haven¡¯t seen those guys in a long time,¡± he assured me. As Marrek was beginning a new story, something about a reptile called a ¡®leaping lizard,¡¯ though he didn¡¯t explain how he knew their name. Maybe it was simply something they decided to call it. Either way, as he was excitingly recounting how he made a fantastic pair of enchanted boots, I repeatedly waved my hands in the air to call for a halt. ¡°Sorry,¡± I apologized, returning to why we were there. ¡°Is there anything else we should know about the mine before we go in?¡± ¡°Well, it should be empty. Guards don¡¯t really patrol here, and the magistrate called for a halt on all mining operations until after...¡± Marrek didn¡¯t finish, but his expression was enough to say ¡®his hanging.¡¯ ¡°Where was the body found?¡± I asked to keep the conversation moving in the right direction. ¡°Right here, actually,¡± Marrek answered, pointing a finger about five yards from the entrance. ¡°The miners who found him explained they found Corm sprawled out there. Something hit him with a blast of fire powerful enough to tear a fist-sized hole through his chest. Shot in the back, the damn bastards. Corm died instantly though, thankfully.¡± ¡°Well, this is where I leave you,¡± Marrek said with a soft clap on my shoulder. ¡°When you have slain whoever killed my friend, please return to my shop. I¡¯d like to properly thank you. Sadly, I won¡¯t be staying with this city much longer, not with how they treated me. I¡¯m packing up, returning to the capital in two days. I¡¯ll wait for you that long, though if you take longer, simply seek me out at the capital. May fortune smile upon you, my friend.¡± Shaking hands, the mage departed, trudging back up the carved steps leading back to the surface. I pulled up the quest log and gave it another look. Quest received: Mystery in the Mines After learning details from Magistrate Ussek and the residents of Mammoth, it appears something nefarious may be taking place at a nearby silver mine. Several miners have gone missing in recent days, and at least one person has been found slain, a gaping hole burned through his chest. The city is in distress, its residents jumping at every shadow. Will you take it upon yourself to discover the mystery behind these disappearances? Or will you allow more harm to befall Mammoth through inaction? Objective One: Secure the release of Mage Marrek, 1/1. COMPLETED. Objective Two: Investigate the local silver mine and identify the cause of villager Corm¡¯s demise. Objective Three: HIDDEN Rewards: Variable. Experience, at least one rare magical item, and a significant increase in reputation. Looking at each of my companions in turn, we walked confidently towards the swallowing abyss of the depths below. A foreboding stillness settled across our shoulders. The only sound around came from our footfalls. Chapter 58 - Into the Mines! The mine¡¯s entrance was bathed in the fading evening light, though an inky blackness stood oppressively two dozen yards on the far end of the wide cavern. Stepping under the cold stone and what must have been tons of earth over our heads, there was no need yet to enable our Darkvision as we began our investigation of the excavated inner chamber. Loose debris was scattered about our feet, an odd assortment of twigs and fallen leaves, giving the place an eerie feel. The abandoned look fell in line with what Marrek told us earlier, how the miners were ordered to stay out by the Magistrate after Corm was found murdered. The mouth of the cave was wide enough for three men standing abreast to pass and was close to ten feet tall. Materializing from of the darkness beyond, two metallic rails, akin to miniature train tracks, ran down the center of the stone room. It was the system Mammoth¡¯s miners used to lug their precious minerals from deep below the earth. A dozen or so mining carts were strewn around the spacious cavern, though none contained ore after a quick inspection. From the main tracks, many more rails branched off like the limbs of a tree, scattering to all corners of the excavated space. The open foyer must have been carefully carved out by hand long ago, given the artificial feel of the room. The walls were smooth, with the ceiling and stone floor cut at perfect ninety-degree angles. Multiple teams working side by side could unload their booty simultaneously without bumping into each other. The room was contrasted by the tunnel beyond, the rough and uneven walls a stark relief as the tunnel descended into the gloom. Mining picks, backpacks, moldy tarps, and bits of chain were indiscriminately scattered throughout the room. It looked as if the tools were dropped in haste, leaving the entryway in disarray. Seeing nothing of interest, we moved to the opposite side of the cavern where the tracks led down into the mine. Just before the darkness, on the wall was a panel board. It reminded me of an old wooden key cabinet used in hotels or by valets. Perhaps forty or fifty pegs hung in rows, each holding a small clasp bearing a tiny, amber-colored jewel. ¡°What do you suppose those are for?¡± Stella asked from my shoulder, peering her face close to one as I examined it. ¡°Here,¡± Tallos said from my side, pointing beside the cabinet. He was looking at a placard of some kind. It was covered in dirt and grime causing me to overlook it. Tallos ran a hand across its surface, brushing aside an oily residue. ¡°It¡¯s written in Common. It says those are mining lamps anyone can use as long as they return it before leaving.¡± Unhooking one of the earring-shaped clasps, I stepped close to Tallos. ¡°Attach the lamp to your clothing and speak ¡®illuminate¡¯ to enact the magic contained within,¡± I read aloud. ¡°Seems simple enough, let¡¯s give it a try.¡± The small gemstone was shaped like a teardrop with the back of the pendant sprouting an inverted fishhook clasp, allowing me to easily attach it to a fold of my kimono. Placing it on my right shoulder, I spoke the trigger word, ¡°Illuminate.¡± A beam of light, narrowly focused like a spotlight, shone directly away from the petite jewel. Our eyes were already adjusted to daylight, so the sudden brilliance and accompanying discomfort quickly subsided. ¡°Let¡¯s each take one,¡± I said, handing a pendant to both Tallos and Stella. Stella looked at me with raised eyebrows, unsure of what she was supposed to do with it. ¡°It¡¯s not for you, silly. It¡¯s for Ripley. See if you can help her activate it since she can¡¯t speak to command word.¡± Holding the bauble between her paws, Stella floated over to Ripley, hooking the gem to her chest. Nothing happened at first, as Stella wrinkled her nose at the device. ¡°You need to say ¡®illuminate¡¯ for her, Stell,¡± I said as I gave her a thumbs-up. Stella, heeding my words, floated close to the face of the pendant. About to call a warning, but Stella beat me to the punch, ¡°Illuminate¡­ Ahh!¡± Immediately, an intense beam of light blasted her square in the face causing her to curse and jerk her head back. ¡°Nice one, Stell,¡± I said, my voice full of bluster as I offered her another thumbs-up. Tallos followed suit, though kept his eyes clear of the device, soon adding a third ray of light to the mix. ¡°We all have Darkvision, so we don¡¯t exactly need to use these. If we need to move stealthily though, we¡¯ll need to turn them off,¡± he offered as he adjusted the bauble, so the beam was angled to his liking. ¡°My thoughts exactly,¡± I replied, uttering the trigger word again, dispelling the light. Saying the word several more times, we discovered there was no delay in how frequently the gem could be activated and deactivated. ¡°Let¡¯s have them on for now, but we¡¯ll be ready to switch to our Darkvision if needed. Everyone good to go?¡± Heads bobbing in agreement, we stepped into the darkness, our spotlights casting countless shadows across the uneven stone walls and rough ceiling. The tunnel narrowed slightly though remained wide enough for both Lowki and me to stand side by side. The tracks at our feet were securely bolted into the stone by steel spikes so there was no need to worry about knocking them loose. However, we did need to be careful to avoid tripping over them. The rails had an oiled sheen and appeared to be well-maintained. The greased scent was picked up by the steady, constant breeze flowing around us. The cool air tickled our exposed skin, raising goosebumps in its wake. The warmth of daylight faded from our bodies with each new step into the gloom, its chill clawing away any of our previous comforts. Small protrusions of rock and boulder outcroppings threatened to snare our clothing as we passed. Not long into the tunnel, coming at normal intervals, stood thick beams that supported the sides and girded the stone ceiling. The rough-hewn supports firmly reinforced the natural passageway, helping to protect against possible cave-ins. A groan of shifting wooden beams brought with it a spike of panic as a reminder of the thousands of tons of earth over our heads. Being trapped by a cave-in was definitely a fear I would prefer to avoid at all costs. The passageway had a slight downward grade, with many narrow offshoots branching away through dozens of connecting tunnels and passageways. Each tunnel had its own set of cart tracks, though, for the time being, we decided to keep on the main set until we found something of note. We did explore a few of the side passages at first but with the constant need to bend low or walk sideways, finding only dead ends, we ceased investigating each side passage. Beyond the distant echoes of dripping water and countless cobwebs strung across the coarse walls of stone and dirt, we found little. Moist earth filled our nostrils and, as we pressed on, the air began tasting of ozone from the presence of so many different minerals and rocks. Motes of dust were kicked up as we passed, filling our mouths with the taste of gritty sand. Passing a waterskin to Tallos after taking a swig of water myself, the emotionless stone and musty air followed along like odd companions. The sound of our boots scuffing across the dirt and scraping over pebbles heralded our passing. Lowki and I remained in front of our group, with Lowki scouting ahead at times, but far less often than we normally did. He also didn¡¯t travel quite as far ahead considering he usually returned in under a minute. I got the distinct impression that Lowki was battling some type of anxiety, probably his version of claustrophobia from the unrelenting press of the cold stone around us. I sympathized. Ripley acted as a rear guard, often pausing to gaze behind and around herself in case something approached from the flank. It was a genuine concern with all the unexplored interconnecting passageways we passed by. Tallos situated himself in between Ripley and me, his strung bow held at the ready. ¡°Interesting,¡± Tallos said, coming to stand beside me as we examined the first real intersection. The central rail split off in both directions of the ¡®T¡¯ intersection before us. ¡°Judging by the many tracks in the dirt, it looks like most miners trekked along the left path. To the right, if you look here, is a relatively recent set of tracks. You can tell from the lack of dust that has yet to accumulate within each footprint. It also looks as if whoever made these tracks had been running. See how much further apart each track is?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± I replied as my tracking skill highlighted the footprints. ¡°Whoever left these ran down the middle of the metal rails. Another set of tracks, I¡¯m guessing was the pursuer traced near the wall, also at a sprint by the look of it. ¡°We should follow the right path,¡± Stella suggested from my shoulder. She pointed a claw in that direction. ¡°I think we can conclude the person in the middle, no doubt running for his life, had been Corm.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s kill our light gems and switch to dark vision,¡± I offered before uttering the trigger word. ¡°Let¡¯s switch to Darkvision for now since this is the first sign of trouble we¡¯ve found. We don¡¯t know what we¡¯re up against and I¡¯d like to keep the element of surprise on our side if we can.¡± ¡°Seems like a good idea,¡± Stella said as she flew over to Ripley¡¯s shoulder lamp. Whispering the trigger word, Tallos doing the same, we were covered by an impenetrable darkness. A sudden rush of panic streaked in my chest, though was quickly dispelled when I switched over to my low-light vision. With the many curves and turns taken to reach this point, the ambient light was incredibly low, though was enough to sustain us for now. Normally my Darkvision would light up the space around us as if a full moon was out. Here, in the near-lightless tunnel, it was more like we stood under a heavily overcast crescent moon. It was enough for now. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s be on guard,¡± I whispered to my companions. ¡°Let¡¯s be ready to drop into stealth at a moment¡¯s notice.¡± Shortly after, Tallos clicked his tongue, singling to the group to pause for a moment. ¡°This is interesting,¡± Tallos whispered as he eyed up the narrow passageway. ¡°I don¡¯t think we noticed it before, likely from the shadows cast about from our lamps, but in Darkvision it¡¯s quite obvious. Do you see here?¡± Coming close to him, Tallos traced a finger across a small depression in the stone. It was like a thin riverbed was carved into the stone, running all across its rough and uneven surface. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure this was a silver vein, long ago mined. Judging by the size, likely on a minor one, only a half inch across.¡± Pressing on, another oddity appeared as my tracking skill highlighted something different about the footprints along the tunnel wall. ¡°This is strange,¡± I said quietly, waving Tallos over to me. ¡°You see here? There¡¯s a new set of tracks on the other side of the wall. They¡¯re older than the pair we¡¯ve been following, based on the accumulated dust Tallos talked about earlier. These¡­ they¡¯re not spaced out like the person who was running. These are closer together. It almost looks like the person had their back pressed up against the wall while shuffling sideways. Though, I can¡¯t imagine why any miner would move in such a way.¡± ¡°It¡¯s like someone was hugging the wall as they moved around each bend,¡± Tallos said as he pressed a finger to his lips before turning his gaze to me. ¡°Just like someone who was carefully scouting as they moved.¡± The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°The footprint is wider than I would have expected too,¡± I added as we continued to investigate the tracks. ¡°Whoever made these was clearly wearing thick boots. I don¡¯t think they were human or, in our case, elves. See here, our tracks are long and narrow. Those are wide and shorter. Any ideas, Tallos?¡± ¡°Perhaps a Halfling, Dwarf, or other short race,¡± Tallos offered though his voice lacked certainty. ¡°It could also be goblin-kin, though the soles of the tracks are even and not broken as you¡¯d expect of their shoddy footwear.¡± Tallos paused a moment, looking over at the tracks on the opposite side of the tunnel. ¡°Now that you mentioned it, the tracks that were following our retreating Corm, those are just as wide as well.¡± ¡°I think you¡¯re right,¡± I agreed, nodding along. ¡°Let¡¯s drop into stealth from here on out. Lowki, when you scout ahead, try to stay close. No more than thirty or forty feet, alright? I¡¯d like you to stay relatively close. If you spot anything, anything at all, report back immediately.¡± Lowki bowed his head low, a soft rumble of acknowledgment escaping between his sharp teeth. Without the slightest sound, he bounded down the tunnel, quickly disappearing from sight. His talent of moving unseen and undetected still amazed me. To his ears, we probably moved down the tunnel like drunkards as our boots scrapped across the loose stone. The only thing heard when he trotted off was the sound of our own breathing. Hopefully, his skillful nature would allow him to remain undetected against whatever foe was ahead. Activating sneak, our party crouched low. I summoned Frostrend into a hand, though mentally commanded the weapon to hide the glow from its typical arches of lightning that ran along its length. It wouldn¡¯t do if my stealth was broken by the light. In this darkness, I would probably cast the area around us like some blazing bonfire. Stella hovered off my shoulder, mirroring our crouched stance though she certainly didn¡¯t need to. She could be as quiet as Lowki, if not more so if she desired it. We crept onward, with Lowki making regular appearances. He would come into view around a bend and, when we made eye contact, would turn around to pad silently back the way he came. Each time made it clear, that he was finding nothing ahead. Multiple passageways and tunnels forked around us, some narrow enough we¡¯d be hard-pressed to pass through, as we continued to follow Corm¡¯s trail. While most of our attention was directly firmly ahead, it was hard to not notice the widening sections carved out of the stone. Nothing appeared to have been recently mined, though I wasn¡¯t sure if that mattered or not. Even though our breath was now showing in the chilled air, beads of perspiration slipped down the back of my neck from the foreboding sense permeating outward from the unyielding stone. Dust motes were kicked up from Lowki and our passage, causing the air to taste earthy. Tallos clicked his tongue, signaling to the group once more. Staying in stealth, I moved over to a section of the rough stone that had caught his attention. Halfway up the wall was a scorched, sooty section about the size of a melon. Running a finger across its surface, the grimy substance moved easily at my touch, confirming my suspicion it wasn¡¯t months old. Looking around, I motioned for Stella to come close. My stealth skill gave no hint we were near anything hostile, so I risked asking a question. ¡°Stell, does this look like something our fire bolt spell would create if it blasted against the cave wall?¡± I asked slightly above a whisper. I had considered sending a System message her way but wanted Tallos to know what we were saying. ¡°Yeah, or something very similar,¡± Stella replied in a muted voice. Tallos focused intently on the marred section. ¡°I¡¯m feeling confident whatever killed Corm was not a beast or some random creature. This was clearly the work of magic. Such an attack would likely cause the mortal wound that was described.¡± The innate pressure from my stealth skill, like a sixth sense, remained calm throughout the conversation. Alleviating the worry, we might be giving away our position by continuing. ¡°Corm likely came down this tunnel, the same as we have been but got jumped by whoever cast this spell. He almost got away too but whoever chased him had been able to catch up with him just outside the mine,¡± I proposed. ¡°Had he not gotten far enough away from the mine, I¡¯m betting no one would have found his body otherwise. Corm stumbled upon something and, whoever did this, killed him for it,¡± Stella added, a bit of heat tinging her words. ¡°At least his death wasn¡¯t in vain. It¡¯s given the city warning something is amiss in the mines.¡± ¡°The question remains, who did it?¡± I asked as Lowki came around the corner, checking in with us again. Seeing us paused and deep in conversation, he came over to a shoulder against my side, eliciting a rub from me, before returning his attention to the tunnel. ¡°Best guess,¡± Tallos said with a shake of the head. ¡°I¡¯m more and more confident this was the work of some type of dwarf. I¡¯ve heard little about the stout race, but they are certainly capable of casting spells like this. Combined with the stocky boot prints, if I was a betting elf, that¡¯s where I would put my coin.¡± ¡°Are all dwarven races here hostile to surface dwellers?¡± I asked, somewhat perplexed. While my knowledge of the race was based solely in fantasy and fiction, I was aware some dwarven races were innately hostile to others. Yet, there were far more examples where dwarfs were welcoming and friendly with outsiders. ¡°Not all,¡± Stella responded before Tallos could. ¡°Most freely trade with other civilized races. However, some deep dwellers are quite antagonistic to anyone from the surface.¡± ¡°Alright then,¡± I replied. ¡°If we see any dwarves down here, let¡¯s be sure to keep our guard up and not assume they¡¯ll be friendly. Based on what we¡¯ve seen, these are likely hostile and are our prime suspect so far.¡± Silence descended once more, only the sound of our collective breaths detectible in the enclosed space. The chill breeze still glided about us, bringing with it a new scent mold, and mildew. Not long after, we found several stagnant and rancid puddles of water staining the jagged floor. Water was seeping from the walls, mildew forming along the many cracks of the stone as a result. Within several of the standing pools were collections of tiny animal bones, likely from mice or bats. Continuing forward, patches of unmined silver ore were spotted, the finger-width mineral snaking randomly within the stone. Curiously, the area around us appeared to be getting slightly bright, though I had no idea why that was the case. The thin veins of the silvery mineral grew in size the further we ventured. Finally, when the tunnel was comparable to standing under a full moon, I motioned for the group to halt. Still absent any warning from my stealth skill, I motioned Stella and Tallos to come close. ¡°Something¡¯s generating light in here. It should be getting darker, not brighter.¡± A gleam from the wall caught my eye as I spoke. It looked to be coming from one of the many veins of silver. Stella gave me a questioning look before following my gaze to the cold stone next to us. Moving my face closer, I realized why our Darkvision was working so much better now. The ore was glowing, or at least emitting a small amount of light. Our Darkvision amplified what little light reached this deep, and the silvery mineral was casting off some of its own. ¡°That vein is glowing,¡± I stated before switching back to my regular vision. My suspicion was immediately confirmed. ¡°Yup. Switch off your Darkvision. It¡¯s coming from the silver.¡± Lowki approached once more, curiosity spreading across his feline features as he tried to figure out why the group paused yet again. Glancing about, he didn''t see anything of interest, so pondered what must be grabbing our attention. When he saw my focus rooted squarely on what appeared to be a blank stone wall, he cocked his head to the side. Finally shaking his massive head, Lowki returned his attention to the tunnel leading away. It was up to him then to ensure his friends remained safe while they were absorbed by nothing more than a wall, oblivious to everything else around them. He sighed heavily, but not so much as a whisper of its passing could be detected. Such was his talent, he mused. ¡°Have you ever heard of such a thing?¡± I asked as I marveled at the fascinating ore. The silver did not cast enough light for us to abandon our Darkvision, but I suspected it was only going to glow brightly as we pressed on. With enough of the cave becoming laced top to bottom with the stuff, it might just do the trick. ¡°Take a look at this,¡± Stella said, pointing at a particularly bright section of the wall. Coming close, trying not to stumble over the loose stones along the jagged ground, I peered intently at where her paw was pointing. A prompt appeared in my vision when my face was inches away from a stream of silver two-finger widths across. Living Silvern Argentum ¨C Mineral (Epic) A prized material often used in the construction of magical gates and teleportation devices. This rare component is usually only found in regions of incredibly dense silver ore and usually comprises less than 1% of the total ore in an area. While it is primarily used as a stabilizing agent for magical transportation, whispers have hinted Living Silvern Argentum may have other wonderous properties. ¡°I think I¡¯m confident this is what got Corm killed,¡± I said after reading the message. ¡°This stuff seems to be incredibly rare though. The message says it should only account for one percent of raw silver, yet we¡¯re surrounded by the stuff. Any idea about the ¡®wondrous¡¯ properties mentioned in the description, Stella?¡± ¡°Nothing more is available quite yet,¡± Stella replied after checking her system menus. ¡°I think you¡¯re right, though, this stuff is only increasing in abundance which shouldn¡¯t be the case.¡± ¡°I wish I had taken one of those picks,¡± I quipped. ¡°I bet this stuff is expensive.¡± We continued in stealth for perhaps another half hour, the pathway absolutely exploding into multiple forked and diverging pathways. We were having a hard time following the trail of Corm¡¯s attacker. We had traveled such a distance that the iron rail accompanying us ceased far back. We only had the boot prints to keep us heading in the right direction. Thanks to my tracking skills, and the occasional support from Tallos¡¯ keen eyes, were we able to carry on. While we switched back to Darkvision many minutes ago, with each passing minute, the tunnel grew brighter in our vision. Only minutes later, we were altogether able to disengage our Darkvision as the tunnel was bathed in silvery light. While not all veins cast off the intense sterling glow, much of the ore was now as wide across as the palm of my hand. Some rivers of the precious mineral even run from the top to the bottom of the tunnel around us. There must be an absolute fortune of the stuff down here. Tallos caught my attention, motioning me over. As I approached, he pointed to a particularly thick vein of the silvern mineral. He traced a finger along the vein as it seemed to traverse through a pair of nearby passageways. ¡°Unless I am mistaken, those two separate sections of the ore are the same vein. It¡¯s running from this wall across to the other side.¡± ¡°Wait,¡± I stuttered. ¡°Are you saying many of these veins are interconnected?¡± Tallos nodded his head. ¡°Yes, I believe they are,¡± he replied. ¡°Not all of them, for sure, but the deeper we go the more interconnected they are becoming.¡± A split second later a prompt appeared in my vision. Congratulations! You have discovered a hidden quest, ¡°The Living Conduit.¡± Through your careful inspection, you have uncovered a long-lost aspect of the Living Silvern Argentum. Unbeknownst to nearly all surface-dwelling races, the conduit created by interconnected veins of this wonderous ore reaches far across significant portions of the continent. While surface races will mine the precious mineral in the hopes of creating magical gates capable of transporting goods and people across vast distances, the keen acumen of several subterranean races has long known of the mineral''s most powerful property. In its natural state, and with the right application of magic, those few knowledgeable enough can use the conduit to travel wherever Living Silvern Argentum¡¯s spider-like tendrils reach. While it¡¯s only possible to enter and exit the conduit at certain node junctures, anyone fortunate enough to find such an area will find a wide world opening before them. Will you be fortunate enough to locate such a junction? Are you brave enough to travel to a far, unknown place? Only you can decide. Objective One: Locate a Living Silvern Argentum travel node. Objective Two: HIDDEN. Accept: Yes/No. ¡°Well, I think this answers the mystery of where these dwarves came from,¡± I whispered. ¡°This silver ore appears to allow magical transportation. It¡¯s no wonder why they would kill anyone discovering this ability.¡± ¡°Oh, we need to figure this out,¡± Stella said excitedly as she followed a particularly dense section of silver, bouncing in the air from paw to paw. ¡°Can you imagine it? Boom! You¡¯re broken into your constituent parts, compressed down to smaller than the width of a needlepoint, before being thrown a thousand miles away in an instant? Oh, I can¡¯t wait, this sounds awesome!¡± Tallos was suddenly backing away from the wall, his gaze unfocused. ¡°What?¡± Tallos asked sharply, appearing to go white in the face. Chapter 59 - Living Silvern Node ¡°You okay, Tallos?¡± Stella asked in a mocking tone, clearly enjoying her tease. ¡°Sorry, I jest. You won¡¯t feel a thing. I¡¯m sure¡­ Probably.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mind her,¡± I offered with a reassuring hand on his shoulder. ¡°She just trying to pick on you a little.¡± Tallos wasn¡¯t hearing anything of it though. His eyes were comically wide from Stella¡¯s description of being crunched down during teleportation. It probably didn¡¯t help it there was an ever-present risk of being buried in an avalanche should the ceiling above our heads collapse. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ not sure I want to be broken apart,¡± Tallos finally said, making eye contact with me while intentionally avoiding looking in Stella¡¯s direction. Xaz: Stella, you better apologize or take back what you said. It seems you freaked him out. Stella: Fine. I didn¡¯t think he would take it so poorly. You didn¡¯t seem to mind. I mean, look at how narrow those silver veins are. How else are you going to teleport through it?! Xaz: That¡¯s because I¡¯m familiar with teleportation. Tallos has probably never heard of it. Stella: Alright, alright. Fine. It was just a joke. Stella flew to Tallos¡¯ side, and in a soothing voice tried to defuse the elf¡¯s worry. ¡°I was only kidding. I¡¯m sorry,¡± Stella offered as she placed a paw on his shoulder. ¡°You won¡¯t feel a thing, promise. Remember it''s magic so you can¡¯t possibly go wrong.¡± Her tone and words had the desired effect, though I suspected she didn¡¯t know if what she said was accurate. Thankfully, it had at least a little effect. Tallos sat down, his body posture far less tense than before. If we did find a node, I could only hope the teleportation didn¡¯t feel like she first described it. Otherwise, I doubt Tallos would want to do it a second time. ¡°Did you know what is essentially fast travel was a possibility?¡± I asked Stella, allowing Tallos some time to center and ground himself. ¡°Yes, and no,¡± Stella replied simply as she floated close to Tallos¡¯ shoulder, something she didn¡¯t normally do, in an attempt to soothe over the drama she had caused. I was happily surprised when he permitted her to land. ¡°Yes, teleportation is a real thing. However, it can only be done at settlements if you have a high enough reputation with the city. At the same time, no. Other than that, I had no clue about other modes of fast travel, as so elegantly put it.¡± ¡°Wait, hang on a second,¡± I said, my tone raising an octave. ¡°You didn¡¯t say anything about teleportation being a thing when I became mayor of Merton?¡± With hands on hips, I pressed Stella. Thinking back, the whole ordeal started when the previous mayor had attempted to murder me thinking I was the Hunter Tsurra. Ripley¡¯s blade quickly ended the threat. ¡°Would I have the highest reputation possible, thus allowing me to teleport?¡± Stella looked slightly taken aback. ¡°Yeah, sorry about that,¡± she said under her breath. ¡°I didn¡¯t think it relevant at the time. We were just getting started and it seemed unlikely you¡¯d jump enough reputation ladders with another settlement for it to become a concern. Not at least for a good long while.¡± I stared at her for a moment, not saying anything else. I was wondering if anything else was forthcoming. Stella shrugged with an exaggerated grimace on her face as a way of an apology. Looking to me like she was attempting to change the subject, Stella¡¯s paws began moving through the air, touching menus and icons only she could see. ¡°Good news, from what I can tell from my enhanced access since you¡¯re now a tier three Hunter, we really want to find one of these node junctions. We wouldn¡¯t be required to have any special reputation. Our ability to move around this continent would increase by a considerable amount.¡± ¡°Do you ¨C can you see if there is one of the nodes in this cave system?¡± Stella¡¯s eyes flittered left and right. ¡°Sorry, it doesn¡¯t confirm it, though my guess would be it is highly likely we will. Especially if you consider we¡¯re nowhere deep enough to begin encountering underground races if that¡¯s indeed what killed Corm.¡± Tallos looked calm once more after taking several deep breaths to settle his nerves. The once panicked expression was no longer etched across his fine elven features. Clearing his throat, he pointed toward the brightening path ahead. ¡°The silver ore is growing more abundant down there. If we indeed want to find one of these fast nodes, I¡¯d suggest we seek out those denser sections. Based on the tracks we¡¯ve followed to this point; both are going the same way.¡± I suppressed a chuckle at Tallos¡¯ mention of ¡®fast nodes.¡¯ Considering he was getting back to normal after the fiasco Stella caused, I thought it wise to not mock him for it. Later, I would share that fast travel was simply slang for teleporting instantly from one place to another. A short while later, we came around a bend and spotted Lowki pressed low to the cold stone. Lowki wasn¡¯t hunkered down due to an unknown presence of danger ahead. No, he looked as if he was sniffing something based on his chest puffing in and out. His barbed tentacles were waving around restlessly, not at all tense like I would suspect if something dangerous was ahead. Coming around to see what caught his attention, Lowki''s nostrils were flaring as he breathed in and out rapidly. ¡°What did you find, Lowki?¡± I asked the great cat as I knelt beside him. I rested my hand on his broad shoulders, grabbing his attention. Lowki turned his face toward me, his mouth hanging slightly ajar. Instead of making eye contact, he gazed off into space like he was processing whatever smell he picked up. I recalled hearing cats do this so a scent would reach special receptors in the roof of their mouths. Usually, this was done whenever they found something interesting, or particularly smelly. With no immediate response from him, I peered at the floor in an attempt to see what caught his attention. At first, looking like a puddle, I quickly discovered Lowki was standing above a pool of dried blood. Judging from the size, something or someone had been gravely injured here. Tallos joined us, eyeing up the puddle. ¡°Let¡¯s see if anything else of note is nearby,¡± I said as the two searched around, doing a quick circuit looking for any other clues. Other than a blood trail leading away, we found nothing else. No body or other indication of who had been injured. ¡°If this came from a man, I doubt it would have been able to survive long without some magical intervention,¡± Tallos said as we regrouped. ¡°It looks like he lay here a moment, causing the blood to pool, before moving quickly in that direction.¡± ¡°Do you think Corm caused this?¡± Stella asked. ¡°I¡¯m only guessing, but to me, it¡¯s like he stumbled upon someone, and threw out a spell in surprise, before ultimately running away.¡± ¡°Possibly,¡± I replied. ¡°Whatever he found must have been incredibly dangerous as his sprint back to the surface would have been a long one. If he thought himself capable of handling whatever threat he found, it wouldn¡¯t make sense for him to run away like he did.¡± ¡°I agree,¡± Tallos added as his eyes continued to scan the floor. ¡°It¡¯s taken us over an hour to get here, so whatever spooked him must have been overwhelmingly strong.¡± We were already on alert, but with what we found, I felt the need to turn it up a notch. ¡°Whatever it was, we¡¯re going to find it. Form up, they could be close.¡± Gripping Frostrend tightly, I attempted to dial my senses up to an eleven. Nodding to Lowki, I motioned with the point of my axe for him to lead on. His eyes tightened and he crouched low as we moved in a tight single file. Tallos pulled out an arrow and notched it to his bowstring. Ripley, bringing up the rear, drew her curved blade and embossed heater shield. Carefully creeping forward, we followed the blood trail as it made our path obvious. What started as irregular, stumbling footprints quickly morphed into a long unbroken furrow. Whoever had been injured must have been dragged out, no longer able to move under their own power. Their boots carved a channel into the dirt as they were pulled along. Someone had been forced to drag him to safety. Coming around a bend, we discovered a large broken section of tunnel, as if the stone wall had been blasted inwards. Heavy rocks and boulders lay strewn around, as if a tsunami of stone had crashed outwards littering the space with stone debris. Lowki paced forward to stand at the edge of the opening, his head peeking around the corner. His hackles weren¡¯t raised and, with the absence of any growl of warning, I was confident nothing was around the corner. ¡°This sort of looks like a cave-in, but not quite what you¡¯d expect,¡± Stella murmured. ¡°It¡¯s like something caused an explosion to breach the wall into here. Whether by some powerful magic or a type of explosive, I couldn¡¯t say.¡± ¡°Take a look at the silvern ore down the new path,¡± Tallos observed, his fingers tracing a glowing line going around the corner into the side passage. ¡°The glowing vein is more intense and denser this way, far beyond anything we¡¯ve seen up to this point.¡± ¡°Yeah, and I¡¯d be willing to bet the blood trail is going to turn down this new corridor,¡± I agreed, and, sure enough, the blood trail reappeared. This new tunnel was far more roughly hewn compared to any we had traveled through earlier. Additionally, none of the wooden beams we had grown accustomed to lay beyond. My best guess was this passageway had never been used by the people of Mammoth and was only recently opened. It narrowed, causing us to move in a single file. While the tighter space could account for the absence of the support beams, it was likelier this passageway had only recently been excavated. With the jagged stone so much closer to our bodies, we had to pause often as small outcroppings constantly attempted to snag our clothing and armor. The passage continued relatively straight with only subtle bends here and there. The stone though bore countless gouges as if worked by hundreds of pickaxes. The channel suddenly expanded substantially wider as we came around a bend. Perhaps three times as wide, whoever worked this passageway must have been hard at work for days, if not weeks. ¡°It looks like someone widened the narrow tunnel just enough to allow a person to pass through,¡± I whispered as we inspected the carved wall. I ran a hand over the gouged and pitted surface. ¡°Then, whoever did this started widening it further, though haven¡¯t yet completed the work. Even the short distance to the main branch, whoever did this still has a lot of work yet.¡± ¡°I think there¡¯s two reasons why they would do this,¡± Tallos added softly. ¡°Either to make it easier for more people to pass through or to allow the passage of heavy equipment. Either way, it¡¯s not an encouraging thought. Whoever did this was also sure to remove any of the loose rubble this kind of work would have produced. The floor here is almost entirely free of clutter. So, if I had to pick, I¡¯d lean more towards heavy equipment.¡± ¡°Could be both reasons,¡± Stella said as she bit her lip. ¡°This feels¡­ bad. Should we warn someone?¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s too early for that,¡± I replied after a few seconds of consideration. ¡°We need more information, otherwise we¡¯re only relaying a suspicion. We need more evidence.¡± ¡°Corm may have said the same thing,¡± Stella said through clenched teeth. ¡°Look where it got him.¡± Corm had indeed stumbled upon something dangerous. However, had been spotted thought it important enough to chase him to the surface and take his life to avoid being discovered. I couldn¡¯t shake the feeling we didn¡¯t know enough yet. ¡°The city is already on alert from Corm¡¯s death. We¡¯ll be careful, but for now, let¡¯s keep moving.¡± Seeing no further argument, we pressed on, doing our utmost to move as quietly as we could. Eventually, the passageway opened even further. This time into a brightly lit chamber. The opening was dome-shaped, much like a giant sphere, as if an air pocket had formed in solid stone. It was absolutely littered with hundreds, if not thousands of glowing silver ore. I couldn¡¯t explain why, but I had a feeling this hollow was not formed by any dwarf or human hand. I got the distinct impression this was naturally formed, possibly by the System. The cavern was awash in silvery light from the crisscrossing network of ore veins. Yet, it was not the most interesting fact about the cavity. In the dead center of the room stood a solid column of the epic-tiered ore, running for the slight depressing in the floor, all the way up to the high dome over our heads. As we gazed on in amazement, the pillar pulsed as if it had a heartbeat, the vibration reaching upwards from the cold floor into our legs. With each beat, the silvery light in the room intensified. Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. Looking back at my friends, Stella gave me a thumbs-up of encouragement while she rested on Tallos¡¯ shoulder. I moved halfway into the room, standing before the shining silver column. It was as thick as a forearm and had a consistent cylinder shape to it. Every millimeter of the pillar was comprised solely of the special silvern ore. Not so much as an ounce of ordinary silver could be seen anywhere. I hesitated a moment, my palm resting above the pulsing surface. Not sensing any threat or danger from the inanimate stone, I firmly pressed my hand to the column. The stone was warm to the touch. As I contemplated this as if in response, a flash of energy raced above and below where my palm made contact. In an instant, the entire spherical room bloomed with an intense silver light. As my eyes looked up towards the umbrella of intertwined veins over my head a prompt appeared in my vision. Congratulations! You have found a Living Silvern Node. Congratulations! You meet the minimum requirements to activate this travel node. Notice! As this is your first discovered Living Silvern Node, you are only able to open a conduit to the next closest junction, regardless of the intervening distance between the two points. Know that as you uncover additional nodes, further travel options will become available to you. Once activated, the travel point will remain open for 30 seconds allowing others to follow. This timer will reset each time someone passes through while the node remains active. Finally, please note when used, this junction cannot be activated again for six hours as the conduit recharges. Would you like to activate this travel junction at the cost of 1,851 mana? Yes/No. ¡°Now this is something,¡± I said in awe, my voice at a normal volume seeing as there was no other in the room. The branching networks of ore continued to radiate brightly. When I pulled my hand away, the light dimmed. Placing a palm to its surface, the final prompt appeared once more. ¡°Say, Stella, do you think the mana cost is an indication of the distance between us and the next closest junction?¡± ¡°It could be,¡± Stella responded as she checked her screens. ¡°Though I couldn¡¯t tell you how much distance is between the two points. It could be we¡¯re traveling one thousand eight hundred and fifty-one meters, or maybe the same number in miles. Perhaps neither. Other factors could be taken into account to reach that number, such as the density of either the stone or the mana in between. We have no way of knowing yet.¡± ¡°Only one way to find out,¡± I said eagerly. There was some hesitation in my gut as I reviewed the message one more time. ¡°Looks like it¡¯s a one-way trip, at least for several hours while the conduit ¡®recharges.¡¯ We¡¯re going to be in trouble if we get dumped into the middle of an enemy stronghold. So, there is some risk here. We don¡¯t know what is on the other side. What do you think, go or stay?¡± Tallos spoke up first. ¡°I say we go and hope for the best. Being an adventurer means you¡¯re already putting yourself in dangerous situations. This is no different.¡± We both looked at Stella, who was chewing her lower lip. ¡°While I¡¯d like us to send word to the city, it could take hours to get back here.¡± She sighed. ¡°I think you¡¯re right. We need more information. We haven¡¯t uncovered enough yet. Let¡¯s press on.¡± I turned my gaze towards Ripley and Lowki. Neither could speak but were intelligent enough to indicate their preference. Ripley nodded and hefted her shield in a show of confidence. Lowki, for his part, tilted his head in acknowledgment before returning his attention to the stone column. ¡°Alright,¡± I said with a bright smile stretching my face, confident we could handle whatever we might face. ¡°Be ready. I¡¯ll go first, followed by Ripley, then Lowki. Tallos, you¡¯ll be last since you¡¯re better at longer ranges. If we find anything hostile, we¡¯ll rush forward to give you space to engage with your bow. Let¡¯s roll.¡± Pressing my hand once more on the glowing column, I mentally clicked on ¡®yes.¡¯ A flood of magic drained away and, with a brilliant flash from the pillar, I vanished. The transportation felt instantaneous as if I blinked to suddenly find myself somewhere else. While at first, it looked like an exact replica of the spherical chamber I just departed, this one was slightly different. A pathway out was before me, instead of behind. Stepping forward a few steps, I examined my surroundings. In the middle stood another stone column of silvern, reaching from floor to ceiling. This one though was blazing strongly enough it left an afterimage in my vision from only a glance. Thankfully, no shout of surprise or alarm echoed in the enclosed place. We were alone. Announced by a slight popping sound, my party members appeared behind me one after the other. Going into stealth once more, I oriented on the only exit in the room. Nothing lay beyond, though we all became aware of an oppressive heat as it washed into the room like a tidal wave. It was like suddenly finding ourselves standing completely dressed in a sauna that had the thermometer set to maximum. Beads of sweat were already beginning to form on my brow with how hot the air was. We exchanged glances at one another, ensuring everyone was alright from the teleportation. Tallos seemed fine, appearing no worse for wear. I was glad it had gone as well as it did. Tallos looked cheery at the instantaneous method of travel. In regards to the extreme temperature, everyone but Ripley appeared uncomfortable. We all instinctually held our voices out of the risk of discovery. While we were currently alone, we didn¡¯t yet know what was down the hallway leading out. The teleportation was nearly silent, the only sign of our arrival was the blinding illumination being emitted from the pillar behind us. As I moved closer to the exit, the brightness behind us dimmed considerably in only a few seconds. Pulling our attention back around, the entire room seemed to power down. It must have been the thirty-second timer the System message indicated. Suddenly plunged into darkness, we switched over to our Darkvision. It would be another six hours before we could attempt to use it again. Xaz: Any idea how far we traveled? Stella: Take a look at your mini-map. It looks like we were teleported a hundred miles to the east and around a mile and a half down. Xaz: Wow, that¡¯s pretty far. I¡¯m thrilled we teleported further east, it¡¯s where we were heading anyway. Except we¡¯re now really deep underground. We might have a hard time getting to the surface if there¡¯s even a way out around here. Stella: I guess we¡¯ll find out. So, I say we press on. Tallos waited patiently nearby, aware Stella and I could silently communicate with each other. Nodding at Stella, I motioned for Lowki to remain at my side. We were undetected so far, and I intended to keep it that way. The path leading away from the node terminated after only a short distance. Opening to our left and right, we approached a passageway that reminded me of a subway tunnel, minus the train and tracks. Unlike the rough, uneven stone we had come to expect, this section had curved walls as smooth as glass. It was fifteen feet wide and the whole thing had a scorched and blackened feel to it, as if molded by intense heat. The domineering warmth in the air increased as we stepped inside the cylindrical tunnel, though nothing around hinted as to why it was so hot. Upon closer inspection, I hadn¡¯t been entirely right about the tunnel being completely smooth. The stone floor was flat and had a wave-like pattern etched along its surface. Kneeling low, the small ripple stood only a half-inch above the surface and looked to have been flowing to our right. It reminded me of ripples in a pond. After considering it for a moment, I believed I knew what this was. ¡°It¡¯s an old lava tube,¡± I whispered after not seeing anything down either stretch of the tunnel. Tallos looked questioningly at me, clearly unfamiliar with what I said. ¡°This was once full of burning hot magma. The molten rock carved this whole tunnel out as it rolled unrelenting to the south. As the height of the magma decreased, it started to cool. Eventually, it solidified into the rippled surface we¡¯re standing on.¡± ¡°Do you think we run the risk of being flooded with more magma?¡± Tallos asked with a great deal of worry lacing his voice. I reminded myself he was a woodland elf, and was likely the first time being underground for any significant period of time. ¡°Possibly, but I doubt it,¡± I replied honestly. ¡°While it is sweltering hot in here, I¡¯m assuming it¡¯s because other lava tubes are close by. Though we probably have many feet of thick stone between it and us. I think we¡¯re safe as this one appears to have solidified long ago.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Stella said with a heavy sigh, showing she had also been nervous. ¡°Which direction should we go?¡± ¡°Hmm. Let¡¯s see if we can pick up the trail. Tallos help me take a look around,¡± I replied as I moved around, my eyes searching the ground for a clue. Tallos, still an arrow notched to his bow, assisted as we swept around about the wide tunnel. Soon enough, my tracking skill highlighted several noteworthy signs in my vision. Chief among them was what appeared to be wear beginning to appear across the small ripples to our north. It looked as if dozens of heavy boots had slowly been eating a path into the surface. The path went straight towards the teleportation node, without any sign of movement to the south. ¡°We¡¯re going left, to the north,¡± I said after checking in if Tallos found anything to the contrary. ¡°As far as we can tell, the only detectable activity is that way.¡± As we moved stealthily, the temperature of the air steadily grew hotter by the minute as if the source of the heat was fast approaching. When the brightness of the tunnel flared ahead, basking the area in light, I knew we had found the source. Switching back to our normal vision, the red glow of running magma could be seen near the lower quarter of the tunnel. Approaching cautiously, a two-foot wide and three-foot high section of the wall had collapsed outwards. The heat of the fissure was so intense, we were forced to the far side of the tunnel, but it was boarding on unbearable. As we crossed by, a raging flow of magma traveled away towards the south. A roar cascaded outward like a flash flood was thundering a few feet below us. Unfortunately, when our feet started to burn from the intense heat passing from the magma to the stone under us, we had to drop all pretense of stealth, fully risking detection, to avoid our shoes melting away. Hugging the opposite side as much as possible, we dashed away from the furious fissure. Thankfully, three dozen yards later, there was no sign our commotion caught anyone¡¯s attention. I doubted anyone would have been able to hear us over the din of sound crashing into the tunnel from the running magma. I hadn¡¯t realized it at the time, but I was forced to hold my breath as we sprinted to avoid scorching our lungs. With the temperature dropping to bearable levels, we paused as our party took in great lungfuls of air. Ripley looked unbothered by the ordeal while Tallos and I were drenched in sweat, with Lowki panting away laboriously at my side. Taking a moment to slow our collective breathing, each of us silently hoping it was the last we would see the blistering magma. Worries of collapsing through the floor into a pool of molten rock were not something any of us wanted to experience. Thankfully, the air, while still uncomfortably warm, cooled slightly as we continued in a mostly northern direction. The tunnel twisted slightly but ran straight for the most part. The air was thick with the taste of sulfur and was entirely unpleasant. Eventually, we came upon a curious sight. Above our heads was a massive gaping hole of impenetrable darkness sloping up and away at about a forty-five-degree angle. Underneath and beyond, the once-round lava tube transformed back into a typical cave formation. My best guess was, at some point in the past, a magma flow broke through the ceiling and flooded back the way we had come, tearing at the stone walls with its unstoppable intensity. Walking under the breach in the ceiling, the passageway beyond returned to the broken and uneven surfaces we had grown accustomed to, though many stalagmites and stalactites presented themselves. My tracking skill struggled as we tried to pick up the trail considering the ground had become so irregular. Few traces were highlighted in my vision, so I¡¯d have to hope the tunnel didn¡¯t diverge otherwise we could end up trekking through an unused cave system. As deep as we were, the place was bone dry without a drip of water echoing anywhere. The stone walls were coated with a fine layer of dust. The passageway narrowed at several points as it snaked back and forth. Eventually, we came upon worked stone, though not as much as in previous tunnels. From the look of it, only the stalagmites had been destroyed giving credence to the thought some type of equipment was going to be brought through. The tunnel diverged a few times, though our course remained clear as long as we followed whichever passageway had all the stalagmites removed. Perhaps twenty minutes and a half dozen of branches later, we came upon another curiosity. Our path ahead continued straight on for at least three dozen yards, with an offshoot tunnel breaking to the left some twenty feet ahead. It wasn¡¯t odd by any means, but the makeup of the tunnel was not what caught our attention. Sitting square in the middle was what would best be described as a street lamp. It rose hallway to the stone ceiling and had four glowing orbs attached at the top. The balls of azure light were emitting a soft light in a wide area around it. We were well clear of the light, where we stood staring curiously at the anomaly. ¡°Wait here¡­¡± I began to whisper, but immediately shut my mouth when I finally felt pressure from my stealth skill. The force soon relented, returning to a barely noticeable level, indicating I was no longer in danger of being detected. It had been close though. Someone was ahead and, by the look of it, was in the passageway to the left of the artificial shining light. I turned wide-eyed to Tallos and clamped a hand over my mouth before shaking my head from side to side. Tallos nodded his understanding as he tightly gripped his bow, a feathered arrow notched to the string. Looking at Lowki, I pointed a finger at him, then back at myself. I mouthed the words, ¡°You and me,¡± at the same time before pointing a finger down the tunnel. Lowki lowered his head, though made no other sound in acknowledgment. He understood the importance of stealth here. Stella floated off Tallos¡¯ shoulder, not wanting to potentially spoil his aim, and hovered close to me. We met each other¡¯s eyes, Stella nodding before we skulked forward, Lowki crouched at my side. The azure glow from the lamp radiated out halfway to where Tallos and Ripley remained. As I tiptoed into the soft light, I instantly felt cooler. It was like going from a sauna to standing near an ice-covered embankment. It was disorienting, to say the least, but a welcomed relief to the constant heat that had been doggedly hounding us since we first appeared back in the node room. I looked at Stella who was silently waving a paw in the air. Stella: Whatever the light is, it¡¯s countering the heat. The post is bathing the area with chilled air. Xaz: Clearly, but why? Something¡¯s just around the corner, but what function does this post play? Is it a sensor about to warn we¡¯re approaching? Stella: No, we would have already triggered an alarm if there was one. Xaz: I don¡¯t like it, this feels like we¡¯re walking into a trap. Let¡¯s take this as slow as we can. Ever so slowly, we edged forward. I was aware of the pressure behind my temples, though it was minor at this point. The chill in the air didn¡¯t deepen as we approached the opening, though the hair on the back of my neck stood on end, causing me to pause my next step. Straining to hear even the slightest sound, I finally heard something. It was like a faint swish of fabric brushing over clothing. It sounded like someone had shifted their position, someone standing watch. Whoever it was, they were right there, a couple of feet around the corner. I dared not move a muscle as the panic ripped through my chest. Chapter 60 - Subversive Silvern Dwarf As I held my breath, my muscles went rigid. My mind worked furiously with what to do if I had just been discovered. Nothing happened for long moments, no sound came from ahead. My imagination had me seeing a dwarf head poke around to catch me frozen like a statue. Thankfully, my panic receded when no cry of alarm was shouted out. Finally able to breathe again, I exhaled slowly. My heart was still racing so I took a few seconds to simply breathe in and out as the azure light cooled my prickling skin. There was no way of knowing if whoever made the noise was alone. My mind attempted to form a picture of a darkened figure in a ready stance with his weapon poised to strike. No, stop that, I told myself. It could have easily been him moving to find a more comfortable position. With my heart no longer pounding in my ears, I shifted my balance forward and took a step closer. When a soft nasally sound escaped from around the corner I wasn¡¯t frozen with inaction this time. There was no aggression in the noise. Trying to place the sound, comprehension dawned when an additional, much louder, guttural snort belched out. It sounded exactly like someone struggling to get air¡­ while they slept. Xaz: If I didn¡¯t know better, I¡¯d say something¡¯s snoring. Stella: A lookout perhaps? Xaz: If they are, their doing a shit job at it. Though, potentially a good thing for us. Having someone watch the intersection seems a good idea, though the lamp post gives it away. Why put it there in the first place? Stella didn¡¯t respond right away, deep in thought as she was. An idea sparked in my mind the moment I considered switching back to my normal vision to see how the surrounding area looked. The notion of vision had me thinking of an interesting pair of gloves stored away in my inventory. Xaz: Is there a different type of vision that relies on sensing body heat? I suspected there were many different ways creatures and people in this world could see, though my thoughts were considering predators in film that could see in the infrared spectrum. Stella: Yes, along with many other types, some quite bizarre. Your Darkvision enables your eyes to pick up the most minute amount of light in an area, and magnify it, thus allowing you to see in near-total darkness. The ability to see body heat, basically infrared wavelengths everything living gives off, is called Infravision. Usually, only subterranean races have it though, It¡¯s quite rare. Xaz: Remember my old Frigid Gloves of the Predator we got back when we fought the gnolls? Stella: Yes? Xaz: Now, think about where we are. We¡¯re in a blisteringly hot tunnel that¡¯s probably surrounded by untold tons of molten magma running. Something with Infravision would be hard-pressed to see the warmth from anything moving around. Opening my inventory screen, I withdrew the gloves into my hand. They were cold to the touch, more so than the light generated by the nearby lamp. The gloves felt soft and supple, its blue leather dark bordered on being midnight black. Back in the darkness of the gnoll warren, I recalled the icy sensation rushing into my hands when I equipped them. While sequestered solely to my hands at the time, the gloves did have an interesting magical effect that would prove useful to enemies reliant on seeing infrared. {Frigid Gloves of the Predator}. Quality: Well-crafted. Rarity: Uncommon. Type: Cloth. Slot: Hands. Durability: 500/500. Armor: 4 Effect(s): The wearer of these gloves, upon command, is able to magically cloak all of their body heat, thus rendering them invisible to creatures relying on heat-based vision to find prey. Duration: 30 minutes. Cool down: 2 hours. Storing the gloves back in my inventory, I met Stella¡¯s gaze. This time with an understanding of the purpose of the glowing streetlamps. Xaz: So, if you have a hard time spotting prey, what better way to enhance your sight than to cool down the air in these magma tunnels? Instead of our body heat blending into the background, we would instead light up like a torch. Stella: You¡¯re one to something. This cooling tower would indeed make us easily spotted by someone with Infravision. Thankfully, the dumb nut seems to have gone complacent and fell asleep at their post. If they hadn¡¯t, our body heat from standing nearby may already have given us away. We shouldn¡¯t tarry much longer. Agreeing with her, I contemplated using the gloves to ensure whoever was up ahead couldn¡¯t see me, but I quickly dismissed the thought. The gloves had an incredibly long cool down, two full hours, so if this was indeed only a lone lookout, they would be better used later on. Xaz: I¡¯m going to hold off on the gloves for now. I¡¯m hoping we can either capture or dispatch this sentry quietly without them in case we need the glove''s special properties later on. Stella nodded her head beside me. Hopefully, it was indeed only a single sentry. Nothing in the seconds it took for us to communicate indicated otherwise. My gut told me they likely had the means to send an alarm or warning out far and wide. Nothing else was nearby, so it wouldn¡¯t make sense to leave a lookout without a means to signal something dangerous was about. This meant we would need to take him out quickly, ensuring he couldn¡¯t warn his friends. If that happened, there was no clue as to how many of his backups would show up. My gaze fell upon Lowki, who was crouched beside me and waiting patiently for me to decide our plan of action. Based on the untiring sneer on his face, it was obvious how he wanted to handle the guard. The hard part was we didn¡¯t know anything about whoever was down here, other than they may have killed Corm. For all we knew, he had been killed as retaliation for injuring one of their kind, though I doubted it. If we killed this watchman, we could very well be killing an innocent. I thought it unlikely, however, that they would be amicable at our presence in their tunnels. A part of me examined the morality of simply taking the life of whoever or whatever was ahead. There were too many unknowns, and I couldn¡¯t, in good conscience, kill this person without good cause. We would have to go for non-lethal options if at all possible. Now, how in the blazes was I going to communicate this with Lowki? While I was no thoughtless, careless killer, Lowki¡¯s fierce expression made his opinion on the matter clear. Lowki was highly intelligent, so I was confident he would understand my intent. Lightly tapping his side, I caught his attention, his feline eyes probing mine as we locked gazes. I held one finger up to my lips, trying to communicate the need for silence, before pointing towards the sleeping sentry. I repeated the call for stealth. Finally, I shook my head from side to side slowly while running a finger across my throat. Lowki¡¯s eyes register understanding, he knew what I needed from him. Motioning him to stay still, I inched forward to peek around the jagged stone wall. Hoping to go unnoticed, if the person was indeed sleeping, I wanted to see what was around the corner before acting. Resting on a wooden chair sat a heavily armored person with silvery skin, his feet stretched languidly out on the footstool. A coarse brown beard with streaks of gray rested down atop his bulging stomach. His beard was braided, complete with a metallic cap at its tip, and rested close to a large belt buckle glinting of silver. The short humanoid was stoutly built, with thick biceps that rested comfortably across his chest. Guessing he was four to five feet tall, the dozing man had broad shoulders, wide hips, and short stubby legs. He likely weighed three times as much as me. His eyes were closed with his head tilted slightly backward as he snoozed. The man¡¯s armor was something to behold with how magnificent it appeared. Made from the same silver metal as his belt buckle, a sparkling chain shirt poked beneath a solid metal breastplate, leaving little room for a weapon to touch his skin. He wore thick leather pants, and his boots wide enough that I could likely put both of my feet inside with room to spare. The staggering strength hinted at by his muscular body screamed a warning. This was a foe capable of crushing bones with his bare hands. Worse yet, a massive war hammer rested nearby, leaning against the small alcove he rested in. The weapon was so large, that I doubt even Ripley with her enhanced strength could bear its weight. The sleeping dwarf was in a small recess that was perhaps ten feet by ten feet, enough for at least a pair of sentries. Thankfully, only one was present. As I gazed upon the stout fellow, he snorted another choked rattle, nearly waking him with how bad the bout was. He reminded me of someone with a bad case of sleep apnea. Probing the System, I inspected the man as a thought occurred to me. In the air was not so much as a whiff of unpleasant body odor. With my keen senses, I should have been able to detect anything horrible with my sensitive nose. Yet, if anything, all I could detect was a metallic tang, nearly identical to silvern ore. It was as if it was being exuded through its pores. Subversive Silvern Dwarf (Level 27) Ancient descendants of the surface-dwellers, the Silvern Dwarven society resides solely within the lightless depths. Rarely seen, these people do have a favorite pastime of besieging and raiding settlements which generally leaves few survivors. Horrid tales are left in their destructive wake, many survivors lamenting it is preferable to die in battle against these malevolent antagonists than to allow oneself to be taken prisoner. Silvern dwarves are known far and wide for their abhorrent methods of torturing any unfortunately to be caught by their cruel hands. It¡¯s not information they seek, but the simple pleasure of extracting as much pain from their victims. Centuries of living underground have permanently transformed the Silvern Dwarf. Most pronounced is their ability to see in the Infrared spectrum. Covered in their namesake metal, a Silvern Dwarf is a foe not to take lightly. Through a yet unknown process, these dwarves have discovered the manner to allow silvern ore to become as strong as elven Mithril. While such forging destroys the ability of the silvern ore to assist in magical transportation, its durability is significantly enhanced. Only the mightiest of weapons can pierce silvern armor. Many would-be Hunters have sought the precious metal, yet known have found a way to bypass the toxic properties. While normally harmful upon contact, Silvern Dwarves have long since developed a type of symbiosis with the mineral. The exact beneficial properties of this partnership are not yet fully known. While often residing near dense deposits of their most precious ore, more than one Hunter over the ages has fallen to a powerful Subversive Silvern Dwarven raiding party. Be wary of their burning red eyes in the lightless tunnels of the Underdark. If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. My previous apprehension of killing the man evaporated like free-standing water close to a magma flow. The System description of this loathsome race entirely dispelled any notion they were here with purely friendly intentions. They were here for the silvern ore deposit. My gut warned me they wouldn¡¯t stop there. The city itself was threatened by their presence. With the talk of torture, my way forward became crystal clear. The Silvern Dwarves were villains. Their presence, even a hundred miles away from the city meant little as they could utilize the fast travel node to cross that distance in an instant. Corm had simply been the first causality. His life ended to keep the Silvern Dwarf approach secret as long as possible. The city of Mammoth, and probably the capital city of Allerton, would need to potentially mobilize against this threat. Unfortunately, there was no way to warn either as long as the node network was recharging. For the time being, we would recon the dwarven force for what was undoubtedly an upcoming surface raid. Before moving another step, I sent a quick message to Stella, asking her to remind me when the silvern fast travel was an hour from becoming ready for use. I gripped Frostrend tightly. Taking a silent step forward, I worked out an attack strategy. If I could take the dwarf out without much damage to his body, I could bring him back from death with my recently specialized undeath spell. The possible advantages of having him could help tremendously as we ventured deeper into their tunnels. Closing the small distance, an image of hunting cats from Earth formed in my mind. Such predators could clamp down on a prey¡¯s windpipe, stealing their breath and their life in short order. Looking at my displacer beast friend, I quickly motioned what I wanted him to do. Lowki¡¯s eyes narrowed as they returned to the sleeping dwarf. He understood exactly what I meant for him to do. Gripping my axe handle tightly, I signaled for Lowki to strike. The displacer cat padded softly to the side as the dwarf¡¯s eyes remained peacefully shut. Lowki¡¯s jaw clamped down, closing with unyielding strength, crushing the dwarf¡¯s windpipe in seconds. tight against the man¡¯s windpipe with the beard doing little to fend off the sudden attack. The dwarf struggled wildly at first, his fingers attempting to tear away the panther¡¯s maw, but to no avail. When his pounding first couldn¡¯t dislodge his assailant, his eyes went wide in panic and understanding when he found himself unable to draw breath. He was slowly suffocating. When his hand dove for a belt pouch, I acted, anticipating such a move. Grabbing the powerful man¡¯s wrist with both of my hands, I was able to halt his effort to retrieve what I assumed to be an alarm of some kind. Jerking wildly, the man could do nothing more as Lowki held him in a vice. The last thing the dwarf saw was blackness as dark as Lowki¡¯s fine coat descending in his vision. His movements stilled forever as his life faded away. Quest Update ¨C ¡°Mystery in the Mines.¡± Objective One: Secure the release of Mage Marrek. COMPLETED. Objective Two: Investigate the local silver mine and identify the cause of villager Corm¡¯s demise. COMPLETED Objective Three: Eliminate the Subversive Silvern Dwarf threat posed to strike against the citizens of Mammoth. 1 of ???. Objective Four: HIDDEN Rewards: Variable. Experience, at least one rare magical item, and a significant increase in reputation. With the dwarf¡¯s demise, my quest updated itself. If I needed any more assurance we were on the right path, the System message swayed any discomfort from reappearing. We were doing the right thing. With the sentry neutralized, I cast my eyes around to see if anything else noteworthy was around. The small alcove was mostly empty, aside from the chair, stool, and warhammer. A dark green leather pack rested against the side of the dwarf¡¯s wooden chair. Wait. No, that wasn¡¯t quite right, I thought as I inspected the wood. Even in the blue lamp light, it was obvious the chair wasn¡¯t made from lumber given it was devoid of wood grain. While firm, the chair¡¯s substance had a slight give to it. It had what looked to be tiny gills along its entirety. If I didn¡¯t know any better, it looked to have been made from a giant mushroom. The footstool was made of the same spongey material. I stored both in my inventory Tallos and Ripley approached, taking in the scene of the deceased dwarf watchman in an instant. Lowki prowled in a tight circle next to the body. Seeing no other threat, both moved to the edge of the alcove to keep watch. With them watching our backs, I continued to investigate the small alcove. Within the leather pack was some kind of travel ration, along with several opaque glass bottles. Most likely wine or brandy by the smell of it. ¡°They see with Infravision, our body heat,¡± I whispered to Tallos¡¯ back so he would be aware of what we were up against. ¡°These dwarves, called Subversive Silvern Dwarves, are responsible for Corm¡¯s death and, unless I am entirely off base, intend to invade the silver mine and into the city above.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard of Infravision,¡± Tallos responded with a turn of his head. ¡°It explains this unusual blue light, though it¡¯s hard to miss for anyone coming this way. I¡¯ve never heard of a silvern dwarf, but I have heard rumors of subterranean societies being generally hostile to anyone from the surface.¡± ¡°We have enough evidence to warn the city, but we still have close to five hours before we can teleport back,¡± I added as I inspected the large war hammer resting against the cave wall. {Silvern Heavy War Maul}. A weapon designed to pulverize anything unfortunate enough to be in its path. Enhanced by hardened silvern, this heavy weapon requires a great deal of strength to hold, let alone use. Quality: Superb. Rarity: Epic. Type: Bludgeon, Two-handed. Slot: Primary. Durability: 10,000/10,000. Speed: Very Slow. Effect(s): Adds 40 to 50 damage per attack. Melee attacks and skills with this weapon have a small chance of causing the target to be blasted away a short distance. Strength Requirement: 100. Notice! You do not possess the Strength requirement to wield this weapon. Notice! Silvern metal is highly toxic to both living and undead creatures. Prolonged contact will cause substantial ongoing damage. The maul was extremely heavy. Having nowhere near the required strength, I could barely lift it off the cold stone floor. Pulling my hand back, I dropped the weapon as it felt like I had just touched acid. My hand was burned, but my natural regeneration was quickly healing the wound. Reminded me of forged Damascus steel, intricate patterns, and swirls from the crisscrossing silvern metal that ran the length of the weapon from its stocky, slightly oblong shaft to the heavy hammer head. Looking much like a sledgehammer on one side, and a spear-like point on the other, the devastation caused by using such a weapon must be unbelievable. Sadly, no one in the party could wield it, not even Ripley. Inquiring with Stella, I found out that simply holding the silvern weapon caused a magic-based toxin to eat away at flesh, bones, and even the mystic membrane holding Ripley¡¯s bones together. Seeing no other use for it, the war maul went into my inventory. The same was true for his silvery breastplate and chainmail shirt. Even the belt buckle on his belt was useless to us due to the extreme toxicity of the hardened material. With the tips of my fingers burning from even the slightest touch of the silvern pieces, I was forced to store everything away with a quick touch of a fingernail. Our inability to use the gear was unfortunate, as the weapon and armor would have been a wonderful upgrade for Ripley. At some point, maybe we could find some way to neutralize the harmful side effects. Beyond his weapon and armor, the only other item of note was an embossed disk the size and color of a silver dollar. It had been contained within the belt pouch the dwarf had reached upon realizing he wasn¡¯t going to escape Lowki¡¯s death grip. While I couldn¡¯t make out the stamped words on either side of the coin, one side had a profile shot of a noble dwarf complete with an intricate silver crown. Attempting to inspect the item only brought up an unhelpful prompt identifying calling it an ¡®unknown device.¡¯ ¡°Stella, any idea why I can¡¯t identify this?¡± I asked. ¡°It¡¯s called a device, not a coin which it appears to be.¡± Stella hovered close to the coin as I turned it over in my hand. It had some heft to it, weighing close to half a pound if I were to guess. Whatever the material was, it was dense. Thankfully, it didn¡¯t burn like other silvern did, though we had no way of knowing why. ¡°Usually, the system allows you to quickly identify most items, especially if it is widely known,¡± Stella answered as she peered intently at the dark doubloon, touching a claw to its metallic surface. ¡°My guess is that it¡¯s been magically enchanted. It likely has a secret property known only to the dwarves who cast the coin.¡± ¡°He was grabbing for it, there at the end, so it probably triggers an alarm of some kind,¡± I said, thinking back on the dwarf¡¯s desperate attempt to retrieve the coin. ¡°For now, I¡¯m going to store it away so I don¡¯t accidentally set it off.¡± ¡°See anything?¡± I asked as I moved close to Tallos at the edge of the alcove. ¡°All clear so far,¡± he responded in a soft whisper. ¡°My only concern is we don¡¯t know the limits to how far these dwarfs can see with their Infravision. Even hiding behind this wall, we could be spotted at the other end for all we know.¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± I said when an idea struck me. ¡°Let¡¯s have Ripley stand guard alone. She doesn¡¯t have any body heat so would be the perfect person to keep watch.¡± ¡°Good idea,¡± Tallos said before moving deeper into the narrow recess with me. ¡°One second,¡± Stella said as Ripley began to move forward. ¡°Just in case, Ripley I would like you to still stand near the edge of the wall. We don¡¯t know for certain they can¡¯t see the visible light spectrum, so don¡¯t want you to give yourself way out in the open.¡± Tallos came close to the dwarf¡¯s body and his face crinkled in disgust as he looked upon the slain warrior. Moving beside him, I looked upon our fallen foe. ¡°I¡¯m going to use my upgraded undeath spell on his body,¡± I said, tilting my head toward the unmoving form. ¡°Having him could give us an advantage like we had when we approached the Minotaur fort.¡± Words sounding antithetical to life growled from my lips as I cast my only average-tier spell. My fingers moved in a delicate dance as I stirred the magic of my core in the particular pattern necessary for this casting. Each word was guttural, sounding to come from deep within my chest. Called forth, a sanguine pulse of energy formed between my palms as my fingers vibrated as if my hands had cramped into claws. Pushing the power downwards, a red glow moved to encapsulate the dwarf¡¯s body. Pushing out the last diametrically opposed arcane syllables, the vibrant energy morphed to a decayed gray color above his flesh, before streaming into the dwarf¡¯s eyes, mouth, and the pores of his skin. As it crashed into the body, all visible light was momentarily stolen in the room for an instant as if death itself had descended. When the soft glow of the azure lamps returned, the eyes of the dwarf popped open. Yet, no breath escaped his full lips. Sitting upwards from his prone position, the minion locked gazes with mine, awaiting my commands. ¡°Ah crap,¡± I said as my eyes roamed over his nearly naked body. Only his underclothes remained, everything else having been looted by me. ¡°Here,¡± I said as I pulled out each piece of armor and his heavy war maul. ¡°Equip each. You will defend only me and the individual you see around us. Move two paces down the left tunnel and await further instructions.¡± The reanimated undead minion complied with my orders, though the normal jerking movements I had to come to expect from the spell were absent. Instead, as the dwarf reequipped his gear, his movements were fluid and appeared natural. Upgraded spell indeed, I mused internally. Other than the fact he no longer drew breath, I couldn¡¯t any sign he was an undead imposter. I motioned for Tallos and Stella to come close. ¡°Here¡¯s what I¡¯m thinking, we continue down this main tunnel, but we keep our undead minion in front. Hopefully, his presence allows us an element of surprise when we come upon more dwarves.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s be sure he doesn¡¯t get too far ahead, we want to know what we¡¯re walking into,¡± Stella said after a brief moment as she considered my words. Tallos stroked his narrow chin, ¡°You said Ripley doesn¡¯t give off any heat, right? Why doesn¡¯t she stand a bit directly behind the dwarf, shield leading, with us following along in single file? That way, we will block at least some of our body heat.¡± ¡°Good idea,¡± Stella and I replied at the same time, eliciting a quick smile from the tiny poodle. Giving a few instructions to the dwarf, our party departed the friendly glow from the artificial lamps, heading deeper into the unknown. The hot air was rife with sulfur and hydrogen sulfide. At first, we attempted to move in stealth but quickly found our efforts wasted with the cacophony created by the hardened silvern metal that comprised my minion¡¯s dwarven armor. A stealthy approach was utterly ruined. He had the subtly of a rolling erratic boulder. What stuck in my mind as we continued onward, a mountain of stone and rock hanging over our heads was the red glow emanating from the undead dwarf¡¯s eyes. While at first unnerving, Stella assured me it was the creature¡¯s Infravision at work. ¡°At least one of his kind won¡¯t mistake him for being blind,¡± I had said optimistically before my gaze fell upon Ripley. I recalled the comment with Tallos earlier about her lack of body heat. A great sigh escaped my lips as I realized my new minion would disappear from other dwarven eyes as soon as his body heat fully dissipated. While it could take a while, considering the return of the oppressive heat in the tunnel, it left an awful lot to chance. With nothing we could do about it, my minion remained our point man. Only time would tell if it was a good idea or not. Chapter 61 - Dwarven Sentries With my minion leading, and the party traveling in single file, we slowly advanced through the twisting passageway along a mostly northern path. Several constricted tunnel offshoots occasionally appeared, some with open fissures of their own nearly overflowing with magma near us. We did have to sprint past one tunnel in which most of the floor had given out, allowing enough room for a mid-sized car to plunge through. Thankfully, our route remained obvious as the glow of the cooling lampposts created enough of a difference in our Darkvision to highlight the way. When we approached the first pillar, the familiar azure glow filled the space around its base, we held back to scout it out first. I had been able to relay enough commands to the undead dwarf so he no longer moved like two steel pans repeatedly smashed together. He still sounded like two pans slamming together with each armored step, but it was more muted like they had been wrapped in plush towels. He was still too much of a liability so we decided further back we would pause if we spotted any of the telltale blue glow of a cooling lamp. Lowki and I would then scout ahead. Curiously, the first sentry post we snuck up to was unguarded and empty, save for a stool and a chair to indicate someone was normally supposed to be posted there. It was the same for the second and third alcoves. No one was around as the continuous blue glow cooled our exposed skin as we passed by. While refreshing, the tunnel was still as hot as ever. It made no sense to any of us why three sentry posts were abandoned. ¡°Perhaps they¡¯re getting ready for the final push to Mammoth?¡± Tallos offered after Lowki and I reported back from the third dwarven no-show. ¡°There would be no need for guards if the entire army was about to be on the move.¡± ¡°I mean, maybe, but then why was there a lookout in the first outpost? Why not have him head back to camp along with the rest of them?¡± Stella responded as she ran a paw through her silky soft hair. We found an answer to her questions only a few minutes later. The sound of several dwarven voices became evident long before the blue glow of another lamppost marked their position ahead. While Lowki and I moved forward to scout, it was clear the dwarves were engaged in some kind of entertaining activity based on the raucous laughter and chirpy shouts that reverberated in the normally silent tunnels. With so many dwarves present, and wanting to ensure we were not detected, we quickly retreated to come up with a plan of attack. I had everyone withdraw a good distance back through the tunnels we came from. To help mask our sound, we rested nearby to one of the semi-common roaring magma flows. No longer able to hear the dwarven cheer, we worked through our options and suggestions from the group. Ripley stood guard nearby, only her head and eyes exposed, to ensure nothing approached. There was the chance the happy dwarves would return to their posts. ¡°I think we found out why three of the sentry alcoves were empty,¡± I started once we were confident our words wouldn¡¯t carry to the dwarven force. ¡°They¡¯re playing games. I heard dice clattering against wood. They are all hunkered down oblivious of our approach.¡± ¡°Best guess,¡± I continued. ¡°I believe there are at least four, if not five dwarves up ahead. So, let¡¯s work through our options, preferably using my undead minion as bait. He¡¯s expendable. We are not.¡± As we worked through several strategies, the best among them a form of the dwarf moving past the group to distract them, my eyes fell upon the undead being. Stella followed my gaze to my minion. ¡°There¡¯s one problem,¡± she said with pursed lips. ¡°He¡¯s dead so has no body heat for the sentries to see. They will probably move to immediately attack, spoiling our chances of sneaking up behind them.¡± It was a legitimate concern. To Infravision, he would look like a walking corpse, perhaps only buying us a few seconds to get close. Perhaps none. My lips slightly parted as I pondered the inescapable impasse. ¡°He¡¯s dead,¡± I muttered to myself, speaking through the problem aloud. ¡°So, how do you make a dead body warm?¡± My eyes moved to the tapered tunnel glowing red from the hidden magma pool. ¡°You wrap him in a heated blanket,¡± I continued as I grabbed Stella¡¯s shoulder, holding onto her. My eyes sparkled with excitement. A devilish grin tugged the corners of her lips as she caught my meaning. ¡°That¡¯s it,¡± Stella exclaimed, motioning with a paw toward the distant fissure. ¡°Hah, just have the dwarf stand close to the fire. That will warm him right up!¡± We quickly finalized the rest of our ruse after I murmured instructions to my dwarven friend to huddle in the glowing niche. He moved close to the flowing magma to spike his temperature, while also being careful to not start burning. As we waited, the dwarf slowly spun around in a circle for optimal heat distribution. Stella mumbled something like, ¡®stinky dwarven rotisserie¡¯ but I chose to ignore her. Soon enough, the dwarf would approximate the body heat exuded by all living beings. The last vital component of our plan fell primarily on Tallos¡¯ shoulders, with me acting as his backup. We all agreed it was imperative none of the sentries could be allowed to use their signal coins, each likely having their own stored away as my minion had. Tallos¡¯ attention would be moving back and forth between foes to ensure none reached a hand to a belt pouch. He would hold his shot until one tried to signal other dwarves. This meant he wouldn¡¯t be applying damage by way of rapidly shot arrows, so his impact on the battle would be far less than normal. Still, the loss of damage against our enemies was the right choice as Tallos¡¯ role was perhaps the most important. The risk of being exposed to an entire dwarven counterattack took precedence in the upcoming engagement. The passageway leading to the gambling dwarves bent around at a right angle perhaps twenty or so paces away from their alcove. As my minion walked around the corner, the rest of us waited patiently out of sight. Taking every precaution, we even avoided having Ripley poke her head out because of the slim chance one of the dwarves was not using his Infravision since the tunnel was awash in a gentle red glow. We needed to remain out of sight as my minion walked past the sentries, in case one of them glanced our way out of habit. The footsteps of my minion grew softer as he got further away. I had instructed him to move as quietly as he could at first, as we didn¡¯t want to catch the attention of the guards too soon. He was also casually carrying his war maul with it resting over a shoulder. When inquiring dwarven shouts called out, I mentally counted to five. That was the allotted time we had predetermined. Hoping it was long enough to avoid a curious glance down our tunnel, spoiling our ambush, we quietly rounded the corner. My minion was perhaps a half dozen paces beyond the lamppost and was still walking away, all the while ignoring the quad of dwarves barking indecipherable questions at him and trying to catch his attention. As instructed when he was twelve paces beyond the lamp, he turned around, not so much as aggressively moving his massive hammer. Luck was on our side, as only two of the sentries came out with weapons in their impulsive rush to find out what was wrong with their supposed ally. The closest dwarf to my minion wore a sheathed long sword at his hip and the dwarf in the middle of the pack carried a slung spiked mace. Presently none of the weapons were drawn, so I took it as a good sign. So far, so good, I thought to myself. The sentries had fallen for our ruse. However, when their words were devolving into clipped and harsh-sounding accusations, the deception was fast fading. My dwarven minion couldn¡¯t speak, not with a crushed larynx and all, though his beard neatly hid that fact. Ripley, with Lowki low at her side, advanced stealthily toward our foes. Their attention focused solely on the bait, not one dwarf glanced behind them. Hopefully, it was a good indicator of how the eminent battle would play out to the ruin of our adversaries. Tallos, his bow ready to be drawn in an instant, had an arrow notched. For my part, as quietly as I could, I whispered the words to my long unused restless slumber spell. It was only level two but I hoped it would catch at least one, perhaps two, dwarves with its incapacitating supernatural effects. Anything to give us better odds against what was probably a formidable enemy force. The sentries¡¯ levels ranged between twenty-six and twenty-eight, notably higher than my own. Nothing else in their System descriptions differed from my minion, so it likely meant they were warriors the same as mine. Though, if any of them showed any hint of magical inclinations, that one would suddenly become my sole priority. ¡°You always take down the casters first,¡± I had advised our group more than once as we deliberated our ambush. The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°We know!¡± Stella had previously exclaimed, her paws held tight against her hips. ¡°Fine, Xaz. If that happens, he¡¯s your responsibility.¡± Targeting the dwarf in the middle of their loose formation, I chanted the necessary arcane syllables as my hands twisted in the air during the long three-second cast time. My dwarf minion was motionless, as instructed, and looked to be waiting. I had gone so far as to instruct him to bob his shoulders every so often to imitate breathing. Sadly, based on the accusatory waving of arms articulating around him, his act wasn¡¯t quite living up to my optimistic expectations. No matter what the sentry did or say, my minion didn¡¯t react though he maintained eye contact with the one yelling at him. One of the unarmed sentries stepped close, beside his compatriot, before jabbing a finger into my minion¡¯s armored chest. Still, the undead dwarf failed to respond in any meaningful way. His orders had been quite specific after all. Three things happened at roughly the same time. First, my spell completed. Its mystical energy rippling the air from my outstretched hand. It crossed the intervening distance toward the intended target in an instant. Striking the middle dwarf, an invisible bloom of power pulsed outwards, with him at the epicenter, to impact two additional dwarves. For my limited sight line, it appeared only one of the lookouts was affected. Only the target of my spell faltered a step, though was able to keep his feet under him. The other two had shrugged off the effects without effort. At the same time, either drawn by a sound from Ripley or Lowki or from the words of my spell, one of the sentries turned towards us. His eyes went wide at seeing the sudden appearance of a hunting cat stalking toward him. I lost sight of that dwarf as Ripley stepped close, though from what I spied, the warrior only had eyes for Lowki and looked to completely overlook the approaching skeleton minion. Ripley¡¯s lack of body heat rang true, even as the dwarf shouted a warning to his friends of the approaching cat. Simultaneously, the dwarf closest to my minion thrust his hand to the weapon, grabbing the hilt, he began to pull the weapon free. Unfortunately for him, that was one of the triggers my minion had been waiting so patiently for. ¡°If any of the dwarves unsheathe a weapon, if they strike or attack you in any way,¡± I had said to my minion back in the tunnels when we formulated our plan. ¡°You will respond immediately and kill them all.¡± As if broken by a spell and in one fluid motion, my minion clutched his massive war maul with two hands and slammed it with astounding strength on the sword-wielding dwarf¡¯s head. The dwarf only had enough time to blink in surprise before his skull was caved in. The attack was so brutal, that the single strike had been enough to end his life. Responding with impressive tactical awareness, the nearby unarmed dwarf, no novice to battle, lunged for the long sword as his friend¡¯s hand went limp. With speed a prize fighter would envy, he claimed it as his own and immediately put it to use against his friend¡¯s killer. While my minion could match the strength of his once-former friends, a cutting sword was far lighter and much faster than a war maul. As a result, he was having a difficult time avoiding the lightning-fast barrage that was soon riddling his body with long gashes and deep punctures. In a remarkable whirlwind of attacks, my undead minion¡¯s throat was slashed, a lung pierced, and his belly torn open. Unfortunately for the longsword-wielding veteran, the undead didn¡¯t need to draw breath. They didn¡¯t feel pain. Regardless of his remarkable combat prowess, he was not fighting against a living opponent as he believed he was. The undead could not be mortally wounded. Forgoing defending himself like any living being would, my dwarf minion traded what amounted to superficial wounds to his undead body to land a powerful horizontal blow. The living dwarf was rocketed away to crash heavily against the unyielding stone of the distant wall. He lay momentarily stunned. The war maul¡¯s special effect, having been triggered, had blasted the air out of his lungs. Lowki, far more intelligent than a common hunting cat, realized the advantage he had against his narrow-focused opponent. He understood the dwarf, with mace at the ready hand, was not able to see the closing Ripley, as if the skeleton was invisible. To infrared vision, she was. Lowki moved diagonally to the side of the tunnel, causing his foe to turn his body to keep the agile cat in front of him. It was obvious to the skilled Lowki that the dwarf intended to counterattack with the spiked mace when the cat predictably and inevitably sprang forward. Lowki saw his opponent¡¯s patient defense but didn¡¯t take the bait. His paws landed soundlessly as he slowly circled the dwarf. Ripley saw it too and knew how to best exploit the dwarf¡¯s obliviousness. As the dwarf held a low stance, his spiked mace poised to intercede Lowki, he was caught completely unaware as Ripley¡¯s curved sword crashed against his shoulder. Connective tissue was torn asunder as the blade sheered clean through the dwarf¡¯s clavicle and into the warrior¡¯s underlying rib cage. Red blood spurted violently outward, spraying everything in red mist as his lung was perforated. Staggered forward, suddenly coughing up blood, the dwarf momentarily forgot about the displacer beast stalking him. A gurgled cry was all he could do as a quarter-ton panther slammed into him, twin barb tentacles slamming into his back as he was taken to the ground by a mountain of feline fury. I was not idle as two of the silvern lives were extinguished. My focus never left the stumbling dwarf who was even then recovering his wits as he fought furiously to resist the debilitating effects of my sleep spell. In rapid succession, lesser wyvern sting, ignite bones, arrested affliction and soul leech sank acutely into his body in only four seconds. The words of my separate spells created a litany of arcane verses as I called upon my power to destroy the warrior¡¯s body. As the dwarf overcame the weakening bout of drowsiness, he struggled as a virulent toxin invaded his body. Placing a hand against the cave wall to support his shaky legs, every bone in his body immolated with devouring intensity. Forced to a knee, his heart trembled in violent spasms. As he clutched his chest, his head thrown back in agony, life-stealing necrosis tore vitality from his withering body. All he could do was scream against the all-consuming pain as my potent afflictions destroyed the edges of his consciousness. Frostrend in hand, I stalked forward. The icy blue lightning returned to arc across its surface as I allowed the weapon to broadcast its seething rage. Sensing his impending demise, the suffering dwarf steeled his will long enough to ensure his life would not be spent in vain. Reaching a meaty hand towards his belt pouch, he was going to cause these invaders to experience crushing regret when an avalanche of dwarven reinforcements arrived. A malevolent grin spread across his lips, as his glowing red eyes met his assailant, who was even then treading boldly forward with an impressive double-headed battle axe in his grip. His vindictive desire was stolen as an arrowhead lanced into his hand. Raising the throbbing appendage before his horror-filled eyes, he found the arrow stuck halfway through the middle of his palm. A moment later, the magnificent battle axe condemned the final moments of his life as the weapon crashed into his forehead, hurtling it backward with destructive force. The final dwarf was far from defeated, however. Heedless to his compatriots dying around him, he regained his feet with his silvern long sword ready to rend undead flesh. The mighty blow from the impressive war maul had hurt, but silvern armor was not to be underestimated. Such was the warrior¡¯s focus that his attention was not diverted from his undead foe when a comrade shouted in mortal pain. Feigning injury, the skilled dwarf leaped forward in a tucked roll as the vicious war maul slammed the stone he had just been occupying. Stone splinters showered away from the impact, but with the weight of such a weapon, it would take several moments to bring the heavy maul back to the ready. Using the momentum afforded by his roll, the sole surviving dwarf sprung to his feet at his foe¡¯s flank. His keenly-edged sword was already moving fast towards its target. As the minion¡¯s muscles bulged in an attempt to heft the heavy maul from the crater it created, the soft tissue of his neck parted without resistance as silvern steel passed cleanly through. As the minion¡¯s head tumbled away, the undeath energy surging through its body evaporated, sending him toppling to the floor. Lifeless once more, the body would never stir again. A lull settled across the tight battlefield. One dwarven fighter remained, standing over the headless body of his slain brethren. It was him against a half-elf wearing an unusual mantle the color of blood, an elf sighting an arrow his way, an imposing skeletal warrior barely visible in his sight, and an immense hunting cat whose teeth dripped with lifeblood. The odds against him were unsurmountable, but it mattered little to him. He was a warrior forged in the fire of hundreds of battles. No one moved for long seconds. The seasoned fighter knew the enemy force would never allow him to call upon the magic of the signal token in his pocket, so he didn¡¯t bother. This was war, and his sentries were defeated as a result of careful planning and cunning tactics. He held no animosity toward his adversaries. This was the life he chose to live by. ¡°Live by the blade, die by the blade,¡± the old warrior expressed without emotion, though no surface dweller could possibly understand his words. The axe-wielding elf tilted his head as if trying to determine his meaning. The veteran knew his fate was sealed. Nothing would change it and he wouldn¡¯t have it any other way. Dying in battle, on your terms, was an honor afforded to few. Raising his silvern blade over his head, he then brought it to his chest as a show of honor before returning to a ready stance. His destiny awaited him, even as he charged forward against impossible odds. He knew it, his adversaries knew it, but he pressed his attack anyway. His thrusts were expertly placed, his ripostes precisely set as he fought the final battle of his life. His feet moved with practiced ease, always finding the proper place as his enemies moved around him. He gave as much as he received. Blood ran from dozens of wounds. This was his final dance with death. He intended to deliver a masterpiece. It wasn¡¯t a soundless scream frozen across his lips when his life was finally spent. The old warrior died with a proud grin across his wizened face as eternal darkness took him. Chapter 62 - Aftermath Silence beyond Lowki and my heavy breathing descended as the final dwarven warrior fell to the stone. His body was riddled with jagged cuts and tears, lines of bright blood running down his skin, along with several arrow shafts standing out like feathered flags. Tallos¡¯ aim had been nothing short of spectacular as he found the narrow seams of the dwarf¡¯s impressive silvern armor. Azure light surrounded us as I knelt in exhaustion, bringing a soothing chill to my taxed and feverish skin. The glow had a revitalizing effect on my body after such an intense struggle against the lone remaining combatant. While the first three dwarves had fallen with relative ease, thanks to our successful ambush, the last dwarf proved to be many steps above his fellows in terms of tactical awareness and fighting prowess. Even while outnumbered three to one, not to mention an archer firing the occasional potshot, the weapon master armed only with a sword had dealt as much damage as he received. His brilliant mind immediately recognized the significant advantage Ripley had against him since she was nearly invisible to his heat-sensing vision. The veteran had quickly deduced an impressive counter to what should have been an executioner''s poised axe. At first, we didn¡¯t recognize what the dwarf was doing as he moved around the battlefield. Given Ripley¡¯s supposed invisibility, after several successful blocks and ripostes against Ripley¡¯s slashing sword, it became apparent what he was doing. Our foe was smoothly flowing in and out of the azure glow, toeing the line between each, fighting for a dozen or seconds before transitioning to the other side. With a start, I understood his tactic. Moving in and out of the light meant we did as well. Therefore, causing Ripley¡¯s body to appear warmer in the blue light and then slightly cooler when moving back into the warmth of the cave. The seemingly simple response to allow the dwarf to engage an invisible foe was only one of the ingenious tactics employed by the expert swordsman during our battle. Taking stock of everyone¡¯s condition, I needed to intone the words to my regenerative spell upon Lowki and myself, twice, as well as several lesser renewal of bones upon Ripley to bring each of us to our maximum health. Tallos approached with a look of admiration on his face. ¡°That dwarf was skilled,¡± he said as he knelt close to the warrior¡¯s body. He touched fingers to the dwarf¡¯s forehead, tilting his head in respect to a fallen foe. ¡°He probably could have taken Ripley or Lowki down if it had been single combat. You would have struggled too, Xaz, if you had to fight him one-on-one. Even more amazing was he only had a single long sword to display his weapon mastery.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going to lie,¡± Stella said having taken her place on my shoulder after the battle had ended. ¡°If he is an example of what we¡¯re going to face, we could be biting off more than we can chew. I¡¯m betting he was a sliver away from the System listing him as an ¡®elite¡¯ when you inspected him.¡± ¡°Any idea what he said before he engaged us?¡± I asked, remembering the dwarf raising and lowering his sword before charging. ¡°I¡¯ve seen similar salutes like the one he showed us,¡± Tallos replied as he inspected the modest long sword still firmly held in the grip of the deceased dwarf. Besides the Damascus-like pattern etched throughout the metal, the silvern weapon lacked any adornment or superfluous addition. The design was still elegant as much as it was plain. ¡°I believe it was a sign of respect given from one enemy to another, the code of the warrior.¡± ¡°That¡¯s surprising considering the description the System provided about these silvern dwarves,¡± I muttered as I replayed the battle in my mind. ¡°They seemed nothing more than ruthless killers, bent on the destruction of anyone from the surface. Now, with this warrior as an example, I realize they are probably much more than that. They may be raiders, yes, but at least some of them have a sense of honor.¡± I turned my head, looking at Stella resting easily on atop my blazeweave kimono. ¡°Can System messages be incorrect? It made them out to be violent brutes who sought the torture of their victims for the fun of it.¡± Stella¡¯s paws moved in the air, her mouth opening and closing as if unsure of what information to share. ¡°Hmm, all I can say is there can be outliers within any given group or race. Perhaps this dwarf was more honorable than his comrades, but can¡¯t know for certain, at least yet. I know the System will not outright lie or give false information in its descriptions, but it will take into account what is widely known or believed to be true when it comes to the characteristics of whatever you inspect.¡± ¡°I guess it makes sense,¡± I responded, stretching weariness out of my arms and shoulders. ¡°If most people see these dwarves as monsters and fiends, the System will include that.¡± We began investigating the fallen for any loot, though given their armor and weapon were solely made from the toxic silvern metal, I doubted we¡¯d find anything too valuable. As I went about the larger alcove where the dwarves had been gambling, I allowed a blinking System notification to expand in my vision. Quest Update ¨C ¡°Mystery in the Mines.¡± Objective One: Secure the release of Mage Marrek. COMPLETED. Objective Two: Investigate the local silver mine and identify the cause of villager Corm¡¯s demise. COMPLETED Objective Three: Eliminate the Subversive Silvern Dwarf threat posed to strike against the citizens of Mammoth. 5 of ???. Objective Four: HIDDEN Rewards: Variable. Experience, at least one rare magical item, and a significant increase in reputation. We still didn¡¯t know how many dwarves were around, so I could only hope it would show the total as we continued deeper into the dwarven tunnels. The fact of not knowing if we were up against fifteen, or a hundred and fifteen, dwarves grated on my nerves. Closing the status window, another prompt appeared showing the growth of several of my spells as a result of the thrilling fray. Notice! Skill and Spell increase messages have been condensed. Skill: [Tracking] has increased to level 10. Spell: [Lesser Ignite Bones] has increased to level 8. Spell: [Undeath] has increased to level 5. Spell: [Minor Restless Slumber] has increased to level 4. Spell: [Lesser Renewal of Bones] has increased to level 4. Spell: [Lesser Wyvern Sting] has increased to level 4. Skill: [Execute (Axe)] has increased to level 4. Skill: [Quick Cast] has increased to level 4. Impressed with the quick jump in several of my lowest spells and skills, I returned my attention back to the stone alcove. It was close to twice the size of the previous sentry posts, likely the reason the group had decided to gather here to throw dice with one another. Several hardened mushroom chairs and a squat table occupied most of the open space. Atop the table was a mixture of dice, cards, and mugs containing an unknown ale. A pile of coins with an irregular shape sat in the middle, looking a lot like a gambling pot. None of the coins looked similar to the signal coin we found earlier, though a few were also cast from silvern. None carried any magic that I could detect. Pocketing the lot of them, I moved to the far wall where a small bookshelf sat low to the ground. It was three feet tall and two feet wide. The bookshelf was made of the same mushroom material as the rest of the furniture, though it alone had a speckled green color to it. Everything else was dirty brown. Instead of tomes, as I had initially hoped for, the shelves contained dozens of foot-long leaflets made from an unknown type of parchment. The paper was course, as thick as ten regular sheets of paper stacked together and was difficult to bend. Holding a sheet to my nose, it had a sweet earthy aroma leading me to believe it was a derivative of the same mushrooms these subversive dwarves seemed to enjoy working with. ¡°They really like to use mushrooms to make just about everything. Well, besides their armor,¡± I said as I failed to comprehend the inscriptions on the dwarven leaflets. Their language seemed to be based on pictographs and was written on the page in viscous black ink. The writing struck me as odd since, from all that we could tell, a silvern dwarf relied solely upon his ability to sense heat to see everything around them. The question of how the dwarves were able to read these leaflets was answered when I experimentally ran a finger across the raised ink. I was surprised to find it was warm to the touch. ¡°Now that¡¯s pretty cool. They made the ink visible to their eyes. I wonder how they did that.¡± I waved the leaflet in the air to see if I could cool the hieroglyphs, but even after placing it under the cooling effect from the azure lamps for a long minute, the ink was still warm to the touch. ¡°I wonder how long it lasts,¡± I said as I poked and prodded the dried ink. Dismissing the trivial thought, I placed the pages in my inventory. Perhaps someone, someday, could help me figure out what they contained. Returning to the search of the dwarven space, nothing else of note was uncovered. The two weapons left behind in the rush to investigate my undead minion walking by went into my inventory. Both were made from the hardened silvern composite, one a slender long sword and the other a massive greatsword. Searching the remains of our vanquished foes, I looted all their armor and gear, though I did leave the final combatant fully armed and armored. A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. This particular slain enemy would soon come under the effects of my undeath spell to assist us in our struggles against his former comrades as we moved deeper into dwarven territory. Since my spell allowed the body to retain all of his statistics and fighting prowess, I was sure he would become a powerful ally. Thinking of my undeath spell did bring a question to mind. ¡°Hey, Stella?¡± I asked as gazed down at the corpse of the fierce warrior. Tallos had long since retrieved the arrows previously protruding from the body, though dozens of cuts and gashes still marred most of his skin not covered by armor. ¡°I just realized, my undeath spell was probably pretty close to wearing off when we fought this group. Was it?¡± Stella grimaced at the notion as her nails flashed through the air, checking her Accelerator access. ¡°Oh, shit,¡± she mumbled as her eyes scanned the invisible screen. ¡°He had about a minute to go, there at the end. Sorry, the spell¡¯s duration slipped my mind.¡± ¡°That could have been bad,¡± I mused aloud. If the spell¡¯s duration, which was currently shy of thirteen minutes, had elapsed mid-combat we would have been in quite the predicament with four livid dwarven warriors. ¡°We have to be careful to avoid that from happening in the future. We could have suddenly had a mountain of dwarven flesh descend on us if my minion had dropped before the battle. I know you¡¯re an AI and all, Stella. So, don¡¯t take this the wrong way, but I thought you couldn¡¯t forget stuff like this.¡± As I gave her a sheepish smirk, Stella broke eye contact. ¡°I am an advanced artificial intelligence, but I¡¯m no computer,¡± she said, her voice dropping to a whisper as she spoke. ¡°I can make mistakes the same as you.¡± ¡°Sorry, I should have chosen my words better. I don¡¯t expect you to be perfect, Stella,¡± I offered, my face flushing as I turned my gaze downward. Letting out a sigh, my eyes returned to Stella¡¯s small body. She gave an awkward smile in return when our eyes met. I wasn¡¯t sure what to say. ¡°Learning never stops,¡± Tallos said in a gentle voice, coming to stand near the two of us. ¡°We cover for each other, making us far stronger for it.¡± He wore an easy smile that diffused confidence. ¡°Let¡¯s grow stronger from this. The worst didn¡¯t happen, and we were victorious against our enemies. So, let¡¯s take what we¡¯ve learned and apply it to our future endeavors?¡± Stella and I shared an easy chuckle at Tallos¡¯ positivity. His words were appreciated nonetheless and reminded me how much I appreciated his presence. Together, we were a well-rounded group of friends who I felt could take on just about anything. Tallos was right. With a playful grin, I held out a palm to Stella. She dashed through the air, slapping her tiny paw against my palm. Her typical unflinching optimism returned to her lithe and graceful body. She spun a small circuit in the air before tilting her chin upward. She nodded appreciatively to Tallos before placing a paw against her cheek as she went deep in thought. A grin broke across her face as she found inspiration, her nails slashing in the air before her. ¡°There,¡± she said stretching out like she was on an invisible recliner. ¡°It¡¯s fixed. The next time you use your undeath spell, the minion will have a timer over his nameplate. ¡°That¡¯ll do, Stell. That¡¯ll do,¡± I replied cheerily, resting a hand on her shoulder for a brief moment. ¡°Ready to get moving? I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll find anything else around this cramped space.¡± Both Stella and Tallos nodded their assent. Lowki beamed up at me before turning around to face the tunnel Ripley was scrutinizing, ever ready to spring at an enemy. I paused a moment, looking at each of my friends in turn, relishing the moment. I really did feel invincible with them. Eyes full of friendship sparkled back at me, rife with encouragement and support. Nodding to Stella and Tallos, I regarded the honorable warrior¡¯s body. ¡°Time to bring you back to the world of the living,¡± I uttered before arcane words scratched out from my mouth, splitting the silence with their divergent undertones as if I was speaking in the forbidden language of the dead. The fingers of my hands moved in jarring yet pronounced movements which always felt like they were transforming into clawed versions of themselves. Energy welled between my palms and when the ten-second cast time was completed, the magic lanced into the still body. Glowing red eyes opened, blinking as the undead minion looked up at me. ¡°Stand,¡± I ordered, which the dwarf minion immediately obeyed. ¡°You¡¯ll need to give him all new commands since he¡¯s new to the spell,¡± Stella said. ¡°When you recast it on him again, he¡¯ll remember everything you said, even if the spell ends.¡± As she spoke, a lime green digital timer appeared over the minion¡¯s nameplate. It was counting down from twelve minutes and forty-five seconds. Giving a well-thought-out series of commands, which Stella played an important role in developing, my new minion stood ready to defend each member of our party at the cost of its own life. Tallos and I were marked as his primary focus since Lowki and Ripley would revive should the worst happen. Seeing him wield the long sword he had put to good use against us, my thoughts returned to the weapons we had looted from the alcove. This veteran fighter had made a crucial mistake in leaving behind his weapon before he died. He had been able to skillfully use the long sword he recovered when a fallen friend, but a part of me wondered if it was his preferred weapon type. Sure enough, he was soon carrying a silvern greatsword in an intuitively designed leather baldric across his back. While we discovered he couldn¡¯t speak, he was able to communicate non-verbally. It had been Stella¡¯s idea to lay the long swords next to the greatsword in front of him. His favored weapon became clear after she asked simply, ¡°Pick up whichever weapon would you prefer to use.¡± Responding immediately, he moved for the greatsword and with practiced ease slid it effortlessly into the sheath across his back. He was an intimidating sight, to say the least, with the massive silvern greatsword worn so casually. I counted us lucky we didn¡¯t have to face him wielding the five-foot tool considering how skillfully he moved it around. Ready as we could be, we began trudging deeper into the cave system but paused as I looked back at the remains of the defeated dwarves a final time. ¡°There¡¯s a lot of tunnels that branch into this one. Something could find them, perhaps a dwarven scouting party? That would be bad, so do you think we should dispose of their bodies to be safe?¡± ¡°Easy enough to accomplish, simply toss them into one of the nearby lava tubes,¡± Stella offered with a shrug. ¡°I¡¯ll leave the work to you or Tallos though. I¡¯ll supervise.¡± This last was said with a touch of superiority, her voice suddenly acquiring a regal undercurrent. She lifted her chin just like before with it now seeming as if a crown had suddenly appeared on her small head. Her smugness was replaced in my mind when I imagined her doing the work herself, tugging mightily on one of the hefty bodies with only her bare teeth. It brought a mischievous grin to my face, though I kept my imaginary scene to myself. Instead, I decided to straight up tease her a little. ¡°You¡¯re right. You wouldn¡¯t sully your paws. Don¡¯t worry, Stell, we¡¯ll take care of it. We wouldn¡¯t want you to strain yourself.¡± ¡°Strain myself!¡± Stella responded indignantly. She puffed out her chest and crossed her front paws as if a queen was about to pass judgment over a perceived slight. Intentionally ignoring the exasperated poodle, I asked my dwarven minion to dispose of the bodies, paying close attention to instruct him not to get too close to the blistering vents. In short order, we were on the move once more. By the time it was necessary to recast my undeath spell, we had not come across any additional sentry posts. None of the familiar blue glow marked our way or indicated other dwarven sentries. Thankfully our path remained clear as we followed the well-worn and worked stone surface have all its stalagmites being removed along one pathway. With the red tint splashing against the course natural passage from the numerous exposed magma pits, our Darkvision made it easy to press on. It was bright enough it was as if we were standing under a noon sun. We soon discovered another impressive talent retained by my new minion from his undead resurrection. We were all pleased when he dropped into a low crouch with us, enacting a version of stealth, and was able to move far quieter than his predecessor. While the occasional clank of metal still echoed off the neighboring walls and side passages, it happened far less frequently and was more muffled courtesy of the veteran¡¯s skillful movements. The fear of being discovered because my minion gave us away was diminished greatly. A short time later, the tunnel floor we had been traversing appeared to disappear from sight a dozen yards in front of us. Carefully approaching the edge, we discovered the floor of our passageway had collapsed, crashing into a shower of rock and stone into what appeared to be an old lava tube running horizontally underneath us. While no active magma flowed below, our path became unclear. At first, it looked as if we needed to choose our course from three different options. First, we could try to figure out a way to cross the expansive breach from where we stood to the opposite side where our passage stretched away from us into an unceasing gloom of darkness. The problem was the distance was too great, making even a long jump unrealistic. The other two options were essentially the same, just heading in opposite directions. It could be possible the dwarven war band would be coming up from either the left or right pathway of the ancient tube below our feet, though the lack of anything resembling an elevator or pulley system made me doubt this possibility. Unless magic would be involved, there was no current way for equipment to be ferried up to our position, which was a height of no less than fifteen feet. More likely the floor ahead had collapsed somewhat recently, and the dwarves had not yet built a bridge to span the gap. Then again, I doubted dwarves intended even that considering the dozen or more stalactites reaching upwards from the uneven ground, ever reaching to its stalagmite mate. The mystery was solved for us when a slight air current brushed against the back of my neck. It had come from the right-hand wall, some ten feet behind us, which didn¡¯t make sense as only hard stone resided there. In actuality, we were all shocked to find a previously unseen passageway when we turned around to investigate. Nearly hidden from view due to its sharp angle cut into the stone, we had unknowingly walked right passed it. The stone down this channel was meticulously worked without a stone or pebble laying anywhere in sight. Cut like a rectangle, the tunnel looked to have been worked over by a massive stone grinder it was so smooth. Moving into the corridor, we heard faint whispers of hammer on steel from deep within. The corridor curved like it was a languid snake slowly meandering back and forth. Each of our steps brought us closer to the sound of metal being worked, growing louder by the second. Soon, a vibrant ruby glow could be seen on the smooth walls. The light was not caused by any magma fissure, however. This had the distinct waver from fire as it twisted around. Considering the hammering which grew painfully loud in the confined space, it was undoubtedly coming from a forge. Dozens of indistinct voices could be heard in between the pounding of hard metal. Even if we understood the dwarven language, it sounded muffled to our ears as we were still too far away to make any sense of it. What was clear, however, was we had found our target. A dwarven stronghold. Sadly, from the sound of it, their numbers far exceeded our own. Chapter 63 - Mushrooms! Seeing the brightness ahead, I held out a hand signaling for a pause. Pointing to Ripley and Lowki, the three of us moved forward to scout while Tallos remained behind, an arrow ready to let fly in an instant. Using the same tactic we employed when taking on the group of dwarven sentries, I crouched behind Ripley, using her undead and heatless body as cover. The precisely cut passageway opened into a vast underground chasm. Gigantic-sized stalagmites and stalagmites, along with natural support columns showered the room. A naturally formed vaulted ceiling rose at least four hundred feet over our heads. Yet that was not the most incredible aspect of the domed cavern. Looking eerily similar to a dense redwood forest from up on the surface, the expansive chamber was inundated with massive mushrooms instead of trees. Ranging in height from a squat five feet to a staggering three hundred and fifty feet, nearly touching the cavernous ceiling, mushrooms of all sizes dominated the scene. Vast umbrella-like caps stretched across the ceiling encapsulating the biome in a fungus canopy. Below the caps, thousands of paper-like veils hung, resembling rows of delicate curtains, and contained millions of spores that tasted thick in the air. Some of the largest mushroom¡¯s gills looked like it was the maw of a giant sandworm about to devour everything in its path. From the sheer abundance of the engorged funguses, it was no wonder why the silvern dwarves opted to utilize mushrooms as a crafting material. Doors and shuttered windows rested near the base of some of the largest stalks, making it clear the dwarves even went as far as using the colossal toadstools as homes. We carefully hugged the edge irregular and jagged stone wall, doing our utmost to remain undetected. A slim proposition considering how much our body heat blazed against the cool mushroom stalks, several of which were pressed against the flowstone jutting away from the base of the cavern. As we passed around a short example of the hundreds of mushrooms, the spongy texture felt far cooler to the touch than the air in this magma-heated space. If dwarven eyes glanced near us, we were going to be easily spotted, or so I feared. While dozens of burly voices could be heard in between the din of pounding metal, our enemy remained elusive to our eyes. I wasn¡¯t going to complain about it, though. I could only hope we remained unnoticed for as long as possible as we scouted. We needed to know what we were dealing with. Raging firelight bathed everything in shifting ruby radiance. While some of the mushrooms may have been different colors, it was impossible to tell against the perpetual red glow. Judging by the thin stream of smoke rising lazily, there had to be perhaps a dozen forges spaced out around the cavern without a discernable pattern with their placement. Though its fire was ever-present, we couldn¡¯t yet tell if the forges were crafted structures or if the dwarves had somehow turned some of the shorter mushrooms into make-shift foundries. Gazing up at the massively scaled stalks, a net-like pattern visible along the spongy surface, I would have thought the place a true wonder if not for its inhabitants. So dense was the forest of fungus many butted up against one another, in some places barely allowing space for a person to pass between. The diameter of the cavern was impressive, to say the least. Perhaps three to four hundred feet wide, which could fit two modern cruise ships resting side by side, it felt more like we were standing beneath a magically domed forest than an underground grotto. Many naturally formed cul-de-sacs were visible as we steadily continued our short scouting expedition. Another interesting discovery was when we spotted a small underground lake perhaps fifty feet across off in the distance. Large gobbets of water splashed heavily every few seconds against the surface of the pond, falling from far above, and appeared big enough to have filled a small bucket. That answered the question of how the dwarves obtained water, though I bet they had to boil the spore-rich liquid. Nearing the end of our planned sweep of the perimeter, we came upon several rows of stacked crates made from hardened mushrooms. Three rows deep and placed like steps leading up the cavern wall, each was as long as a person, half that deep, and three feet tall. The crates reminded me of army gun cases capable of storing dozens of rifles. Silver hinges allowed for the top to swing easily open. Inspecting the nearest container, we found dozens of hefty arrow-like projectiles stacked in neat orderly rows. Its broadhead tip was fashioned from durable silvern metal and had a diameter close to the size of my fist. Just below the silver arrowhead, a cylindrical pod was secured right behind it with thick rubbery bands. The arrow shaft was fashioned from hardened mushrooms that didn¡¯t have the normal spongy give to it. The arrows were stiff enough to be shot by whatever device was capable of holding the five-foot-long missile without concern. At the end of the shaft was a wide bowstring nock. Notably absent was fletching of any kind. Thinking back on my numerous discussions with Tallos about his archery profession, the lack of fletching usually indicated that an arrow''s accuracy was not a priority. Without fletching, an arrow would fly unpredictably when shot by a bowman. Considering the heavy point, the thick shaft, and the lack of aerodynamic stabilizing feathers, I believed I understood what the arrows were. They were ballista bolts and the ammunition of a siege weapon. Picking up one of the bolts, it weighed close to a couple of pounds and was incredibly well-balanced thanks to the long shaft counterbalancing the heavy broadhead. The arrow shaft had a spongy texture, but only the outer millimeter of the mushroom material had any give to it. Beyond the top layer of the bolt, it was as dense as a wood equivalent. When I inspected the bolt, my eyes widened in shock. {Silvern Explosive Ballista Bolt}. Fashioned from hardened mushroom stalks, this impressive siege ammunition has been enhanced to cause particular devastation against fortifications, buildings, and free-standing structures. Behind the broadhead rests an ingeniously designed compartment full of an explosive compound that will detonate violently upon impact. Quality: Well-crafted. Rarity: Uncommon. Type: Siege Ammunition. Durability 200/200. Attack Damage: 150-200. Speed: Very Slow. Effect(s): Adds 400 to 500 physical damage after detonation. 100% enhanced damage against fortifications, buildings, and similar structures. Awestruck by the damage potential of only a single bolt, my stomach dropped at the implication. Moving my eyes down the line of crates, I found what I was looking for. Dozens of heavy crossbow-like devices were lined u, one after another. So many were present, I counted thirty-one until the line was broken as they curved around a distant mushroom stalk. This was bad, very bad. We finally uncovered the equipment the raiding party would employ against the citizens of Mammoth, deadly siege engines with explosive-tipped bolts. Approaching one of the devices, I ran a hand across a fat crossbow body held firmly secured to a hardened base. Beneath the base were several plump wheels which would allow for easy transport. Two long limbs, connected by a thick string, could be ratcheted back and looked capable of launching the bolts with incredible force. At the back of the device, a winch wheel and twin levers would be utilized to pull back the crossbow¡¯s cord. From what I could tell, cocking the weapon would be a slow process and I couldn¡¯t imagine it firing more than once or twice per minute. Still, the thought of thirty-plus ballistae firing explosive bolts was sobering. The devastation would be immense. Judging from its size, each siege engine would require two, perhaps three, dwarves to move, operate, and reload. It meant Mammoth would be facing a force of at least one hundred subversive dwarves'' intent on scouring the city from the face of the planet. Nothing would be able to withstand such an assault. Even the capital¡¯s thick wall would be hard-pressed to weather a coordinated attack with these explosive bolts leading the charge. Long dancing shadows appeared on the far end of the ballistae. Someone was walking towards our position. As silently as we could, we retreated to the tunnel where Tallos was patiently waiting. Seeing an inquisitive look on his face, I held out my hands asking him to be patient. Motioning further down the twisting exit, I ushered our group to retreat further away before discussing what we found. In short order, we stood in a ring near the tunnel floor that had collapsed into the ancient lava tube below. Speaking in hushed tones to be careful to not be overheard, I described everything we had seen from our brief reconnoiter. Pulling one of the ballista bolts from my inventory, I held it out to Tallos and Stella. ¡°I¡¯m not going to lie, these things scare me,¡± I whispered, my brow furrowed in worry. ¡°Just one of these would probably be enough to destroy a home, likely killing everything inside.¡± This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°We need to stop this invasion before they get to the surface,¡± Tallos said with urgency, his words bubbling with hostility. He held the large crossbow bolt and was repeatedly shaking his head in dismay. Stella spoke up beside him. ¡°They will probably take the same travel node we did, but I doubt they plan on lugging their siege engines up the ringed catwalk where Corm¡¯s body was discovered. More likely, they probably have another way to the surface, some tunnel we aren¡¯t aware of. From there, they could easily wait for nightfall and go untouched as they lined up the siege weapons without the city being any the wiser.¡± ¡°Any idea when they¡¯ll be ready to move out?¡± Tallos asked, his eyebrows pulled close together and his mouth hanging slightly open. ¡°How much time do we have?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± I replied uncertainly, a blank look on my face as my mind worked the problem. ¡°I think I need to scout more, but it runs a high risk of me being detected. There are a few lava fissures along the wall of the cavern, so I could use those to mask my body heat. We don¡¯t know yet how many dwarves are in there. For all we know, the entire raiding force is present and could be minutes from departing. On the other hand, we may have several days before that happens. We need to find out.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t forget you have those gloves that can hide your body heat,¡± Stella offered helpfully as she pointed to my bag of holding. ¡°Its magic only lasts thirty minutes but it should be enough for you to find out how many dwarves are back there.¡± It was a good idea and something I had been considering using since we first learned the dwarves had Infravision. My only hesitation was the gloves had a two-hour cool down between uses. Still, the risk of discovery was too great when we ventured back in. My stealth worked wonders in shadows but was far less useful to our enemy¡¯s heat-sensitive eyes. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll use the gloves and take another look,¡± I said, solidifying my decision. ¡°Everyone stays here. You too, Ripley. I want to minimize the chances of being seen and we¡¯ve learned your body can still be detected in the wrong situation.¡± ¡°Thirty minutes is going to pass quickly than you think, so I¡¯ll have a timer appear in the corner of your vision after you use the gloves,¡± Stella said. ¡°Oh, and after using them, you can switch back to your blazeweave ones. You don¡¯t need to keep them on after the buff is applied. Remember, your objective is to determine how many dwarves are present and how long until they intend to move out. Then, we figure out how best to proceed.¡± ¡°Also, if you can, try to find out where reinforcements might be coming from,¡± Tallos added. ¡°I doubt this is the only way into the cavern. There could even be one of those silvern nodes somewhere. Knowing either could prove useful in our planning.¡± Pulling the enchanted gloves from my inventory, I swapped them with my blazeweave gloves. As soon as the gloves touched my skin, it felt like I had dived into the water of an icy lake. The sensation passed after only a brief moment. Focusing on the gloves, I mentally prompted the special effect to trigger. A similar rush of cold flushed throughout my body, though far more intense than moments earlier. With the buff showing in my vision, the sensation did not dissipate or lessen. It wouldn¡¯t for the next thirty minutes. My eyes caught a new timer on the left side of my vision. A buff icon beside it called the buff a ¡®thermal cloak.¡¯ Storing the frigid gloves back in my bag of holding and retrieved my blazeweave set gloves. For a moment, I admired the shadowy red cloth and the silver trim that accentuated its distinctive appearance. ¡°I¡¯ll be back,¡± I said in a serious tone before moving as fast as my stealth allowed down the smooth tunnel leading back to the dwarves. While I would be invisible to their sight for the next half hour, the dwarves could still potentially hear me, or even smell me. There was nothing I could do about my scent, so I could only hope it wasn¡¯t detected. Tallos, Ripley, and Lowki took cover and waited for my return. With only a minute to spare, I came around the corner of the concealed passage. The apprehension and worry on their faces dropped at my arrival, changing to relief upon seeing me uninjured. In seconds, the buff wore off and warmth flooded back into my limbs. The sensation had not been painful, but it was wholly unpleasant. It was almost like I was transformed into an undead version of myself. ¡°Do you want the good news or the bad news,¡± I asked. Stella and Tallos shared a look before Stella opted for the good news. ¡°Okay, good news. The place is not crawling with dwarves. From what I can tell, most down there are either engineers, craftsmen, or blacksmiths. Very few were decked out in armored like our minion friend¡­ here...¡± I trailed off, grimacing as my eyes found the once undead, now back to fully dead, dwarf splayed out unmoving on the cold stone off to the side. ¡°Sorry about that, let me get him back up,¡± I murmured before intoning my undeath spell. After ten seconds, the dwarf regained his feet as if nothing had happened. Stella gave the dwarf a blank stare as if his simple presence offended her, before returning her attention to me. ¡°Back to the good news,¡± I continued. ¡°There is only one other tunnel leading away from the mushroom-filled cavern meaning reinforcements can only come from a single direction. The other passage is on the north, northeast side of the cavern, flanked by a pair of giant mushrooms. Additionally, as far as I could tell, there aren¡¯t any silvern nodes anywhere in there. I couldn¡¯t scout out everything in thirty minutes, mind you, but there was no sign of others teleporting in.¡± ¡°That all sounds great, so what¡¯s the bad news?¡± Stella prompted as she leaned back, hugging her chest. She was pretty anxious about the bad news by the look of it. ¡°Unfortunately for us, I spotted sixteen total dwarves, spread out among three different groups of silvern dwarves. A group of six are actively assembling more of those giant crossbows. From the look of it, they have perhaps a half dozen yet to complete. Watching them work, I¡¯d say it takes maybe an hour for them to put one together. Another group of six dwarves are working at the forges though I wasn¡¯t sure if they were making weapons, armor, arrowheads, or something else. Two dwarves from this second group were close by and wearing full-plate armor. Those two guards didn''t seem to have a care in the world as they chatted away casually. Actually, none of the dwarves back there seem to be paying any particular care to their surroundings. There was no sense of urgency. I doubt any are expecting unfriendly company. Wait, that''s some good news.¡± ¡°The last group consists of four dwarves who are actively creating more of those explosive-tipped bolts before transferring them into those weapon crates we saw earlier,¡± I recounted. ¡°So, sixteen silvern dwarves, and only two look to have any serious proficiency in fighting.¡± ¡°Do you have any idea how long we have until reinforcements arrive?¡± Tallos inquired. ¡°Do we have time to warn the city?¡± ¡°Unless something changes, I¡¯d feel confident we have at least five or six hours which is how long I estimate they will finish the construction of the siege weapons,¡± I replied after thinking through his question and everything I had seen. ¡°As for warning the city, I think we still have something like four and a half hours before we can use the node again. A problem we have is the main raiding force could show up at any moment but¡­ if I were them, I¡¯d probably wait until everything is ready before marching my entire army here. I think we should attack now, while they are unprepared and unaware.¡± ¡°But, if we have that much time, shouldn¡¯t we return to the city and warn them?¡± Tallos questioned. ¡°I don¡¯t think we should,¡± I replied as I bit my lower lip. ¡°Remember the node goes dark for six hours between each use. That means if we do go back to the city, we¡¯ll need to wait another six hours before we can teleport back here. Worse, by that time, the entire dwarven legion could already be marching down these tunnels. If that happened, we¡¯d be stuck and have nowhere to run.¡± ¡°Okay, then how about we warn the city and then help them defend it?¡± Stella inquired. I didn¡¯t immediately respond, instead thinking through my reasoning. While both Stella and Tallos regularly followed my lead, the consequences of getting this wrong were too great. If this went sideways it could turn into a disaster that could claim hundreds, if not thousands of lives. I¡¯d only go forward with my strategy if everyone agreed. ¡°I don¡¯t think we can allow the dwarves to lay siege on the city. When we were walking to the middle of Mammoth, we did see a good number of soldiers and guards, but they had no fortifications to help them withstand a siege, let alone survive thirty or more explosive bolts raining down at a time. Worse, the capital is too far away for reinforcements to arrive before the city is turned into dust.¡± Not seeing a response, I continued. ¡°If we did return and tried to help them fight the horde, I honestly don¡¯t see how we could have any meaningful impact on the outcome of that battle. If we return, I believe it would result in our collective demise. That¡¯s the honest truth as I see it. I believe we can do more, right now. If we are successful, we will have eliminated the dwarves¡¯ ability to lay waste on the town. Without their siege engines, it would come down to dwarves versus men, and that¡¯s if they elected to continue with the raid. This is a battle I think we can make a difference.¡± I held their rapt attention. Within seconds, I could see in their eyes I had won them over. ¡°Let¡¯s do it,¡± Stella said with Tallos nodding along. We were set. We would bring the fight to them and eliminate as many siege engines as we could. ¡°I take it you have an idea?¡± Stella asked. I gave her a wink as I mimed an explosion with my hands. ¡°Yes, I have a plan.¡± Stella let out a long breath before rubbing her paws together. ¡°Sixteen versus six, good odds I¡¯d say.¡± It could have been my imagination, but I could have sworn my undead minion raised his chin a little with his inclusion in those chances. ¡°I¡¯d take those odds any day,¡± Tallos agreed, hope brimming the angular features of his face. Chapter 64 - Fight Fire with Fire We crept back into the mushroom-filled cavern. The rocky ceiling was hidden from view behind the spacious mushroom caps blanketing outward like a weird fungus canopy. Like last time, none of the dwarves were around. The stacked crates and long row of ballistae remained unguarded. Counting ourselves lucky, we moved near an exposed magma vent being mindful to not set our clothes or skin ablaze from the oppressive heat gushing out. I was counting on the fissure to hide the body heat of the party. Motioning for the rest of the party to hold back for a moment, I moved to a pair of crates and looted more of the heavy bolts with a light touch to each. Each quarrel vanished as if it had never existed, instantly appearing in the dimensional folds of my bag of holding. I had already looted a number of the weapons when I had scouted earlier, my body heat hidden away from the dwarves as an initial plan cemented in my mind. Before bringing the plan to fruition, I wanted to grab a few extras in case we needed them down the road. ¡°These bastards are planning on using explosives on the innocent people of Mammoth. So, we¡¯re going to fight fire with fire,¡± I said back when I laid out my ambitious plan to Stella and Tallos. We had a plan for the first set of bolts I had looted. Interestingly enough, I discovered it was incredibly easy to disassemble a particular section of bolts right inside my inventory screen. With a few mental clicks, the explosive packs were separated from thirty heavy bolts. The System identified the cylindrical pods as an ¡®unknown explosive compound¡¯ and provided little else. At first, I had planned to utilize my undead minion as some sort of kamikaze slash suicide bomber. Had the dwarf not been as skilled as he was with a blade, I probably would have gone through with it. As it were, I didn¡¯t want to waste him on such a straightforward ploy, not unless there was no other choice. I refreshed my undeath spell upon the skilled warrior, so we had another twelve-plus minutes before his body fell into death once more. Returning to the magma craig where Tallos, Ripley, and Lowki waited, it was easy to see how uncomfortable everyone, but Ripley was. ¡°Everyone okay?¡± I asked, receiving jaded shrugs and difficult stares in reply. The air was acrid and smelled of rotten eggs. The foul scent was likely from the hydrogen sulfide gushing from the nearby vent. It was so overpowering, that the trace of mushroom spore in the air was entirely eclipsed from our senses. ¡°Tallos, do see the crossbow off to the side, there?¡± I asked my elven friend. ¡°That¡¯s where I want you to be. I¡¯ll lure in the dwarves, then you¡¯ll fire as soon as they''re grouped up enough. Remember, don¡¯t aim at them. Instead, aim for the base of one of the nearby ballistae. As soon as you fire, drop straight to the floor since you¡¯ll be in the most perilous position when your bolt detonates.¡± ¡°Got it,¡± Tallos replied confidently. It was clear he was eager to leave the overbearing temperature pouring out in waves. ¡°As soon as I fire, I drop.¡± ¡°Everyone else will remain here and take cover behind that outcropping,¡± I pointed to a rocky outcropping that would protect us like a shield. I silently hoped it would be able to withstand what was soon to come. ¡°I¡¯ll grab the attention of as many dwarves as possible, then I¡¯ll haul ass back here.¡± After the ensuing explosion, our job is to rush forward and finish off any dwarves that survived the blast,¡± Stella added with a hint of excitement in her tone. Seeing determination set in the eyes of her friends, she smiled. ¡°Let¡¯s roll.¡± Tallos moved quickly and silently away from the party, commandeering an enemy ballista, finding it already locked and loaded. Earlier, I had taken a precious minute of my invisibility to arm the device. For our plan to succeed here, we would need the destructive capability afforded by such a powerful tool. As Tallos sighted the siege engine, I removed a pair of dusty wine bottles from my inventory, placing both on the floor in front of me. Once the property of Adom the Savage, the System description helpfully informed me they had the necessary proof to be turned into dangerous Molotov cocktails. ¡°Remember to drop to the deck when you hear the explosion,¡± I said to Ripley and Lowki, though they didn¡¯t need the reminder as they were already wedged close to the rocky protrusion. Stella would remain with me, holding herself firm on my left shoulder as I created my diversion. Seeing Tallos give me a thumbs up, I moved away, coming within throwing range of the middle ballistae. Having removed the corks, both bottles were now topped with cloth wicks. Eyeing both, I cast a severely limited version of my flamethrower spell under my breath. A tiny gout of flame sprung out, setting soaked cloth on fire. Picking up each flaming cocktail, I threw one, then the other, with all of my strength. The wicks billowed as the bottles soared through the air, crashing heavily into a pair of ballistae. Glass shattered into a thousand pieces. As if a hell storm had been summoned, a conflagration of flames roared to life, erupting over a wide area with a loud whoosh! I held my breath, praying nothing would detonate. Dwarven shouts rang out in surprise at the sudden appearance of the blazing inferno. Pounding boots heralded two groups of dwarves as they rounded a mushroom stalk, coming to the rescue of their precious weapons of mass destruction. Six were the engineers I marked earlier, responsible for the construction of the giant crossbows. None carried weaponry of any kind upon their wide tool belts hanging across their ample waists. Four more dwarves, the explosive experts, were quick on their heels. The two armored guards joined soon after but were in no rush to douse the flames. Their cavalier attitude spoke volumes as they had no intention of aiding their brethren. By this point, the raging inferno spread to two additional ballistae, the mushroom construction burning as easily as dry tinder. With the two groups as close together as they were going to be, Tallos pulled the trigger. Quicker than an eye could follow, an explosive-tip quarrel sliced through the air. The lack of fletching took a toll on the bolt''s flight path, hitting the ground a foot in front of the targeted ballistae. It didn¡¯t matter, it was still close enough. An earsplitting BOOM reverberated, and large chunks of shattered stone and shrapnel blasted out as a massive fireball exploded in the dwarves¡¯ midst. After tossing the Molotov cocktails, I rushed back to Lowki and Ripley, diving behind the outcropping of stone beside them. I cradled my head as I waited for what was next to come. There was going to be more than the lone detonation after all. Immediately after pulling the trigger, Tallos dove to the hard floor and pressed his body tight against a towering mushroom stalk using it as cover. A good thing he did too. Huge chunks tore apart everything in their path, shrapnel passing cleanly through the stalk just above his head. The first group of dwarves was not so lucky. The six engineers, working furiously to save their precious weapons of war, were shredded like tissue paper. They never knew what killed them. Before any survivors could react, another detonation split the air. Loud and impossibly sharp, one of the torched crossbows exploded outwards releasing a massive amount of energy that caused stone flacks to fall to the ground. Then, as if a controlled demolition had been triggered, a line of siege weapons detonated, one after another. The entire cavern trembled with each discharge, threatening to collapse this section of the cavern. The consecutive explosions obliterated everything in the vicinity. Splitters, stone projectiles, and anything not bolted down were blasted in a wide arc causing more than one giant mushroom to topple over. Gratefully, none of the towering fungi landed on any of our party members, though one did block Tallos from being able to immediately join the next phase of our assault. Pebbles rained for long seconds after the final detonation reverberated. Peeking over our cover, the entire row of ballistae had been absolutely annihilated, save for the single crossbow Tallos had fired. Though, it looked heavily damaged and would probably break apart if used again. Known only to my group, when I had scouted the stronghold by myself, I had surreptitiously placed over thirty of the explosive pods under each of the sturdy arbalests. As I had hoped, with the initial detonation a chain reaction was triggered ripping the long row ballistae into splinters. Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. As stone chips continued to fall from above, we bound out from cover. As if a line of claymores had exploded outwards from the base of the cavern, splintered fragments of hardened mushroom, bits of unidentifiable steel, flesh, and chunks of stone lay strewn everywhere. Ripley, Lowki, my minion, and I charged the fallen dwarves. The ones still alive, at least. Of the initial group of dwarves rocked by Tallos¡¯ shot, nothing identifiable remained. They had been wholly disintegrated. The four demolition experts writhed in pain on the ground a dozen feet away. They had been thrown backward. None went unscathed from the calamity. Each was missing one, or more, limbs. The wounds were so great, I doubted they had long for life as blood gushed from ragged rents in their flesh. Notifications blinked in my vision, but I quickly dismissed them as we had more pressing matters. We needed to clear the area before reinforcements arrived. Not having the time to scout the only other tunnel leading in here, meant any number of dwarves could be fast approaching our position. The rapid explosions would be hard to miss as the thundering cracks echoed far and wide. If the cavalry did arrive, I intended to be well hidden before they arrived. The two armored dwarves fared better than their friends, their impressive silvern breastplates ensuring no mortal wounds touched their armor flesh. Issuing quick commands, my undead minion and Ripley rushed to finish the two foes. The blasts had stunned them, and they were completely disorientated. They fell without lifting a weapon in defense. Lowki and I moved close to the suffering dwarves who wailed in agony, their bodies twisting as they futilely attempted to staunch the blood gushing from grotesque injuries. Terrified dwarven eyes stretched up to us, fraught with confusion and pleading for mercy. Shame and remorse threatened to still my hand, but only for a moment. In the time it took me to remember these dwarves would have caused this very level of anguish on innocent people, my mercy gave way to hard reality. Without compassion, I ended their suffering. That was the only kindness they would receive from me that day. Finishing the grisly task, we knew only another four dwarves remained. Having already scouted where the forges were positioned, I swiftly split the party in half. Lowki and I sprinted off in one direction with Tallos, Ripley, and my minion heading another. While I knew precisely where each forge was, Tallos¡¯ group should be able to manage without me. The blazing beacons were hard to miss. Knowing any pretense of stealth was obliterated with the explosions and ensuing skirmishes, Lowki and I sprinted around a mushroom the width of a small shed. We spotted the large brick blacksmith¡¯s forge with a brightly burning hearth. Under the fluted chimney, a stack of coal and heated coke showered everything around in a scarlet glow. Connected at the side, a deflated bellows sat still as if waiting for someone to stoke life back into the slowing fading flames. A silver anvil was nearby with several half-formed ballista broadheads. One arrowhead was lying on the side of the anvil, the heat of the metal slowly ebbing into the cold stone. Cowering behind the ten-foot-tall chimney was a stout dwarf wearing a thick smock that covered his entire torso. He was covered in black soot from head to toe, his beard stained black with only tiny streaks of its natural auburn color peeking through. Carrying a large blacksmith hammer in one hand, he had biceps that would put most bodybuilders to shame. While his eyes were at first timid, they quickly morphed into anger as an elf and panther approached his livelihood. Thinking the dwarf was alone, I was momentarily startled when a second blacksmith came charging around the other side of the forge with a silver hammer and a long pair of tongs held threateningly over his head. The bellow from his comrade, the first smith didn¡¯t hesitate any longer and launched himself forward at us. Sliding to a stop, I quickly chanted the words to a powerful spell. My hands twisted in the air in an intricate pattern as I pulled deep from my core. Miniature arcs of lightning danced between my fingers. The blacksmiths were undeterred, rushing toward me with furious bellows of outrage. Neither blacksmith could have cared less about my spell casting. So intent were they to crush the puny elf before them, nothing else mattered. With a thrust of my hands, a thick shaft of twisting lightning blasted into the closest smithy¡¯s chest and, an instant later, another bolt of electricity arced unerringly into his now-blinded colleague. The discharge of light was so brilliant, I was thankful to have closed my eyes at the last moment. Knowing the spell may not halt the first dwarf¡¯s murderous charge, I sidestepped several paces away. The blacksmith crashed his makeshift weapons through the space where I had just vacated. Finding nothing but air, his sight stolen from my attack, he lost his balance and crashed heavily to the floor. Recalling Frostrend into my hand, I twisted back around and slammed the axe down onto the smith¡¯s neck before he could regain his feet. Severing his spinal column, the dwarf fell limp to the floor. Turning back around, I had enough time to see an enormous displacer beast landed atop the remaining dwarf. The electricity discharged into his body had caused all of his muscles to lock and spasm, allowing Lowki to easily bear him to the ground. The cat¡¯s massive maw clamped around the dwarf¡¯s neck even as his twin barbed tentacles slammed home, one against the side of his head, the other into a shoulder. Not willing to allow his foe a chance to counterattack, Lowki furiously raked his four back legs digging deep furrows into the dwarf¡¯s unprotected body. The great cat¡¯s combined assaults overwhelmed the smith, and his life was dispatched in a matter of seconds. Not bothering to check either body for loot, Lowki and I hurried away. In short order, we regrouped with Tallos and our other companions near the unexplored tunnel. Everyone realized we had little time to spare with the threat of an unknown number of reinforcements that could soon be arriving. Tallos was entirely unharmed, having fought with his bow against their two blacksmith targets. Ripley looked to have sustained a heavy blow against her side. Several cracked and splintered ribs could be seen though she gave no indication she it bothered her in the slightest. My undead minion returned to my side and waited patiently for further commands. Knowing we had precious little time, I recast my shield buff and cast a regen on Ripley to top off her health. While the fight against the dwarves within this mushroom-laden cavern had ended, we all knew we were far from finished. With every ballista now destroyed, we could have been content to leave everything else behind. Yet, I suggested we wait to see if anything came to investigate. There were still dozens of crates with explosive bolts to consider as well. I hadn¡¯t had the time to loot them all and I was worried what would happen if the dwarves recovered them. Setting off only thirty of the charges alone had threatened to collapse whole sections of heavy stone over our heads. So, I couldn¡¯t imagine the potential devastation if several hundred of the packs exploded all at once. We contemplated detonating them as we had with the heavy crossbows, but destroying the concentrated cache of explosives all at once could cave in everything for miles. The risk was too great. Our tentative plan was to see if we could handle whatever dwarven contingent arrived to investigate. If they were too much to handle, we would retreat to the transport node and warn the city. The plan had substantial risk as the dwarfs could harass us every step of the way. It was not a pleasant thought. Otherwise, if we could handle whoever showed up, then the plan was for me to loot every remaining charge. We would then regroup and determine our next best course of action. Seeing nothing approach for a pair of minutes, I ordered my minion and Ripley to swiftly haul over large timbers of burning mushroom stalks and spread them around our position. Perhaps the heat from the fire could hide us from the dwarves¡¯ vision as we crouched behind our cover. While they worked, Lowki and I dragged over the two bodies of the blacksmiths we killed, laying them in between our concealed position and the darkened tunnel. They would act as bait. Tallos had an arrow ready to go, his thin fingers lightly brushing against his bowstring. After completing their work, Ripley and my minion returned to their hideaways. Ripley was to the far left, leaning against a toppled mushroom, with my minion crouched low across the way. Being invisible to Infravision, both would barrel into the enemy¡¯s flanks and wreck devastation like vengeful ghosts. They would be the steel teeth for our bear trap. Once sprung, Tallos and I would pepper our foes with arrows and blistering spells. Stella and I thought it was a good plan. Our biggest concern was just how many dwarven reinforcements would arrive. A thought occurred to me as I considered our hiding spot beside my elven friend. "Hey Tallos," I said, eyeing a shorter mushroom behind our position. "Do you think you can scale that thing?" Tallos immediately caught on with what I was thinking. "Hell yeah, I can," he responded with some gusto. In quick fashion, the slender elf scaled the side of the mushroom and flipped himself over on top of the wide cap. Before laying on his stomach, still wary of his body heat given him away, he gave me a thumbs up. "Nice idea," Stella whispered. "He''ll be protected from harm up there." "Yup, no sense having him down here with us." I was about to order Ripley to retrieve the sole remaining ballista, perhaps to consider firing an explosive bolt down the tunnel when our hostile friends arrived, when the sound of armored footfalls echoed out from the dark tunnel before us. We had no more time to prepare. Whoever was approaching sounded as if they were at a dead sprint. It was impossible to tell how many were present as their armored boots sounded like twin jackhammers. It was obvious this was no small force. Shouted commands reverberated as the group approached. A daunting contingent of fully armored dwarves came running out of the dark tunnel. Silver armor, glinting axes, broad shields, and spiked maces showed this was no simple conglomerate of fighters. They slowed to a walk as they breached the inner cavern, their eyes flicking around as they tried to make sense of the devastation. A shout from the front commanded everyone¡¯s attention as the dead blacksmiths were spotted lying amongst burning mushroom logs. I counted approximately ten soldiers as the dwarves hurried to their fallen comrades. Our ruse had worked. Our body heat had been masked by the burning mushroom stalks. The dwarves didn¡¯t know were surrounded. I could only hope the element of surprise would tip the scales in our favor. Chapter 65 - Spring the Trap The nearly dozen armored dwarves moved together toward the bodies of the two blacksmiths, carefully watching their surroundings as they did. This was clearly a group who knew what they were doing. With the chaotic environment of downed mushrooms and burning stalks, the scene of devastation could appear to be nothing more than an untimely accident. Only the front two warriors had their weapons drawn, one a silver claymore and the other a long sword. Everyone else had hands resting on hilts, wary eyes looking for any sign of danger. Their formation stalked right past the hidden Ripley and my undead dwarf. Dwarven eyes passed right over the pair. The pieces of burning material around me protected me from being spotted as I scrutinized the potent dwarven unit. They ranged in levels between twenty-six and twenty-nine with most on the top end of the spectrum. Ten dwarves in all had come. We would be hard-pressed in the upcoming fight, though we had several key advantages. Foremost, we had the element of surprise on our side. Better yet, our greatest advantage was the innate invisibility, at least to the dwarven eyes, from Ripley and my dwarf¡¯s undead nature. Both would be monsters in close-quarters combat. We didn¡¯t have time to come up with a better plan as the dwarves would soon discover their two smiths were not killed by any explosion. One had a crushed throat and the other a considerable laceration across its shoulder. This was going to be an all-out brawl. When the enemy force was within five feet of their two blacksmiths, Ripley and my minion followed their earlier instructions, moving quietly towards the rearmost guards. Their orders were simple, try to get as close as possible under stealth, and if they went undetected, then awesome. Still, I made it clear that if at any point they were detected they would drop all pretense of stealth and dash forward with abandon. Lowki had been at my side when I asked Tallos to retreat up a nearby mushroom cap but had skulked off on his own. I trusted he would find a place that best suited his combat prowess. His quarter-ton body of feline muscle was enhanced by the speed and agility all cats possess. The ten-strong unit was close enough to their objective, so I enchanted one of my favorite spells. Lesser chained lightning was currently at level six, meaning the bolt of living electricity would strike out at an additional four enemies after the initial target. Going all out, I couldn¡¯t afford to do otherwise, I dual cast the spell for maximum damage. From my vantage point, I had a sliver of a gap to view the enemy force as they stooped low to check on their deceased comrades. They didn¡¯t hear my soft chanting over the ambient noise from the burning forges and exposed magma vents. Right before completing my incantation, I rose just enough from my concealed position to thrust out my palms, the final somatic component of the spell. A lone dwarf spotted me, his eyes going wide as he shout formed in his throat, but his warning came too late. As if the sun had momentarily displayed in the subterranean cavity, brilliant white light flared out from me as the lightning streaked across the open ground. Closing my eyes at the last moment to protect my vision, the intensity of the bolt in the low light of the cavern still left a short-lived afterimage in my vision, even behind my closed eyelids. A thick beam of energy discharged away from my outstretched hands. The forearm-thick beam of lightning crossed the distance in an instant, striking with the force of a double kick from a horse. My damage notification was minimized, so I couldn¡¯t be sure how much health was ripped away from my dwarven target, but I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if it exceeded four thousand health. And, that was too a single enemy. The spell caused more than a single bolt of electricity. True to its name, the spell chained and faster than any elf, dwarf, or undead could register, the spell arced against four more enemies. Finally opening my eyes and blinking away the subtle afterimage, it was obvious which of the five dwarves had been struck. Each had been blown backward from the violence of the spell, crashing off-balance against their friends behind them. None could manage any coordinated movement for several long seconds as the discharge overwhelmed their bodies. Not giving the enemy any break, I immediately started another dual casting, this time my potent fireball. Considering how thoughtful the dwarven brigade was in clumping close together, I thought it wise to reward them with another area-effecting spell. At the same time, the rest of our team attacked. Though I couldn¡¯t see the arrows against the soft firelight and red glow in the cavern, the distinct whoosh of feathered arrows in flight was unmistakable. Arrow after arrow was fired by Tallos as quickly as the talented archer was capable of. The elf was a keen shot, but the dwarves each wore impressive silvern plate armor protecting their vital areas. I could only hope more than a few arrowheads were finding the narrow gaps in their remarkable gear. Lowki made his presence known in a big way. Unseen by everyone, the hunting cat took Tallos¡¯ change to an elevated position to another level. When five hundred pounds of fury slammed like a meteor from above, the unfortunate dwarf under Lowki¡¯s plummet was completely obliterated. Nothing remained behind but unidentifiable mush. Lowki¡¯s normally powerful pounce was magnified to astonishing heights as his attack started at least seventy feet in the air from atop a mushroom cap. As if standing underneath a falling tractor, the dwarf¡¯s body was brutally broken and his life instantly terminated. Before the dwarven force could mobilize or respond to the two-prong attack, my lightning blast and Lowki¡¯s superhero landing, Ripley, and my minion closed the final distance to the soldier¡¯s flanks. Ripley, wielding her greatsword, decapitated the warrior closest to her in a single swipe of the bladed weapon. As his head tumbled to the cold stone, his body stood upright for a fraction of a moment before crashing lifelessly beside the still-rolling head. My dwarf minion was a terror-made manifest. My undead spell, having been specialized when I reached tier three Hunter, meant he retrained every bit of accumulated knowledge, skill, and ability that he had in life. His greatsword moved like a blur and in two swift attacks he dispatched two dwarven lives as easily as if he were scything wheat in a field. In the space of a few seconds, three more dwarves fell, never to rise again. Panic and chaos erupted from the typically tight-knit dwarven unit. The now multi-prong attacks claimed more warriors than the group had lost in the past four years. Worse, they momentarily lost semblance of order in their ranks and had yet to strike a single blow against their enemy. I didn¡¯t know it, but nothing like this had ever occurred. At least, not in recent memory of the long-lived dwarves. Still, these talented warriors were no novices to battle. Quickly regaining their composure, the remaining six dwarves attempted to fan out and created separation between each other. They recognized their compact formation was being used against them by the enemy spell caster. The vulnerability was proved beyond a shadow of a doubt when a fist-sized ball of fire detonated in the middle of their loosening formation. The particular dwarf which had been the target of the fireball recognized the danger from the incoming spell early enough to raise a shield to intercept it. Sadly, for him and his friends, the ensuing explosion was far beyond anything they thought possible. The warrior¡¯s shield rocketed backward, crashing heavily into his face, crunching cartilage and momentarily stealing his wits. Every living dwarf was immolated by the fierce spell, flames finding easy purchase against exposed skin and flammable clothing. The remaining dwarves were thrown to the floor from the concussive blast created by my spell. The once-composed group of veterans devolved into chaos as they rolled, skidded, and slid across the rough ground. Tallos continued firing off arrow after arrow, sighting a new dwarf with each shot in an attempt to spread out his damage. Lowki, pausing a moment to ensure his crushed victim would not rise again, lashed out at one of the dwarves sprawled on the floor beside him. Lowki had been hit by the blast, small tuffs of fur singed, but his considerable weight allowed him to remain unmoved. Twin barb tentacles slammed down on the dwarf¡¯s neck, eliciting a pained scream as poison probed deep into his unprotected flesh. Spinning a complete circuit, Lowki clamped his massive maw on the flailing dwarf¡¯s neck. With a massive shake of his head, Lowki violently snapped the dwarf¡¯s spinal column. Unfortunately, Lowki¡¯s aggression cost him. As he was a living breathing being, his midnight black fur did little to shield his body heat from the dwarves. While the great cat was finishing off his latest victim, a hammer-wielding dwarf regained his feet and punished the cat for his hostility. Lowki was normally protected with his beast ability called displacement, meaning he¡¯s body appeared somewhere other than where he actually was. Sadly, the illusion magic did not project body heat elsewhere. Still, Lowki¡¯s senses were honed to a knife''s edge and he sensed the blow coming. Letting go of the dead dwarf, Lowki attempted to dodge away. The attacking dwarf moved with a leap and brought his massive maul down. Had the displacer beast not moved, the blow would have devastated. As it were, the sledgehammer of a weapon slammed down on the cat¡¯s shoulder, crushing bone and pulverizing two of his three legs on that side of his body. Lowki leaped awkwardly away, the dwarf losing sight as he jumped behind a giant mushroom. The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. At least temporarily, Lowki was out of the fight. As soon as Ripley came within striking distance, her area of effect spell called lesser necrotic aura caused black blemishes to appear on the checks, hands, and bodies of the remaining dwarves. The protection of their silvern armor was worthless against the necrotic assault as large swatches of skin withered and decayed. Such was the potency of the spell that the harm stole the last few remaining health points of the struggling dwarf as he vainly attempted to dislodge Lowki¡¯s poison barbs from the side of his neck. Ripley¡¯s aura desiccated the flesh surrounding the wound and, when the suffering warrior pulled the barbs free, he also tore out his jugular vein. In seconds, his life was spent as gouts of blood saturated the cool stone beneath his twitching form. Ripley sighted on another dwarf, her greatsword whistling in the air as it raced towards his face. Finally fighting off the shock from our ambush, the dwarf raised his shield, deflecting the wicked strike wide. Though he could not see his foe, he knew something invisible was right on top of him. Lashing out with his long sword, and felt a satisfying impact in his sword arm as his blade bit into something solid. Bone chips went flying from Ripley¡¯s hip. It didn¡¯t dissuade the skeletal Ripley, however. Knowing it would take too long for her to bring her heavy greatsword back around, its momentum thrown upwards from the clever block, she let go of the weapon. It clattered heavily a half dozen feet away. In a fluid motion, Ripley unsheathed her curved sword and reached a hand back for her heater shield. Without a hint of mercy or hesitation, she shield-bashed the offending dwarf, cracking his head as the emblazoned shield connected with his face. Finding himself momentarily stunned by the unexpected attack, the dwarf squinted his eyes against the shower of sparks overwhelming his vision. He didn¡¯t see Ripley¡¯s backhanded swing as it sheered off half his face. As Ripley orientated on another dwarf, a flash of golden magic appeared from the middle of the pack. Divine power focused on the dwarf who was about to fall into unconsciousness from Ripley¡¯s devastating attack. In an instant, bone, muscles, and tissue knit itself back together. Ripley, thinking her previous prey had fallen, had been stepping away to engage another combatant when her foe''s long sword slammed into the side of her bony face. Now Ripley was the one momentarily stunned, causing her to drop to a knee. Pushing her shield off the hard ground, she halted her downward plunge and barely had time to raise her sword in time to deflect the follow-up attack. Somehow, miraculously, the foe she thought was defeated began assaulting her with a series of blazing-fast attacks. Bone chips exploded outward like a miner slamming a pick against a stone with each failed parry or block. She would be overwhelmed in moments, such as the furious counteroffensive aimed by a dwarf intent on permanently ending her undead life. Seeing my friend¡¯s plight, I abandoned my spell and reached my hand to my waist to grab my flintlock pistol. Taking a precious moment to line my shot, I pulled the trigger. A loud crack reverberated in the cavern, causing many on the battlefield to flinch from the sharp sound. A magically enhanced bullet crossed the space to my target in an instant. My aim was perfect. The armor and shield penetrating properties of my flintlock pistol allowed the bullet to pass cleanly through the side of the dwarf¡¯s bearded face. All strength left the warrior''s limbs, and his sword released from lifeless fingers as his body hit the ground. With the kill, we had four opponents remaining. I hadn¡¯t caught the telltale glow of healing magic moments earlier, so focused my attention on the closest combatant and wound through a powerful damage over time spell. The next flash of magic from within the dwarven formation did catch my attention, however. Thankfully, I kept enough concentration to complete my spell. Lesser boil blood lanced across the intervening space and slammed into an armored figure. He twitched and grunted in pain as the blistering magic coursed through his body as it attempted to vaporize his blood. When another splash of transcendent magic descended, healing magic landing on the dwarf I had just cast an affliction on, my throat tightened in realization. ¡°They have a healer!¡± I risked shouting. My position would certainly be given away if it wasn''t already, but each member of our group needed to know we had a new primary target. Casters always needed to die first. Sadly, Ripley and my minion''s advantage of being unseen by dwarven eyes had been thwarted by the magic that flared earlier. The dwarf commander, skilled in the healing magic granted by divine blessing, intoned a spell specifically devised to combat undead creatures. The dwarves knew the weakness they had against beings incapable of generating body heat. So, they had long ago designed a counter. Both the minor and lesser versions of ¡®see undead¡¯ were known by every dwarf capable of harnessing magic. For this particular dwarven cleric though, he had perfected an area of effect spell of similar function. As a result, every remaining dwarf now saw Ripley and my undead minion as easily as the rest of us. With only two melee combatants attempting to fight four veteran warriors, they were immediately hard-pressed. Still, the potshots from the elevated archer stung the living warrior, so one was directed to sprint off to handle the nuisance. I cast spell after spell as two dwarven warriors turned on my undead minion. The remaining dwarf, who I now recognized as the leader, their cleric, turned to face the fast-approaching Ripley. The cleric seemed unfazed as her towering bulk barreled towards him. To my surprise, the dwarf also showed little concern as my spells wracked his body with necrotic, toxic, fire, and poisonous damage. I had no idea how, but he shrugged off the effects my spells had as they ravaged his body. As if Ripley was no threat to him, the dwarf casually uttered words of power that sounded like sliding across sandpaper. With a final dismissive flick of his wrist, the dwarf completed his spell, a contemptuous sneer plastered across his face. A flash of luminescence flared from deep within Ripley¡¯s body and overwhelmed the black bands of magic holding her upright. My magic sustaining her vanished and she collapsed to the floor inert. Whoever the cleric was, he must have used an exceedingly powerful spell to so casually end Ripley¡¯s specialized summoning. My eyes flicked to the party menu at the side of my vision. Surprisingly, Ripley''s life bar was mostly full though it was not the vibrant red it normally was. Whatever the caster did, her health bar was now a light shade of gray and she had a debuff icon next to her name. She was temporarily unsummoned. There was no timer causing me to believe she would rise once the dwarf died or, if he was concentrating on a spell, was knocked senseless. Either way, Ripley was incapable of doing anything at the moment. As I layered the last of my spells onto the cleric¡¯s body, I was able to see the trouble my undead dwarf was having as he faced two dwarven gladiators. Though neither was as talented as my minion, they covered each other¡¯s weaknesses and mistakes. The moment one stumbled, or placed a foot in the wrong spot, the other would distract my minion enough so only superficial damage was sustained by his partner. My minion realized he wouldn¡¯t be able to survive for much longer, such was his tactical awareness, so made a desperate bid to improve whatever odds we had in this fight. With a dazzling display of sword work, he worked the weapon of one dwarf high before suddenly thrusting his blade to the other. The move cost him greatly. Leaving his back completely exposed, a sword bit deeply into him. Being undead and unable to feel pain, my minion didn¡¯t so much as flinch as a blade slipped under his rib and into his heart. His gambit had been worth it, however. The dwarf¡¯s magnificent greatsword severed the neck of his target, the head tumbling away in a shower of blood. In an untenable position, my minion didn¡¯t see the follow-up blow that took off his head in reply. Taking stock of the battlefield, the enemy force was down to three, one being a powerful healer. One of the remaining warriors had charged to where Tallos fired a continuous rain of arrows, though many pinged off harmlessly against silvern armor. The last two dwarves, one a competent healer, trudged toward me with murder in their eyes. The cleric locked gazes with me and, to my surprise, winked. Not faltering in my spell casting, I could only watch on in amazement as the cleric raised a fist in the air, calling on a platinum band slapped over his wrist. The jewelry was two inches wide and held a single flat gemstone. Archaic rune script traversed the entirety of the band, the symbols etched in black and stood out against the silver background. With his hand above his head, the dwarf uttered an arcane syllable and a halo of magic burst forth from the gem. A golden ring cascaded outward, causing a golden aura to suffice first the cleric¡¯s body and then the warrior beside him. My eyes opened in surprise as I felt each of my damage over time spells wink out of existence. Whatever powerful magical device the cleric had just triggered, eliminated every one of my spells in an instant. The cleric saw the look of shock in my eyes and grinned malevolently at me. Thinking he just reset the battle in their favor, it was the dwarf¡¯s turn to be staggered when my lesser boil blood¡¯s specialized effect triggered. The once-cocky dwarf¡¯s features turned to outrage when gouts of boiling blood burst from his skin. Like ruptured dams, blistering liquid showered his compatriot. The blowback was nowhere near lethal, though the impacted dwarf would have said otherwise as he writhed on the rocky ground. He clawed futilely to throw off the sticky substance as his skin melted under its tremendous heat. With a quick incantation, the healer tossed a spell to the warrior, restoring some of the damage my spell had done to him. Two pairs of glowing red eyes sighted on me, hate attempting to bore a hole in my face. They charged with all the fury and promise of pain they could bring to bear. My breath caught in my throat at the homicidal look coming from my enemies. I was alone. Ripley was down for who knew how long, and Lowki still hadn¡¯t shown himself after his pitiful retreat from the tremendous blow he suffered earlier. Tallos was in behind me and, from the sound of it, was in trouble of his own. Sounding like a splitting tree, a crack rebounded off the cavern walls signaling another mushroom was being laid low. Unfortunately, for Tallos, it was the one he was taking shelter on. No longer able to sight the target below him, the mushroom cap was too wide for it to even be an option. Tallos could only hold out his arms wide as his mushroom toppled. Thinking quickly, I mentally targeted Lowki using my party interface. I couldn¡¯t see where the cat was, but I intoned my regen spell on him nonetheless. A part of me screamed out I should instead have cast the spell on myself, but it was too late for any further considerations. Unfortunately, I had no other time to consider the cat as the two dwarves cast aside the downed mushroom stalk I had been using for cover with a powerful kick of armored boots. I felt the same frantic apprehension Tallos must have been feeling as he crashed to the floor. ¡°Shit,¡± was all I could mutter before an oversized silvern weapon raced towards my face. Chapter 66 - Stalemate The dwarf¡¯s greataxe passed inches above my craning neck as I frantically attempted to dodge the overbearing attack. A gust of air brushed past my skin and a chill ran down my spine with how close the attack had been. I was reminded my Aegis would have shielded me, but there was no sense in allowing such a crushing strike to land. Even with my potent defenses, the physical momentum of the strike would bypass my barrier and would have no doubt sent me hurtling to the cold stone beneath our feet. In the dwarf¡¯s desperate lunge to sever my head from my body, he had overcommitted to the attack. I caught a whiff of alcohol as he stumbled past me, likely the reason behind his off-balanced swing. His cleric buddy remained a healthy half dozen feet away from us, a spell ready on his lips. The dwarven leader bore no weapons in hand, though a silver-gleaming mace hung from a dark leather belt. His disuse of the hardened silvern weapon clued me into the healer¡¯s intent. He was going to simply support his warrior from a distance. When my axe crashed into the gap between his warrior¡¯s breastplate and pauldron, only the fine links of the warrior¡¯s chainmail undershirt saving him from a sheared-off arm, the cleric began his spell casting. The force of my strike, combined with the warrior¡¯s compromised balance sent him tumbling to the floor. Healing words of power grabbed my attention as a golden light rushed away from the leader¡¯s outstretched hands to leap into the staggered greataxe-wielding warrior. Whatever damage I had inflicted, likely only minor considering the fantastic armor the dwarf wore, was fully erased. ¡°Damn,¡± I muttered under my breath. I had an instant to make a decision. Should I continue attacking the prone dwarf or change my target to the spell-casting cleric? If I continued assaulting the warrior, it was clear from the cleric¡¯s positioning that he would repair any damage I managed to get through the fighter¡¯s impressive defenses. So, not at all complicated, my decision was a rather simple one. The cleric needed to fall first, otherwise, the duo would wear me down through attrition. Turning on the cleric, I intuitively thrust a hand behind me and triggered my instant cast flamethrower spell. Flames burst out of my palm and immolated the warrior as he attempted to regain his feet. As a burning inferno washed over him, he was only able to get to a knee as the gout of fire scorched his exposed skin. The warrior had the misfortune of turning towards the whoosh of my spell, blanketing his entire unprotected face. A shrike of torment as his face began melting was lost within the conflagration. I maintained the channeled spell only long enough for me to close the distance to my new target. Hearing the anguished burbling from the dwarf in my wake, I could only hope I had bought enough time to put the cleric down for good. As the mangled warrior grasped fruitlessly at his ruined face with gauntleted fingers, I charged his dwarven sergeant. Frostrend was already spinning end over end heading towards the healer¡¯s center mass. The curative dwarf didn¡¯t wear the same plate mail armor as his brethren, instead opting for lighter and more maneuverable chain mail. While the silvern chain links would likely stop my weapon from digging into flesh, the force behind the blow was still capable of cracking bone. The words to the cleric¡¯s next healing were not interrupted or disrupted when Frostrend landed, however. Like my empowered aegis, the dwarf had his form of magical protection, and his barrier which welled into existence was sturdy enough to stop the ferocity of my powerful throw. Magic flared around the cleric¡¯s body like a shimmering globe of ice. When the magic disappeared a moment later, as if it had never existed, my epic-tier weapon fell uselessly at the leader¡¯s feet. While it was distressing to see Frostrend so casually stopped, I hadn¡¯t placed all my hope on it. Even as Frostrend left my dominant hand, the fingers of my other hand reached to my belt where my crescent flintlock pistol sat holstered. Taking only an instant to sight down the weapon¡¯s barrel, I pulled the trigger. The sharp crack of the discharging firearm reverberated off the stone walls of the cavern as the magically enhanced bullet tore instantly across the intervening distance. The protective barrier which proved to be more than a match against Frostrend could not withstand the slug from a weapon specifically designed to bypass such defenses. Tinkling like a thousand panes of breaking glass, the magic barrier shattered as soon as it reappeared. The words tinged with healing energy broke as the cleric grunted in unexpected pain. His eyes looked to his chest to find a small section of his entwined silvern links broken inward, about an inch in diameter. Several round links were entirely absent as he pressed his fingers to the mysterious injury. Unknown to the cleric, my bullet carried the missing pieces inside his chest cavity during the grievous attack. Red blood welled from the injury, quickly soaking the padded clothing under his mailed armor. The next sound made by the surprised dwarf was a gargled cough as blood reflexively shot up his esophagus. The bullet pierced a lung and was slowly filling with the sanguine liquid. Pain-laden eyes narrowed to dangerous intensity as the cleric sighted back upon me. The dwarven leader was not unfamiliar with battle, far from it. Ignoring the gaping wound, he began backpedaling to create distance between us as he chanted another incantation. While his defensive shield was normally reliable enough to hold off even the most potent attacks, his determination to eliminate his enemy didn¡¯t falter a second time. The cleric unhooked his mace, bringing it swiftly up to deflect the downward stroke from Frostrend, while his other hand moved through the necessary gestures of his curative spell. Expertly parrying my attack, the dwarf slapped his other hand against his torso as he completed his casting. Golden light coursed over his chest, centered on the gunshot wound, and repaired most of the damage my flintlock¡¯s bullet had dealt. The cleric wasn¡¯t the only combatant present who was capable of wielding a weapon while simultaneously casting a spell, however. Even as Frostrend was pushed wide, my other hand worked through the intricate gestures to my most powerful damage over time spell. The burning might of lesser boil blood flashed from my hand and hammered into the cleric¡¯s body without resistance, causing the temperature of the dwarf¡¯s blood to instantly spike. While the cleric was proved capable of ignoring most pain, he couldn¡¯t sustain the same fortitude to disregard the excruciating pain of his blood literally boiling inside his body for long. I shifted to the cleric¡¯s side knowing the stumbled warrior could reengage at any moment. I needed to position myself, so I didn¡¯t have a dwarf in front and behind me. That would quickly lead to my death. So, I worked around the cleric as we exchanged attacks to place him in between where I last spotted the warrior. Still, fighting two against one would keep me hard-pressed so I did everything I could to defeat the cleric before such an eventually could manifest. Mace and axe clanged off one another as my necrotic, acidic, toxic, and burning magic tore at the cleric¡¯s lifeline. The both of us used our offhand to complete our magical spellcasting. Sadly, the dwarf¡¯s restorative magic seemed up to the task of fending off my spells slowly ramping damage potential, at least for now. Unknown to me, Tallos had not waited absently by as the last remaining warrior chopped furiously at the base of his improvised mushroom stand. Though the elf didn¡¯t have a sight line on the dwarf making short work of the wide mushroom stalk, Tallos had ample view of my furious battle against two foes. Seeing my frantic rush toward the dwarven caster, determined to help, my friend fired arrow after arrow into the staggered warrior sent reeling by my flamethrower spell. Though most of the dwarf¡¯s flesh had been repaired via his cleric¡¯s regenerative magic, he only then regained the use of his eyes. The enraged fighter set his feet and was about to rush to the aid of his leader when one arrow, swiftly followed by another, clipped into the back of his neck. This particular warrior, while impressively armored as he was, never liked wearing a gorget-like bevor below his heavy silvern helmet as so many of his fellow dwarves did. He felt the plate collar restricted the movement of his head too much, so long ago decided to abandon this particular common component of silvern plate armor. He believed the component was unnecessary as his neck was short enough to present only a minimal target to his enemies. The warrior firmly believed he would be better suited to be able to easier surveil a battlefield than the minuscule protection a bevor could offer. As the first arrow pierced flesh, a dim part of his mind questioned the sensibility of that decision. Numbing fingers reached up to feel at the protruding arrowhead just below his chin. Warm blood cascaded down his torso in a strong burst of his thundering heart. His eyes widened in shock as he found himself unable to draw breath as blood filled his destroyed throat, thick rivulets of blood spilled over his quivering lips. When the second, and then a third arrow, landed in as many seconds his plaintive eyes sought out the only person who could save him. Sadly, the warrior¡¯s talented commander, as skilled in healing magic as any dwarf he had ever met, was too focused on preserving his own life. In moments, the dwarven warrior of many great battles pitched forward as darkness claimed him. He did not feel the violent impact when his face crashed into solid rock as his body went slack. By the time Tallos¡¯ second and third arrows leaped away from his bowstring, the elf¡¯s opponent finally finished his lumbering task. Like the cracking of a splintering tree, the mushroom¡¯s stalk burst, no longer able to bear the immense weight of its umbrella-shaped cap. Tallos lost contact with the support of the spongy material as it gave way underneath him. He could only wildly wave his hands in a futile attempt to maintain his balance as the mushroom toppled to the side. The cap crashed hard into the unyielding stone, sending Tallos tumbling away. The archer was knocked senseless when his head slammed against something solid. A different type of darkness stole the elf¡¯s awareness as he fell into unconsciousness. Unknown to the insensible Tallos, he had a bit of luck on his side. When the warrior below him finally destroyed enough of the supporting stalk column to topple the giant mushroom, he hadn¡¯t been able to move away fast enough. The enormous mushroom was incredibly dense, having more weight, pound for pound, than the toughest tree from the surface. When it plunged over, the warrior was unlucky enough to be in the way as it fell towards him. He barely had time to move away and the only thing that saved the warrior from being crushed to death was the tall mushroom cap slamming on the cave floor, leaving a narrow angle from the base of the stalk to leave the majority of his body unscathed. His feet were not so lucky. As the stalk slapped the cold stone over the dwarf, it crushed down on his armored boots with the force of a hundred sledgehammers. The mushroom bounced once as it landed, the base jumping a foot in the air, allowing the dwarf enough time to crawl backward to avoid being trapped beneath its great weight. One ankle completely shattered, the other horribly mangled, the dwarf crawled frantically about for his discarded axe while doing his utmost to ignore the throbbing pain coursing through his feet. He heard the satisfying grunt of the elven archer crashing to the floor a short distance away, so he needed his greataxe to finish the job. This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. On his hands and knees, the dwarf reached a hand under mushroom debris for the handle of his magnificent weapon. The fighter momentarily felt a rush of excitement as fingers wrapped around cold silvern steel. The thought of slamming the axe into tender elven flesh brought a smile to his cruel lips. His enthusiasm was short-lived, however. It vanished like smoke on the wind when a throaty growl reverberated beside him, thrumming inside his chest. Locked in place like a frightened field mouse, he didn¡¯t even breathe lest he invite whatever predator was nearby to strike. The muffled sound of padded paws trodding over stone broke the silence as the beast drew closer to the unmoving dwarf. As slowly as he dared, the terrified dwarf turned to see what cruel creature crept toward him. The dwarf couldn¡¯t see the alabaster gleam of teeth barred threateningly at him. It wasn¡¯t the heat drifting off the obsidian fur which dominated his heat-sensitive vision. No, it was the elliptical-shaped pupils common to all cats that seized his attention. Those feline eyes didn¡¯t blink, didn¡¯t pause their penetrating gaze, as they stared mercilessly at the horrified dwarf. Had he been shell-shocked, the dwarf may have recognized the unsteady gait of the approaching hunter. It was hardly something his muddled mind could process as his death stalked closer. Those unflinching eyes were the last thing the dwarf witnessed before a toothy maw flashed toward him, catching his throat in its crushing grasp. Twin-barbed tentacle heads simultaneously crashed into his body as his life was prematurely ended. Back to my fight against the cleric, I found myself in a stalemate. It was obvious, I knew it and my opponent knew it too. Whatever limited damage my spells could inflict, the cleric cleansed it all away. It was clear the cleric meant to stall the battle until his backup arrived. Neither of us knew all the remaining dwarves were either dead or dying. The cleric was skilled in the use of his silver mace, so easily blocked or parried any attack I offered. While I had the axe skill, this dwarf had studied long hours in the proper use of his weapon. Seeing my efforts wasted, it was frustrating as each damaging spell vanished when the dwarf responded with another healing spell. The cleric¡¯s spell even had the capability of cleansing the specialized effect from my boil blood. Each time the spell was terminated, not a single drop of blood poured out of the dwarf¡¯s intact skin. It was infuriating to be so completely neutralized. Still, the dwarf hadn¡¯t yet struck me with his mighty weapon, nor had any damaging spell been cast my way. I couldn¡¯t hurt him, and he hadn¡¯t hurt me in any meaningful way. Long seconds passed in our give-and-take, spell, and counterspell. No one gained an advantage over the other. As the seconds wore on, backup from either side never arrived. My party menu let me know Tallos was unconscious, Ripley was still unsummoned, and Lowki had at least one broken leg. My earlier regen spell was apparently not up to the task of fully restoring the limb. Taking the time to look at the debuff notification near his name, I spied Lowki was ¡®severely impeded.¡¯ He may eventually arrive, but I had no way of knowing when or how much help he could provide in his injured state. I needed to end the stalemate. I needed to try something desperate. My mana had been diminishing with each back-to-back spell but was still plenty strong. Even if the cleric could strike his mace against my body, my aegis was primed to stop any damage from touching my full health pool. Storing my axe with a thought, I pulled my pistol and fired the weapon in rapid succession. This time, I aimed for the dwarf¡¯s arrogant face. As the weapon discharged, an earsplitting crack crashing into our sensibilities, I moved the gun back to my inventory and charged forward with Frostrend once again in my hand. I sent it spinning end over end towards my foe as I charged, intent on bearing the dwarf to the ground. I had a respectable strength attribute and was nearly twice the stout dwarf¡¯s height, so perhaps I could overpower him and stop his ability to cast restorative spells. I wasn¡¯t the only person waiting for the opportune moment to break our stalemate, however. The priest had kept his trump card, a neigh impenetrable barrier which could even stop an attack from a mountain giant, up his sleeve. It would only last a pair of seconds but was more than enough to deflect any attack the puny half-elf opposing him was capable of. Until this moment, the cleric had held the instant cast spell in reserve for just this moment. The cleric knew the danger my pistol could deliver, how it could bypass his normally sufficient mana barrier. So, when the dwarf saw the pistol reappear in my hand, he enacted his most potent defense. In an instant, a nearly imperceptible barrier formed around his body like a crystalline eggshell. Two seconds, that¡¯s how much time the triggered ability would protect him from everything short of the strike from a god. It would be enough, he assured himself and was proven right as my bullet ricocheted harmlessly away. Even as Frostrend plinked away a second time, the dwarf lunged forward the same as I had. While I was weaponless and intended to grapple the dwarf to the ground, the cleric was not unarmed. In the split second it took for us to close the distance to one another, his mace whistled through the air in a wide arc. Seeing what the dwarf intended, I suppressed the fear of the dwarf¡¯s mace as I knew it wouldn¡¯t penetrate my empowered aegis. I would feel the blow, no doubt about it, but it wouldn¡¯t hurt me. Nowhere in our battle, thus far, had the cleric seen how formidable my trump card was. There was no way for him to know of its protective measures until an attack landed against me. So, when silvern metal crushed unhindered into my ribcage, I was the one taken completely off guard. Ribs cracked, and bone splintered under the perilous blow. An explosion of pain, unlike anything I had known lanced through my torso. It felt as if bolts of lightning were striking out at everything near the impact site, setting every nerve fiber ablaze. It felt like my entire ribcage had been hammered into my chest. The excruciating impact stole my breath and threatened to overwhelm my senses. It took all of my concentration to not pass out of the devastation wrought by the single attack. Mostly masked behind unbearable pain, my mind registered my aegis had failed. It was nowhere to be seen. It had failed at the worst moment, and I wasn¡¯t even aware it could fail. My foe continued barreling forward and slammed his short face into my throbbing chest. My body crumpled from the vicious hit from his mace, so there was no strength in my body to withstand the dwarf¡¯s tackle. I was blown backward. We hit the ground hard, eliciting another torrent of pain in my side and my pulverized ribs. I had barely the sense to roll with the dwarf and use the meager strength I had to thrust my feet upward, flinging the dwarf over top of me. The cleric was sent tumbling away, though I was hardly in a position to capitalize on his vulnerability. I was the vulnerable one. It was only my quick reflexive action that tossed the dwarf¡¯s murderous fingers off my throat. My breathing was ragged, and I could barely draw breath. I probably had a collapsed lung, if not punctured by splintered rib bones. I was in serious trouble. For seconds that seemed to last eternities, I couldn¡¯t form the necessary thoughts to get me back into this fight. Tears of pain welled around my eyes. It took me forever, in actuality only a few seconds, to realize I was staring straight up as I lay on my back. My eyes finally registered the tons of rock and towering mushroom caps far above me. The red glow of the cave fissures and dwindling forges made the scene look surreal and unfairly calm. Using the swaying underside of the mushrooms as a focal point, I forced my mind to focus on my predicament. Acutely aware of how vulnerable I was, I needed to get to my feet. Hearing a boot scraping across the gravel at my side, I rolled away with all the force I could manage. A shower of stone shot out in all directions as the cleric¡¯s mace slammed the floor where my head had just been. ¡°Your aegis is down¡­¡± Stella shouted nearby, though her words didn¡¯t register in my shocked mind. Even if I understood what she said, I already knew my most protective ability was not functioning. I couldn¡¯t afford to suffer another deadly strike from the ruthless mace. While the move caused another round of excruciating pain in my side, I had enough sense to use the momentum to roll myself several feet away. Trying to speak with a collapsed lung was something I hoped never to experience again yet, thankfully, I was able to intone my minor regeneration spell. A flood of nourishing and soothing magic raced through my chest as my eyes locked onto my enemy as he stalked closer, his mace promising far more pain than my unprotected body could withstand. My cloth armor, the blazeweave set I looted off the defeated Tsurra, barely offered any protection against blunt attacks. I wouldn¡¯t realize it until much later, but the fact I had managed to cast my regen spell while so severely injured was a masterstroke of good luck. As the restorative magic repaired cracked bone and inflated my collapsed lung, I was able to continue with my struggle instead of being permanently laid low by the impending dwarf. I was weaponless. Frostrend was somewhere nearby but couldn¡¯t be called back as the cooldown of my ring which allowed the transportation was unavailable for long moments. My pistol couldn¡¯t be used for at least another two dozen or so seconds. Yet, I was not helpless as the cleric surmised. He seemed not to care in the slightest as I raised both hands in his direction. A wide, evil grin crossed his face as he moved his arm behind him, and he began a devastating follow-up swing from his deadly mace. The dwarven priest forgot about my flamethrower spell, such was his confidence in victory. We lost sight of each other behind a twin torrent of raging hellfire. Dual-cast gouts of flame crashed over the suddenly stumbling dwarf as fires licked at his lips and burned his skin. Anything exposed to the voracious conflagration was blackened. Unable to see my movement, I moved slightly to the side as the dwarf barreled past me. All the while my flames followed him relentlessly. His wide attack still struck me, but it wasn¡¯t the mace that connected. At the last moment, I stepped into his attack. I was too close and inside his guard, so I only felt the stiff impact as his brawny forearm collided with my shoulder. It was barely worth noticing. Stealing a glance around me, I spotted my axe and quickly moved to rearm myself. The dwarf was screaming in pain but had been able to concentrate enough to cast a quick healing spell on himself. His magic took the painful edge from his scorched skin. The manic dwarf turned to face me and found it was his turn to see the promise of pain held in his enemy¡¯s eyes. I sprinted the foot separating us, my arm holding Frostrend off to my side. When I approached, I triggered one of my few axe skills known as roaring sweep. As its namesake suggested, an arcane word peeled from my throat as the axe flashed horizontally with superhuman speed. The magic of the attack reached deep into the dwarf center, stunning him for the next several seconds. He toppled to the hard floor. I stood over the stationary dwarf as I layered DoT after DoT on the raging cleric, each spell hastened by my quick cast skill. The cleric¡¯s mind screamed for him to move, to defend himself, but his body would not respond as every muscle was locked taut. I intended to get as many spells as possible on him during the stunning effect, then when it wore off, I would try to hold him tight. If I could keep him grappled, his life would slowly wither away as my spells ravaged his body. A faint pop, followed by a hissing noise that sounded like burning acid threatened to steal my attention. When a high-pitched laugh rang out at my side, I couldn¡¯t help by glance toward the noise. When the laugh turned to a maniacal ruckus, not even the dwarf, who just then regained control of his body, could resist turning to face the source of the unstable mirth. Standing three feet tall, with long spiked ears twitching from side to side, stood what could be best described as a winged demon. It reminded me of the fire imp when I first met Lowki. A triangle tail swung lazily behind the creature¡¯s lithe body. Wings beat in a blur behind his back, yet the imp wasn¡¯t lifted off the cold stone. Our eyes went wide when the high-pitched laughing suddenly ceased, giving way to dripping red fangs barred behind a vicious snarl. The demon¡¯s long pointed snout flashed towards the prone dwarf at the same instant it outstretched black taloned hands. Like a raptor springing on downed prey, the creature moved with speed that would put even the nimble Lowki to shame. Moments before the demon crashed into the shocked dwarf, the monster¡¯s nameplate finally caught my attention. The words written beneath the creature¡¯s name brought a mixture of relief and elation to my parched senses. Those consecrated words were absolutely welcomed as the monster bored my tough opponent to the floor, exactly as I had planned to do. Hellscape Imp (Level 25 - Summoned Minion of Xazorus) The cleric¡¯s life was swiftly ended under racking claws and piercing canines. His screams were lost to the void of our underground cavern. When another faint pop signaled the unsummoning of my voracious imp, silence descended, swallowing everything around in its stillness. Chapter 67 - Critical Failures The only sound present, other than smoldering crackle of burning mushrooms, was my heavy breathing. We had won the battle, but the margin for victory had been as thin as a razor. We had no way of knowing how many dwarves would come to investigate the massive series of explosions we set off earlier, and ten had nearly been our limit even with our mostly successful ambush. If one of our advantages hadn¡¯t played out as well as it did, I doubt our party would be the ones still standing amongst the carnage. Lowki came limping over at a snail¡¯s pace, his maw slick with blood. I was glad to see he was still alive. The initial injury he suffered at the hands of the hammer-wielding dwarf had severely limited his mobility rendering him mostly useless for the rest of the battle. Based on the blood running between his teeth, he brought at least one dwarf¡¯s life to an end. In rapid succession, I cast a regeneration spell his way and several quick bursts of my minor healing spell. Lowki moved a little easier as the restorative magic repaired torn tissue and broken bones, but it would likely be several minutes yet before he was fully restored. A loud grinding noise of bone on bone signaled Ripley reincorporating her skeletal body. With the passing of the cleric, whose spell had unsummoned her so effectively, within seconds Ripley was standing tall, her sword and shield at the ready. She gazed around her surroundings before coming to stand near me. Tallos was nowhere to be seen, though I knew he was nearby since I could spy the toppled mushroom he had been striding atop. Trotting over, we found him laid out awkwardly against a large jutting boulder in the cavern floor. His eyes were closed and he was unconscious. He was breathing fine, so I wasn¡¯t too worried about this condition. From the matted blood caked down the side of his angular face, he must have been knocked out after colliding with the nearby stone outcropping. As I had with Lowki, I cast a regeneration spell on the unconscious elf and repeatedly cast my simply heal until his eyes finally opened. ¡°Take it easy, Tallos,¡± I said as helped him to a seated position. He was badly disoriented, so I used my hands to help guide him. ¡°You took quick the nasty fall and hit your head. You¡¯ll need a few minutes so take it slow.¡± Tallos winched as he held a hand to his head, pain etched across his face. ¡°Did we get them?¡± he asked shakily. ¡°Yeah, we did,¡± Stella answered as she carefully inspected our friend, coming close to his eyes as if she were checking to see if Tallos had a concussion. ¡°Thanks to your shots before you fell, Xaz only needed to fight off one of the remaining dwarves. If you hadn¡¯t taken out the warrior with your amazing shots, this could have gone very differently.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mention it,¡± Tallos said between gritted teeth. The pain evident on his creased brow began to lessen as my healing magic did its work. ¡°I only wish I could have jumped to another mushroom as the bastard was chipping mine. What happened to that one? I owe him an arrow or two.¡± Lowki¡¯s abrupt roar, combined with the blood slowly running down his maw, answered the question. Tallos patted the great cat on his shoulder to show his appreciation. My eyes inspected Ripley, gazing up and down her bony body. She looked none the worse for wear for having been unsummoned. ¡°And what happened to you, Ripley?¡± I asked the mute skeleton. While Ripley could be destroyed, at least temporarily, nothing like what the dwarven priest had done ever happened before. ¡°The priest had some type of unsummoning spell,¡± Stella answered for the unspeaking minion. Ripley nodded along with her words. ¡°It¡¯s not a very common spell to have, but can be pretty powerful against enemies relying on summoned pets. Err, minions.¡± ¡°Is there any way to counter it,¡± I asked hopefully. Losing Ripley had left me fighting two powerful foes single-handedly. ¡°Other than slaying the offending dwarf?¡± ¡°Yes, probably,¡± Stella answered, her teeth showing as she raised her left cheek, unsure how it could be accomplished. She told me as many moments later. ¡°Maybe, using your spell to summon her again? Though, that would take too long.¡± ¡°Well, killing the cleric did the trick. Damn, I probably could have finished him by myself there at the end, but what the hell was that imp-looking thing?¡± I asked, recalling the high-level imp who suddenly appeared out of nowhere to so viciously end the dwarf¡¯s life. Stella didn¡¯t answer immediately, instead moving her paws through the air at an invisible screen. In the next moment, a System prompt from what felt like a long time ago appeared in my vision. ¡°Ah,¡± I said as I scanned the information. ¡°I had forgotten all about the six-piece bonus. It¡¯s never happened before.¡± Aratar¡¯s Blazeweave {Set Armor Bonus} Three-piece: MP increased by 300. Four-pieces: Intelligence increased by 30. Six-pieces: {Doom, Doom, Doom!} All of your damaging abilities and spells now have a slight chance of summoning a fire imp who will fight on your behalf for 30 seconds. The fire imp¡¯s level will be set at your current level plus 5 (maximum 30). Note - only a single imp can be summoned by this effect at a time. However, if the effect is triggered while an imp is already present, the currently summoned imp¡¯s timer will be reset. ¡°Since the effect has finally triggered, I can tell you it has a less than one percent chance of happening based on the data I can see,¡± Stella added, her paws moving in a blur. ¡°That may seem incredibly small, but it can trigger on each tick of your DoT spells.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a really low chance of happening. It¡¯s not something you could probably ever rely on,¡± Tallos said as he took a seated position on the felled stalk. The pained expression on his face was nearly completely faded. ¡°How many battles have we been in, and it finally triggers now?¡± ¡°You¡¯re not wrong,¡± Stella replied, looking at Tallos and then at me. ¡°But, with more and more damage over time spells going at once, it could start happening more often in the future.¡± ¡°Still,¡± I said with a shake of my head. ¡°While I may have been able to handle the last dwarf, the imp¡¯s summoning assured it. Better later than never, I suppose.¡± For good measure, I cast another instance of regeneration on Tallos and then at Lowki. Both motioned their appreciation to free them of any lingering pain. Even with the magic, we would all probably be sore for some time. Pain in my side rippled through my chest as I returned to inspect the fallen dwarven leader. Narrowing my eyes in confusion, I quickly intoned another regen upon myself. My health was fully topped off, but the uncomfortable reminder in my side reminded me that not long ago I had several shattered rib bones, not to mention a collapsed lung. I turned to face my canine friend. ¡°Say, Stella¡­¡± I started to say. Stella looked squeamish, her shoulders growing closer as she balled up. Her outward reaction interrupted me. I looked at her questioningly before she finally spoke. ¡°I know what you¡¯re going to ask. You¡¯re not going to like the answer.¡± When she didn¡¯t continue, I waved a hand to encourage her to elaborate. ¡°There should have been no way for the dwarf¡¯s mace to have devastated me like it did,¡± I finally said when she didn¡¯t respond. ¡°My aegis should have stopped him from hurting me.¡± As I spoke, I pulled up the description of one of my most powerful abilities. It was a lifesaver and essentially quadrupled my effective health pool since mana was depleted first when it absorbed enemy attacks. Empowered Aegis ¨C Your magical prowess is no longer contained inside only your Core. Now, a permanent barrier of magical energy protects you from hostile spells and attacks at all times as long as you have mana to spare. This magical protection draws against your mana reserves when struck, stopping most magical and non-magical attacks at a one-to-one damage ratio; health to mana. Note ¨C Physical and magical attacks will still cause you to stagger, become dazed, or even be stunned. The physical component of such attacks will bypass this protection, though the damage will not. Stella¡¯s eye flittered at the abilities description. Her eyes scanned its entirety and, like me, nothing within hinted it could fail so spectacularly. With a great sigh, I got the impression Stella was hesitant to share some new tidbits of information. ¡°His mace... really hurt,¡± I said softly, not wanting to sound accusatory. ¡°This isn¡¯t your fault. If my aegis can fail, we need to know more about it. Stella, whatever it is you know, just tell me. It¡¯s okay.¡± My aegis was one of my most reliable fail-safes. Every drop of mana acted like a supplemental health pool. It would keep me fighting when others would have long been slain. Until that brutal hit, I hadn¡¯t realized how much I had been relying on its protective ability. Having a nearly eight-thousand-point barrier guarding me against physical and magical damage was far more comforting than I had really given thought. ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Stella finally replied, her eyes repeatedly flicking up to a screen only she could see. Something within her Accelerator access had the answer I was hunting for, and it seemed as if she was taking it personally. Maybe, she felt it was something she should have caught or mentioned earlier, though I doubted it to be the case. Stella let out a long exhale, her cheeks puffing out as she released tension in her body. ¡°Stouter never reached a tier three Hunter class, so I hadn¡¯t known something like this could happen. Sorry, I didn¡¯t know about this beforehand. The System has shown it can function this way sometimes.¡± ¡°Basically,¡± she continued as she eyed her invisible screen again. ¡°Certain areas, or at key points of quests, there is a slim chance the System¡­ disables something. It could be a skill, a spell, or in this case an ability. There could be more, but it won¡¯t tell me more than this right now.¡± ¡°Wait, an ability can just stop working?¡± I asked incredulously. ¡°Yes, but usually only for a short time or during a single event,¡± Stella answered with the slightest shake of her small head. ¡°Within this cave system, according to the metadata, the silvern concentration can cause protective enchantments to cease working for a short period of time. We have no way of knowing if or when an area has one of these¡­ side effects. The chance appears to be pretty low. This is what happened with your Empowered Aegis. It dropped and took a bit before it reactivated on its own. From what I see, it was reenergized around the same time your imp minion was summoned.¡± ¡°So, does that mean the System could, on a whim, decide to kill me?¡± I asked, disbelief thick in my voice. ¡°How is it fair?¡± I had a mix of relief and apprehension. I felt relief as this only had a slight chance of happening, but it was tinged with a dash of anxiety that this new addition could lead to not only my death but the death of all my friends. ¡°Nothing like that,¡± Stella answered confidently. ¡°The Game wouldn¡¯t allow the System A.I. to unilaterally kill a Hunter, or turn something against them. My best guess is the Game added this to create some spice in what may have been an otherwise monotonous skirmish. Before you ask, I will know immediately when and if this happens again. At our level, the odds of this happening are like one in a one hundred in any given battle.¡± This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°So, rolling a one on a D-hundred, nice,¡± I said sarcastically out of the side of my mouth. None of my party knew what I was referring to, so I waived away their uncomprehending looks. ¡°Never mind, it¡¯s something from my world back on Earth.¡± Stella looked like she had something else to share, so I raised my eyebrows at her. ¡°Everyone following of live feed probably knew when we entered this area what random negative effect could trigger,¡± Stella capitulated. ¡°It creates a sense of excitement that something might go horribly wrong at any moment. I¡¯m guessing it heightens the viewer¡¯s experience.¡± ¡°At least it¡¯s relatively fair across all Hunters, right?¡± I asked nonplused to which Stella nodded. ¡°Can an area also affect mobs like it can with us?¡± ¡°Sadly, no,¡± she replied. ¡°Though, I am positive something like this cannot trigger when two Hunters are battling one another.¡± ¡°There¡¯s that at least,¡± I replied sardonically. ¡°Well, if this ever happens, please let me know right away. I don¡¯t care if you have to scream it, we can¡¯t afford to miss these, I¡¯m going to call them, critical failure events.¡± ¡°I can. I will,¡± Stella offered with an easy smile. It seemed like it had been a long time since I last saw that when it probably wasn¡¯t that long ago. ¡°Looks like we¡¯re alone, for now. There¡¯s no sign anyone else is coming,¡± Tallos said as he eyed the downed dwarves and a nearby forge which had since gone long dead from inattention. ¡°Maybe there¡¯s some good stuff lying around we could make use of.¡± ¡°It¡¯s too bad we can¡¯t use their weapons and armor,¡± I said offhandedly. ¡°Ripley would look like a beast wearing their gleaming armor.¡± We separated, collecting everything of note, though only I could loot the silvern armor since its toxic nature hurt anyone who touched it. Ripley and Lowki moved toward the tunnel entrance to keep watch. I left instructions for Lowki to round us up if either of them heard anything. Not wanting anything to go to waste, I took the time to fully loot every single crate of the explosive ballista bolts. Who knew when something like this could prove useful? Additionally, I was able to store away the damaged ballista Tallos had fired. Although it was damaged, I hoped we would be able to repair it. Collecting everything of value, I allowed the first of my blinking notifications to pop up as I worked. Experience Awarded: Silvern Dwarf Siege Architect x6 (level ranges 26-28) Experience Awarded: Silvern Dwarf Ordinance Maven x4 (level ranges 26-27) Experience Awarded: Silvern Dwarf Smith x4 (level ranges 26-27) Experience Awarded: Silvern Dwarf Warrior x11 (level ranges 26-29) Experience Awarded: Silvern Dwarf Prelate (level 28) Notice (Condensed)! Experience has been split among party members. Level Up! You have earned enough experience to advance to level 21. Tier 3 class characteristic attributes have been applied. You have 7 attribute points to distribute. As a Wraith, please know you will be able to choose a new skill or spell when you reach level 22, level 24, level 26, and level 28. When level 30 is achieved, your tier 4 class will become available. ¡°Nice,¡± I smiled at the large influx of experience, bumping me a level higher. Stella matched with her own from my shoulder. ¡°Can¡¯t wait until I hit twenty-two. The sooner we get more average-tiered spells, the better.¡± ¡°Where are you thinking of putting those seven free points?¡± Stella asked. Pulling up my character sheet, we reviewed my current attribute distribution. Having seven points to play with, I took a moment to consider what to do. ¡°Last level, we put most into Constitution which, considering how spectacularly my aegis failed minutes ago, I think it wise to raise my health pool even further.¡± Stella nodded her agreement as I placed four points into Constitution increasing my health by another hundred and twenty points. My new total health sat at a generous twenty-three hundred. True, it was only around a third of my total mana but it was a nice buffer if my aegis ever took a shit again. Spying my incredibly low dexterity, barely above thirty, I considered what to do with the last three points. ¡°I hope I don¡¯t come to regret this,¡± I said as I placed my final points into Dexterity. ¡°Let¡¯s try to get that to the fifty-point attribute threshold soon.¡± ¡°I think that¡¯s a good goal, plus the next time we go shopping we could look for some dexterity gear or jewelry,¡± Stella added. The next notification informed us of the substantial increase to nearly every spell and skill I had. It was an impressive haul, to say the least. Then again, we had managed to defeat over twenty-five highly skilled silvern dwarves. Notice! Skill and Spell increase messages have been condensed. Skill: [Axe] has increased to level 17. Skill: [Stealth] has increased to level 15. Spell: [Lesser Boil Blood] has increased to level 14. Spell: [Lesser Soul Leech] has increased to level 14. Skill: [Throwing] has increased to level 14. Spell: [Lesser Arrested Affliction] has increased to level 13. Skill: [Dual Casting] has increased to level 12. Spell: [Lesser Necrotic Aura (Pet)] has increased to level 11. Spell: [Lesser Ignite Bones] has increased to level 11. Spell: [Minor Flamethrower] has increased to level 10. Spell: [Minor Healing Wave] has increased to level 10. Spell: [Chained Lightning] has increased to level 10. Skill: [Roaring Sweep] has increased to level 9. Spell: [Lesser Wyvern Sting] has increased to level 9. Spell: [Undeath] has increased to level 9. Skill: [Firearms] has increased to level 8. Skill: [Quick Cast] has increased to level 8. Skill: [Execute (Axe)] has increased to level 6. The final notification waiting was the update to our current quest from Mammoth to explore the mines. Sadly, as I read the message, the quest still didn¡¯t give us a clue as to the total number of dwarves like I had been hoping. I desperately want to know but would need to wait. Quest Update ¨C ¡°Mystery in the Mines.¡± Objective One: Secure the release of Mage Marrek. COMPLETED. Objective Two: Investigate the local silver mine and identify the cause of villager Corm¡¯s demise. COMPLETED Objective Three: Eliminate the Subversive Silvern Dwarf threat posed to strike against the citizens of Mammoth. 31 of ???. Objective Four: HIDDEN Rewards: Variable. Experience, at least one rare magical item, and a significant increase in reputation. After regrouping, we had a massive amount of silvern equipment, tools, and materials. Everything found its way into my dimensional bag which was more than capable of handling the weight. The magical properties of the bag meant it didn¡¯t feel an ounce heavier as it rested on my leather belt. We were also pleasantly surprised to find nearly every single dwarf in the cavern carried a significant amount of coins on their persons. Most were silver or copper with only a smattering of gold coins, but every bit helped. The strange coins were unlike anything we had seen thus far, but would no doubt be traded as easily as those minted on the surface. These were stylized with what was probably an important dwarven figure. Into the bag, they went. We were also surprised when we discovered some of the equipment worn by our vanquished foes was not toxic or harmful to the touch. Up until this point, everything we looted was too dangerous to make use of. Even better, some were actually upgrades for either me or Ripley. I had a feeling we would need everything we had, plus some when we found whoever was leading these dwarves. The damnable priest had been tough enough, so a part of me worried about whoever the commander was and how powerful they could be. The least inspiring upgrades were the generous amount of rings worn by the warriors. Nearly every dwarf carried at least one, some as many as three rings on their fingers. None were too special, offering either a small Constitution or Strength bonus, but they were still upgrades to Tallos. Along with the enchanted jewelry, Stella and I assured our ranger friend we would rectify his lack of magical equipment. Tallos got excited when I said it would include a powerfully enchanted bow. ¡°I can¡¯t wait. Oh, I¡¯ve also heard stories of quivers being able to summon arrows at will, so let¡¯s keep an eye out for one of those too,¡± Tallos said excitedly. Stella and I both agreed we would before silently chuckling to each other when Tallos returned to inspecting the more notable loot we had acquired. {Unwavering Boots of the Resolute}. These heavy plate boots have been enchanted to lessen the impact of hazardous terrain, allowing the wearer to move over slippery surfaces with relative ease. Quality: Well-Crafted. Rarity: Rare. Type: Plate. Slot: Feet. Armor: 25. Durability: 890/1,000. Effect(s): plus 2 Constitution, plus 2 Strength, and the wearer is able to ignore most negative effects of hazardous and unstable terrain. The plate boots were made of dense and thick silver metal, though the steel was clearly not comprised solely of the special silvern material. The soles of the boots reminded me of the hardened mushrooms within the cavern but felt like memory foam to the touch. The boots were probably incredibly comfortable to wear. Stella and I spoke briefly as to how the dwarves could have removed the silvern toxicity. If we could figure it out, perhaps the abundance of armor and weapons of the stuff could become useful. The gear stored away was largely useless to anyone other than our unfriendly silvern dwarves. Seeing as Ripley could use the boots without ill effect, we swapped them with her movement-increasing ones. My friendly minion no longer needed the faster travel speed since I nearly always had my song of travel up whenever we were not engaged in combat. She would move a little slower during combat, sure, my song instantly disappearing on such occasions, but the ability to ignore slippery or unstable ground felt more akin to her role in the party. {Chain Shirt of the Devoted Redeemer}. Blessed by an unknown god, this seemingly delicate chain shirt increases the effectiveness of all healing spells cast while this garment is equipped. Quality: Well-Crafted. Rarity: Rare. Type: Chain. Slot: Body. Armor: 18. Durability: 674/1,000. Effect(s): plus 2 Intelligence, plus 50 mana, and plus 25% increase to all healing spells cast by the wearer. Taken from the body of the defeated dwarven priest, a part of me wanted to equip the flexible chain shirt right over my blazeweave kimono. The circular links were incredibly small, tightly packed together, and were around the width of a pencil eraser. They had to have been forged through the use of some spectacular use of magic with how compact the links were. Sadly, I decided to not wear the impressive armor when Stella clued me in I could only receive the special effects from one item per equipment slot. Not wanting to break up my blazeweave set, at least for now, I stored the shirt in my inventory. {Imbued Gauntlets of Parrying}. These impressive plate gauntlets have been enhanced with magic that enhances the accuracy and effectiveness of the wearer¡¯s ability when defending against hostile attacks. Note ¨C This effect does not increase offensive abilities and skills. Quality: Well-Crafted. Rarity: Rare. Type: Plate. Slot: Wrist. Armor: 17. Durability: 975/1,000. Effect(s): plus 2 Constitution, plus 50 health, and plus 25% increased likelihood of parrying, deflecting, or otherwise defending incoming melee attacks. Like with the boots, the heavy gauntlets were a perfect item for front-line combatants and suited Ripley¡¯s role as our party tank quite well. Part of me wanted to wear them instead, replacing my old moss troll bracers, but with how much more active Ripley was in melee combat than I was, it made sense for her to wear them. Now, even if she used her greatsword, she¡¯d be better able to deflect incoming attacks. With her sword and board combo, her defenses would become even more considerable. {Bracelet of Nullify Affliction}. Adorned with an impossibly thin enchanted jewel, the wearer of this bracelet is able to call upon the item¡¯s properties to instantly remove all harmful afflictions affecting both the wearer and all nearby allies. Note ¨C This effect does not prevent new afflictions. Quality: Well-Crafted. Rarity: Rare. Type: Plate. Slot: Wrist. Armor: 17. Durability: 1,000/1,000. Effect(s): plus 2 Constitution, plus 50 health. Special Effect(s): Once per hour, the wearer of this item can emit a sphere of radiant energy that instantly dispels all negative afflictions and similar effects which are average tiered or lower. The range of this effect is 15 feet. A smile widened on my lips as I considered the bracelet. I seriously considered replacing my moss troll bracers. While we hadn¡¯t yet faced someone like me who was capable of layering afflictions, we now had a perfect counter if we ever did. The question was whether I wanted to wear these or to only equip them out when I wanted to trigger the special effect. ¡°Hmm,¡± I said, blowing a raspberry. ¡°Should I keep the extra regeneration from my moss bracers or switch to this one?¡± I wasn¡¯t asking anyone in particular but was certainly open to the suggestions of my teammates. Having explained the differences between the two items to Stella and Tallos, it was Tallos who spoke up first. ¡°Sounds to me like you should wear the new bracelet. You said it also gives you extra health, which you said you wanted more of. Plus, the troll bracer''s regenerative effect only works when we are not fighting something, so why not wear those a battle to help speed along your recovery?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a good point,¡± I said, impressed by his well-reasoned line of thought. ¡°Thanks, Tallos.¡± Moving my old bracers to my inventory, I equipped the plate bracelets and admired the round gemstone affixed to the silvery metal. The gem sat directly behind my wrist. Brushing across the flat jewel with a finger, I found it was perfectly level with the bracelet¡¯s metal, almost like it was nothing more than a sticker. It was interesting as, from above, the gem looked like a normal cut and faceted gemstone. I wouldn¡¯t be able to use its special effect for close to another hour since it had been used by the cleric, so I hope it won¡¯t be needed any time soon. Moving towards the only unexplored tunnel left to us, with the red glow in the cavern greatly diminished as all dwarven forges went out, we peered into the darkness beyond ever curious what new adventure awaited us next. Chapter 68 - I Cast... Fireball! About to strike out into the darkness of the tunnel beyond, I paused momentarily to consider our options. With the explosives removed, each one safely tucked away in my inventory, and the siege engines destroyed courtesy of our earlier actions, I questioned the continued threat posed by the raiding dwarves. Were they still a threat to the people of Mammoth? The vulnerable city was leagues away, though quick use of the silvern travel node we found diminished that distance greatly. Now that we had destroyed their weapons of war, would the dwarves still attack? Stella caught a look on my face and tilted her head in my direction. She was looking for me to share my thoughts. I obliged. ¡°Do we need to keep going?¡± I said simply. My eyes panned over the ruined cavern, settling over toppled giant mushrooms, scattered debris of demolished arbalests, remnants of dwarven armor and clothing, and more than one still-smoking mushroom splinter. The thirty-plus dwarven bodies at our feet signified a significant impact on the silvern dwarves¡¯ ability to wage their raid. ¡°We¡¯ve destroyed their siege engines, and stolen their explosives, so should we turn back?¡± Tallos, who had started moving to Ripley and Lowki near the tunnel entrance moved back over as I questioned our course of action. Placing hands on his hips, he considered my question before adding his own thoughts. ¡°It¡¯s a good question. We¡¯ve removed their greatest advantage, but if they were already planning on bringing a significant force of at least a hundred strong warriors as you estimated, would it not be reasonable to assume they would still attack?¡± ¡°We have no way of knowing,¡± Stella said. ¡°At least, not yet.¡± ¡°Based on our outstanding quest, I¡¯m semi-confident in saying there¡¯s probably a commander of some type down that tunnel, but I have to ask, is there another way to eliminate the threat they pose?¡± I asked. ¡°The next objective is hidden,¡± Stella replied. ¡°It is possible the System could change a success condition behind the scenes as we keep going. Most quests are not linear, meaning there could be dozens of ways to complete it.¡± I struggled for a moment to order my thoughts. A part of me wished the quest simply stated what we needed to do, a clear and obvious path. We didn¡¯t have that luxury and many lives were on the line. ¡°Let¡¯s go through what we know. We expected somewhere around a hundred dwarves arriving here, based on the number of ballistae, somewhere in the vicinity of at least six hours,¡± I assumed, nodding to Tallos, accounting for his earlier comment. ¡°We¡¯ve taken out potentially a third of their force. While that¡¯s a lot for us, nothing is stopping the main force from pressing forward. They could even bring even more weapons of war for all we know.¡± ¡°If we head back and warn the citizens,¡± I continued. ¡°We¡¯re left with the same problem from earlier, with reinforcements called from Allerton arriving too late,¡± A sigh escaped my lips as my mind worked the problem. I locked eyes with Stella and then to Tallos. ¡°We need to remove their ability to get to Mammoth. I think it¡¯s the only way for us to confidently know the dwarves will be stopped, or at least by enough time for backup to arrive from the capital.¡± ¡°How do we do that?¡± Tallos asked, lowering himself to a seated position on a piece of mushroom rubble. ¡°The silvern travel network,¡± I replied easily. Pulling up my inventory window, I looked over the dozens of explosive packs at our disposal. Neatly tucked away, they could no longer bring harm to others. Though, they could offer a solution here. ¡°We could destroy the dwarves¡¯ ability to teleport near the city.¡± Stella held a paw up to her chin, working through the same train of thought as I was laying out. ¡°So, you¡¯re suggesting we go back through the lava tubes and demolish the node we found? I don¡¯t want to be pessimistic, but who is to say there isn¡¯t another node they could use?¡± ¡°Sort of,¡± I replied, biting my lower lip. ¡°The dwarves are using this cavern as a staging point. It leads me to believe they don¡¯t live anywhere close to here. My guess is there is another node, probably down that tunnel. We¡¯ve already seen a raiding party come from there, so it likely leads closer to where they call home.¡± ¡°So, destroy whatever node is down there?¡± Tallos stated, before continuing down the chain of thought. ¡°I can see how that could work. The dwarves are probably using two nodes to travel the distance between their home and Mammoth. If we take out a node in the middle, it would be like destroying a bridge spanning a wide river. Sure, there could be another path, but they would be forced to find it. If we can accomplish this, we would likely buy enough time for the city.¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± I agreed. ¡°We could turn back now, but I don¡¯t think this path is what we want to take. The city could still come under attack, regardless of what we¡¯ve already accomplished. We need to end the threat, or at least postpone it enough for capital guards to arrive.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s continue on, then, and hope we find whatever other node they¡¯re using,¡± Stella said confidently. She turned to face the unknown darkness of the nearby passageway, narrowing her eyes as if the cave itself was an enemy. ¡°If we find a commander, we take them out. If we find another node, we blow it up. Does that about sum up our plan?¡± ¡°I think it does,¡± I replied. ¡°It¡¯s risky, but nothing has been able to stop us before.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s get to it,¡± Tallos said with a warm smile, before coughing. ¡°While a part of me is loath to mention it, the cleric you fought could become quite the ally with our current plan of attack. You said he was pretty powerful, plus your other guy fell in our last ambush.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± I said as I eyed up the defeated priest lying on his back several paces away. Walking over to his unmoving body, I began casting my most advanced spell, undeath. Arcane words twisted the air with their antithetical reverberations, calling upon the arcane to reanimate the priest. My hands flowed through the air, my fingers moving in the appropriate passes as mana poured out of me before diving into the body. The body stirred and his that should have remained sightless forever, opened once more. ¡°Stand,¡± I ordered the new minion. Complying without hesitation the once-living dwarf stood to his full height. His height was subjective, only reaching as high as my chest. ¡°Reequip these items and follow behind our party. Your task is to keep everyone here alive through the use of your healing magic. Your primary focus will be me and Tallos. If you can aid us in any other way, like with a beneficial spell, do so.¡± I returned the priest¡¯s chain shirt and handed his mace back to him. Our undead party member hooked the mace to his belt. I turned to walk down the tunnel when soft chanting paused my steps. Words that gave the impression he was pulling on power from a higher form of being escaped the dwarf¡¯s cool lips. His hands twisted into complicated gestures, almost looking like he was bringing two steeples together before a pulse of golden magic flared away from his body. Vigor and strength rushed into my limbs as the energizing power of the priest¡¯s spell flooded every limb of my body. The pulse of magic reached out to touch everyone in our party, even the dwarf himself. When a small buff icon appeared next to their name in my party menu, I quickly inspected it. My eyes widened in surprise at how impressive the spell¡¯s beneficial effects were. Blessing of Vitality (Buff) ¨C While under the effects of this blessing, all party members have increased health, health regeneration, and strength. Plus 500 health, plus 50 health regenerated per minute, and plus 25 strength. Duration: 8 hours. Stella and I looked at each other before turning our gazes to the dwarf. ¡°Holy¡­ shit,¡± I stuttered. Do you have any more buffs like this one?¡± The dwarf nodded, confirming he did. ¡°Do they last as long as this blessing of vitality?¡± Stella asked before I could ask the dwarf for more buffs. It was as if she understood something I didn¡¯t yet realize. The dwarf shook his head and I had my answer. Over the course of the next minute, with Stella¡¯s guidance and a specific line of questions, we discovered the healer had other buffs but they were all short-lived. Most only lasted a minute, long enough for most kinds of combat, so I instructed the dwarf to weave whatever he had onto us in between any healing spell he needed to cast during a fight. We were not surprised in the slightest when we learned the dwarf had ample mana, potentially rivaling my own absurd amount. In retrospect, I should have guessed this just looking back on my fight with the cleric where the bastard countered every spell I had tried using on him. As a result, we did not need to worry about the dwarf running out of mana unless we were in a very prolonged battle. ¡°It¡¯s too bad he looks like his face passed through a dense patch of brindle thorns,¡± Stella added cheekily. As prepared as we were going to be, we collapsed into a single file before departing the spacious mushroom cavern. Ripley led the party, followed by me and Stella, then Lowki and Tallos bringing up the rear. With a single look back, I admired the towering fungi that I hoped would take back control of the wondrous cavern, we stepped forward ready to take on whatever came next. As we moved through the long meandering passage, we found it completely devoid of the previously abundant magma fissures. The normally oppressive heat was long gone, replaced with a chill air current. The humidity was quite different than before too. Abnormally high, it threatened to cause us to perspire profusely, even with our intentionally slow progress. We didn¡¯t want to be heard by our enemy before we noticed them, after all. Having no clue where the stifling humidity was coming from, I sound found myself thankful for its presence. Our Darkvision, struggling with the absence of light from the absent lava pools, our vision diminished by the minute. Not even the normally plentiful silvern ore was present in these tunnels, growing less and less dense with each footfall. My worry evaporated when a notable sapphire glow slowly lit up our vision. First looking to be nothing more than small tufts of grass, an interesting plant began appearing more regularly along the rocky walls and stone ceiling as we pressed on. Tucked into the various cracks and crevices, the small shrub was made up of leaves twisting into tiny rosettes, forming a kind of funnel. I drew closer to a particularly dense section jutting from the wall and inspected it. According to the System description, the plants were called ¡®Tillandsia Abdita,¡± a semi-common plant in the deepest parts of the planet. Able to survive in complete darkness, the plant could draw every bit of its needed nutrients directly from the air. Thankfully for us, the most interesting aspect of the plant was that it naturally emitted a faint bioluminescence that was immediately amplified by our low-light vision. A faint blue glow appeared to us like miniature lanterns. With their growing abundance, thanks to the high humidity in the tunnel per the System description, our former lightless tunnels were now awash in dazzling light. The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°There¡¯s probably an underground lake nearby,¡± Tallos whispered. ¡°Otherwise, where would this humidity be coming from?¡± ¡°Well, whatever is allowing these things to thrive down here, it has my gratitude,¡± I replied. Without the tiny shrubs, I had started to worry we would need to light some torches to be able to continue. Doing so would have thrown stealth right out the window which we could ill afford right now. Small clumps of the bioluminescent plant quickly grew more numerous and before long whole sections of the cave were covered with it. The hearty plant was truly thriving down here. Our Darkvision was working so well that it was like we were walking under a cloudy morning sky. A musty smell was also thick in the air, though it wasn¡¯t very bothersome. I preferred the earthy smell over the stale and grittiness of barren walls. Fully covering the walls and ceiling, the expansive shrubs started appearing irregularly on the uneven floor. We made an effort to avoid stepping on them as they were rather delicate. Stella was still a little embarrassed when she touched one, causing it to break off and smack against the floor. The stuff grew easily but wasn¡¯t able to burrow its roots through hard stone. Our careful movements to avoid displacing the delicate plant were what allowed us to catch the slight sound of scraping boots from further up the tunnel. Had we not slowed our pace, we might have been the ones to give away our position. Luck had been on our side. We all paused at the same instant, looking at one another. As the seconds ticked by, the unmistakable sound of armored footfalls confirmed our suspicion. We had found more dwarves. Their footfalls were growing louder with each passing second, but from the sound of it, this was not a small force. As silently as we could, we tightened our formation to come up with a game plan. We were hardly in a defensible position, standing out in the open as we were. Since leaving the mushroom cavern, we had not come across a single offshoot or side passage as we made our way deeper meaning we had nowhere to run and nowhere to hide. Grumbling dwarven voices were growing louder in our ears. We probably had less than a minute, two tops, before they found us. In as low of a whisper as I could manage and still be heard, we devised a plan. ¡°We¡¯re going to use Ripley to mask our body heat and get part of our group closer to them. Ripley, followed by me and Lowki, will go around the corner up there and move towards the dwarves. Ripley, I want you to crouch with your shield held out in front of you. It should hopefully keep the dwarves from seeing our body heat. Remember, you¡¯re essentially invisible to their eyes.¡± ¡°The three of us are going to get as close as we can,¡± I continued. ¡°If we get spotted at any point, Ripley, I want you to rush forward and engage. Lowki, when combat starts, leap over us and their party. I need you to get behind them. The ceiling is high enough so you should have more than enough room to launch yourself over their heads. It¡¯s risky, but if this group is anything like the last, I¡¯m guessing they will have another spell caster with them. The casters are your job. When Ripley engages, I¡¯m going to use my poison breath. Then, I¡¯ll move to the side of the tunnel and pump out as many spells as I can until needing to engage with my axe.¡± ¡°Tallos, pick your shots when all hell breaks loose. Ripley, try to position yourself close to the left wall, while I will do the same on the right,¡± I hurried to get the final aspect of my plan out. ¡°With how narrow the tunnel is, hopefully our positioning helps you get an angle on their fighters.¡± Finally, I turned to face my dwarf minion. ¡°Priest, I want you to buff us as much as you can when the battle first begins, then heal any damage we sustain. If no one requires healing, feel free to use any offensive spells you have.¡± The gravelly voices of our enemies grew loud in our ears, we had no more time. Receiving silent nods from everyone, I crouched low behind the long-limbed Ripley. She moved forward, her heater shield held as far as she could from her body. We barely made a whisper of sound as she turned around the bend in the tunnel. No shouts or cries of alarm greeted us as we crept forward. I didn¡¯t so much as risk a peek around Ripley¡¯s broad frame, not wanting to give our foe¡¯s sensitive eyes to pick anything up before we got much closer. By the sound of their chatter and occasional laughter, no one suspected or sensed our approach. Lowki occasionally bumped his snout into my backside, trying to be as close to me as he could. I desperately wanted to know how many dwarves we were going to be facing but dared not peek. Not yet! We inched steadily forward. With how loud their voices sounded in my ears, the dwarves must have been right upon us. My mind worked overtime as I considered my opening salvo of spells. As soon as Ripley dashed forward, I would immediately cast my Lesser Poison Breath, hopefully catching every dwarf in its wide area of effect. Ripley was immune to poison, so wouldn¡¯t be affected. There was some risk to Lowki from friendly fire when he bounded around to get behind their formation, but it was worth the risk. Plus, I would try to aim the cone low since the dwarfs were only three to four feet tall. It should give the agile cat more than enough room above to allow him to pass through unscathed. Our enemies seemed to be inches away. Armor clattered steel, gruff voices echoed endlessly, and heavy boots clamored as our two groups grew close. We were close enough. With a quick jab against Ripley¡¯s back with an index finger, I prompted her to charge. From the sudden intake of breath, just as Ripley sprung to her full height, a lead dwarf had noticed something unusual about the tunnel in front of them. It was too late. That was my queue. Before I could see how large of a force was arrayed against us, I quickly spoke the incantation for my poison breath spell. [Lesser Poison Breath]. You exhale a poisonous cloud that expands outwards from the caster in a cone to engulf any hostile target within 15 feet, inflicting a necrotic toxin that burns away at the lining of the target¡¯s lungs. The spell causes 70 plus 2n damage immediately and then every 6 seconds until the spell expires, where ¡®n¡¯ equals Intelligence. Cost: 150 mana. Cast Time: 1 seconds. Cool down: 2 minutes. Duration: 48 seconds (base 30). Plus 1 foot maximum range, and plus 10 base damage per spell level. Taking in a deep breath, the musty humid air filling my lungs, and with a flick of my wrist, I uttered the last word of power and forcefully exhaled. A dense green mist gushed out, funneling towards the back of Ripley¡¯s body. As my spell touched Ripley¡¯s back, she sidestepped to the side, and I finally caught sight of our enemies as the toxic gas enveloped their front ranks. It was hard to get an accurate picture of how tightly packed the wide dwarves were and the tunnel only allowed at most three people to stand side by side. Still, I was made acutely aware the enemy force was far greater than the ten we fought earlier. Thanks to Ripley¡¯s invisibility against heat-sensitive eyes and the necrotic effects of my spell, the front line of the dwarves was abruptly slammed to a halt. Like I had been hoping, my poisoned breath cloud had enough range to impact every single dwarf reeling backward from the sudden assault. Not sensing anyone other than Ripley resisted the spell, each dwarf would begin taking necrotic damage over the next forty-eight seconds thanks to the increased DoT duration from my wraith class. A gust of wind to my side signaled Lowki following through with his part of our hopefully not ill-conceived plan. His masterful jump carried him toward the right wall, where he used it as a springboard to get behind the enemy formation. I quickly lost sight of the powerful ally. A quick glance up to my party menu confirmed he was not hit by my poisonous breath. Only our enemies would have their lungs decimated by the powerful necrotic energy. After Lowki¡¯s passing, I sidestepped to the side so Tallos would have a clear line of sight. A sudden surge of golden magic enveloped Ripley, then myself. My priest minion had just buffed us, though I couldn¡¯t take the time to determine what effect it had. I was already deep into another spell cast. With the strength of the enemies before us, I needed to go all out. Combining my quick cast and dual cast skill, the enhanced effects taking a large chunk of mana with them, I chanted the mystical syllables innately tied with my chained lightning. With its recent level advancement, the homing bolt of electricity would now hit a combined six enemies. As arcane words left my lips, the only response thus far from our foes was wracking, phlegm-filled coughs. The enemy force had been taken entirely by surprise and, with each slice of Ripley¡¯s sword, she caused devastation. As my spell completed, I closed my eyes from the expected flash of light. The thick smell of burning ozone filled the confined space as my spell discharged. With the concussive blast of super-heated air by the passing bolt of electricity, howls of pain reverberated off the unforgiving walls. I wasn¡¯t sure if dwarf eyes would be pained like ours would be with the sudden appearance of intense light, but I hoped it would. As the lightning arced from warrior to warrior, even those not affected by the discharge felt pain slice through their sensitive orbs. Vulnerable dwarven eyes, unaccustomed to such brilliance were overwhelmed. Slicing arrows whistled down the passage, more than one finding a home between the gaps of dwarven armor. As arrowheads penetrated flesh, shrill cries of pain filled the air. I began another incantation, determined to cast as many spells as possible. Considering how many dwarves were still standing, my magic would play a far greater role than I could hope to accomplish with my axe. The sudden appearance of golden light from the rear of the dwarven ranks confirmed my suspicion they had a healer. We couldn¡¯t allow him to bring order back to the chaos we had sown. The ear-splitting roar from Lowki, followed by a dwarven scream, hinted the great cat was doing his part. I finished my spell casting, a dual cast boil blood against one of the leading dwarves. Our enemies were finally coming out of their initial shock at our appearance and, though they could not see the skeletal Ripley, at least three fighters were moving to surround her with raised shields. Skilled as she was, not to mention her invisibility, Ripley caused devastation with her curved sword as it bit into the flesh around the warrior¡¯s defensive barriers. Still, their combined efforts were limiting how much raw damage she could inflict. When her blade fell one enemy, another dwarf was quick to take his place. I did not have the same advantage as Ripley, her undead nature rendering her invisible. Likely glowing hot in their vision, three other warriors steadily advanced towards me. Two had oversized silvern weapons, an axe and greatsword, while the middle fighter bore a slender longsword. I only had at most, a single opportunity to cast one last before I was engaged by three deadly warriors. A wicked grin found a way to my face. A dual cast fireball should even our odds, shouldn¡¯t it? My mana dropped significantly as a tightly wound inferno formed between my palms. The approaching warriors were not my target, they were too close. If I cast the spell upon them, I was liable to be blown off my feet as well. Standing at my full height, I had more than enough view to safely throw the burning sun toward the middle of the enemy force. Ripley would be hit, potentially Lowki as well, but seeing at least fifteen enemies, I had little choice. This was going to hurt. Hopefully them, more than us. Unknown to anyone, the dwarves had another spell caster tucked away in the rear of the advancing raiding party. Unlike his priest friend, this dwarf was capable of commanding powerful arcane magic. He was a wizard not to be trifled with. War was his profession, and business was good. With his priest friend being harried by a black beast with waving tentacles, he turned his gaze upon the scene to see where he could best put his deadly magic to use. Hues of golden magic from the tunnel ahead caught his attention and the dwarf caster knew what he had to do. With a wicked grin of his own, his fingers twisted through the exact same spells that I had decided on. We completed our fireballs at the exact same moment, each of us thrusting our palms out, sending the beads of raging flame streaking away like a blazing meteor. Our eyes widened in shock as the two spells impacted each other in the middle of the dwarven force. A deafening BOOM thundered out as the two spells detonated simultaneously. An enormous wave of hellfire, far beyond what either spell could have managed alone, rocketed in all directions. Worse for everyone involved, the tight confines of the tunnel could not contain the raw destructive force unleashed in our midst. The tremendous energy rebounded off the stone walls, sending flames roaring down both ends of the corridor. The shockwave of the blast sent me hurtling backward, ricocheting my body against the hard stone walls and ground like a giant thrown boulder. Blackness descended over me, and I feared I would never wake as my consciousness was torn out of me. Chapter 69 - Spells can do that? I awoke to healing magic soaking through my skin, the energy washing through my body like diving into a cool lake. At first, I couldn¡¯t remember how I got where I was. My head pounded like I had been hit on the back of my skull by a baseball bat. My eyelids were heavy and refused to open. Even with closed eyes, my Hunter interface was attempting to display information in the darkness though I was too addled to comprehend much of anything. It was all garbled, words distorting to unrecognizable characters. Something solid was poking painfully into my back. Feeling out with my hands, the cold stone of the floor lay underneath me with the uneven cave wall jutting into my back. My eyes finally flittered open. What I saw was a scene of carnage and devastation. Moving to a seated position, pieces of dirt and debris crumbled off my clothing. Reaching around, I discovered it had been a stalagmite, demolished when I crashed into it, had been what was jutting into my back. When I had been thrown violently backward from the twin fireball detonation, I had crashed through at least two stalagmites, one of which must have been what knocked me out cold. With the latest bout of restorative magic flooding my extremities, the worst of the migraine vowing for dominance in my brain transitioned into a smoldering ache. Reaching to the back of my head, my hand came away with a copious amount of blood, though whatever gash had been there had been repaired by the priest¡¯s magic. ¡°Xaz¡­¡± a feminine voice said, attempting to catch my attention. Squinting, I turned my aching head, trying to orient on the noise. ¡°¡­ are you okay?¡± It was Stella, hovering at my side, a worried expression staring plaintively at me. ¡°That hurt,¡± my words stumbling from my mouth. Trying to use the uneven wall behind me for support, I struggled to stand but quickly settled back into a seated position. My balance wasn¡¯t strong enough yet. ¡°Is everyone alright?¡± ¡°Yes, well, mostly. You have a concussion,¡± Stella¡¯s echoing voice felt thick to my sensitive ears. ¡°Your priest guy was trying to help with that, but it would seem he doesn¡¯t have a spell focused enough to remove the condition.¡± ¡°What happened?¡± I asked, once more bringing a hand to my head. Though the migraine had faded further into the background, my thoughts still couldn¡¯t line up enough for me to remember how I ended up splayed across the floor. ¡°Your fireball collided with another one cast by a dwarf,¡± Stella answered, her voice slowly starting to sound like it wasn¡¯t being filtered through several inches of water. ¡°With how narrow the tunnel is and the destructive force each spell had, they combined and were amplified to extreme levels. You¡¯re lucky you had your aegis up, or you may have turned into lumpy amalgamations of burnt clothing and skin like the dwarves.¡± Focusing on her words, memories started filtering back into my mind. I remembered seeing my fireball, up-casted via my dual casting skill, crashing into another ball of fire. The two spells connected near where Ripley had been fighting, her back to a wall as three dwarves closed in on her. Ripley! She was at the epicenter of the explosion. My eyes shot up to our party menu, the words there no longer distorted. Ripley¡¯s health bar was completely grayed out. She had been destroyed by the blast. My own health bar was missing a decent amount yet, though was trickling upwards from the healing magic in my system and my own natural regeneration. Losing any health though was surprising. It normally wouldn¡¯t happen as long as I had mana available, which I certainly did as I peeked at my resource pools. My aegis had not been shattered, nor had it failed. ¡°How much damage did the fireball do?¡± ¡°Nearly enough to deplete what mana you had left,¡± Stella replied, her voice thick with implications. ¡°Had it emptied completely, the damage could have killed you. Even if it didn¡¯t, when you were sent flying you sustained even more damage as you crashed into things. Your aegis only works against physical attacks and spells. It doesn¡¯t stop your head being caved in if you slam it into a boulder. You¡¯re lucky you¡¯re not in worse condition than you already are.¡± ¡°It was worse for Ripley,¡± I mumbled. ¡°Is Lowki alright, or did we lose him too?¡± My head was buzzing, spikes of pain shooting with each pulse of my heart. I was too depleted mentally to make sense of my party menu again. ¡°Lowki¡¯s alive,¡± Stella replied as she pointed down the passage, though I couldn¡¯t see what she was indicating. ¡°He was thankfully far enough away, but still took a beating as the inferno tore down the tunnel. He¡¯ll be fine, plus your cleric buddy has been tossing him a few healing spells as well.¡± ¡°Tallos?¡± ¡°I¡¯m alright,¡± came his familiar voice a few feet to my left. Turning to face the ranger, he had clumps of rosettes sticking out from one shoulder. I had a hard time making out his facial expression as he spoke, though not because of my concussion. The cave was darker, much darker than it had been before. Tallos continued speaking, not aware of my inner thoughts. ¡°We only felt the edge of the fireball blast, though I did jump behind cover to avoid as much of it as I could.¡± ¡°Well, that explains the grass wedged into your leather armor,¡± I said as I attempted to stand up once more. Tallos offered an outstretched hand which I gladly accepted. ¡°Why is it so dark in here?¡± Stella and Tallos shared a glance before Stella gave me an odd-looking expression. It was as if I should know the answer to my question. ¡°What?¡± I asked innocently. ¡°You do remember the huge fireball, right?¡± Stella asked instead of directly answering either of my questions. ¡°You know, the big explosion of plant-devouring flames?¡± My eyes flicked to the wall, the ceiling, everything around us essentially. Every twisted blade of the glowing plant had been turned into a crisp, burnt version of itself. ¡°Right,¡± I muttered. ¡°No plants, no light. You do know I have a concussion right?¡± She only huffed back at me. ¡°How long are you going to ride that pony?¡± Though the fireball had destroyed everything living around us, the plants further down the tunnel had not felt the inferno so the welcomed glow picked up some thirty feet away. Though we were in a void zone, the distant vegetation allowed enough light to see by. Once we moved on, it would get plenty bright once more. ¡°How long until Ripley is automatically re-summoned?¡± I asked Stella. I could probably have used my interface, but my lingering headache warned me off. I¡¯d need to ask my friendly guide for stuff like this, at least in the short term. ¡°Only fifteen minutes in total, so not too long,¡± she replied. ¡°Hey, Lowki? You okay, bud?¡± I called out to the darkness, though I couldn¡¯t see him yet. A faint glow of irises approached us. Seconds later, Lowki, once more with a lame gait, rubbed against my side. I was thankful he hadn¡¯t perished like Ripley had even though she could revive on his. Ripley had been simply too close to the center of the blast to have any hope of surviving the firestorm. It had slain every dwarf, so at least we had that going for us. Another wave of golden magic flew by me, causing Lowki to glow brightly for a moment. Soon enough, he was moving around like normal. ¡°You did good work, back there, Lowki,¡± I said as I swatted the cat¡¯s flanks with gracious pats. His twin tentacles grazed my forearm and bicep, returning the show of affection. ¡°Were you able to take out their cleric before the blast went off?¡± Though Lowki couldn¡¯t speak, his optimistic roar confirmed his success. ¡°Good boy,¡± I said with a final pat on his broad shoulder. Cracking my neck from side to side, I eyed up our surroundings. ¡°That was some blast,¡± I said. Thinking of the dwarven fireball, a part of me hoped to find the caster and target him with my undeath spell. Having a wizard on our team could prove to be quite beneficial. Sadly, my hopes met up with reality in short order. At the spell''s current level, I didn¡¯t have a long enough duration to allow for two revived minions. Between either having a wizard or a cleric, I would pick the healer nine times out of ten. Disfigured dwarven bodies lay strewn all over the uneven surface. Most lay at odd and unnatural angles, several having crashed through stalagmites and stalagmites like I had. Eyeing their bodies must have triggered the System as a notification popped up in my vision. Quest Update ¨C ¡°Mystery in the Mines.¡± Objective One: Secure the release of Mage Marrek. COMPLETED. Objective Two: Investigate the local silver mine and identify the cause of villager Corm¡¯s demise. COMPLETED Objective Three: Eliminate the Subversive Silvern Dwarf threat posed to strike against the citizens of Mammoth. 46 of 46. COMPLETED. Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. Objective Four: (Revealed) Finish off the remaining Silvern Dwarf leadership. 0 of ???. Objective Five: (Uncovered) Eliminate the Silvern Dwarf¡¯s ability to wage a surprise raid against the city of Mammoth. Destroy Silvern Travel Node, 0 of 1. Rewards: Variable. Experience, at least one rare magical item, and a significant increase in reputation. ¡°Hell yeah,¡± I blurted out, eliciting a pained wince as my headache flared in response. In a calmer voice, I continued. ¡°With this last group of dwarves, we¡¯ve taken them all out. Only their leaders are left.¡± ¡°Nice!¡± Stella cheered. ¡°We also had a new objective added. After taking out their commanders, we only need to destroy one travel node to complete the quest. What¡¯s interesting is it doesn¡¯t indicate which node has to be destroyed. It means we could take out the one that connects with the silver mine and we¡¯d be done.¡± As I closed the notification another appeared in its place. As I reviewed the message, a transcendent glow bloomed above me as if the thousand tons of rock overhead parted to allow heavenly light to shine down. I had accrued enough experience to advance to the next level. Experience Awarded: Silvern Dwarf Warrior x 13 (level ranges 27-30) Experience Awarded: Silvern Dwarf Conjurer (level 27) Experience Awarded: Silvern Dwarf Prelate (level 29) Notice (Condensed)! Experience has been split among party members. Level Up! You have earned enough experience to advance to level 22. Tier 3 class characteristic attributes have been applied. You have 7 attribute points to distribute. Best of all, I felt completely rejuvenated, and any lingering pain I had vanished as I was bathed in pristine light. ¡°Nice!¡± Congratulations on reaching level 22. As a Wraith, you are able to choose one of the following class-appropriate skills or spells. Please know that it is possible that any skill or spell not selected may be found elsewhere in the World. Additionally, another set of skills or spells will be selectable at level 24, level 26, and level 28. When level 30 is reached, a tier 4 class will be available. Choose wisely. Option 1: Spell ¡®Shadows of the Void¡¯ (Average) ¨C A physical manifestation of shadows will cling stubbornly to the target causing moderate damage over time. The target is afflicted with the debuff, ¡°Clinging Shadows,¡± which slows all physical attacks and abilities, as well as maximum movement speed. Note ¨C Once this spell expires, the debuff will remain until the target is restored to full health. Option 2: Spell ¡®Synaptic Toxin (Average) ¨C A deadly toxin invades the target''s central nervous system causing significant damage over time. The target is afflicted with the debuff, ¡°Neurotoxin,¡± which interferes with all cognitive abilities, such as spell casting, concentration, and focus. Note ¨C Once this spell expires, the debuff will remain until the target is restored to full health. Option 3: Spell ¡®Rot of Undeath¡¯ (Average) ¨C A wave of necrotic energy attacks the flesh of the target causing gangrenous rot to spread rapidly. This causes a high amount of damage. The target is afflicted with the debuff, ¡°Undeath Rot,¡± which weakens the target¡¯s strength, constitution, and dexterity. Note ¨C Once this spell expires, the debuff will remain until the target is restored to full health. ¡°Oh, hell yeah!¡± I exclaimed. Each offered spell was the highest tier I could have at my level. The only one I had currently was powerful enough to allow a battle-hardened cleric to follow us along, so I couldn¡¯t wait to try one of these out. ¡°Average tier spells from now on, I can get used to that. These are some wicked spells too.¡± ¡°Their damage is top-notch, but better yet, their debuffs will not fade when the spell ends. That¡¯s a very nice addition,¡± Stella said as she rubbed her paws together. Tallos gave us an amused chuckle. He couldn¡¯t see our screen, so he couldn''t know what we were referring to. ¡°I¡¯ll go check to see if these guys had anything of note on them,¡± he said with a lofty smile. ¡°Though, only you can loot their silvern arms and armor. That stuff is nasty.¡± Tallos moved off as I turned to Stella, a crisp smile plastered on my face. ¡°So, which one is your favorite?¡± Still fixed on the System window, I was only half aware of Tallos as he tapped a toe against the first body he came upon. I should probably help him search, but would get to it as soon as I picked my next spell. I was too excited, like opening gifts during the holiday. ¡°If I had to pick one¡­¡± Stella started before tilting her head to the side. She pointed at the middle option. ¡°Synaptic Toxin. Yup, that would be my choice.¡± ¡°Really?¡± I asked, surprised by her choice. I would have sworn she was going to choose the same one I was, shadows of the void. ¡°Why is that? Is the debuff that interferes with spell casting all that great?¡± Before she replied, Stella moved her paws through the air to the side of my System window. ¡°Yup, I thought so. Let me put it this way, imagine if there was a thirty percent chance in which every single one of your spells simply didn¡¯t work. It just fails. Poof. Worse, if it fails, you¡¯re locked out from using it again for, let¡¯s say, fifteen seconds. Wouldn¡¯t it be the best thing since sweet and sour barbeque sauce? I mean, the only enemies that seem close to taking us out are spell casters so why not get something against them?¡± I nodded my head appreciatively as she spoke. Her recommendation did seem powerful, though it begged a question. ¡°You can¡¯t actually see what the percentage is, nor how long they''re blocked out of a particular spell when it triggers, right?¡± ¡°Yes, but it has to be good,¡± Stella replied hopefully. ¡°It is an average tier spell so my guess is probably close to the mark.¡± ¡°It would certainly be powerful, I¡¯m not going to argue the point,¡± I responded with some hesitation. ¡°I think I like the shadow void one better though. While that spell looks to do the least amount of damage of the three spells, I feel it slowing effect is too important to pass up. That¡¯s the meat and potato of any adventuring party.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve said as much in the past¡­¡± Stella replied. She wasn¡¯t still wasn''t as impressed as I was. ¡°Imagine I¡¯m fighting that boss Minotaur, or the slug of a gnoll that matriarch thing was. With this spell, they would be moving in slow motion.¡± ¡°Yes, but what if we have to fight another powerful caster like Tsurra? It¡¯s been the casters that have been closest to defeating us. We shouldn¡¯t ignore that." I sighed, a part of me knowing she had points I shouldn''t ignore. I was about to respond when she beat me to the punch. ¡°Synaptic toxin¡¯s effects will still work against melee classes as well,¡± she added. ¡°The spell essentially states that it affects the mind, not just spell casting. That can be beneficial against anything we face. Better still if they are capable of casting spells!¡± Stella was right. I let out a defeated sigh as her words sunk in. No, this wasn¡¯t a defeat, I realized. She¡¯s my guide and I need to trust her, the same as she does me. ¡°I know, I know,¡± I finally replied. ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ that kind of slow was something I¡¯ve been hoping for a while now.¡± My mind made up, I moved close to Stella and gave her a quick hug. ¡°Thanks, Stell.¡± ¡°Hah. Did you even look at the third option?¡± Stella asked as she pressed into the hug. ¡°Yeah,¡± I responded dismissively. ¡°Still, I¡¯d rather have synaptic toxin or shadows of the void any day over one that simply makes a mob weaker.¡± Tallos was still picking through the remains of what was left of the enemy force. I wanted to go over and help him. Not contemplating the decision any longer, I selected synaptic toxin on my interface window and confirmed my choice. The familiar feel of arcane knowledge flooding into my brain rushed into me as if a hundred gigabyte-per-second internet portal had connected with my mind. My eyes closed reflexively as the torrent of information broadened my understanding of this particular spell. Every nuanced movement of my fingers, each arcane syllable paved into my consciousness. Like many times before, it was as if a curtain was pulled aside to reveal long-lost memories. ¡°Always amazing when that happens,¡± I mumbled as the process completed. [Synaptic Toxin]. A wave of contamination engulfs a target within 100 feet, imparting a deadly toxin which invades the target''s central nervous system causing 200 plus 3n damage immediately and then every 6 seconds until the spell expires, where ¡®n¡¯ equals Intelligence. The target is also afflicted with the debuff, ¡°Neurotoxin,¡± which interferes with all cognitive abilities, such as spell casting, concentration, and focus by 25%. Cost 200 mana. Cast Time: 1 seconds. Cool down: 1 second. Duration: 168 seconds (base 120). Plus 10 feet maximum range, plus 25 base damage, and plus 0.3% additional cognitive impairment per spell level. Note ¨C Once this spell expires, the debuff will remain until the target is restored to full health. As I read each line of the spell¡¯s description, my appreciation of the spell increased further. ¡°Whoa,¡± was the only thing I could say at first. ¡°I want more like this. These average-tier spells are remarkable.¡± ¡°You can say that again,¡± Stella said appreciatively next to me. Her paw pointed to the bottom of the paragraph hanging in the air. ¡°It lasts more than two and a half minutes! The total amount of damage it can do, as long as it runs its full course, is over twenty-four thousand.¡± Her comment felt like a sledgehammer hitting my chest, though not in the way she may have expected. I felt worried suddenly, not elated. ¡°Damn, suddenly my seven thousand plus mana pool doesn¡¯t seem like much,¡± I said, anxiety lancing through my chest. ¡°I can only imagine how much an average tier direct damage spell will do. We need more¡­¡± ¡°More?¡± Stella asked, her voice gentle. ¡°More health, mana. More everything,¡± I said with a shallow smile. Any jubilation I had felt earlier drifted away like dying embers on the wind. ¡°I worried we¡¯re nowhere near ready for anything capable of using this higher tier of magic.¡± ¡°Remember we do have a spell which removes afflictions. It can dispel effects two tiers higher than its own, so that¡¯s up to ¡®enhanced¡¯ leveled spells,¡± Stella said encouragingly. ¡°Still, I get your point. Remember, we¡¯re only level twenty-two, where these spells can get as high as level thirty-five.¡± ¡°Meaning?¡± ¡°Of course, it¡¯s going to seem like too much for us to handle right now,¡± Stella replied. ¡°But, we¡¯ll get there. We¡¯ll start seeing gear similar in strength to this, new abilities, and the like. Just give it a little time.¡± Nodding to my companion, I settled my nerves before moving to assist Tallos with his efforts. From the look of it, most of the gear on the dwarves was the non-enchanted silvern stuff which would find its way into my inventory soon enough. As I began searching, I pulled up the last notification waiting for me. The battle had been quick and decisive, not allowing for the generous use of my spells and skills as the last one. Still, the message showed some great growth. Skill: [Stealth] has increased to level 16. Spell: [Lesser Boil Blood] has increased to level 15. Spell: [Lesser Necrotic Aura] (Pet) has increased to 13. Skill: [Dual Cast] has increased to level 13. Spell: [Chained Lightning] has increased to level 12. Spell: [Undeath] has increased to level 11. Skill: [Quick Cast] has increased to level 10. Spell: [Lesser Poisoned Breath] has increased to level 9. Congratulations! Your recent actions have caused your Spell: [Minor Fireball] to increase in rank to [Lesser Fireball]! Characteristics of the spell have been improved to match its new spell rank. Spell: [Lesser Fireball] has increased to level 12. Stella and I turned one another, blank stares plain across our faces. ¡°Spells can do that?¡± I asked with a finger pointed shakily towards the final lines of the message. ¡°Whoa,¡± was all she responded with, mirroring my earlier surprise. Chapter 70 - Stonehammer Battlelord [Lesser Fireball]. A ball of liquid plasma shoots from your palm to strike a target or area of your choice within 100 feet. Upon contact, the fireball explodes dealing damage to all targets within 25 feet. Each target struck is damaged for 80 plus 5n health, where ¡®n¡¯ equals intelligence. Objects and creatures struck by the spell have a high chance of being inflicted with the ¡®burning¡¯ debuff, causing additional damage over time. Cost: 100 mana. Cast Time: 2 seconds. Cooldown: 1 second. Plus 10 feet max range, 16 base damage, and 1% additional chance to inflict burn per spell level. ¡°Well, fireball just got a definitive upgrade,¡± I muttered as I reread the information a second time. ¡°Nice! The explosion''s radius also increased by another fifteen feet. It¡¯s not a respectable fireball. Say, Stell, how much damage will it do now?¡± ¡°Cast normally, it¡¯s doing one thousand three hundred and seventy-six damage to everything caught in the blast,¡± Stella replied easily, the math coming to her instantly. ¡°Dual cast¡­ Then, it skyrockets to nearly forty-five hundred damage!¡± ¡°It¡¯s pretty similar to my chained lightning spell, right?¡± I asked. My lightning spell was a personal favorite direct damage spell, but perhaps it now had a competitor at last. ¡°Chained does a little bit more and, at its current level, hits seven mobs,¡± Stella replied. ¡°With fireball though, it would be the clear winner if you don¡¯t need to worry about hitting anything friendly. It is capable of hitting well over seven mobs in the right situation.¡± ¡°If friends are near, go with chained lightning,¡± I said earnestly. ¡°If mobs are stacked together, fireball all day.¡± Tallos walked over with a few objects cupped loosely in his hands. ¡°As best as I can tell, most of their gear is made of silvern so you¡¯ll need to use your looting power to pick those up. I did find a few things of note, though I¡¯m unable to tell exactly what they do. They have a feeling of being enchanted.¡± ¡°Thanks for looking,¡± I said to the trim elf. ¡°I¡¯ll inspect them all to see what we¡¯ve got.¡± Tallos handed over a few rings, a necklace, and several coin purses. Opening the leather pouches first, we discovered most of the dwarves had been quite wealthy, at least by the standards of most surface dwellers. Although the coins were minted by dwarven hands, each oblong or circular coin proudly displaying a raised bearded face, gold and silver would still spend well. The rings were nothing of particular note. No matter how slight, any upgrade could mean the difference between life and death. Handing several back to Tallos, I turned to find my skeletal friend. She was nowhere to be seen. ¡°Oh, yeah, right,¡± I said, pocketing the jewelry for now. Ripley had been wholly destroyed. She hadn¡¯t been resummoned yet. ¡°I¡¯ll get these to her when she comes back,¡± I said, slightly embarrassed, and to no one in particular. ¡°About ten minutes yet,¡± Stella said helpfully at my side. I nodded back in reply. ¡°I also found this,¡± Tallos said, excitement brimming his voice. It caught my attention, so I turned back to him. Tallos reached over his back to hand me a C-shaped piece of lacquered wood, I hadn¡¯t seen before. It had leather wrapping in the middle of the ¡®C¡¯, with two small protrusions at the tips. Holding it in my hands, I had no idea what it could be. It wasn¡¯t made of wood, instead probably more of the hardened mushroom the dwarves loved to craft things with. Looking back at my friend in slight confusion, the elf¡¯s wide smile hinted at what it could be. When he passed over a bundle of silken thread, I understood what it was. ¡°Let¡¯s see how good it is,¡± I said as I inspected the unstrung bow. {Gak-gung Composite Reflex Bow}. This highly reflexed composite bow was painfully constructed over the course of several years by an extremely talented bowyer. Soaked for a year in a specialized concoction to enhance strength and durability, this incredible weapon far outperforms those of similar class. The bow¡¯s core is comprised of augmented mushroom stalks with bolstered sinew which enhances pulling strength from the weapon¡¯s limbs. The bowstring is nearly unbreakable, formed from the silk of the elusive cave fisher only found in the deepest sightless depths. Quality: Exceptional. Rarity: Rare. Type: Bow. Slot: Primary. Durability: 2,250/2,250. Speed: Fast. Effect(s): Adds 15 to 25 damage per attack. Magical and non-magical arrows shot by this weapon are expelled at an extremely high velocity, greatly increasing the bow¡¯s maximum range. Additionally, the extreme velocity imparted to each arrow means enhanced penetration against armored targets. Tallos motioned for the weapon back, which I readily handed over. With practiced ease, he strung the bow before notching a simple arrow, laying it on the arrow rest just above the leather-wrapped grip. Now in the familiar shape of a bow, I peered closer at the exquisite craftsmanship of the weapon. The upper and lower limbs curved away from the wielder with the small protrusions, the bowstring hooks, starkly matte black against the light auburn color of the ¡®wood¡¯ of the weapon. The string was soft and supple, yet incredibly sturdy at the same time. With a strong pull, Tallos drew the silk string, touching it against his cheek before releasing it. The arrow vanished in a blur of motion, streaking away to slam powerfully into the wall opposite us. The impact sent chips flying away. Closing to the stone, it was clear the debris was not parts of the arrow shattering in all directions. The arrow had impressively penetrated at least a foot into the hard stone. ¡°Well, that takes care of our need to find you a better bow,¡± Stella said impressed, equally amazed at the weapon¡¯s power. ¡°I¡¯ve only heard tales of such powerfully enchanted bows,¡± Tallos said as he held the weapon before him reverently. ¡°Only the strongest of our wardens would be blessed by such a weapon.¡± ¡°It¡¯s yours,¡± I told our friend, Stella nodding to my words. ¡°Now you have a weapon to match your fortitude and honor.¡± ¡°Thanks, Xaz, Stella,¡± he replied graciously. We did a final inspection of our fallen foes. I approached each body, quickly looting their silvern weapons and armor with a light touch. Looking at my friends, I asked if they were ready to head out. Ripley would appear soon, and since nothing had shown up to investigate our latest explosion, I felt confident nothing was nearby. Seeing agreement in the eyes of my friends, we turned to face the passage leading deeper into the unknown. Ripley reappeared a short while later, being summoned automatically. Though she had been blown into a thousand pieces, she stood as striking as ever. I handed her several pieces of jewelry, swapping out anything with less health, constitution, or strength. With the tight quarters, we elected to keep her using her sword and shield combo. Her greatsword didn¡¯t have the room needed to be effective. We moved in stealth, our pace not at all hurried. The humidity seemed to stabilize, though there was still no sign of where the dense water vapor was coming from. Our path twisted and turned, snaking deeper below the earth. Some ten minutes later, a familiar glow appeared ahead of us. Scouting forward with Lowki, we discovered blue torches jutting from the walls on both sides of the cave, placed in sconces at regular intervals. The passage continued on, nothing else of note to be seen. There were no dwarven sentries, nothing but the rough and uneven stone around us and the densely packed glow plants. We returned to the group and explained what we had found. ¡°I think the torches are like the lamps we saw when we first got down here,¡± I whispered. ¡°The air is cooler wherever the blue light touches. I think we¡¯re close.¡± ¡°Close to what?¡± Tallos asked. ¡°To the boss,¡± I replied, a slight shock of anxiety racing through my chest. While we had been successful so far in these dwarven depths, a boss fight could quickly turn a successful dungeon dive into a deadly one. Whatever came next, I sensed it was going to challenge us like nothing before. From the return looks from Stella, Tallos, Ripley, and Lowki, my friends thought so as well. Taking a moment to cast what few beneficial spells I had, we were as prepared as we were going to be. Even though I knew something dangerous would soon be found, the supportive looks of my friends and companions grounded me. Live or die, we would do this together. The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Blue torches continued to line both sides of the tunnel. When we came around a bend, the path ahead came to an abrupt halt. A set of closed metallic double doors barred our passage. The flickering azure glow amplified the imposing sense exuding from such a magnificently crafted obstacle. The doors were clearly made of processed silvern ore, the azure light reflecting off a glossy surface. Against the hardened barrier, it felt as if we were meek interlopers coming upon the entrance to a dragon¡¯s horde. Leading up the exit, dozens of murals had been hung upon worked stone walls. Careful to avoid making the slightest noise, we inched forward. Though my mind wanted to take into the artwork, a tickle in the back of my mind warned me to be on the lookout for traps. Nothing of the sort had remotely presented itself as being a possibility thus far, but when it came to a boss fight, anything was possible. My cautious sense was not borne from any magical or mystical sense, instead coming from hard lessons learned from my previous life. Nothing stood out to our sight as we crept forward. No snares, pitfalls, nothing appeared with our careful inspection. Finally, I allowed myself to look at the framed paintings. Moving a finger near to one, as I had suspected, either the canvas or perhaps the oil of the pain, emitted a detectable heat. It was like holding your hand near a candle. Most interesting, I discovered the temperature changed and varied as I moved a finger across the artwork. The painting would light up heat-sensitive eyes. Fascinating. In the blue torchlight, the color pattern varied wildly as if the painter changed colors on a whim with no discernable rhyme or reason. I realized this probably because the dwarves were incapable of seeing in the visible light spectrum. The artwork was nonetheless quite magnificent. Mosaics of noble dwarves, scenes of epic battles, and large, cavernous cities gave a depiction of what their lives must be like. The heroic nature was stilted when a mural close to the steel door showed proud dwarves standing over the corpses of men and elves alike. These people were not heroic. They were predators who enjoyed standing over the bodies of their slain enemies. Unless I was missing the mark, the Game was giving us, and any viewers watching us, a glimpse into this Dwarven race. Deadly, powerful, and talented, such was the message displayed across each framed canvas. The artistry was second to none, I had to admit. However, it was a shame such an artistic race was so hellbent on the death of innocents. We had closed halfway the distance to the double doors, still without any sign of danger. Leading, I stepped closer, my elven keen senses attempting to pick up any sound from behind the metal doors. Following directly behind me were Ripley, Lowki, Tallos, and my dwarven minion far in the rear. When we had first spotted the blue torchlight, I had taken the necessary ten seconds to refresh my undeath spell on the dwarf, ensuring he wouldn¡¯t fall at an inopportune time. The paintings and impressive doors made it obvious. A boss fight was on the other side. Coming close to the silvern gateway, there was no handle to be seen anywhere. There were no hinges on our side, so perhaps it would open inwards. Not sensing any change, I risked placing a hand on the metal surface. It was as cold, not unlike the stone below our feet. I gently applied pressure, but the massive doors didn¡¯t budge. As I was looking to Stella and Tallos for suggestions, something happened. The rest of the group had been getting closer to one another, bunching up, as I inspected the double doors. It was when my dwarf minion got near, something in the metal reacted to his presence. My eyes shot to the doors as a flash of magic rippled across the metallic surface. Then, as if pulled by an unseen hand, the doors slowly opened. There was nothing we could do to stop it. A broad room opened before us. About fifty feet to the side, it was brightly lit with dozens of blue flaming sconces. The only exit in the room was a door opposite us, but what dominated our attention were the backs of three dwarves leaning over a large table in the middle of the carpeted room. The doors opened silently but, upon reaching its limits, a deep gong boomed with metal hitting hard stone. It signaled the trio they had visitors. Three pairs of glowing eyes turned in our direction and briefly widened as they realized we were no dwarves. The room was furnished with intricately carved chairs, benches, side tables, and several cots furnished with soft bedding. The air in the room had a hint of a barky incense with a touch of cinnamon. Crates similar to those that held ballista bolts from earlier lined one side of the room, though no siege engines were present in the tidy chamber. Our two groups eyed one another, no one making any aggressive action. This was not how I wanted to come upon the boss and his cadre of support. The dwarf in the middle of the bunch was slightly taller than his compatriots and was decked out in silvern plate armor. He was outfitted like a tank. Unlike the dwarves we had defeated earlier, this dwarf¡¯s armor was inlaid with golden filigree that shone lightly, clueing me it likely held some enchantment or another. An oversized war maul rested comfortably across his back and, even with its massive weight, didn¡¯t seem to hinder the powerfully muscled dwarf. His companion to his left wore a green-tinted chainmail shirt, similar to what my undeath cleric wore, over studded leather armor. On his hip was a blunted spiked mace and, across his back, was an impressive-looking shield only slightly smaller than Ripley¡¯s own. This dwarf lacked a beard, I recognized my error. This was no male dwarf. The dwarf¡¯s eyes narrowed as a scowl formed across her butch face. The final dwarf was as thin as a willow stick. His gaunt face made it appear as if he hadn¡¯t eaten in days with how emaciated he looked. There was no frailty behind his eyes, however. A ruthless, calculating mind stared indignantly at us. Adorned in a dark robe, whose bottom golden edge scrapped lightly against the plush carpeting, the dwarf had the look and composure of a spell caster. His robe was plain and was tied neatly by a silver cord at his waist. Dangling from his hip were several foot-long wands, held securely in leather holsters. Across his brow was a silver tiara centered by a large ovoid gem. Across his back was strapped a dark wood staff which shot tiny sparks of bloodshot energy away from its gnarled tip. This was a formidable group who were not to be taken lightly. Any hope of a surprise attack had been dashed; I could sense my friends were ready to spring forward at my command. Name tags floated over each dwarf, so I took a moment to review what little information could be had before all hell broke loose. Marharen Hillstone, Silvern Priest of Gias (Level 30). Buram Barrelchest, Stonehammer Battlelord (Level 30 - Elite Boss). Arantrud Warcoat, Brimstone Magus (Level 30). Crap, I thought to myself. The boss was an elite. Not only that, but their small group was comprised of a warrior, a cleric, and a mage. It was a potent mix of strength and magic. Worse, they also greatly outleveled us. Thankfully, only the middle dwarf had the elite tag. Still, this was going to be an extremely difficult battle. As I was about to break the stillness, the center dwarf spoke. His voice was deep and irregular as if he wasn¡¯t familiar with speaking. With a start, I realized he was speaking in common! ¡°Surface dwellers,¡± the battlelord stated. ¡°So that explains why my soldiers haven¡¯t checked in. Interesting.¡± With each word, Buram became more accustomed to the surface language as if he was remembering a seldom-used dialect. His words halted my instinct to drive headfirst into battle. There was an opportunity to be had here. I desperately wanted to give our side enough time to come up with a battle plan. With our enemy demonstrating they were capable of understanding our language though, I hadn¡¯t the faintest idea how we would be able to pass instructions without plainly letting the dwarves know as well. ¡°I sent two warbands to see what had happened,¡± the leader continued without pause. ¡°It would seem, as you¡¯re not helplessly bound by magical restraints, you dispatched them. Not many from the surface could do such a thing. Certainly, none with as small of a party as your own.¡± His last statement gave me hope. The dwarves could only see me, Tallos, and Lowki. Ripley and my priest minion were invisible to their eyes! We had that small advantage, at least. The robed dwarf spoke up then, dashing that hope. ¡°They have undead among them, sire.¡± With a crisp hand gesture and a single arcane word, a pulse of energy flew from his finger to land gently across the eyes of both the battlelord and his priest next to him. Their eyes moved over the towering Ripley and diminutive dwarf behind me. Shit, I cursed inwardly. ¡°What did you do to our fellow there?!¡± the dwarf leader asked in a stern voice, his anger growing with each second. ¡°Who would be so bold as to profane one of our kind?¡± Sensing an imminent battle was about to spiral out of control, I spoke up. We were not ready yet. ¡°I did,¡± I said as confidently as I could manage, given the untenable situation we found ourselves in. Had the dwarves been closer to our level, my confidence may have been genuine. ¡°I am a Hunter.¡± Perhaps being a Hunter could be played to our advantage. The cleric spat on the floor at my pronouncement. ¡°Hunters, blasphemous creatures, the lot of them.¡± His words were more refined than his elite brethren, though were laced with hostility. ¡°Battlelord, let¡¯s kill the trespassers and let that be the end of it.¡± My muscles tensed at the priest¡¯s words. However, the upraised arm of the old warrior brought everyone up short. ¡°Not yet, my friend. Our guests were going to tell us why they had come. Are you not, Hunter?¡± About to respond, I paused as words appeared in my vision. ¡°Yes,¡± I stated clumsily at the same time as I read the message. Stella: Xaz, we can use this chat. We¡¯re disjointed and need a plan of attack. Let me know and I¡¯ll relay the information quietly to everyone. Even as the two groups eyed one another, Stella had realized our plight and had already been working hard on a plan. As I turned to look at my friends, she was even then casually floating lazily around our group. Her keen mind realized we needed to be on the same page to win this battle. When the dwarf leader spoke our language, she instantly realized we would need to use some sleight of hand to pass directions to one another. Stella¡¯s carefree jaunt around each of us appeared harmless, yet she would be instrumental if we managed to survive what came next. Holding back a smile threatening to appear on my face, I faced our adversaries. I simply needed to buy time. Chapter 71 - Bluffing Splitting my attention two different ways was going to be difficult. I had little choice if I wanted to give our team the best chance for success with the approaching conflict. Each team member needed to know what their roles were when this came to blows, otherwise, it could divulge into a chaotic scrum. Since the dwarves were higher leveled, not to mention having an elite boss in their midst, I couldn¡¯t allow that to happen. ¡°I come from the Human capital city of Allerton. The city above the silvern mine, known as Mammoth, is aware of your intent to lay siege to its people,¡± I lied, trying to instill confidence into my words. Perhaps I could strengthen our position and eliminate the need for a fight with the dwarves entirely. Best to lay it on thick. ¡°Your entire contingency of crafted ballistae has been destroyed, and the cache of explosives has been removed. Reinforcements from the capital city have reached Mammoth, along with an array of wizards and clerics. I am here to see if we can come to an arrangement to halt any further hostilities between our two peoples.¡± Thankfully, I was quite familiar with splitting my concentration, courtesy of my dual casting skill, so while I bluffed my way with the dwarves, I surreptitiously sent a message to Stella via our chat interface. Without long practice with the skill, I doubted I would have been able to accomplish it. Xaz: Stella, when they engage, I want Ripley to go after the battlelord alone. The undeath priest will need to assist her with heals and buffs since he¡¯s an elite boss. Tallos and Lowki are to attack their healer. I will be taking the mage out of the fight, at least temporarily. Stella: Got it. I¡¯ll need at least a minute or two to tell the others and not arouse suspicion. The centermost dwarven did not immediately respond to my words. It was as if he was taking a moment to judge the voracity of my statement. If I were in his position, I would be worried the surprise attack would not go as easily as initially envisioned. Instead of finding a defenseless and unaware city, I had painted a picture of an entrenched enemy aware a battle was coming. The difference between the two should be more than unsettling for the dwarven commander. ¡°What did you do to my fifty warriors in the great Fungal Forest?¡± Buram asked. The dwarf¡¯s exaggerated number meant that he was subtly trying to catch me in a lie. ¡°There were sixteen dwarves in the cavern ripe with giant mushrooms,¡± I replied without bravado. Wanting to stretch this dialog out to buy Stella enough time to connect with everyone, I was determined to keep our discussion cordial. Boasting about slaying his soldiers wouldn¡¯t help right now. ¡°Two were warriors and fought valiantly. The rest was a mix of engineers, smiths, and explosive experts. Of the fifty total warriors you speak of, our count was forty-six if you count everyone nearby the great forest.¡± The dwarven leader took the news better than I would have suspected, showing no emotion across his bearded face. Unless I missed my guess, Buram appeared to not be bothered at the loss of so many dwarves. The thought worried me. Was it the callousness of their antagonistic race, the indifference of a general leading an army and expecting casualties, or was this something else? Either way, my gut told me it did not bode well for us or the city above. Stella continued her nonchalant jaunt around our team, seemingly twisting around our people as if she were a stray puppy. Even with my keen senses, I barely detected her voice as she whispered instructions to our team. The three dwarves were focused on me, not giving the Accelerator a second of their attention. I felt a small amount of comfort from that. We would be prepared if and when this turned deadly. ¡°You must be a skilled Hunter to have accomplished such a feat,¡± the brawny dwarf flatly stated. ¡°Silvern Dwarves do not fall easily. I¡¯ve never met one of your kind, personally. I hear most of your kind are not worth their weight in the frailest ores, whereas others have demonstrated strength of arms to rival even the strongest among our race. Which are you I wonder?¡± Stella: We¡¯re all set. When this goes sideways, everyone knows what to do. Xaz: Thanks, Stell. Unless I missed my guess, only confidence in myself and my team would be of use here. The slightest show of weakness would cause the dwarves to pouch on us like a wounded animal. Their race respected strength above all else. ¡°I stand before you, prepared for whatever is to come. Your people are strong. As are we. Let that be an answer to your question.¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± the battlelord said as he considered us, seeming unperturbed. ¡°You are here to tell us the human city has been reinforced, that you have removed our ability to lay siege upon a prepared city. Such would imply our raid would cost my kind greatly, yes?¡± Buram asked pointedly. ¡°Soldiers are lost in war, this is a fact I have long known. I see no reason to not proceed. More of my warriors will be lost, this is true, but such is their lot in life. More can be bred.¡± His response was not what I was hoping it would be. From the two sidelong glances from his compatriots, Buram¡¯s admission had been a surprise to them as well. He could be bluffing, the same as I, however. The thought of attempting to sew strife and derision between the leader and his subordinates flittered in my mind but was quickly squashed. I doubted such an attempt would get anywhere, even if the battlelord considered his soldiers expendable. If their commander was still considering a raid, perhaps it was time to bluff once more. What if they no longer had an easy route to take to partake in such an offensive? It was time for another bluff. ¡°Mammoth has already removed the silvern node connecting this tunnel system and the city¡¯s mine. There is no longer an easy method of transporting your raiding force across that great distance. Even if you press on, you will find more than an entrenched city by the time you arrive.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Buram asked with a slight tilt of his head. His question seemed rhetorical so I didn¡¯t respond. The dwarf paused a moment to consider his next words, his stare never leaving me. ¡°I have three questions for you, then. First, with the node destroyed, how do you expect to return? Second, do you believe that a single node is the only avenue we plan to utilize against the human city? And, finally, why should I let you live with the affront you have shown to one of my kind?¡± The dwarf¡¯s tone grew more serious as he spoke as if he were a pot ready to boil. His two allies caught the same implication. They narrowed their eyes, ready to lash out at a single word from their commander. ¡°We never intended to return,¡± I replied casually. Hoping my unperturbed appearance would hide my deliberate lies, I pressed on. ¡°We knew this long before we arrived. Our path leads us beyond and, worry not, we have a means to return to the surface at our leisure. To answer your second question; it does not matter. Mammoth is prepared. Bolstered by a legion from Allerton, they will be able to withstand any assault. To answer your third question, I am a Hunter.¡± A fight seemed inevitable, so I had one more trick to pull before the battle began. ¡°You are concerned over this shell behind me,¡± I said as I thumbed behind me. ¡°To me, it is nothing more than a tool to be used in my conquest. Those Hunters you stated earlier, the ones capable of matching strength of arms? I am that type of Hunter. Let me demonstrate a portion of that to you now.¡± At my pronouncement, I turned to my dwarf minion. ¡°Priest, bless my party with your divine power.¡± The undead dwarf¡¯s hands began weaving in complex patterns, jarring arcane words passing through his blue lips. The enemy priest began to stride forward, affronted by my insolence. Buram reached out a hand before he took more than a step, however, before swiftly shaking his head. The priest obeyed, though was obviously discontented. Gold light shone out from my minion, passing through everyone on our side of the room like a halo. Power surged in my body. I felt energized and stronger than ever as my eyes flicked up to the new buff icon. It had a five minute duration. We were ready. The time for civil conversation was over. ¡°Impress¡­¡± Buram stated but was rudely interrupted by a shout. ¡°Now!¡± I yelled, calling my party into action. While the enemy forces were no novices, we still responded quicker than they did. A line of arrows immediately tore away towards the astonished priest, Tallos putting his new bow to quick use. Lowki moved slightly to the side, ensuring his positioning didn¡¯t interfere with the streaking arrows. Using every muscle in his body, Lowki leaped forward. As the first missile approached the dwarf, a barrier of gold light flared to life. The magical barrier intercepted some, but not all of Tallos¡¯ arrows. Marharen, the priest of Gias, grunted as several found unprotected flesh. Lowki landed lightly beside the staggered priest, twin tentacles already trying to find similar purchase with his poison quills. The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. Ripley had closed the distance to the elite boss with blinding speed, her enhanced strength and dexterity on full display. Her curved blade crashed downward toward the warrior. In response, Buram rose a plated forearm, intercepting the attack. All the while, the dwarf attempted to retrieve his large maul from across his back. Ripley followed up with a shield, slamming it into the battlelord¡¯s face. Staggered from the assault, the large dwarf shook his head to dislodge lingering cobwebs. Ripley brought her curved sword back around, this time at a low angle. However, it was her turn to be surprised as the mighty dwarf planted his feet and bull-rushed forward. Colliding with her ribs, the boss threw the towering Ripley back several feet. Her attack glancing harmlessly off the back of the armored boss. With strength higher than Ripley¡¯s, the dwarf¡¯s move allowed enough separation for the boss to retrieve his massive weapon. Another glow of beneficiary magic from our undead healer rained on the skeletal minion as she dashed back in, her sword swinging in a blinding attack pattern. For my part, I was deep into spell casting the moment my call let my lips. The wizard likely had powerful protections, so I would need to defeat those as much as I could. Thankfully, I had a spell perfect for such a necessity, scent of darkness. Unfortunately, the spell had a longer than usual cast time of three seconds. Moments after I began, the wizard followed suit, words of a spell calling forth a magical effect. My fingers worked through the long and laborious motion of my spell. I chose to dual casting the spell to increase the odds it would get through whatever protection the mage had. The slow cast time ground against my sensibilities, but there was nothing to be done about it. The wizard, Arantrud, completed his spell first. A blaze of fire streaked across the room, heading for my seemingly unprotected body. As it sped towards me, I leaned forward and braced my legs. From what I could tell, the wizard¡¯s spell was akin to a fireball. The ball of flame detonated as the hostile spell connected against my empowered aegis. When the massive steel doors swung open, I had been very mindful of checking my interface to ensure the area¡¯s ¡®critical failure¡¯ hadn¡¯t triggered. Losing my aegis during a boss battle was something I could ill afford. Thankfully, my protective ability remained operational throughout our conversation and shimmered into existence just as the fireball exploded around me. Standing firm against the press of the detonation, I continued to utter the final words of my spell. No damage reached my health pool and I had judged correctly the type of spell sent careening towards me. My braced position counteracted any blowback from the fireball. As the fire dissipated, I caught the surprised look on Arantrud¡¯s face. He had not been expecting such a capable enchantment would be surrounding my body. A dark mass shot from my hands, striking against the mage¡¯s chest. The spell exploded, erupting like a rotten watermelon against his robes. The tarry black sludge squirmed over his body as if alive, seeking flesh to creep into. The mage attempted to extricate the gooey substance with his hands but to no avail. The animate mire rose to tiny obelisks across his body, before slamming down and leeching through his skin. Notice! Arantrud Warcoat has been affected by Scent of Darkness! All resistances to fire, poison, acid, and disease have been reduced by 50% (MAX). A look of utter hatred passed through the wizard¡¯s eyes as he stared daggers at the offense. He wound up another casting, this time bright fire encasing his hands as he worked through a complicated incantation. Whatever he was conjuring, its long cast time marked it as being particularly dangerous. Ensuring I completed mine first, I quickly cast my next spell. For the first time, my hands worked through the necessary flowing gestures of lesser invoke terror. Mystical words reverberated as the magic was called to life. A potent crowd control spell, if the spell bypassed the mage¡¯s resistances, it would cause him to flee in abject horror. Better still, any such retreat would be chaotic and uncoordinated courtesy of the spell¡¯s description. [Lesser Invoke Terror]. A psychic bolt of energy lances from your hand and strikes a nearby enemy within 100 feet, dealing 10 plus 1n damage, where ¡®n¡¯ equals Intelligence. The target¡¯s mind is filled with overwhelming panic and fear causing it to flee from you. Additionally, while affected by this spell, the target¡¯s mind becomes confused and muddled resulting in a decreased movement speed of 33%, as well as causing an uncoordinated retreat. Cost: 75 mana. Cast Time: 3 seconds. Cool down: 1 second. Duration: 2 minutes. Plus 10 feet maximum range, and plus 1% decreased movement speed per spell level. Note ¨C Any damage inflicted to the target while under the effects of this spell has a chance of ending the spell early (physical damage equals moderate chance, magical damage equals low chance). Finally, this spell does not affect constructs, undead, or other creatures immune to fear. My spell completed well before Arantrud¡¯s. His hands were raised over his head, calling into being a fiery mass that looked like a red spiral galaxy-spanning over our half of the room. As if in slow motion, his hands moved like a musician directing a whirlpool. The fiery pitch was creating small droplets of liquid fire to form overhead. The wizard¡¯s spell was a massive area of effect spell and was going to literally rain fire on Tallos, my priest, and me. It also threatened to potentially separate the battlefield into two sections, spelling doom on Lowki and Ripley. Thankfully, it did not have the opportunity to complete and reign destruction. My invoke terror spell shot a psychic lance of energy toward the dwarf. Invisible to either of us, the translucent bolt slammed into the wizard¡¯s forehead, exactly as intended. Immediately, the mage faltered, a terrified look overcoming him. His hands dropped feebly to his sides causing the blistering galaxy forming over our heads to vanish. With a primal cry, the wizard screamed. It was so intense that it briefly stole the attention of the dwarven leader allowing Ripley to land a blow. The mage crashed backward against the carpeted floor as if he were falling beneath a tidal wave of insects. From my innate knowledge of my spell, the wizard was seeing creatures made from nightmares. Bearing down on him with the fury and biting like a tsunami, Arantrud¡¯s own psyche gave the creatures the form of his darkest fears. While the damage was capable of canceling the spell, the mage was too powerful to leave along with his worst fears. I needed to place at least a few DoTs on his frightened form. The battle raged around the room, Ripley furiously fending off the devastating blows from the boss¡¯s war maul, and Lowki and Tallos harrying the dwarven priest. My focus was on the wizard as I used another spell for the first time, synaptic toxin. Stella¡¯s argument for the spell had won me over and a part of me was thankful she had spoken up. While the spell did impressive damage, its damage over time function would be less likely to tear away the fear debuff ravaging the wizard¡¯s mind, per lesser invoke terror¡¯s spell description. My hands flashed through the air as I cast synaptic toxin, the movements reminding me of twisting bolts of lightning. Unusual arcane syllables chanted from my lips as power welled from my core. In a moment, the spell was completed and another invisible wave leaped across the gap at the wizard who had begun foaming at the mouth. For the next two and a half minutes, Arantrud would now find it difficult to focus, possibly outright failing a spell cast. I was not ready to move beyond the mage yet though. Wanting to place at least one more DoT upon the suffering dwarf, I settled on my specialized boil blood spell. Hopefully, the combined damage of the spells wouldn¡¯t terminate the fear effect while our party handled the other two powerful dwarves. With the wizard writhing on the ground, his blood boiled as a massive migraine tore at his lifeline. The fear effect was not terminated early, so I turned my attention back to the rest of the battlefield. Our primary objective was to defeat the cleric. His revitalizing energies could allow the dwarves to out sustain us, so he needed to be handled first. My hands wound through synaptic toxin a second time as my eyes flicked to Ripley. She was facing the boss alone, though waves of restorative magic were allowing her to remain in the fight where, without it, she would have likely long ago fallen to the capable dwarven boss. I saw a splash of golden energy slam into Ripley¡¯s back, the magic instantly returning her to full health. A frustrated growl from Ripley¡¯s opponent hinted at the aggression our healer was generating from the elite boss, though Ripley did her best to keep herself between the two. Ripley only needed to last until either the cleric, wizard, or both had been defeated. Her shield and defensive stance, combined with the healing magic, allowed her to do so thus far. Sighting back on the cleric, the furious dwarf was swinging blow after blow with his enchanted mace at the dexterous Lowki. Thankfully, the great cat¡¯s impressive agility and displacement ability were keeping him just out of reach. By the look of it, however, Lowki was able to do precious little damage in return. The dwarf¡¯s chain-linked armor gave little purchase for his claws to rend flesh. A few poisoned spines from Lowki¡¯s weaving tentacles had managed to break through in several places, but a quickly chanted healing spell from the cleric wiped any toxicity from his blood. Tallos was having better luck inflicting damage against the impressive opponent. A good number of arrows had powered through the healer¡¯s protective shield, feathered shafts marking successful attacks. Still, each new cast of healing magic from the dwarf was dispelling most of the damage the pair were inflicting. I needed to intervene and break the apparent stalemate. When my synaptic toxin spell slammed into the priest¡¯s body, it caused her to a moment¡¯s hesitation. Her wits stolen momentarily by the deleterious effects of the spell, Lowki was able to crash a barbed tentacle into the side of her neck. Blood and green poison mixed as the dwarf cursed, a hand yanking the quills out tearing bits of flesh along with it. The divine cleric called upon some instant ability or spell then. A wave of force blasted the giant cat ten feet back. Against single attacks, Lowki¡¯s displaced image typically caused enemy attacks to hit only empty air, but the ability did little against area of effect spells. No longer affronted by Lowki¡¯s savage harassment, the cleric wove her hands into complicated movements. Healing magic washed over her body, causing her body to glow. The energy remained, though it was slowly fading. This latest spell was a regenerative one unless I missed my guess. ¡°Damn it,¡± I muttered before starting another spell. I was going to land every single DoT I had at my disposal, layering detrimental effect after effect on the priest. With Tallos and Lowki, hopefully, our combined efforts would be enough to take down the remarkable dwarf. As my spell was completing, Ripley was sent rocketing past me, thrown away by some ability or attack from the battlelord. Heavy footfalls against plush carpet heralded the boss charging. He wasn¡¯t aligned towards Ripley, however. He was aiming directly for my priest minion, his heavy maul cocked back to remove that nuisance. Any hope for victory would be dashed if he was allowed to continue. This battle was quickly getting out of hand. Chapter 72 - Unrecognizable Arcane words calling my wyvern sting spell forth cascaded from my lips as my hands completed the needed gestures to bring the spell to life. Seeing the dwarven leader charging my minion, the undead healer brought back from death courtesy of my specialized undeath spell, I only had seconds to react. My damage over time spell targeting the regenerating enemy priest was nearly completed, so I decided to risk uttering the last few syllables before attempting to intervene with the boss. It was equally important to get some damage rolling against the enemy healer if Tallos and Lowki were going to be able to defeat the powerful spell caster. The battlelord was not overly quick as he made an approximation of a sprint towards our healer. Buram was bearing an incredibly heavy maul after all, as well as a complete set of plate armor minus a helmet, so was nowhere near as quick as any member of my party. Even as I completed my spell, I stepped to the side to interpose myself between the raging dwarf and his target. The moment the last syllable left my lips, I summoned Frostrend into my hands and moved towards the boss. My minion, while powerful in his own right, stood no chance against the charging enemy. Not only was the rushing dwarf a boss, he was also an elite which magnified his threat. I needed to buy time for Ripley to reengage. With a plan already firmly rooted in my mind, I closed the already shrinking distance between myself and the battlelord. He lived up to his class name, a Stonehammer Battlelord. His weapon could topple mountains, given enough time. In the boss¡¯s hands, the weapon looked to weigh no more than my axe did. Buram Barrelchest saw my intention clearly as I closed off his angle towards our party¡¯s healer. Seeming not to be bothered by my move, the boss stared gleefully at my lithe half-elven form. Compared to his wide and stocky body, my slender body looked entirely incapable of hindering his war maul in the slightest. He must have figured a single blow from the impressive weapon would put me down for good, regardless of whether I was a Hunter or not, thus allowing him to proceed against our healer afterward. I couldn¡¯t argue with his assessment, even with my empowered aegis, there was no way I could allow his attack to strike me. If the worst happened, I would still be blown away by such an impact. As the few remaining feet disappeared between us, Buram cocked his arm back for a mighty horizontal swing, aiming right for my midsection. There would be little room to dodge or evade the attack. Or, so it seemed. While it would be useless to dodge left or right, even backward, there was precious room beneath the weapon. Ducking at the last moment, I leaped into a forward roll. Hoping against hope the weapon wouldn¡¯t connect, I felt a mix of elation and primal terror as a rush of air passed over my tightly balled body. The blow hadn¡¯t connected! Springing to my feet in an instant, I found myself facing Buram¡¯s exposed back as he tugged mightily to halt his weapon¡¯s momentum. He was no fool. The battle-hardened commander knew where I was, so calling upon his staggering strength once more, Buram reversed his attack to bring it back around towards me. With the amount of mass the weapon possessed, it was still a struggle for the determined dwarf. Not hesitating for a moment, I yelled out an arcane word calling forth my roaring sweep skill which sent Frostrend slashing across the boss¡¯s flank. Hoping the stunning effect would affect an elite boss, my weapon blurred with incredible speed. If the stun would not take effect, I would be in a vulnerable position as the oversized maul careened towards me. Frostrend crashed into the dwarf¡¯s armor chest with staggering force, the wave of magical energy flowing in the attack''s wake to slam powerfully through his protective armor. Knowing the stun could fail to grab hold of the boss¡¯s corded muscles, I was already springing backward. My backward tumble was more panic-driven than graceful, as I rolled away, the carpeting only slightly reducing the impact on cold stone. Nonetheless, the move carried me well outside the boss¡¯s potential follow-up attack. As I reoriented on the dwarf, I saw my move would have been unnecessary. The mighty dwarf was locked rigid, his weapon still in peculiarly still, as if the boss had been turned to stone. Ripley, having regained her feet, came back in on the dwarf¡¯s opposite side, her sword unhindered as it attempted to cut deeply into the boss¡¯s thick neck. Ruined chain links shot outwards at the impact sight, signaling his undershirt armor was not magically enchanted. At least, not with durability strong enough to weather the carving weapon. Blood gushed out, but not in the arterial spray I had been hoping for. Ripley¡¯s attack had hurt the boss but was far from what was needed to finish the stocky dwarf off. Still, my stun had rooted firmly within Buram¡¯s body, and our enemy no effort to defend himself as Ripley layered on several additional savage attacks. In the quick second it took for the stun to wear off, Ripley used the opportunity to land several devastating wounds. She also positioned herself in between the fuming boss and his desired target behind her. With the immediate threat to our healer ended, at least for the moment, I shot a quick look toward the wizard hoping my fear spell was still working. It was. Reorienting on the enemy priest, who had two DoTs ticking away at his health, I started up a new spell casting as I created a little distance between me and the boss battle behind me. Combined with Tallos¡¯ lightning-fast attacks from his new bow and Lowki¡¯s harassing claws and poisoned barbs, the dwarven priest was finally showing damage. His healing spells, cast in between offensive swings of his enchanted mace, were no longer mitigating everything that was being done to him. My two DoTs had broken the stalemate. Free to narrow my focus solely on the dwarven priest, it was time to layer on even more of my damaging spells. ¡°This is where the fun begins¡­¡± I said with a smile tugging at the corner of my lips. Spell after spell flew from my lips in rapid succession. My fingers looked akin to a director overseeing an orchestra. Each new spell was enhanced by both my dual and quick casting skills to maximize my damage potential. Three, four, then five spells were all ticking away massive chunks of the priest¡¯s health. A few spells were resisted, but I didn¡¯t let it bother me. I simply recast them as soon as the spell was off cool down. In short order, every single DoT at my disposal was upon the now haggard-looking dwarf. Large impact tremors rang out behind me, no doubt from the boss attempting to turn Ripley into bone dust with his massive war maul. Her intact health pool in the corner of my vision gave me confidence she was managing the overpowering fighter. With her skill and footwork, I could only imagine how close some of those powerful attacks must have been, I was able to maintain my focus on Marharen. As I had been worried for our own healer, if we could drop the enemy¡¯s then we stood a good chance of walking away from this battle in victory. Marharen Hillstone, a priest in the service of a deity named Gias, understood he was in trouble. His spells, as powerful in restorative magic as they were, could not keep up with the ever-increasing pace of three foes focusing all of their efforts on him. Worse, whenever the special effect of synaptic toxin triggered, the priest¡¯s mind was shocked and lost the necessary focus to complete whatever spell he had been in the process of casting. Further, the spell¡¯s knowledge that had been so innately grounded in his mind seconds earlier disappeared as if it had evaporated. Leaving nothing behind for long seconds. Realizing his plight, Marharen attempted to move closer to his commander, hoping his ally would come to his aid. Back peddling, the priest tried to cast yet another spell, only for a spike of pain from synaptic toxin to temporarily steal away another of his most powerful healing spells. Cursing in the dwarven tongue, the priest grew desperate. His lifeline was withering and decaying, he could feel it being torn from his body in great agonizing bursts. Lowki¡¯s lightning-fast attacks were becoming difficult to dodge. Even still, the panicked dwarf risked turning his head with plans to shout for aid from his battlelord. In that precious moment of inattention, against the huge hunting panther, the move cost him dearly. He was blown off his feet as several hundred pounds of feline horror slammed into his side. Lowki had been biding his time, waiting for an opportune moment to pounce. His foe was skilled in combat and had armor capable of withstanding even his racking claws and barbed quills. The moment the dwarf turned his head, Lowki used every ounce of his considerable strength to launch himself through his enemy''s chest. The dwarven cleric was hefty in his own right, his center of gravity far lower to the ground courtesy of his short stature. Still, it couldn¡¯t compete with the sheer ferocity and magnitude of a quarter-ton panther crashing into him. The priest¡¯s shout of surprise from the unanticipated impact was so startling it threatened to steal attention from every other combatant in the spacious room. The pair tumbled across the carpeted room, all racking claws and flailing limbs. The priest attempted to use the tumbling momentum to throw off his attack, all the while Lowki latched on as his maw snaked forward looking for his target¡¯s most venerable flesh. The priest¡¯s shrill cry was snuffed out when Lowki¡¯s jaw found what he was looking for. His eye bulging in fright, the priest attempted to cast a powerful instant defensive spell as teeth clamped down on his neck. Panic exploded with the realization he couldn¡¯t speak the words necessary to enact the instant cast spell. Finding himself equally unable to draw breath, his eyes widened even further. The full weight of his position smothered his psyche like a tsunami wave crashing into a fragile homestead. Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. Unable to speak, scream, or cry for help, the priest vainly swung his fists against the sides of the cat¡¯s dark fur. Having lost his mace in the tumble, his fingers could do little to persuade his foe to release his crushing grip. Blackness began blotting the edges of his vision as Marharen''s struggles weakened. Lowki, knowing his foe would soon perish, closed his eyes against clawing dwarven fingers. Nothing would cause him to relinquish his death grip. With a final shudder, Marharen¡¯s body went slack, all strength disappearing as the last of his life was spent. Blackness descended as the dwarf¡¯s mind fell into fathomless darkness. Ensuring the vile dwarf would never rise again, Lowki violently twisted his neck muscles, eliciting a loud crack of a snapped spine. Finally, those predator jaws let go as the priest¡¯s body thudded against plush carpeting. Turning my attention back to Ripley and the dwarven boss for a moment, I quickly deduced that neither had been able to gain the upper hand against their foe, though Ripley bore more than one sign of cracked or splintered bone. Taking a few more seconds, I scanned the room for the enemy wizard. If he got free of my fear spell, he could start throwing meteors at us for all I knew. There! In the far corner of the room, the spell-slinging dwarf was crawling backward as fast as he could to create distance between himself and his phantom attackers. Believing Ripley and our undead cleric could continue their objective of stalling the boss long enough for us to take out the other dwarves, I shouted for Tallos and Lowki to help me finish off the frightened mage. Lowki sighted the dwarf, crouched low, and then sprung away his mouth agape, looking for another victim. Tallos lined a shot and started firing. As I wound through another DoT against the dwarf, I knew his fear shattered in only moments under our combined assault. Hopefully, he had little tricks up his sleeve to prevent a fate his divinely gifted friend had suffered. Then, it went all to shit. His battle with Ripley moving every which way, around and towards each other, Buram¡¯s eye caught the sight of his priestly friend as he lay awkwardly on the floor, his head twisted at an inhuman angle. How the boss screamed in fury at the sight! With speed that may have rivaled my roaring sweep special attack, Buram¡¯s gigantic war maul whistled in the air as it hammered toward Ripley. Her shield was no match for the raw strength his attack carried with it. Her arm crumpled under the impact and she was sent flying away once more. With the clattering of bone, Ripley slammed against the room¡¯s rocky wall, crumpling into a lifeless mess of crushed and broken bones. The incredible damage from the war maul, combined with impacting the wall, was enough to take Ripley out of the fight, her health pool finally emptying completely. What I took as a stalemate was, in actuality, far from it. I had failed to notice the large chunks of health tearing away from her health bar to only spike back upwards as restorative magic from our healer attempted to repair it. Our priest was able to mitigate much of the damage inflicted against Ripley¡¯s empowered skeletal body but was far from healing all of it. When I turned my attention to the frightened wizard, I failed to notice Ripley¡¯s health had been below fifty percent, and, with his likely empowered special attack, the boss had finally inflicted enough damage to demolish Ripley¡¯s skeletal body. Turning to the sound of snapping bones, I found myself out of position as the boss turned his fury once more to the undead priest who had been so vexing him. Boldly striding forward, his war maul began another deadly swing, aimed at returning death to the undead minion. Seeing the plight as it was unfolding, I raised my hand, calling my flintlock pistol into my grip. As if watching everything unfold in front of me in slow motion, I pulled the trigger as the war maul crashed towards the vulnerable dwarf. Though the impact of the bullet certainly stung as it pierced the back of the boss¡¯s plate armor, it did little in the way of hindering his shattering swing. It looked on in horror as our healer exploded like a bursting watermelon, chunks sent flying away in a gory mush. One moment he was standing there, his stubby fingers twinning through yet another healing or buff spell, and the next he was an unrecognizable mound of flesh, blood, and viscera splattering against the lush carpeting. Tallos oriented on the dangerous foe, who was now far too close for comfort and completely unobstructed by friendly allies. Still, he did not hesitate as he sighted an arrow at the elite boss. He recognized he was in a vulnerable position, likely about to face the same devastation that just took out two of his party members, but he had little he could do about it. I was several feet away and behind the dwarf, my penetrating shot nowhere near strong enough to steal back the boss¡¯s attention. It was clear the sight of a willowy ranger standing alone was too much for the battlelord to ignore. With a battle cry, the dwarf screamed at Tallos with as much hate and rage as his blocky frame could muster. In seconds, he intended on painting more of the carpet and unyielding stone with elven blood. Hoping Tallos would be able to use his ample agility to evade the soon-to-arrive mountainous attacks, I realized how important it was at that moment for me to grab the boss¡¯s attention away from my friend. Casting as quickly as I could manage, the words to my chained lightning spell sounded in the room¡¯s confines. I didn¡¯t care or consider for a second if the chaining effects of the spell could lash out against the feared wizard. Nothing mattered but saving Tallos¡¯ life. Perhaps, if I could stun the boss with the tremendous bolt of electricity, I could buy the ranger the time he needed to break away. Tallos and I both realized at the same moment that he had unknowingly cornered himself and had little room to work against the enraged battlelord. The same as I had done earlier, Tallos rolled underneath the battlelord¡¯s swinging maul and thankfully to similar results. I doubted the spiteful dwarf would fall it again though, as the words to my spell thundered from my lips. The spell finished, sending a bolt of dazzling electricity crashing away in a zigzagging arch to slam heavily into the back of the armored warrior. The bolt did not leap to a second target, the wizard outside the spell¡¯s chaining effect. Still, a large chunk of the boss¡¯s health was zapped away in an instant as the bolt bore through his body. Buram¡¯s muscles locked rigid for a moment and it looked for a moment like he was about to lose hold of his mighty weapon, but the boss was able to maintain his grip. The short-lived stun allowed Tallos to move away towards the center of the room, a good dozen feet from where I stood. As the boss turned to face the pair of us, I was already deep into another powerful casting. Thinking the boss would start another charge, I hoped to get one, perhaps two, spells before he got near. Silver dwarven eyes promised death as the boss lowered his head. Tallos, all the while, fired a nonstop string of arrows at the armored figure. Sadly, Buram¡¯s plate armor was doing a magnificent job of weathering the fierce barrage, doing a far better job than the former priest¡¯s magical protections had earlier. Boil blood, and wyvern sting both ravaged Buram¡¯s body as he boldly stepped forward. As the furious battlelord clamored forward, a crazy idea formed in my mind. My decision made, I started up a spell with a slightly longer cast time than the normal one second that my DoTs had. This would all come down to precise timing. Knowing the boss would not make another mistake of aiming his attack too high, I bent forward a little as if I intended to jump under the titanic swing once more. Arcane words were still rushing past my lips as I chanted when the magnificent weapon came arcing toward me. My prediction proved true, the swing coming in lower than before, as I put all my considerable strength and agility into leaping over the incoming attack. The boss saw my intent too late and attempted to correct my change in direction. Yet, the momentous attack that had so brutally stolen Ripley and my undead cleric¡¯s life, could not be easily redirected. The attack passed harmlessly beneath my tucked legs, as my leap propelled behind the dwarf. Never taking my eyes off the deadly foe, I chanted the final syllable of my spell mid-air as a bright bead of fire blossomed in my hands. A pea of fire sped away from my outstretched palms. In a blinding explosion of heat, fire, and light, my fireball detonated against the back of the dwarf¡¯s head. The potent detonation rocked the dwarf forward, slamming his head against the carpeted floor. The plush material helped only marginally against the blow as the boss¡¯s wits were momentarily stolen from face-planting. I was no more fortunate than the dwarf, however, being far too close for such an attack. It seemed like a good idea in the split second it had formed. The shockwave and burning conflagration sent me hurtling away, causing a line of fire and smoke to trail my uncoordinated flight. I crashed heavily more than a dozen feet away, though had enough wits to shield my head with my hands. My aegis had soaked up every drop of damage from the ruinous blast, taking a significant chunk of my mana along with it. Still, the fine magical barrier did little and was next to useless at dispelling the tremendous force imparted into my body. Damn, that hurt! I thought to myself as I regained my feet. The boss was only on his hands and knees at that point, having come out worse from our brief tango with hellfire. By the time he reached his feet entirely and turned around, another pair of DoTs, with a third on the way, crashed into his body. A half dozen types of energy ravaged the boss from the inside out, though his bearded face hardly showed the pain he must have been experiencing. Tallos continued taking shots at the protected warrior with several arrow shafts finally protruding between the small gaps between the boss¡¯s considerable armor. Tallos was two dozen feet away, but for a moment it seemed hardly enough. Buram turned his head to sneer at the agile elf causing a spike of alarm to well in my chest. The boss was not looking at me! My mind screamed that something incredibly bad was about to happen, and neither I nor Tallos was going to like it. The boss stalked forward his gigantic weapon held loosely in his brawny hands, as something in his body language hinted at a devious plot forming behind his hate-filled eyes. An arrow plinked off the boss¡¯s impressive armor, eliciting a wide smile showing from behind the dwarf¡¯s dark beard. He spoke a single word, causing arcane energy to thrum throughout the room, catching our complete attention. I had no idea what was about to happen, so I summoned my axe to my hand with the intent of throwing it to disrupt whatever special ability the boss just triggered. Buram beat me to it. In an instant, the muscles in his brawny arms budged to twice their size, making him look like some gross caricature of his former self. The boss twirled the weapon as if it was lighter than a feather even though it must have weighed several hundred pounds. With a quick thrust, Buram hurled the monstrosity of a weapon. Not at me, but in Tallos¡¯ direction! My eyes widened in terror. There was nothing I could hope to stop its disastrous flight. As if watching in slow motion, I tracked the weapon as it approached the fragile archer who was even then trying to get out of its way. Nothing we could bring to bear had any possible hope of withstanding such a savage and overpowering attack, certainly not a willowy ranger who probably weighed less than a quarter of what the war maul did. Someone screamed, though I couldn¡¯t tell if it was me, or Tallos. Perhaps it had been both of us as an avalanche bore towards the meek-looking archer. Chapter 73 - You wont take him! ¡°No!¡± the word threatened to tear something deep within my core as it hammered out of my chest in defiance. Tallos had no chance of surviving such a brutal attack if it hit him full-on. Ripley hadn¡¯t been able to, my undead minion certainly didn¡¯t. If such a furious assault struck me and my aegis, I¡¯d likely be left broken on the floor with nothing in my mana tank. There was nothing I could do. The idea of throwing Frostrend was wasted as it would accomplish little now with the boss¡¯s massive weapon closing the distance with frightening speed. Time seemed to slow as I witnessed the colossal hammer fly through the air. The panic of soon seeing a mangled and unrecognizable friend was almost too much to bear. The war maul connected with something moments before it slammed against the stone wall on the far side of the room. Stone splinters exploded outwards from the impact, gravel showering across a nearby table and the carpet below. The heavy maul crashed to the ground a second later with a stifled thud. Then I saw what became of my friend. Tallos managed to leap away from the direct path of the projectile but had not been able to evade it entirely. The war maul slammed inches below his knee as he dove to the side. When it struck, his body was flung away as if he had been turned into a grotesque elf-sized helicopter seed. Crunching bone rang clear across the room as arrows from Tallos¡¯ quivers were thrown in a chaotic shower around him. His limp body came to an awkward stop atop the room¡¯s carpeting, bunching up underneath him from the violent collision. My eyes shot up to my party interface. Tallos was alive, though barely. He had a string of debuffs, several of which looked like snapped and shattered bones. His health bar barely had a drop of red in it. Unless the ranger received immediate care, he could die in a matter of seconds. His legs had not been torn away by the incredible force of the blow, but he likely had some internal bleeding based on one of the debuffs I spied which looked like dripping blood. With time of the utmost importance, I dared not take a moment to determine precisely what the debuff meant. My hands wove through the air as I quickly cast my minor regeneration, forcing the words out of my mouth as fast as humanly possible. The arcane language caught the attention of the dwarf boss, who was even then turning around to face me, a wicked grin plastered across his ugly mug. Something in his expression shouted that Tallos¡¯ predicament was punishment for the fate of his priestly friend. My spell completed, healing magic surging from me to the broken elf. I knew it had no chance of repairing shattered or splintered bone, but it should keep my friend alive. Tallos, when he woke, would likely be in incredible agony and have no way to contribute to this fight. It was better than the alternative. ¡°You¡¯re going to pay for that!¡± I screamed at my grinning foe. Buram hardly seemed to care as he sent a malevolent wink in my direction. We stared daggers etched in hatred towards one another. Then, the elite dwarf turned around and moved toward the downed elf. He was going to snuff out Tallos¡¯ life completely! Oh, no you don¡¯t! I thought as armored boots carried the boss further away from me. The moment Buram turned, I settled on my next spell and dual cast it while glaring at the retreating dwarf¡¯s back. Eat this! An arc of blazing electricity discharged from between my upraised palms. It snaked in the air as if alive before crashing between the dwarf¡¯s shoulder blades. I hadn¡¯t closed my eyes as the spell had completed, not wanting to take my eyes away from the battlelord¡¯s murderous charge at my helpless friend. Though the light shot pain through my mind from the intense burst of light, my eyes had been growing accustomed to the blue glow of the numerous flaming torches lining the spacious room allowing me to power through it. Thus, I was keenly aware when the chained lightning secondary effect happened, slicing another bolt of lightning from the boss toward an unseen target outside of my vision. It could only have leaped to the dwarven magus I had feared earlier. I didn¡¯t have time to consider the implications as I witnessed Buram¡¯s crash forward, bowled head over heels from the tremendous force imparted to his body by the spell when it connected with his gleaming breastplate. A shrill cry of panic lanced through my chest as the boss¡¯s flailing body crashed over my unmoving friend. There was no coordination or malice in his movements, though the impact no doubt caused further injury to the lithe elf. Like some lifeless doll, the Tallos was blown forcefully away. The boss, his momentum carrying him forward, brought him closer to where his weapon lay on the floor. A feline roar from far across the room nearly caused me to flinch at its ferocity, but I could ill afford to turn my attention away. If the wizard had been woken, a likely event with the amount of direct damage my dual-cast chained lightning spell was capable of doing, Lowki would need to handle the spell casting dwarf on his own, at least for now. I had to bring down the elite boss, otherwise he would end my unconscious friend¡¯s life as easily as stepping on a handful of grapes. Buram was picking himself off the floor as more of my spells crashed into his body as quickly as I could cast them. In short order, every single DoT I knew was eating away at his body and life force. Hell, I even took a moment to cast my weakest spell, minor acidic bolt, just to edge out as much damage as I could lay upon the armored elite. Every single minuscule amount of damage inflicted would be necessary if I were to stand any chance against the impressive dwarf. The boss threw his head side to side, clearing away any lingering cobwebs from his tumble caused by my lightning attack. He had a hand on a knee as my final spell entered his wilting body. Buram looked in front of him, to where his heavy weapon lay, before coming to his feet. He moved uncaring of the spells wracking his body as he moved to retrieve his dastardly war maul. Buram had seven damage over time spells scything away large chunks of his health, though his body language showed none of the intense pain he must be experiencing. Synaptic toxin, wyvern sting, ignite bones, arrested affliction, soul leech, boil blood, and acidic bolt each scorched the boss¡¯s innards. There was only a single DoT not affecting the warrior as the dwarf belt to retrieve his massive maul, my poisoned breath attack. An image from the end of my battle with the minotaur chief blazed through my mind and I knew what I needed to do. I charged forward, needing to close the distance to less than fifteen feet if this was going to work. A cry of agony from Tallos threatened to stop me short, but I had to ignore my friend¡¯s plight, or the boss would finish us both off. Close enough, I halted my momentum as the final word of power escaped my lips. Taking in a great breath of air, my chest expanding to its limits, I exhaled right as Buram turned around. Green vapor blasted from my mouth as the spell¡¯s energy crashed over the stocky dwarf, covering him completely. The gas hit the wall behind him, causing it to ripple outwards, some rebounding to encapsulate the dwarf with even more of the gas. Buram reflexively coughed as the poisonous fumes saturated his lungs. My plan was hardly finished though. An explosion, like a grenade violently detonating, sounded from far behind me though I kept my focus locked on the hacking dwarf. The wizard was back into the fight, that was clear from whatever spell he had triggered, and if I didn¡¯t handle the boss soon only Lowki would be there to stop him from creating another reign of fire over our heads once more. First things, first, I thought as a malevolent grin spread across my face. Before my poisonous fumes could begin to dissipate, I brought both palms up level to Buram¡¯s face. His eyes squinted towards me through the vapor, a curious expression crinkling his bearded face as he failed to comprehend what was to come. When twin gouts of roaring flame burst towards him, his eyes went wide. An inferno bloomed towards the suddenly worried boss. As the flames licked the outer edge of the emerald gas, it was as if a portal to hell had been torn open. Faster than either of our minds could register, the vapor ignited into a blazing conflagration of sweltering heat and gnawing flames. As if a miniature atomic bomb had detonated, a firestorm exploded with devastating power. Though I was fortunate not to be in the gas as it ignited, I was nonetheless blasted backward to once more trail of fire and smoke as I was thrown away. Whatever damage my mana barrier had absorbed, I had only been on the edge of the mighty explosion, the elite boss was smack dab in the middle of it. With the wall at his back, a greater density of the green vapor clung close to his body thus increasing the concussive blast he experienced. My ears were ringing. My nose was satiated with the stink of sulfur and acrid smoke, though it was thankfully fast dissipating as I regained my feet. I wasn¡¯t finished. I couldn¡¯t let up until I was certain the dwarf was defeated. Holding my hands close to my chest as if I were cradling a newborn sun, I put all my effort and will into another dual casting. Mystical words were forced as quickly as I dared as green smoke began to clear. Not wanting to be thrown backward again, I backpedaled a few extra feet to create more space between the imposing dwarf. Manifesting the final syllable of my spell, I thrust my hands forward as if tossing a meteor at my enemy. A burning ball of fire rocketed away at incredible speed. Before connecting with the kneeling dwarf, who raised his head right as the spell was about to connect, I spied ravaged dwarven flesh pot marked with angry blisters. Wherever Buram lacked armor, namely his neck, and face, scorch skin was visible. Then my fireball detonated. A loud, sharp boom echoed throughout the room. The deafening roar threatened to steal my hearing as close as I was though I paid it little care. I wasn¡¯t finished. I needed to wait a pair of seconds for my next planned spell to become available once more. My mind screamed inside my head as I was forced to wait. Every single DoT was tearing away at the Buram¡¯s insides so there was no sense to cast any upon him. I was also out of range for my flamethrower spell, so I had to wait. Finally, the cool down elapsed and I chanted the words to chained lightning. My fingers danced in the air in sharp, tightly focused gestures. After the one second cast time, the spell discharged. The boss was sitting on the floor, his back against the wall as a massive bolt of lightning streaked away from my hands. A brilliant flash of light showed that all the carpeting and furniture near where Buram rested had been completely destroyed. This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. A thick bolt of lightning twisted unerringly through the air before slamming into Buram¡¯s disorientated face. Like earlier, the magic of the spell caused a secondary bolt to leap off to the side going for the wizard once more. A red glow permeated that side of the room, though I dared not take my focus off the boss, even for a moment. When the lingering afterimage of the dazzling light finally disappeared from my vision, a smoking, unmoving body could be seen lying on the cold floor. Buram, the magnificent dwarven battlelord, was dead. Every inch of his exposed skin was blackened and burnt; his face was no longer recognizable, and his beard had been completely burned away. Before turning my attention away, dwarven eye sockets looked up at me sightlessly. His eyes had been completely destroyed. The sharp sound of a released bowstring captured my attention. Turning around, I caught sight of Tallos. He was propped up on a stool, an elbow resting heavily upon it to stabilize himself. He had retrieved his enchanted bow and was committed to resuming his powerful attacks against the final remaining foe. Tallos¡¯ calves were coated in blood and his boots were mangled with one foot twisted at an unnatural angle. He must have been in excruciating pain as he braced himself enough to draw back his bowstring to launch an empowered arrow at the wizard at the far end of the room. Tallos, severely injured, was determined to finish the fight. As his latest arrow sped toward the magus, a shimmering globe of amber flame sprung into existence just before the attack could land. Since I had last laid eyes on the wizard, he must have been able to get at least one defensive spell up to protect himself. At our distance, I couldn¡¯t tell if Tallos¡¯ arrow had been halted by the protective barrier. It hardly seemed to matter to the wizard who was deep into spell casting of his own in response. The thought of throwing a fireball at the mage entered my mind but was quickly dismissed. This enemy was a fire specialist and I suspected my spell would do little against him. He was clearly more skilled in that type of magic than I was. My chained lightning was on its long ten-second cool down once more, so I needed to try something else. The protective barrier summoned by Tallos¡¯ attack sparked something in my memory. I had a weapon capable of blasting through such defenses. Summoning my flintlock pistol to my hand, I sighted down the weapon¡¯s barrel and pulled the trigger. It bucked in my hand as an empowered bullet capable of defeating magical and non-magical protections thundered at the distant mage. Quickly returning the pistol to my inventory, I moved to my tried-and-true damage over time spells. The wizard had a few ticking away at his health, so I thought it a great idea to layer even more upon the fool. As the words to boiling blood raced from my lips, I finally caught sight of a smoking form crawling towards the wizard. It was Lowki. His back legs were hidden from my sight as he crawled over bunched mounds of carpeting, ever inching toward his target. Sadly, one tentacle was also completely missing. Whatever the wizard had done to him, it had nearly taken his life. Yet, the determined panther was single-minded and focused on felling his opponent. He kept on fighting. Arantrud Warcoat, a brimstone magus, lived up to his class name as another galaxy of burning pitch was summoned over our heads. The wizard raised his hands over his head in large sweeping gestures as if summoning a tornado. The swirling flames covered our half of the room as large droplets of flame began forming, many looking to be moments away from streaking towards us. Unfortunately, my pistol shot hadn¡¯t interrupted the obviously talent magician as he summoned his hellfire. As globes of burning liquid started falling from the ceiling, I layered spell after spell upon the mage. Some spells were resisted, though most bypassed his magical defenses courtesy of my scent of decay that was still affecting the powerful spell caster. As soon as I could recast a failed spell, I did. We were in a race to see whose attacks would finish off the other. Unfortunately for Tallos and me, the balls of flame seemed to have a homing feature, adjusting mid-fall to land on each of us where we stood. Attempting to dodge did little to avoid the liquid fire. It was as if we were large magnets, calling the tiny globes towards our bodies. Each drop that landed left a scorching hot substance in its wake. When the first crashed over my shoulder, intense heat tore at my own potent defenses. No pain filtered through my body, though each new globe brought with it an ever-increasing damage over time effect as well. My eyes flicked to a burning debuff icon that was steadily ticking higher, marking how many stacks of the DoT I accrued. Tallos was in a similar predicament, but he was not as fortunate as I to have a protective enchantment to shield him from the pain. His health bar had been partially restored by my earlier regeneration spell but was now in a swift descent as more balls of pitch landed on his now crumpled body. He screamed in agony as the flames through armor, flesh, and into his muscles beneath. No longer capable of holding himself up, he collapsed to the floor. The stool he had been using to prompt himself up had burst into flames, intercepting one of the balls of fire trying to strike his vulnerable body. If I didn¡¯t get to him fast, the stacked damaging effect from the wizard¡¯s spell would quickly crease his ineffectual struggles to shelter his body from the rain of fire. I had no way of knowing how much health the damnable wizard still had. My mind threatened to devolve into panic as Tallos¡¯ screams grew louder in my ears, to only begin to dim as his consciousness, perhaps his life, was burned away. Hoping it would be enough to end the threat, I put all my effort into rushing a final enhanced chained lightning. In less than a second, the magnificent bolt rocketed away to crash into the wizard¡¯s robed figure. Not confirming the kill, I turned my attention to Tallos lest he be devoured by the flames tearing through his body. All the while, Lowki never took his eyes off his target. He hadn¡¯t paused his slow advance. Finally, the great cat was close enough, just a foot away from his prey¡¯s booted feet. Arantrud must have thought the great cat had been finished off earlier, or he simply didn¡¯t care. The magus¡¯ attention was completely locked in on continuing his channeled blazing galaxy spell. Mustering what remaining strength he had within the stubs of his ruined legs, Lowki pounced at the wizard¡¯s knees. He simply couldn¡¯t jump any higher. Serrated claws extended to shred robes and the vulnerable flesh beneath into ribbons. His remaining barbed tentacle slammed hard against the side of Arantrud¡¯s face. The fierce wizard had his wits and his spell stolen as he was buried beneath tearing talons and piercing quills. My heart ached deep inside my chest as I stumbled closer to my friend¡¯s unmoving body. My eyes caught Stella¡¯s tiny canine form lying gently atop Tallos¡¯ chest. She was so small I hadn¡¯t noticed her until now. Stella was resting her forehead against Tallos¡¯ chest as sobs wracked her small body. No, no, no! Crossing the remaining distance in an instant, I crashed beside Tallos. Whole sections of his leather armor were burnt away showing bright red and blistered skin underneath. His typical joyful expression was still¡­ motionless. He wasn¡¯t breathing! Tears formed in the corner of my eyes as the realization of the unthinkable played out in front of me. I had to do something, anything! This couldn¡¯t happen! Without another thought, other than to heal my friend, my fingers moved in the air as I dual cast two restorative spells simultaneously. The possibility of Tallos never rising again threatening to collapse my universe in upon itself, rational thought frantically devolving into chaos. Like casting off a burning cloak, I tossed that fear into the darkest recesses of my mind. I was not about to entertain such a grim thought, even if a part of me knew he was already gone. I would do anything to help my friend breathe again. My hands worked in a blur, each moving separately from the other. Words to two different spells were breathed forth in a seemingly chaotic mix, every other word sounding wholly unlike the previous. Minor regeneration flared life giving energy in my left hand. Cure poison, corruption, and disease gathered motes of power in my right. Though his body wasn¡¯t moving, the flames from the wicked wizard¡¯s spell were still tearing ghastly holes in Tallos¡¯ body. The devastating spell cast by the dwarven mage had left Tallos in a terrifying state. Burned and blackened clothes clung to his body, whole sections missing from his chest, shoulder, and mid-section. Horrible blisters cracked and oozed bright blood. His wounds seemed to stare at me accusingly as if passing blame upon me for not stopping the wizard sooner. My tear-filled eyes were wide with dread as my two spells completed. Two different types of healing magic formed around my glowing hands. It crackled with tightly compact energy as I placed one hand above Tallos¡¯ heart, and the other over his burned stomach. I closed my eyes and willed my spells to restore my friend, even if it meant calling him back from the land of the dead. A tidal wave rushed from my chest, down my arms, before blasting into Tallos¡¯ body in a torrent of power through my outstretched hands. ¡°No,¡± the word was uttered past my quivering lips, panic warring a fierce battle in my chest. It felt like a thousand tornados raced across the core of my being, leaving in their wake only destruction. I focused my power, willing it to come ever on. I pushed, more. More power, everything I could into my dying friend. ¡°You won''t take him!¡± Power flowed out, my mana dropping like a lake before a burst dam. Energy crashed into Tallos, diving deep into his scorched flesh. Without consciously realizing it, both of my spells were being channeled, pulling at the deepest regions of my core for every mote of power. My eyes were tightly shut against the onrush. Thus, I wasn¡¯t able to see what effect, if any, my magic had on my friend. I compelled my core to do more, to do the impossible, as the torrent rushed passed my trembling hands. Only Stella could witness my efforts, her wet eyes wide as I continued feeding mana into my spells. A slight color of jade rushed between my fingers to encapsulate Tallos¡¯ entire body. There it met resistance, an unseeable barrier dividing the living from the dead. It was blocking my healing magic from passing into Tallos¡¯ body. With each passing second, as I relentlessly called forth more healing magic, the glow grew brighter until his body was no longer visible as a green cocoon was called into being. The magic swirled across his body as it vibrated and hummed with potential energy, far more than his body could hope to contain even if he had been alive. The magic brought forth contracted, attempting to pass through the invisible barrier. Death would not allow such restorative magic to take hold. My merciless will commanded it to do otherwise. I would not yield. I would give my very life if necessary. Finally, something relented. Death surrendered as new magic, never before seen in this world, was shaped by my focused will. ¡°Xaz¡­¡± a soft canine voice tinged with amazement sounded near me, though I barely heard it such was my focus. Everything I had was narrowed to a single point in space and time. An eternity passed in an instant. Unending tranquility breached my consciousness, encompassing every ounce of my existence. Then the floodgate truly opened as my core unlocked. My sphere of power, twisting lightning and frosted vapor dancing with energy across its glossy surface, released everything it had remaining. My power responded to inundate my veins, my muscles, every fiber of my body standing between me and the body my hands clutched in despair. My consciousness dimmed as my core emptied the last vestiges of energy. Before my consciousness faded, a notification flared brightly in the center of my vision. White, bold letters stood against an unending blackness of unconsciousness. The message was the most welcome words I had ever seen. Brilliant white letters told me the only thing I needed to know at that moment. Before I graciously passed into oblivion, the notification brought a smile to my exhausted lips. Congratulations! New Spell Unlocked: [Revivification]! Chapter 74 - Darkness Receeds Awareness slowly trickled back into my unconscious mind. It felt like I had been oblivious, roaming an unending field of darkness, for an untold number of days. The oppression pressing down on my thoughts was finally beginning to lift. At first, it was like an ocean¡¯s worth of water crushing me from all directions, with bits of consciousness slipping past at the pace of a trickling tap. No matter how hard I tried, my eyelids felt glued shut. All nearby sound, something I was only now beginning to hear, was too muffled to comprehend. It was as if everything my ears could detect were behind a mile of sound-dampening fabric. The feeling of being completely drained was overwhelming. I feared never regaining the strength to move so much as a finger. My thoughts moved at a sludge pace, coherent ideas splattering against hard surfaces. One thing breached the molasses wolfing at my consciousness though. It was a soft feminine voice. It was Stella. I knew her name and her voice was achingly distant yet ever-tugging at the dim recesses of my mind. She was calling my name, but¡­ what was my name? Though her words had no meaning I could hold on to, the intent was clear, even in my addled state. Stella was calling me back from the extreme depths overwhelming my awareness¡ªbit by bit, flashes of images from recent events sliced at the edge of my consciousness. There had been a fierce battle and great loss. I lost the memory as another wave of blackness crashed over me. ¡°Xaz,¡± the voice called out again an untold time later. ¡°Xaz¡­¡± That was me, my name! Like attempting to lift a hundred-pound weight holding my eyes shut, I tried with all my might to force them open. There, was a flash of red and a black shape hovering close to my face. It was Stella, her long snout and ebony face creased with worry, with apprehension. Yet, as my eyes slowly peeled open, those emotions turned to relief, to joy. My lips moved to speak, though all I could do was burble a few incoherent sounds. ¡°That¡¯s it,¡± my friend¡¯s void gently called out, hoping against hope to pull me through a fathomless depth and back into awareness. ¡°You¡¯re okay, Xaz. Come back to us.¡± The feeling of cold, unyielding, jagged force pressed into my back. It sapped at my body¡¯s warmth. It was hard stone. My thoughts aligned enough for me to recall the last few moments of desperate struggle against dwarven foes, and the despair of the life of a noble friend passing into an unending night of his own. ¡°Stella,¡± I mumbled, finally able to move my lips and breathe enough to form a single word. Darkness threatened to pull me back, as if I had spent a lifetime locked away in a dungeon not willing to let me go. I centered myself, my thoughts demanding me to be released. The icy fingers of oblivion retreated. I only had a single concern, a question needing to be answered. ¡°Is Tallos¡­ alive?¡± Stella responded and hope was rekindled. ¡°Tallos is alive.¡± A long breath escaped my lips as a wave of relief flooded through me. My friend had survived. My distressed attempt had succeeded, somehow. Whatever I did in those last few seconds, before blackness took hold, had been enough. Long moments passed before I could keep my eyes open. Stella had been saying something, but I had not been able to concentrate enough to comprehend her words. Her worried face softened as my gaze focused on her once more. ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± she said. ¡°Take your time getting your bearings. When you¡¯re ready, I¡¯ll let you know what¡¯s happened.¡± ¡°How long have I been out,¡± I asked, my words seeming to be dripping with hardening maple syrup. ¡°You¡¯ve been out for half a day,¡± Stella replied. ¡°Tallos is still unconscious though.¡± Half a day, I supposed it wasn¡¯t too bad, all things considered. From my perspective, it felt far longer so hearing it was 12 hours or so I could deal with. Tallos¡¯ condition concerned me, though Stella had no apprehension when she relayed the information so I didn¡¯t press the matter. Strength was slowly filling my limbs and I was able to begin moving my fingers and toes, albeit with great effort. Something in the corner of my vision was blinking, attempting to grab my attention, though I didn¡¯t have the mental fortitude to pull up anything yet. Stella¡¯s calm expression dominated my vision as she hovered close to my face. It was as if she was trying to peer into my eyes to verify how alert I was. She realized that I realized how close she was, so smiled lightheartedly before floating a short distance away. An armored skeletal body at the edge of my vision had me turning my head in its direction. Ripley was standing there, sword hanging from her belt sheath and her kite shield resting across her back. She had been reconstituted while I had been out of it, her thick corded bands of dark energy hinting underneath her plate armor. Her gaze moved across the room, back and forth, ever wary of potential threats. No, we were not in a room, I realized. We were in a cave passageway, a red glow glinting off roughly hewn rocky surfaces. My mind tried to comprehend the meaning of the wavering flickers of ruby-tinted light. Where we last were, the elite dwarven room, there had not been any magma fissures. The last time we saw hints of the flowing lava was back in the gigantic mushroom cavern and the tunnels leading up to it. I propped myself to my elbows and sought to make sense of my surroundings. Lowki came into view as I turned my head back and forth, looking for any clues to where we were. The large panther, his barbed tentacles undulating around him lazily, was facing the opposite tunnel Ripley¡¯s raptor-like gaze guarded. Looking back to my skeletal minion, I noticed Tallos¡¯ unmoving form at her feet, resting against the cave wall. His eyes were closed and his chest inflated at regular intervals. Stella had followed my gaze and spoke up. ¡°Ripley has been carrying the two of you over her shoulder since we left the dwarf command room. When we noticed you were coming around, she laid you both on the floor.¡± ¡°Why did we leave,¡± I asked, my grogginess fully dispelled, though I still struggled to command my lower torso to move properly. Slowly, but surely, I would be walking upright in no time. ¡°I thought we defeated them all?¡± ¡°We did. All three were dispatched, though when you didn¡¯t wake right away, we worried about reinforcements showing up,¡± she replied, her eyes downcast, with a concerned look across her canine features. ¡°When Ripley was re-summoned, I had her check out the only other door in the room. We needed to know where it led. It opened to one of the travel node rooms and nothing else. The silvern was pitch black, so we knew the teleportation couldn¡¯t be used. Sadly, we had no idea how long it would be down, but it posed a risk if it turned back on before you woke. I thought it was too much of a risk to leave it alone while you and Tallos were down.¡± She shuffled her feet side to side in the air before sitting down. Nothing was underneath her but air which always amazed me. ¡°You did the right thing,¡± I said in an attempt to relieve the tension. She was worried I might be upset with what she did. ¡°We knew more dwarves were going to show up and it would have been too much of a risk to leave it there while only you, Ripley, and Lowki were around.¡± At the thought of Lowki, I turned his way again. The last I saw him, his back legs had been horribly wounded and he had to drag himself across carpeting to finish off the dwarf wizard. Looking at him now though, Lowki looked to be a full health. Not so much as a drop of blood stained his dark fur. Glancing at the party window, Lowki¡¯s health pool was completely full, and not a single debuff was indicated there. Before passing out, he certainly had some broken, or even shattered, legs. ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re looking better, Lowki,¡± I said to the magnificent cat. ¡°Thanks for helping finish off that bastard of a wizard.¡± Lowki grinned razor-sharp alabaster teeth in response. Had I not known the panther so well, it may have been intimidating, but I found it endearing. I returned my attention to Stella as I sought more information as to what she and Ripley did after finding another node room. ¡°So, did you do like we talked about? Did you set off those explosive ballista bolt things?¡± ¡°We did,¡± Stella replied, confidence once more returning to her previously uncertain face. ¡°Even though you were unconscious, I still had access to your inventory. With my guidance, Ripley wrapped the travel node column with a good amount of the stuff and we rigged up a simple fuse. We were plenty far away when it detonated.¡± Stella continued without missing a beat, ¡°And, before you ask, we looted everything we could from the three dwarves, even those crates lining part of the room. We can look at what we picked up later, but for now, we should reactivate the transport node just over there and get back to the city. Something about what Buram said worries me. It was as if he wasn¡¯t concerned when we lied about destroying the node connecting to the silver mine under Mammoth. If you recall, he said something about having more than one node as an avenue to use against the city.¡± If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. ¡°Yeah, I remember that,¡± I said with a large exhale. ¡°Maybe he was bluffing like we were, but we shouldn¡¯t tarry any longer. We need to get back and warn the city. You and Ripley did the right thing. Thank you.¡± My thoughts returned to Tallos. He didn¡¯t so much as twitch a muscle since I noticed him. ¡°Any idea when he¡¯ll wake up?¡± ¡°He has a comatose debuff,¡± Stella replied as she shifted in the air. My eyes shot to the party interface one more and confirmed a debuff was beside his nameplate. Stella¡¯s apprehensive expression returned as continued. ¡°There¡¯s no timer on it so we have no way of knowing when he¡¯ll wake.¡± ¡°Will he?¡± I asked, my words etched heavy with dread. If I only saved his life to leave him in a vegetative state¡­ I couldn¡¯t bear the thought. ¡°I believe he will, it will simply take some time,¡± Stella replied before turning her gaze back to me. ¡°What you did back there¡­ nothing like that, to my knowledge, should be possible in starter worlds. It could be something available in later words, but it''s unheard of. I¡¯m glad Tallos is alive, don¡¯t get me wrong, but what you did shouldn¡¯t have worked.¡± Stella waved a paw in the air and a notification I had only partially seen before passing out reappeared. Congratulations! New Spell Unlocked: [Revivification]! [Revivification]. Calling upon every available drop of magical strength, the caster is able to return the recently deceased target to life. The power necessary to cast this spell goes well beyond any normal spell casting. Once used, the caster will have the ability to cast spells locked out a period of twenty-four hours as the caster¡¯s core replenishes itself. Additionally, casting this spell will cause the caster to fall into a comatose state for twelve hours as a result of their core being completely drained. Cost: 100% of the caster¡¯s available mana, minimum 5,000 mana. Cast Time: 60 seconds. Cool down: 7 days. Every five spell levels reduces the comatose state by 1 hour and forty-three minutes, and spell lock-out time by 3 hours. Note - The likelihood of the recently deceased returning to life through the use of this spell decreases as more time passes from the moment of death, starting at a 100% if cast within the first minute, and decreasing by 15% each additional minute thereafter. ¡°Well, that explains a few things,¡± I said after reading the message several times over. ¡°No spells for twenty-four hours hurts, but I won¡¯t be complaining since it brought Tallos back. This spell leaves me and whoever it¡¯s used on in a very vulnerable state for a significantly long time, so it¡¯s not something to be used unless we¡¯re in a completely safe area.¡± ¡°I doubt we¡¯ll find ourselves someone ¡®completely safe¡¯ if the need arises to use this spell,¡± Stella said as she floated over to check on our elven friend¡¯s condition. Tallos was breathing slowly as if merely sleeping. ¡°It also needs to be used as quickly as possible, otherwise the odds of it working plummet with each passing minute. Still, I¡¯m glad the System responded to your¡­ Well, whatever you did. Tallos wouldn¡¯t be here otherwise. I had thought we had lost him forever, but you brought him back.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s actually get us somewhere safe,¡± I said, eyeing the tunnel around us. We were in the wide lava tubes back from when we first teleported to this area many hours ago. The flickering glow washing the area in red seemed contradictory to the oppressive heat once more wafting around us. The subway-like tunnel we rested in was stiflingly hot, causing sweat to run profusely down my skin. ¡°Can I even activate the first node if I don¡¯t have access to my spells?¡± I asked as returned to my full height. A thin layer of blackish residue clung to my clothes, so I worked to brush myself off. I was a bit wobbly at first, but with each second my sense of balance grew stronger. ¡°You can,¡± Stella replied as she looked to Ripley before nodding at her. Our tall friend bent low and picked up the unconscious Tallos, gently guiding his limp body to lay over her shoulder. ¡°It only requires mana to activate, which you have plenty of thanks to your normal regeneration.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s get out of here then,¡± I said before leading our group down the short side passage to the densely packed node room. Walking into the spherical room, as expected, we found it blazing with silvery light which marked it ready for use. The previously overbearing heat vanished as if it never existed. Without waiting another moment, I placed a hand on the glowing pillar and willed it to activate. Would you like to activate this travel junction at the cost of 1,851 mana? Yes/No. Note ¨C When used, this junction cannot be activated again for six hours as the conduit recharges. Selecting ¡®yes,¡¯ a rush of magic flowed out from my core, through my palm, and into the silver column. The only difference this time was a slight bit of pain that shot through me, though I attributed it to not having access to spells. Still, as fast as a blinking eye, I found myself standing in a nearly identical room. I was back in the silver mine under the city of Mammoth. Pausing a moment, I cringed while waiting for a slight tremor of the earth, or a hint of an explosion, which could signify an attack on the city far over our heads. Hoping against hope, I strained my ears. Thankfully, nothing but the soft hum from the silvern around me could be detected. Perhaps we were too deep to hear anything, I mused internally. Hopefully, the dwarven leader had been overplaying his hand and there was no other way for them to attack the city. Stella journeyed with me through the silvern node riding atop my shoulder and Ripley, Tallos slung over her shoulder, appeared a moment later. Lowki appeared another after that to crouch beside us. We all shared a look, silently confirming everyone was ready to carry on. We exited the small chamber, returning to the silvery-lit tunnels. Using my map interface, I guided us along the correct path back to the surface. No one spoke so after several minutes we trudged on. Finally, I allowed the blinking notifications to appear in my vision. We had some time before we reached the surface so maybe I had gained another level which could help if there was a whirlwind of a battle raging miles above our heads. Experience Awarded: Silvern Priest of Gias (Level 30) Experience Awarded: Stonehammer Battlelord (Level 30 ¨C Elite Boss) Experience Awarded: Brimstone Magus (Level 30) Quest Update ¨C ¡°Mystery in the Mines.¡± Objective One: Secure the release of Mage Marrek. COMPLETED. Objective Two: Investigate the local silver mine and identify the cause of villager Corm¡¯s demise. COMPLETED Objective Three: Eliminate the Subversive Silvern Dwarf threat posed to strike against the citizens of Mammoth. 46 of 46. COMPLETED. Objective Four: (Revealed) Finish off the remaining Silvern Dwarf leadership. 3 of 3. COMPLETED Objective Five: (Uncovered) Eliminate the Silvern Dwarf¡¯s ability to wage a surprise raid against the city of Mammoth. Destroy Silvern Travel Node, 1 of 1. COMPLETED Rewards: Variable. Experience, at least one rare magical item, and a significant increase in reputation. Calculating rewards, please stand by¡­ Notice! Quest rewards have been increased for having a party size substantially smaller and an average of 7 levels lower than the enemy force. You have earned 22,500 experience (Base 15,000). Congratulations! You have earned an additional quest reward, plus 25 to all attributes. Dexterity Threshold Reached (50). Benefits: Plus 14% increased accuracy with all ranged attacks (including spells), skills, and abilities (up from 10%). Plus 7% chance to score a critical hit, attack speed, and ability to dodge incoming attacks (up from 5%). Constitution Threshold Reached (100). Effect(s): Each new point into Constitution now grants 35 health (up from 30). Intelligence Threshold Reached (250). Benefits: Each new point into intelligence now grants 50 mana (up from 35). Charisma Threshold Reached (100). Benefits: Non-hostile creatures and people are 20% more likely to offer a hidden quest or divulge additional information during interactions (up from 15%). You are also 20% more likely to persuade someone during those conversations (up from 15%) Congratulations! You have earned an ¡®Epic¡¯ reward appropriate to your skills and/or class. This item has automatically been added to your inventory. Your reputation with the city, Mammoth, has substantially increased for eliminating the dire threat the Silvern Dwarves represented. Level Up! You have earned enough experience to advance to level 23. Tier 3 class characteristic attributes have been applied. You have 7 attribute points to distribute. Fight well, Hunter! As a Wraith, please know you will be able to choose a new skill or spell when you reach level 24, level 26, and level 28. When level 30 is achieved, your tier 4 class will become available. Notice! Skill and Spell increase messages have been condensed. Skill: [Axes] has increased to level 18. Spell: [Lesser Boil Blood] has increased to level 17. Spell: [Lesser Soul Leech] has increased to level 16. Spell: [Lesser Necrotic Aura] (Pet) has increased to 15. Skill: [Dual Cast] has increased to level 15. Spell: [Lesser Arrested Affliction] has increased to level 15. Spell: [Lesser Fireball] has increased to level 14. Spell: [Chained Lightning] has increased to level 14. Spell: [Undeath] has increased to level 13. Skill: [Quick Cast] has increased to level 13. Spell: [Lesser Ignite Bones] has increased to level 13. Spell: [Lesser Poisoned Breath] has increased to level 12. Spell: [Lesser Wyvern Sting] has increased to level 12. Skill: [Roaring Sweep] has increased to level 12. Skill: [Firearms] has increased to level 11. Spell: [Lesser Cure Poison, Corruption, and Disease] has increased to level 8. Spell: [Lesser Invoke Terror] has increased to level 8. Spell: [Shadows of the Void] has increased to level 8. Skill: [Channeling] has increased to level 8. It took me several long minutes to get through all the System notifications. The changes were massive, further enhancing both my survivability and abilities. Nearly every single skill and spell had jumped several levels each. What caught my attention most of all, however, was the ¡®epic¡¯ item awarded. The only other epic items I had were my incredible axe, Frostrend, and my remarkable flintlock pistol. With trepidation and high hopes, I peered into my inventory screen and sorted the items by rarity. There it was. ¡°Wait. What?¡± I asked, my voice laced with bewilderment. ¡°Is this a... mask?¡± Stella chuckled for what felt like the first time, in a very long time. Chapter 75 - Thankful Stella was still laughing as I shot her a flat stare. She stifled what was left so I returned my attention to the epic mask sitting near the top of my sorted inventory screen. ¡°Not sure what was so funny¡­¡± I started to say, but Stella pitched forward, coming closer, as she interrupted. ¡°No way were you expecting a mask, ha! The look on your face was priceless,¡± she said with a laborious grin. ¡°Thanks for that!¡± Rolling my eyes, I did my best to ignore Stella¡¯s excited state. Still, I was happy my friend¡¯s mood had shifted from her broody, doom and gloom from earlier. Shaking my head a little, I willed my newest item to appear in my hands. In an instant, as if it had always been there, appeared an interesting leather mask. The material was thin like a roll of parchment and had a stiff molded shape. Turning the tan leather in hand, the mask reminded me like it was a cheap hockey mask. I didn¡¯t instill confidence in its epic status just by looking at it. The leather was smooth and supple. A rich appealing scent permeated which reminded me of sweet hickory run over freshly cut grass. Bearing only a pair of eye holes, there were none of the expected nose or moth slit to allow easier breathing. A part of me worried I would feel claustrophobic while wearing it. It looked entirely uncomfortable. Continuing my visual inspection, the back of the mask was just as plain and unadorned. Further, a bit of confusion entered my thoughts when I discovered no way to hold the mask to my face. There were no straps, nothing to tie the piece of leather to hold it in place. Not seeing anything else of note, I paused. The leather was¡­ shifting? It was as if the rigid material was adjusting itself in small, miniscule ways. ¡°It¡¯s adjusting itself. Wow, I think it¡¯s form-fitting itself to my face,¡± I said with some wonderment as I renewed my inspection. Though it would fit tightly against my face, the smooth texture devoid of texture unless you were within inches from the leather, the mask would make it impossible for anyone to identify the person wearing it even though it would fit me perfectly. In a way, it reminded me of a certain shapeshifter from Star Trek, smooth and emotionless. The thought wasn¡¯t altogether appealing unless I intended hide my appearance. It wasn¡¯t necessary as my cloak already had an enchantment that would shroud my face in darkness. Moving past how plain-looking the mask was, I asked Stella an important question that needed an answer. ¡°How does it stay on? If I put it on, it looks like it¡¯s going to fall off. Nothing is holding it in place.¡± ¡°I doubt it would fall off so easily, it¡¯s a magical item after all,¡± Stella offered. Her pleased grin morphed into a supportive one as if she had become a tiny, floating teacher. ¡°When you place it over your face, I¡¯m confident it will secure itself completely. You should inspect its description, it¡¯s a pretty nice reward.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t look comfortable to wear, at all,¡± I uttered in disappointment before willing the item description to appear. Perhaps the magical properties of the mask would make up for its meager appearance. {Mask of the Shrouded Seeker}. Treated from the hide of the elusive Tracerhound, this impossibly thin mask enhances the user''s ability to remain undetected, as well as enhancing perception skills like a predator stalking its prey. Quality: Exceptional. Rarity: Epic. Type: Leather. Slot: Face. Durability: 15,000/15,000 Armor: 15. Effect(s): Plus 20 Dexterity, 10 Constitution, and 10 Intelligence. Plus 10 levels in Stealth and Tracking, up to the current level of the user. Plus enhanced sight and sense of smell. Secondary Effect(s): The user¡¯s scent is wholly masked. Creatures relying on scent to find prey will be incapable of detecting the user. Additionally, magic and non-magical means of detection and tracking are blocked, up to enhanced tier spells and skills. Note - When worn, the user can elect to have this item become invisible. In either state, the user¡¯s sight and other senses will be unimpeded. ¡°Well, I¡¯m glad for that. I doubt I¡¯ll ever make it visible,¡± I said, moving the mask close to my face. It slipped over my features and, as if pulled by a magnet, seemed to snap in place. At first, I expected the leather to feel uncomfortable like I actually was wearing a hockey mask. Instead, the smooth texture belied the stiffness felt earlier. The mask was perfectly form-fitted. When I smiled, the material moved with my skin and cheeks. Though I could not see it anymore, with a brief desire of will, I opted for the leather to disappear from sight. Pressing my fingers first to the bridge of my nose, then my temples and forehead, I found no evidence the item was there. Nothing impeded the light touch of my fingers across my skin. At the same time, I got the sense I could remove the mask with a simple thought. I did just that, the leather popping off my face to easily snap back in place a second later at my command. ¡°Nice,¡± I said as a flood of energy rushed into my body. It radiated from my face to quickly encompass my entire body, like stepping into a cool spring. In a moment, the sensation abated, though the power it imparted remained. I felt lighter on my feet and, as I looked to the rough, uneven rock all around us, I was better able to pick up tiny details from everything around us. Checking my character sheet, my tracking skills had doubled, jumping from ten to twenty, and my stealth skill was listed at a maximum of twenty-three. Peering next at my attributes, the small increases from the mask to my dexterity, constitution, and intelligence, I was reminded of the seven points to distribute from my level gain. Luck was only two points away from reaching the hundred-point threshold, so it was easy enough to place two there. For the remaining five, I debated placing them in either strength, dexterity, or wisdom. None had reached the same threshold that I was hoping to get sooner rather than later. Considering I was mostly a spell cast who liked to dabble in melee combat, I figured it best if I would use the points with the attribute to capitalize on my strengths. ¡°Wisdom,¡± I said confidently. Stella knew exactly what I was referring to as she was capable of viewing the same window I was. ¡°Let¡¯s get it to one hundred as soon as we can. We have a ton of mana, so I¡¯m thinking we work to improve the other side of the coin.¡± Stella nodded along with my words, ¡°Mana regeneration. I¡¯m curious to see what the next threshold is too.¡± Unless we picked up another item that increased my wisdom, it would be at least two levels before reaching such a lofty number. I was about to dive deeper into my inventory, on the lookout for the loot from the dwarf leadership team, but a sound from nearby instantly grabbed my attention. Tallos was stirring! I locked in my attribute point selection, causing a System notification to appear a split second later. Luck Threshold Reached (100). Benefits: Plus 25% increased chance to find hidden treasures and extra rewards (up from 20%). Ripley was the first to sense Tallos regaining consciousness, she was already in the process of lying him down gently. A couple of swift steps brought me next to them as I swiped away my last notification. Tallos moved a hand against the rocky floor underneath him to hold himself upright. The move caused a wince of pain to flash across his face. His free hand shot to cradle his head as if he was plagued by a sudden migraine. ¡°Tallos, are you okay?¡± I asked, my words at first hopeful, but turned to worry. I didn¡¯t like seeing friends in pain. Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. Stella floated near, resting a paw atop Tallos¡¯ shoulder as she peered concerned at her friend. ¡°Tallos?¡± she asked. ¡°Anything we can do to help? Only a stifled grunt came from the lean elf, though his movements were becoming less sluggish by the moment. ¡°He¡¯s probably feeling like I did,¡± I offered to the group, hoping that was the case. He had been the focus of my first revivification spell, so perhaps there were some unknown side effects. ¡°It may take him a few minutes before he¡¯s feeling alright.¡± Though we were likely free of danger, nothing had shown up so far on our trek to the surface, Tallos¡¯ vulnerable state reminded me danger could always be lurking nearby. My head swiveled to Ripley, and then to Lowki. ¡°Please stand guard on either end of this tunnel,¡± I told my loyal companions. ¡°We don¡¯t want anything sneaking up on us while Stella and I help Tallos get back on his feet.¡± Without hesitation, Ripley moved a dozen feet down the tunnel, her sword and shield held protectively in front of her as a bounding Lowki moved in the opposite direction. The great cat hunkered down, using a natural outcropping of stone to hide his body from sight. We would get plenty of warning if anything approached from either direction. My attention returned to my friend, who was beginning to open his eyes. As Stella and I waited patiently, Tallos grew more present with each passing moment. It wasn¡¯t long before his elven eyes locked first onto me, before moving to Stella¡¯s tiny form. ¡°What happened,¡± he asked, finally able to form the words as the lingering remnants of unconsciousness receded. ¡°The last thing I remember was something burning my body.¡± I hesitated for a moment, unsure of how to explain to our friend he had died back in the boss fight, only for me to revive him moments later. Stella beat me to it as I was contemplating what to say. ¡°You¡­ didn¡¯t make it,¡± she said with some reluctance. ¡°Thankfully, you were not too far gone and Xaz was able to revive you.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t make it?¡± Tallos asked in a disbelieving tone. ¡°How can that be? I feel¡­ well not fine, but fine enough. I¡¯m groggy as all hell but feeling better with each breath.¡± ¡°That last dwarf, the wizard,¡± I started, my tone soft and empathetic. ¡°His spell was too much. Lowki and I finished him off but not before he¡­ killed you.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t remember dying,¡± Tallos confessed, his face marked with confusion. ¡°All I remember was falling unconscious then¡­¡± Tallos tilted his head and closed his eyes as if trying to remember a distant memory. ¡°Something tugging at me. Well, not me, but a part of me. I can¡¯t really describe it, but I get the sense I was being asked to come back.¡± Stella glided closer to the distraught Tallos, resting a hand against his cheek. ¡°We¡¯re so sorry for what happened. I am grateful Xaz was able to bring you back.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of such a thing,¡± Tallos responded, his brow creased tightly in contemplation. ¡°Neither did we,¡± Stella said. ¡°I wasn¡¯t aware such a thing could be done, not in this world at least. When Xaz saw you, he refused to let you go. He did, something. He put everything he had into keeping you with us. The System, thankfully, responded. I still hardly believe it. He brought you back.¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m glad for it,¡± Tallos said, releasing a great sigh. He pinched the bridge of his nose. ¡°That battle was a tough one. If not for my bow, I doubt I would have accomplished much against their magical protections.¡± Tallos looked around himself as if searching for something. Knowing what he was looking for, I pulled his bow and pair of quivers from my inventory and handed them to him. With practiced ease, Tallos reaffixed the quivers. One hung at his hip, the other high over his shoulder. With our help, he regained his feet. ¡°If you need more time, we can take it slow,¡± I offered. ¡°We¡¯re back in the silver mines below the city.¡± ¡°I think I¡¯ll be good in just another minute,¡± Tallos said as he brushed himself off, small pebbles ticking off hard stone. ¡°What happened with the dwarves after I fell?¡± Stella pipped up, her cheery demeanor returning. ¡°We demolished a silvern node behind the commander¡¯s room, then we came back through the teleport node leading back to the mines. We¡¯ve been a little worried the city may still have fallen under attack, so have been trudging our way back there.¡± ¡°You think the city is still in danger?¡± Tallos asked as he twisted his body in a few light stretches, removing any stiffness that had developed while he was unconscious. When he finished, I recalled Lowki and, as a group, we carried on. The darkness of the cave proved no match to our collective Darkvision. ¡°We think it could be a possibility,¡± I answered simply, before elaborating further. ¡°The dwarf battlelord mentioned something about possibly having more than one route to the city. Hopefully, it was all bluster, but we can¡¯t ignore it. Part of me wishes we had somewhat to warn the city, way back when we first discovered the dwarves were planning an ambush.¡± ¡°We need to be careful,¡± Stella added. ¡°Unfortunately, Xaz doesn¡¯t have access to any of his spells for at least another half day.¡± Tallos shot her a questioning look as she continued. ¡°The spell he learned to revive you has some side effects.¡± ¡°For something so powerful, I find I am not surprised,¡± he said with raised eyebrows, a slight bit of awe in his voice. As we walked, I kept an ear out to detect even the slightest indication of explosions going off over our heads. So far, only our footsteps and the occasional splatter of distant dripping water could be detected. ¡°If they are under attack, I still have my normal abilities and this,¡± I said hefting Frostrend. Tiny bolts of electricity played across its surface as I was no longer willing the weapon to hide the impressive spectacle. ¡°With you back in shape, your keen shots can do much to help the city if need be.¡± Stella grimaced though didn¡¯t say anything at first. Eventually, she spoke her thoughts. ¡°If they are under attack, we need to be extremely careful. No spells mean no healing. Also, no DoTs, and no way to significantly impact an enormous battle. You¡¯re powerful, Xaz, but you¡¯re no top-of-the-line fighter.¡± ¡°We won¡¯t rush in without thought,¡± I said, reaching out a hand to place it over her disheartened shoulders. ¡°Still, if they need our help, I intend to give it. We¡¯ll be smart about it, I promise. I may not be an expert, but with my aegis, I have an essential health pool of over thirteen thousand. That would make up for my¡­ inexperience, as you call it.¡± ¡°All I¡¯m saying,¡± Stella said in a rush before looking at Tallos. ¡°We need to be very careful. We can¡¯t afford to lose anyone else.¡± I too looked at our recently returned friend. He had died, so was it right to ask him to jump right into another one? I needed to pose him that question. ¡°Tallos, you went through something, an ordeal, unlike anything you ever faced,¡± I said, keeping my eyes on the lean elf. ¡°You don¡¯t need to join us. You¡¯ve already given so much and it nearly cost you everything.¡± Tallos mulled my words over in his mind. When he finally spoke, his tone was flat, carrying none of the normal optimism we had come to know. ¡°I don¡¯t know what I want, yet. A part of me is still coming to terms with learning what happened back there. I once told you I owed you a life debt, now it seems I owe you another.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t owe me anything,¡± I stated with as much confidence as I could spare. ¡°Consider any debt fulfilled, paid in full.¡± Stella looked back and forth between the two of us as silence came over our small group. ¡°For right now, I¡¯m with you, the same as always,¡± Tallos said at last. ¡°Let¡¯s do whatever we need to do if the people above us are in need. Then, after that, I see no reason to not continue with you all, at least until we reach the elven city to the east. I¡¯ll have plenty of time to think about my place in all of this. For now, I¡¯m right here beside you.¡± Stella smiled before resting on his shoulder in support of whatever Tallos decided. I rested a hand lightly on the ranger¡¯s shoulder. ¡°We¡¯re glad for it,¡± I stated with sincerity. ¡°Whatever you decide, we¡¯ll support you.¡± ¡°Yes, we most certainly will,¡± Stella quickly added. Tallos bobbed his head in acknowledgment, an easy smile on his lips. We pressed onward through the ever-twisting tunnels with me and Ripley leading while Lowki brought up the rear. Silence once more settled as we each worked through our complicated emotions. I felt guilt for my quest against Duke nearly costing Tallos his life. True, I brought him back, but it didn¡¯t diminish what happened. Doubt intertwined in my stomach, right alongside my guilt. Perhaps I should have refused him accompanying us after we settled the Minotaur business. Tallos stated he owed me a life debt, and I went along with the notion, even though I never saw it that way. In the end, Tallos was my friend, and we enjoyed his companionship. If he decided to walk his own path, we would support it. Of that, I was certain. Yes, he would be missed, but I was truthful when I said he owed me nothing. We were getting close to the main entryway of the silver mines. Thankfully, there was no still sign anything was amiss. No tremors rocked the stone beneath our feet. No debris fell on our heads in the wake of a rushing army. I could only hope the lack of evidence was because the city carried on uneventfully and unawares above us, and not because a thousand tons of rock shielded us from sensing the city was about to, or already had, fallen. Chapter 76 - Loot and New Set Bonuses! Knowing the mine entrance was only a short jaunt away, and Tallos was no longer slung helplessly over Ripley¡¯s shoulder, I decided to inspect the loot Stella picked up from the boss fight. Even though I was knocked out from using my revival spell, she had thankfully still been able to pick up what would soon become some very nice upgrades for me and Ripley. I was pleasantly surprised to find only a few items from the hearty foes were unusable. Anything carrying the toxic silvern taint could only be worn by a Silvern Dwarf, so were effectively useless to us. Trying to wear one would instantly tear at skin and melt away our health pools in short order. Those noxious items may find a place and use one day, but not in the present. Ignoring the small handful of useless items, I couldn¡¯t hold back a smile as I peered at the mountain of gear remaining. They were definite upgrades, to be sure. All of the battlelord¡¯s gear would go to Ripley. Each had a significant amount of strength, constitution, health, stamina, and armor compared to her current smattering of gear. Sure, she would look exactly like the dwarf in our fight, but he did look awesome in his gleaming silver armor. The overall increase to her damage potential, attributes, and defenses was going to be noteworthy. Buram Barrelchest really had been a tank! You received {Battlelord¡¯s Dreadnought Reberace} (Arms). You received {Battlelord¡¯s Dreadnought Cuirass} (Chest). You received {Battlelord¡¯s Dreadnought Sabaton} (Feet). You received {Battlelord¡¯s Dreadnought Gauntlets} (Hands). You received {Battlelord¡¯s Dreadnought Greaves} (Legs). You received {Battlelord¡¯s Dreadnought Pauldrons} (Shoulders). You received {Battlelord¡¯s Dreadnought Girdle} (Waist). Looking over her side of the loot, I was about to pause our group''s steady march to the surface and pass Ripley the gear, but I elected not to. It would take time to equip each individual piece and I wanted to know as soon as possible if the city was under attack. Thinking on the possibility had my guts twisting inside my stomach. I felt nauseous, though I maintained my outward fa?ade stoic. Realization struck, I could swap the gear to her instantly without having to go through the cumbersome process of unbuckling and re-buckling her gear. Instead, I could instantly swap out each item using her character sheet, the same as I could do for myself. Nah, I¡¯m not going to tell anyone about this, I thought to myself, but then the hair on the back of my neck stood on end. I turned to find the source of my unease. Panning to the left, Stella was floating next to Ripley. She was staring straight at me, her head cocked to the side and an eyebrow raised incredulously. God damn it, Stella, I roughly said to myself as I quickly turned away. She knew exactly the inner interplay which had played out in my mind. She knew, of course, whenever I was using my System menus so must have guessed my intention when I had hesitated in moving Ripley¡¯s new gear over. Looking straight ahead, I held my breath, expecting at any moment for her to poke fun at my expense. It never came, thankfully, so I returned my attention to Ripley¡¯s new armor set. Battlelord¡¯s Dreadnought - Armor Set Bonus. (3): Health and Stamina increased by 1,200. (4): Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution increased by 40. (6): Plus 25% armor value for each piece. Plus 15% additional damage with all melee-related attacks, skills, and abilities. Swapping out the final piece of gear, I looked to Ripley to see how she looked in her new armament. As I had suspected, each magically enchanted piece of plate armor grew in size automatically to match her much larger frame when compared to the short and stocky dwarven. Each section was pristinely polished like sterling silver, accented by gold filigree adding to the impressive display. Had we been in light, I knew the metal would bear a slight sparkle to it, the same I recalled from when we first looked upon the battlelord boss. Ripley¡¯s dark tendons and muscles grew noticeably as the gear¡¯s magical properties took hold, giving her something akin to a bodybuilder body. She grew a pair of inches taller as her main attributes skyrocketed. Already towering over everyone in the party, she was much more imposing to look upon. Before, her mismatched gear gave trivial bonuses to strength, dexterity, and constitution, usually ranging between one or two points. Every single piece from the boss had added ten points to all three, as well as seventy-five health. Looking at her character screen, her role as our party¡¯s defender got a whole lot better. Sure, she had to bend and twist her long, muscular body whenever we moved through a particularly cramped or short section of the mine, but it was so worth it.
Ripley (Enhanced Skeletal Minion)
Level: 23 Experience N/A
Race: Undead Stance: Defensive
Armor Class: 551
Statistics
Health 10,491 HP Regen: 221/min
Mana N/A
Stamina 2,380 Stamina Regen: 218/min
Attributes
Strength: 216 Dexterity: 187
Constitution: 221 Intelligence: 9
Charisma: 2 Wisdom 9
Luck 46
Resistances
Poison 100% Piercing 50% Slashing 50%
Crushing -25% Spells 50%
The next set was made up of mostly leather armor, with a single chainmail shirt taken from the body of the Silvern Priest of Gias, Marharen Hillstone. As anticipated, it was decked out to enhance healing, total mana, intelligence, and a particular emphasis on boosting wisdom. It was no wonder why the priest was able to cast as many healing spells as he had in our prolonged battle. For now, I kept each piece in my inventory window. I wouldn¡¯t equip anything just yet since I would pick and choose between the healing set or the wizards. Perhaps it would be a combination of the two. Thinking of the priest from our chaotic engagement, my mind¡¯s eye pictured his studded leather armor ensemble and his green-tinted chainmail tunic. It wasn¡¯t a fond memory. Wearing his set would, regrettably, be a step down from my samurai-like attire, but upgrades were too much to ignore. You received {Vicar¡¯s Convalescence Vambraces} (Arms). You received {Vicar¡¯s Convalescence Chainmail Tunic} (Chest). You received {Vicar¡¯s Convalescence Carbatinae} (Feet). You received {Vicar¡¯s Convalescence Fingerless Gloves} (Hands). You received {Vicar¡¯s Convalescence Trousers} (Legs). You received {Vicar¡¯s Convalescence Spaulder} (Shoulders). You received {Vicar¡¯s Convalescence Balteus} (Waist). Similar to the battlelord¡¯s armor, each leather piece on the priest¡¯s gear had impressive stats focusing on intelligence, wisdom, and mana. On average, every piece provided ten intelligence, fifteen wisdom, and a hundred points of mana. It was such an improvement to the majority of my current gear, outshining the now meager benefits from my blazeweave set. Still, I wanted to wait until I saw the wizard¡¯s set before making any decisions. Before moving on, I reviewed the bonus provided by the vicar¡¯s set. Vicar¡¯s Convalescence - Armor Set Bonus. (3 pieces): Mana increased by 2,400. (4 pieces): Constitution, Intelligence, and Wisdom increased by 40. (6 pieces): Direct healing spells now create an additional short-lived regenerative effect, healing an additional 25% over 18 seconds. Plus 15% mana regeneration, increasing to 30% when not in combat. While the six-piece effect would be nice, it wasn¡¯t too beneficial for me considering nearly all of my spells were damage over time in nature. Stella flew over to and was reviewing the same information. ¡°Alright,¡± I crooned quietly. ¡°Time to see what the wizard had.¡± ¡°Probably extra firepower,¡± Stella stated flippantly. ¡°You know, since he was a fire mage?¡± ¡°Uh-huh,¡± I replied idly with a slight shake of my head. ¡°He was that obvious to you, wasn¡¯t he?¡± Before she could reply, I pulled up the System screen, cutting Stella¡¯s response off before she could utter it. You received {Catalyst¡¯s Conflagration Sleeves} (Arms). You received {Catalyst¡¯s Conflagration Chiton} (Chest). You received {Catalyst¡¯s Conflagration Calceus} (Feet). You received {Catalyst¡¯s Conflagration Manicae} (Hands). You received {Catalyst¡¯s Conflagration Breeches} (Legs). You received {Catalyst¡¯s Conflagration Shawl} (Shoulders). The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. You received {Catalyst¡¯s Conflagration Cingulum} (Waist). Every piece from the wizard set was made of cloth, no surprise there. Unlike the battlelord¡¯s dreadnought and the vicar¡¯s convalescence sets, which bolstered the user''s attribute and resource pools, each piece of the catalyst¡¯s set contained a small increase in fire damage instead. Five percent wasn¡¯t much on a single item, but all seven had this bonus which would add up. A thirty-five percent jump in fire damage would be incredible if I solely relied on this type for my damage. I lamented what I would be able to do with a set uniquely focused on my go-to damage over time spells. The extra fire damage did come at a small cost to the attributes provided by each piece. On average, each item boosted intelligence by fifteen points, wisdom by ten, and only provided fifty mana. It was a noticeable difference compared to the priest gear which gave twice as much. Still, everything was an upgrade to what I was currently wearing. My eyes widened as I moved to the set bonus from wearing at least six of the seven piece set. Catalyst¡¯s Conflagration - Armor Set Bonus. (3 pieces): Mana increased by 2,400. (4 pieces): Intelligence, Wisdom, and Luck increased by 40. (6 pieces): Direct damage fire spells deal an additional 35% damage. Plus 5% spell haste. If I mostly used fire spells, I would have equipped the entire set right then and there. As it was, the final bonus would only impact my fireball and flamethrower spells. Worse, flamethrower was only ¡®minor¡¯ tier and would likely become unreliable to use compare to my other harder-hitting spells. Looking down at my clothes, I ran a finger down one of the many folds of my blazeweave kimono. The material was silky smooth and had a pleasant dark red hue contrasted with silver trim. I thoroughly enjoyed how I looked wearing my blazeweave set, but it was time for a change. Before taking one last glance at the reliable stuff, I pulled up my current set armor bonus to see what I would be losing. Aratar¡¯s Blazeweave {Set Armor Bonus} (3 pieces): MP increased by 300. (4 pieces): Intelligence increased by 30. (6 pieces): {Doom, Doom, Doom!} All of your damaging abilities and spells now have a slight chance of summoning a fire imp who will fight on your behalf for 30 seconds. The fire imp¡¯s level will be set at your current level plus 5 (maximum 30). Note - only a single imp can be summoned by this effect at a time. However, if the effect is triggered while an imp is already present, the currently summoned imp¡¯s timer will be reset. I had to chuckle after reading the final set bonus. The fire imp had only been summoned a single time in all the battles I had fought since acquiring it. While the little creature packed quite a wallop, I wouldn¡¯t shed a tear when losing the unique effect. Perhaps only fire-type spells could trigger the effect, I mused to myself, but it didn¡¯t matter anymore when looking at the substantial gains I would receive by replacing it. The question facing me now, was how many pieces of each set did I want to wear? After some inward deliberation, I turned to Stella. ¡°I¡¯m thinking of wearing four pieces from the conflagration set, getting the third and four set bonus, and then three pieces from the priest¡¯s gear to get its additional twenty-four hundred mana,¡± I shared in a tone suggestion room for an open debate with my floating companion. ¡°Seems a good decision. What three pieces from the wizard¡¯s set are you thinking of not using?¡± Stella asked. ¡°Well, for starters, the fingerless gloves, for sure,¡± I said easily. ¡°I don¡¯t fancy wearing cloth gloves that look to go up my entire arm. Then, probably the carbatin¡­ caba¡­¡± I grunted. ¡°The leather shoes! ¡°With some of the rough terrain we¡¯ve walk over,¡± I stated, panning my eyes around the rocky landscape around us. ¡°I think I¡¯d be more comfortable in those than some soft-soled cloth shoes. After that¡­¡± I paused, tapping a finger to the side of my head, considering my final choice. ¡°Either, the leather shoulders, or the leather belt. What do you think?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll look good in the gloves for sure so that one¡¯s easy,¡± Stella responded as she pressed her hands together. She was enjoying this as much as I was. ¡°The shoes too are a good choice. So, hmm¡­ I might have an easier time resting on leather armored shoulder pads, but I¡¯m worried how it will look on you. I¡¯m feeling it will look out of place with the mage garb.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± I said, eyeing the spaulder¡¯s icon and to the toga-like robe back and forth. The short-sleeved chiton reminded me of something a Roman senator would wear. I doubt it would look appealing with a single leather shoulder hanging off on one side. ¡°Let¡¯s go with the leather belt then and make it easy. That good with you?¡± ¡°It is,¡± Stella replied with a grin. ¡°I can¡¯t wait, go ahead and put it all on.¡± Without another word, I used my character sheet and inventory screen, quickly picking up each of the seven pieces of new armor we selected. One by one, a garment would fade from my body for a brief moment, only to quickly shimmer into existence to replace it. Changing clothes was a cakewalk with how my Hunter menu¡¯s worked. One second I was a garnet samurai, looking to be one step away from putting on his battle armor, to the next where I was a scrupulous Roman senator ready to sling spells while clad in dark robes with the barest hint of gold trim at the bottom. ¡°How do I look?¡± I asked, turning back and forth. A moment after asking, I had to close my eyes against the rush of new attributes flooding into my body. My mind sharpened and it felt easier to focus on anything happening around me. ¡°You look good,¡± Stella said with a low whistle. ¡°Oh, nice! Check out your character sheet, those are some hefty enhancements!¡± Waving a hand through the air, I centered my character sheet before us. Stella wasn¡¯t kidding.
Xaz the Hunter Killer II Accelerator: S.T.E.L.L.A.
Level: 23 Experience: 262,949
Race: Half-Elf Tier I: Necromancer
Armor Class: 261 Tier II: Warlock
Tier III: Wraith
Reputation
Views: 4,522,126 Followers 904,328
Statistics
Health 3,650 Health Regen: 128/min
Mana 18,050 Mana Regen: 906/min
Stamina 1,190 Stam. Regen: 90/min
Attributes
Strength: 78 Dexterity: 84
Constitution: 120 Intelligence: 339
Charisma: 105 Wisdom 229*
Luck 144
Resistances
Stun 100% Magic +37%
Mind Altering +100% Disease +5%
Traits Abilities
"Mind & Matter" Darkvision
"Exalted Acceleration" Clear Headed II
Adaptability Spell Strike (Necromancer)
Keen Senses Empowered Aegis
Wraith Form
¡°Whoa,¡± was all I could muster for a few seconds as my eyes scanned the significant changes. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure my total mana just doubled. Nice! My wisdom crossed over the one-hundred-point mark. Actually, well over that threshold.¡± Noticing an asterisk next to the attribute, I mentally clicked on the mark fully expecting the message to come. Wisdom Threshold Reached (100). Benefits: Plus 13% (up from 11%) increased mana regeneration and magical resistances. ¡°Soon, you¡¯ll be getting close to the two-fifty threshold,¡± Stella said as she nodded her head in satisfaction. ¡°It¡¯s probably alright you just put five points from your level there. It may not be a bad idea to reach for the next threshold with how high your mana is now.¡± ¡°We may not need to wait,¡± I said as my eyes returned to my inventory screen. ¡°We still have quite a bit of loot to go through. We¡¯ve got their weapons, sadly the warrior¡¯s war maul carries the silvern toxicity so is basically worthless unless we want to sell it. There¡¯s a shield, some jewelry including the extraordinary silver tiara the wizard had, a cadre of wands, several potions, and, from the look of it, a few spell tomes. With the right choices, I¡¯m betting we¡¯ll cross this threshold in short order.¡± As I spoke, Tallos turned to appraise my new look. ¡°Quite striking there, Xaz,¡± he said appreciatively. ¡°You look like a wizened individual which people would be foolish to overlook.¡± ¡°Thanks, bud,¡± I beamed in reply to his compliment. ¡°I¡¯m going to miss looking like a samurai, but am not disappointed.¡± We hadn¡¯t paused in our steady hike through the narrow tunnels, but Tallos came nearer to me and Stella as we made the final approach to the surface. The rail under our feet caught me here and there, with my attention focused on the screens in front of me. Tallos couldn¡¯t see any of those screens, yet his interest in our discussions was nonetheless written across his face. In a way, it felt like having a friend who never played a video game a day in his life yet was jumping at the first opportunity to learn more about them. ¡°So, what do we want to look at first?¡± I asked, my question primarily focused on Tallos while also leaving the window open for Stella if she wanted to add anything. A glance at my mini-map confirmed we had at least another fifteen minutes before we reached the mine¡¯s entry chamber. ¡°I¡¯m curious the bonus you¡¯ll receive when your wisdom reaches the threshold you mentioned, so I would advocate to peruse their jewelry next,¡± Tallos offered. Glancing at Stella, she bobbed her head in agreement. ¡°Jewelry it is,¡± I affirmed, sorting my screen to show only those pieces. ¡°Between the three dwarves, there are ten rings, a silver tiara, two necklaces, and¡­ one earring.¡± ¡°I remember the gaudy tiara the wizard had on his brow,¡± Tallos sneered. ¡°It looked awkward over his mean-spirited face.¡± At his words, I opened the same tiara¡¯s item description. It was something to behold. {Magian Tiara of Twin Cast}. Fashioned through a complicated mingling of ordinary silver and subterranean silvern ore, this metallic coronet has been enhanced to allow a single spell to be instantly duplicated. Enemies beware as the replicated spell loses none of its original potency. Quality: Superb. Rarity: Epic. Type: Cloth. Slot: Head. Armor: 3. Durability 4,159/5,000. Effect(s): Plus 20 Intelligence, and 10 Wisdom. Secondary Effect(s): Once per hour, the caster is able to duplicate a recently cast direct damage spell for 0 mana. The cast time is instantaneous and new target(s) can be selected for the new duplicated spell. Note ¨C This effect must be triggered within 5 seconds of the original spell¡¯s casting. ¡°Well, this is certainly replacing my old necromancer¡¯s hood, for sure,¡± I trilled, swapping the two items out without hesitation. ¡°I¡¯m really only losing a ten percent damage increase for Ripley and Lowki, but this more than makes up for it. I also won¡¯t be able to hide my face in shadows anymore, but I rarely use its secondary effect anyway. If the need ever comes up, I¡¯ll simply use my new mask instead to hide my identity.¡± ¡°Looks better on you than the damnable wizard,¡± Tallos huffed. ¡°The rings and necklaces are pretty basic,¡± I said a moment later after perusing each one by one. ¡°They have a mixture of strength and constitution, strength and dexterity, and wisdom and intelligence on others. Sadly, none have any unique effect. It¡¯s all about stats.¡± In the end, I swapped out my earring of pure mana, my necromancer¡¯s ring of taunt since Ripley could do it on her own, my forgettable primordial ring which granted a slight increase of my spells inflicting maximum damage, and my necklace of holding since I could access the stored item without needing it to be equipped. In the end, my intelligence and wisdom bumped an additional thirty points, strength by twenty, and constitution and dexterity by another ten. The notification for my wisdom threshold popped up, though my eyes shone as a message for my strength did as well. Smiling inwardly, I assured myself my dexterity would soon follow suit. Wisdom Threshold Reached (250). Benefits: Plus 17% (up from 13%) increased mana regeneration and magical resistances. Strength Threshold Reached (100): Benefits: Plus 25% increased damage from all melee-based attacks, skills, and abilities (up from 20%). Maximum carrying capacity increased by 125 pounds before suffering movement penalties (up from 100). We had six rings left to be dispersed. Most had a mix of strength, constitution, and dexterity so each went to Ripley. The remaining four boosting intelligence and wisdom were left in my bag of holding. I could use those down the road, if needed, or find a merchant willing to pay a nice premium. ¡°Awesome! Ripley¡¯s close to reaching the two-fifty mark with her strength and constitution,¡± I observed after taking another look at her character sheet. ¡°You¡¯re quite the striking warrior, Ripley. Now, let¡¯s see if the shield and mace are upgrades for you too.¡± Unfortunately, the mace wasn¡¯t something crafted for warriors so wouldn¡¯t be wielded by our skeletal minion any time soon. It was primarily enchanted to aid a party¡¯s healer with increased healing and mana regeneration. It would remain in my inventory for now. The shield was similar, though it had better defensive bonuses with it being epic-tiered. Ripley¡¯s current shield double its armor value if she remained stationary but was still not as powerful as the static armor class held in the durable metal comprising the priest¡¯s shield. The design of the shield was somewhat lacking compared to Ripley¡¯s proud kite shield. The silvery shield was inscribed by a dwarven face gulping down a mug of ale. A part of me suspected I would look to replace it as soon as a similar or better shield appeared in the future. ¡°Looks like we have a nice mix of stronger health, stamina, and mana potions,¡± I said moving forward. In short order, I handed several of the bottled gems to Tallos, who slipped them into belt pouches before nodding at me in gratitude. ¡°That leaves those wizard wands, and three spell tomes,¡± Stella voiced eagerly. She hovered close to my hands, so I called each wand to hand as we inspected them. You received {Wand of Fireball}. You received {Wand of Grasping Roots}. You received {Wand of Fire Stream}. You received {Wand of Mana Barrier}. You received {Wand of Undulating Fire Serpent}. Each was pretty self-explanatory as to their functions, all except the undulating one. After reviewing the item¡¯s description, a part of me couldn¡¯t wait to try using it, though I doubted I would be doing so over casting my own detrimental spells. Still, every bit helped and one day these wands could turn the tide in a battle in the right situation. {Wand of Undulating Fire Serpent}. Crafted from a unique mushroom only found in the sightless caves miles below the surface realm, this wand has been touched by elemental forces of fire and brimstone. Quality: Superb. Rarity: Rare. Type: Wand. Slot: Primary or Secondary. Durability 750/750. Effect(s): Upon activation, an elemental fire serpent is expelled from the wand''s tip and will seek out any target designated by the user. The serpent will attempt to bind and restrain those targets while inflicting a significant amount of fire damage as it constricts. Charges: 3/3. Note ¨C 1 charge will be regenerated per twenty-four hours. ¡°Could be useful,¡± Stella stated as she moved closer to gaze upon the intricate carvings of the wand. It was fashioned as a triple helix of skinny snakes, with mouths spread wide at the tip. The wand was also heavier than expected, akin to holding a long metal pipe. ¡°Just don¡¯t point it at yourself, yeah?¡± ¡°As if,¡± I snickered in response before recalling the wand to my inventory. Stella had glided closer where it rested in my palm, so when it disappeared she flinched back a little. She glared a pair of piercing eyes at me, but I ignored her as I moved to the final two items waiting to be examined. One was a tome clearly looted from the dwarven priest, the other two from his wizardly comrade. Sadly, I couldn¡¯t use any until I reached five hundred wisdom for the healing spell, and the same with intelligence for the fire spells. The high requirement was likely why the two dwarves had been carrying them. Those attribute numbers were lofty and seemed hard to contemplate reaching any time soon. To reach those numbers, I¡¯d probably need an entirely new set of gear a step above what we just acquired. One day in the distant future, perhaps, but an eventuality, I hoped. You have received: {Tome of Enhanced Vitality Bloom}. You have received: {Tome of Enhanced Hand of the Pyromaster}. You have received: {Tome of Enhanced Shadowblaze}. Rounding a final bend in the tunnel, we found ourselves the wide entry chamber laid out before us. It was strewn with upright and toppled mining carts, loose sheets of parchment and leaflets, a tool board nearly filled with unlit mining lamps, and a forest of twisting steel tracks bolted to the cold stone floor. Only darkness alighted from outside, the bare hint of pitch in the air. No sound or hint of life echoed into the chamber for long seconds as we all held still. Each of us hoping against hope the dwarven leader had been spewing bluster in his mention of having other methods of attack against the human city. We held our breath, prepared for the worst to show itself. Anxiety spiraled in my stomach, feeling like a great weight twisting around in there. ¡°Did you hear that?¡± Stella whispered, eliciting a collective gasp from everyone before a worrisome noise reverberated against the earthen walls around us. Chapter 77 - A City on Fire Rustling dried leaves on the far side of the room signaled a slight breeze moving into the entry chamber. With it, the scent of burning wood, smoke, and ash, grew stronger. Carried along with it was a foreboding sense of trepidation. The feeling was cemented in my belly as a distant explosion thundered from high overhead. Stella and I faced one another in abject fear. My mind raced with dread too quickly to process. My senses dialed to their maximums creating a hypersensitivity to the slightest sound, smell, or tremble in the ground under my feet. Fear gripped my chest and I was unable to speak aloud what the detonations and burning lumber meant. Flinching at the sound of a third explosion, my face was aghast, my breaths coming in quick ragged succession. ¡°We have to get up there!¡± Stella agonized her voice tight with unease as her lips trembling. Her expression matched the lead weight firmly solidified in my stomach. The battlelord had not been bluffing, damn it all. The city was under attack. I rushed away, Ripley following closely on my heels. Stella flew through the air to grab at my shoulders, anchoring herself as quickly as she could. A shout from behind stopped us dead in my tracks. Turning around, the urge to exit still hot in my body, we found Tallos standing stationary near the wooden rack with dozens of amber-colored jewels. Lined in neat rows, hung the mining lamps we first inspected upon entering the silver mind those many hours ago. I shot my friend a heated questioning glare. ¡°What?¡± I growled before softening my voice. Tallos wouldn¡¯t have stopped up if it wasn¡¯t important. ¡°You heard Stell, we need to get up there.¡± ¡°If there is a battle raging up there and by the sound of it, it is, remember it''s pitch black outside,¡± Tallos replied quickly as he pointed a finger to the night behind us. ¡°Men don¡¯t see too well in the dark. Unless they knew this battle was coming, they could be unprepared to handle this threat. They don¡¯t have Darkvision like we do. The dwarves can see everything out there as clear as we can, perhaps better. We need to even those odds.¡± With this last statement, he pointedly looked at the dangling spotlights. Tallos¡¯ comment didn¡¯t quench my urge to dart away, but the more he spoke the ingenuity of his idea felt like it was as good a reason as to hesitate to provide aid to the city. ¡°Great idea,¡± I complimented Tallos¡¯ foresight. Rushing to his side, we began storing the small devices as quickly as we could. ¡°Remember, to activate them, just say ¡®illuminate.¡¯ They function as a spotlight, but any bit of help we can provide could go a long way in saving lives.¡± ¡°When we get to the battlefield, let¡¯s activate them and have you and Ripley throw them all over the place,¡± Stella added as she pressed a finger over and over against each lamp on the highest row. With every touch, another clasp disappeared into my inventory. ¡°Take a look at that small lever, there. I think this adjusts the lamps so their light is cast off in a wider area.¡± Working together, we gathered all the amber stones. Without another word, with me leading the way, we scrambled to the exit in a mad rush. Stepping outside and the cool night air, the sound of battle grew stronger. Our thundering footfalls against hard stone mixed with the distant clatter of steel on steel. We were several hundred feet below ground level, the twisting path expanding outward with each turn of the pyramid excavation site. If memory served, this was once an iron mine dug out by the citizenry before the plentiful silver mine had been discovered. The laborious uphill run soon had my breaths coming hard and fast. As we ran, I tilted my head upward trying to catch any glimpse of what was happening. The sound of battle grew more distinct with each passing moment. All we could see in our sunken position were tall plumes of smoke twisting skyward. Each reflected hues of fiery red and burning saffron. Much of the city was on fire by the look of it from our limited sightline. Though normally unseen in the night sky, clouds far overhead flared with similar colors as more explosions rang out. It must be a nightmare up there. As we rounded the final turn, the surface level only feet away, my keen senses began detecting sounds of anguish and the smell of split blood. This marked the first time I regretted having the elvish ability granted by my chosen half-elf race. Battle cries from human and dwarven voices alike sounded like one stretched-out furious growl. My heart flinched a little each time a howl of agony reverberated. Such sounds only capable of being uttered at the precipice of death. The cacophony of frenzied shouts, and screams of suffering, seemed to reach down into my core. A detached part of me felt this battle was ultimately my fault. We could have warned the city! My internal voice accused me. Yet, a greater part of myself, one capable of looking at the situation objectively knew we had done the best we could, with the information we had available. Had we left to warn the city, we wouldn¡¯t have been able to return to continue the fight with the cooldown timer the silvern travel nodes all had. Perhaps we should have returned to the city after destroying their explosive ballistae, my inner thoughts criticized. No! Stop! I told myself. With everything we learned, this battle was likely inevitable, regardless of what we did or didn¡¯t do back there. My steps grew more solid as my confidence steeled itself. Our actions below had tipped this battle in the city¡¯s favor, I was confident of this. Now was not the time to look behind. We could judge our actions later. Until this battle was ended, we had to move and think about the present. Cresting the final rise, the familiar mortared wall came into view. It did little to hide the tragedy far afield. Fire dotted much in blazing crimson and vibrant yellows. Pillars of smoke and burning embers dominated the skyline over the city proper. Perhaps two dozen smoky fingers reached to the dense clouds above. Though the scene was heartbreaking, I realized with a start, much of the city was actually untouched. Yes, buildings and homes burned haphazardly, but I had been expecting far worse than this Perhaps we had done more for the city with our actions than I realized. The sound of battle to the west of the city was another fortuitous sign. It meant the dwarves were not fighting in the middle of a city full of hapless people. The fighting was likely limited to the guards and capable soldiers stationed in Mammoth, judging by the sound of steel against steel. We needed to get into the fight. Once more we moved with alacrity as we rounded the short wall ringing the excavation site. In short order, we came upon an intense battle between armored guards and silvern warriors. Throngs of men battled with swords, axes, spears, and tall shields. Our enemy were entirely outfitted in shining plate armor with a similar assortment of weapons hacking and slashing against armored men. It was a scene of utter chaos. There seemed to be no order in the fight, men were fighting not in squads. It was hundreds of individual battles without coordination. As quickly as we could, we tried to take in the status of the battle, hoping the guardsman had the upper hand. It was quickly evident that was not the case. As Tallos had predicted, even with a haphazard assortment of burning torches spaced unevenly around the field of battle, few men had enough light to effectively see their adversaries. The enemy, on the other hand, moved with precision, easily identifying the heat given off by all living beings. In their eyes, the men they slaughtered were as easy to see as this battle was being fought under daylight. We needed upend their advantage provided by the cover of night. As Stella began pulling the three or four dozen mining lamps we appropriated, my eyes roved over the back lines of the dwarven formation. Not a single crossbow ballista was evident anywhere. Instead, five catapults were far back from the battle, slinging burning balls of fire far into the city a goodly distance away. ¡°Illuminate!¡± Tallos shouted as he adjusted the tiny control wedged between the amber jewel and the silver clasp. The orb burst with light, casting everything around us in moderate light. His shout was quickly followed by another, then another, with Stella matching him word for word. With each lamp shining brightly, they were handed over to the prepared Ripley. With strength far exceeding any of ours, she was making easy work of launching the brilliant orbs over the battlefield. With my quick inspection completed, I joined the team in our initial endeavor. As each orb landed, hurrahs and cheers of appreciation sounded from the men as they waged war. Finally able to see their enemies clearly, morale began shifting towards the defenders. The increased brilliance across the field of battle showed me many hard truths. More men had fallen than dwarves thus far. Worse, the silvern steel comprised in every dwarven weapon had the terrible effect against human flesh. Even the slightest cut elicited a shout of pain akin to someone hit by a Klingon pain stick. The toxicity of the metal turned a minor injury into a momentarily debilitating stun. More than once, a guardsman suffered a miniscule hit from a dwarven short sword, to only be left reeling in pain allowing a follow-up killing blow to end a man¡¯s life. A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. Our efforts to illuminate the battlefield had not been for naught, however. With the battlefield awash in overlapping spheres of light, it was now evident the human fighters outnumbered the dwarves'' warriors by at least two to one. Better still, being were no novices to battle, the ability to see their foes clearly allowed the guards to better respond to the chaos of battle. I was no military prodigy, but watching the numerous frays had me confidently thinking the dwarves fought better as individual skirmishers. One against one, the dwarf would often come out as the victor, but now, for the first time in the battle, the human guards didn¡¯t need to mirror such tendencies. Being able to see their enemy and friends alike, the defenders linked up, formed ranks, and turned the combat of hundreds of individual fights into one of with interlocking shields and hacking counterattacks. A pair of rocketing burning balls of fire and pitch over our heads reminded me we had a decision to make. Should we aid the guardsman on the field of battle, or, with our superior flanking position, should we engage the largest threat to the regular citizenry? The decision was not a hard one, in actuality. ¡°The catapults,¡± I stated to Tallos and Stella, who both quickly nodding their assent. ¡°We¡¯ll be more effective there since I don¡¯t have access to my magic.¡± Without my spells, our party was little more than two warriors, a hunting cat, and a ranger. Against a large-scale battle, we would be helpful, but that assistance would be limited. We could offer more in the defense of the city by taking out the catapults, which thus far were untouched by the defenders. The decision made, we moved off in their direction with stealth. Each catapult had a crew of four dwarves working tirelessly at locking, loading, and firing the deadly weapons of war. Comprised of what I assumed was hardened mushroom, the thick timbers created a large base frame placed horizontally on the ground. An A-shaped vertical section at the front would catch the long arm as it was fired. Two dwarves worked diligently as they inserted and removed thick spokes into a cylinder barrel at the rear. Rotating this created tension and stored enough energy to throw burning projectiles hundreds of feet with ease. Once ready to fire, another dwarf would load what appeared to be a short hollowed-out mushroom stalk newly brimming with scorching charcoal. The final dwarf had the responsibility of firing the device but would first issue commands to the other dwarves to adjust the catapults aim as needed. It was an effective group, whose practiced movements showed how often the dwarves utilized their weapons of war against other civilizations. The remaining four catapults looked to have crews similarly skilled, able to fire every minute or two. The siege engines were not unguarded, however. Standing nearby were approximately ten armored dwarves overlooking the battle, warry eyes scanning for any threats to the catapults. None had caught our stealthy approach thus far. We would be grabbing their attention soon enough. An unusual flash of light from the side caught my attention, causing me to turn in its direction. Near the edge of the central fighting, a lone humanoid figure stood out amongst the rest. Hovering over his head was a globe emitting dazzling light thirty feet in all directions. A fireball rushed away from the man. He wore a simple blue robe with a wide leather belt cinched around his waist. Dangling from the belt was a spell tome and an assortment of potions, most blue marking them as mana potions. It was Marrek, the man we had saved from execution. He was wreaking havoc among the dwarven soldiers, the fireball detonating severely against a particular clumped congregation of the short-hulking warriors. ¡°Ha! He said he was done helping the city,¡± I voiced in a hushed tone. We were nearer to the catapults and didn¡¯t want to inadvertently give away our stealthy approach. ¡°I bet the guards are thankful he¡¯s here now,¡± Stella commented from my shoulder. ¡°His magic is pretty fierce by the look of it.¡± As she spoke, an astonishing bolt of electricity shot from Marrek¡¯s palm, lancing in an even line of brilliant energy, entirely unlike my twisting and homing chained lightning. The bolt speared through a half dozen dwarves, many falling to the ground lifeless after its passing. Judging we were close enough, I held up a closed fist to bring our group to a halt. We crouched lower, wet grass attempting to cling stubbornly at our ankles. Burning ash was thick in the air, and the dwarves using a nearby bonfire to set their ammunition on fire. Without having access to my spells, I would have to rely on my new wands. Taking a moment, I reviewed my recent acquisitions. {Wand of Fireball}, {Wand of Grasping Roots}, {Wand of Fire Stream}, {Wand of Mana Barrier}, & {Wand of Undulating Fire Serpent}. ¡°I¡¯m going to start with my fire serpent wand,¡± I said, laying out the first step of my plan. ¡°I¡¯ll fire off the three charges, one each against the nearest three catapults. Then, I¡¯ll use my fireball wand at the remaining two trebuchets. We will attract the attention of those guards over there when I do. So, when they reach our position, I want you, you and you, to engage them.¡± Ripley, Lowki, and Tallos nodded their heads in understanding. ¡°Before they get to us, I¡¯m going to use this wand of fire stream,¡± I continued, rolling the wands in my fingers. ¡°Based on its description, it works similarly to my flamethrower spell. I intended to keep shooting the catapults with fireballs until they are nothing more than burning kindling, or the guards get here. Any questions?¡± ¡°What if more than those guards come?¡± Tallos asked, eyeing up a distant band of dwarves, probably the commanders for their army. ¡°Then I¡¯ll join you and fight in melee range,¡± I answered, running a hand through my brown locks. ¡°I may not have access to my spells, but my mana is still available. My empowered aegis is more powerful than ever. Plus, I have a fair share of mana potions that will help should the fighting get heavy.¡± Thinking of potions, I handed Tallos several more healing potions, some the most potent we had. He would need healing far more than I did, as long as I had mana to spare. Tallos stored as many as he could on his belt, the rest going into his backpack. He whispered a thanks before nodding his readiness to begin. ¡°Don¡¯t forget about your ring of blind rage,¡± Stella offered as I was about to raise my first wand towards the enemy. ¡°Remember, you¡¯re immune to mind-altering effects, thanks to your clearheaded perk. It will double your strength and constitution, making you more effective in melee combat.¡± ¡°Thanks, Stella,¡± I uttered before looking to my right hand where an unassuming silver band set with a single ruby gem sat. The last time I had used its power, the ring had allowed me to emerge victorious against the Hunter, Adom the Savage. Perhaps it would aid me as well here. I nodded at Stella and gave one final look to each party member. Lowki was low to the ground, his eyes staring at the nearby dwarves. Ripley nodded her skull-capped head, her red eyes shining with a smoldering intensity. Tallos tightly gripped his powerful bow, an arrow already notched against the string. We were set. ¡°Ok,¡± I whispered, more to myself than any in our party. ¡°Here goes nothing.¡± Holding out my hand, I aimed the serpent wand towards the nearest catapult. The workers nearly had the firing arm nearly cranked down. I willed the magic of the wand to come forth. Targeting the catapult instead of the workers, I hoped it was the better choice. What emitted from the wand was far grander than whatever I had been expecting. A serpent of fire roared to life as it streaked away. It had the look of a wingless wyvern, as wide around as my torso, with scales the size of my hand. It undulated through the air, building speed and momentum as it shot forward. Right before impact, the fire serpent was as fast as one of Tallos¡¯ arrows. It slammed into the mushroom wood with a vengeance, instantly setting everything touched ablaze. Like a great boa constrictor, the fearsome serpent twisted around the throwing arm and the front vertical frame. Whatever cords the dwarves used in the construction of the catapults were no match to the conflagration tearing them apart. Within moments the binds began snapping, one after another. The launching arm and bucket bucked upward, but whatever strength the snake had was more than enough to halt its forward motion. The release of all that stored potential energy did little more than rock the catapult a foot off the ground as the great serpent constricted itself around the cracking catapult. Twice, followed by a third in rapid succession, two more fire serpents raced across the darkness to similar results. Three of the catapults were rendered useless in a matter of moments. The small group of workers attempted futility to fan at the flames, but the power of the serpent was not so easily swayed. When a worker got too near, the snake head would lash out, biting down and injecting liquid fire through fangs wreathed in flames. Those dwarves died swiftly as their bodies were burned away from the inside. Only taking the time to see how successful the first serpent was at destroying the first catapult, I didn¡¯t pause as I fired off the wand''s three charges. Without hesitating, I stored the empty wand away, before switching to the fireball wand. Holding it steady in my hand, one fireball followed another roared across the empty field. These balls of fire were not as quick as the flying flame serpents, but when they finally reached their intended targets, the resulting explosion was something to behold. While the snakes did wonders on the first three catapults, the detonation of these fireballs caught the entire battlefield''s attention. Men and dwarves alike turned at the massive explosions cascading among the remaining siege engines. The human soldiers were apparently far more familiar with the work of magic, so were quicker to reorient on their personal battle. More dwarves fell to human blades. Before my first fireball had been sent careening toward the further two catapults, the nearby dwarf contingent responded to our threat and were already sprinted in our direction. They would reach us in a matter of seconds. Judging I had enough time, I sent another two fireballs to ensure the work was done. Dwarven shouts and shrieks promised each companion a merciless death as the warriors approached. The dwarves in the lead were soon close enough to make out my expression as I stepped in front of my friends. They had been expecting a frightened foe but only saw grim determination written across my elven features. It promised them death. Less confident, their movements slowed for a moment before their comrades rammed into their faulting steps from behind. Picking up their strides to avoid stumbling, the contingent of dwarves charged heedlessly on. Ripley fanned out to the left as Lowki did the same on the opposite side. Tallos'' bow creaked behind me as the bowstring reached its maximum draw. I leveled my wand. Shaped like a half-open Renaissance fan, the wood narrow at the handle before widening like splayed fingers at the tip, I held the wand of fire steam at the approaching horde. Mentally commanding the power within to activate, the world in front of me devolved into hellfire. Chapter 78 - Cry Havoc! And Let Slip the Dogs of War An inferno erupted before me, unlike anything I had been expecting. Leaping from the wand''s tip, a foot-tall horizontal line of fire crossed the short distance at the charging warriors with heat intense enough to instantly cause second and third-degree burns. Any flesh not covered by armor or magical wards bubbled before blackening to a crisp. The forward momentum of the dozen dwarves collapsed into a frenzy of waving hands as the warriors attempted to protect their vulnerable faces. The power of the wand was astounding and I was left standing dumbfounded at the unbridled energy released with only a single use. None of the spells I was capable casting of contained this amount of pure destructive force. It would be like taking all the destructive potential of my specialized boil blood and compressing it down to a single burst of damage. A small part of me was glad we never encroached close enough to the wand¡¯s former owner, the dwarf brimstone magus. He would have flayed us alive. Lowki and Ripley were not spellbound by the force unleashed as I was. With a gleaming silver shield and curved blade held aggressively at the ready, Ripley charged the stunted enemy formation with lethal intensity smoldering behind her glowing eyes. Lowki was faster than her, already upon the furthest dwarf at the right end of the now unsteady formation of the enemy squad. Already, Lowki¡¯s target was buried beneath an onslaught of razor-sharp claws, crushing teeth, and barbed quills. The dwarf had been shielding his eyes from my spell meaning he was wholly unprepared to defend against the five-hundred-pound panther as he was bore to the ground. Shouts of panic rang out among their tumbling mass. Tallos loosed arrow after arrow, seeking the narrow seams between armored plates. His bowstring humming, nearly every shot caused a shriek of pain as an arrowhead found tender flesh. The deadly eleven warden was aiming for the soldiers at either end of the once tight formation, leaving the center of the disjointed group my responsibility. Though I desired greatly to discharge another devastating blast of the wand, I couldn¡¯t risk harming my companions. The wand reminded me of the souped-up burning hands spell from Dungeons and Dragons, up-cast to the highest degree. The spell would undoubtedly harm Ripley, likely even through her solid magical resistances. Lowki, low to the ground as she sought to overwhelm his prey, would likely avoid most of the blast, but it was too much of a risk to make another attempt. The dwarves not under assault by sword, projectile, or teeth and claws, were starting to shake off the effects of my first blast. Nearly every face was bright red, blistering boils and irregular sections of blackened skin dotting their features as if my spell had slipped through splayed fingers to mercilessly burn the flesh beneath. Thinking quickly, I swapped to another wand, this one unused as of yet. This wand was a foot long, held a deep shade of green, and was essentially a dozen twisting vines curling around one another from the handle to a narrow tip. At that tip was a bulbous bushy growth with sharp bright green spikes protruding throughout. With a thought, I discharged the weapon. A small, vibrant ball of emerald energy streaked away. The spherical mass roiled and swelled as it cut towards the centermost dwarf. The orb grew in size, the diameter doubling in size every few feet as it careened onward. By the time it struck the target, the swollen cantankerous mass was wider than the shocked dwarf it impacted. Instantly, thorny vines blasted outwards to surround the back-peddling warrior like a bristling spider wrapping its prey. The dwarf was quickly lost from view as he was swathed in barbed green vines. The warrior was not the only combatant unlucky enough to be entangled by the powerful evocation. Two companions to his left, and another on his right, were knotted by shooting undulating vines. The scene reminded me of leukocytes under a microscope snatching up dangerous bacteria and infectious viruses. Worse, once the four combatants were thoroughly ensnared, the barbed creepers constricted as if a powerful fist had clenched around the hapless victims. Doubting the spell would be enough to slay any of the dwarves on its own, this single spell effectively cut the enemy force in half. Ripley was holding well on her own on the left flank, so I pocketed the crowd control wand and swapped to my masterwork battle axe. Azure lightning crackled along the axe''s head, mirroring the pounding of my heart as my feet carried me near where Lowki was finishing off his initial foe. Engaging the two dwarves, my arrival proved timely as my threatening presence saved Lowki from taking a savage swipe to his backside as the nearest warrior sighted on him. Lowki¡¯s teeth were clamped down on his victim¡¯s throat, light fading from the old fighter¡¯s eye as his life force was crushed. Seeing me in the corner of his eye, the veteran soldier pivoted, bringing his sword to parry my downward slash. My axe was forced off target as the dwarf counter-attacked, forcing me to lean back to avoid the blow. What skill I had with my battle axe left me unprepared for a fighting duo who likely had many years of hard combat experience. While I was avoiding the dwarf in front of me and his many swings, his brethren quickly positioned himself behind me. A weight crashed down on my back causing me to stumble forward slightly. My ever-present empowered aegis flared into existence right before the blade tore through my black robes thankfully. While the damage from the attack only cut into my mana pool, leaving my clothes and skin undamaged, it did almost nothing to hinder the force of the bladed weapon. Realizing the need to keep the two skilled opponents in front of me, I shifted to the side. The pair were familiar with such a basic defensive maneuver and easily coordinated with one another to maintain their advantageous positions. Unless I was willing to break free of the melee, it was exceedingly difficult to keep the two from attacking me on two sides. Though I was able to deflect many of the attacks coming in front, I could offer little to impede the dwarf behind me as he continuously rained attacks on my back. The weakness of my remarkable protection was laid bare as the two warriors sought to overwhelm my defenses. The barrier could stop nearly any attack, whether magical or benign in nature, but continually left me reeling from the heavy blows. The strength bound in the stout warrior¡¯s physiques was impressive, to say the least. Without my aegis, the pair would have whittled me down in moments, regardless of my three thousand-plus health pool. As it was, my magical protection kept me in one piece, though found it hard to injure either foe in retaliation. With the recent explosion in my intelligence and mana, it was likely I could continue this fight for many long minutes, if not indefinitely. My mana regeneration while in combat was over one thousand per minute, so unless the dwarves could inflict sustained damage higher than that, they would inevitably feel the sting of my weapon first. Not content to continue receiving a painless beating, I decided to shift tactics. Weathering so many brutal physical attacks from the pair was garnering me some insight into how to brace effectively against the blows, allowing me to ignore most of the force trying to drive me to my knees. A blow cut into my shoulder, so I braced my back and pressed into the momentum with steady feet. With each new attack, I was developing a rhythm to remain composed against the hammering of blows. The dwarf in front of me was visibly becoming frustrated as his sword continued to be unable to draw blood. He had no idea how long my magical shield would last, of course, but after a half minute of finding no purchase, his anger got the better of him. The dwarf¡¯s scraggly bearded face screamed, ¡°Just die!¡± I was obliged not to heed his unspoken demand. My opponent moved his long sword high over his head, intent on putting all of his strength into one mighty downward blow. No doubt he was hoping to force me to my knees with the staggering attack, or perhaps he hoped to finally bypass my seemingly impenetrable defensive barrier. His blatant attack allowed for an opportunity. While his comrade was steadily beating away at my back, that one confident they would be able to destroy my protection given enough time, the veteran had no more patience as I remained entirely unblemished. This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. Ignoring assault at my rear, I rushed forward. Trusting in my empowered aegis, I threw everything into a horizontal swing. Realizing my gambit, the warrior understood he would not be the quicker in our duel. I had been constantly moving my axe in attack patterns. With an axe, you needed to always keep the weapon moving, at least that¡¯s what I remembered from my former life. So, while the dwarf was first arresting his weapon¡¯s upward momentum, my weapon was already hurtling for a killing blow. The stocky dwarf rocked back on his heels to get out of the way of my axe, the move unbalancing him. With a savage cry, Frostrend tore through my opponent¡¯s chainmail coif, splitting links and sending blisteringly cold electricity arcing into his body. As if the armor was made of cloth, my weapon bit deeply, blood immediately welling from the wound. Instead of taking his head clean off, the dwarf¡¯s defensive move only prevented his immediate demise. Wide-eyed, the dwarf let go of his sword as he attempted to staunch the blood flow, his two fumbling hands clawing desperately at the wound. As the fighter''s hand closed around cold, coagulating blood, he knew something was very wrong. Pulling one hand away, the dying fighter attempted to decipher what happened. Panic set in fully when realization dawned upon the unfortunately soul. His throat was frozen solid. His trachea would never again allow air to reach his aching lungs, not without some supreme form of healing which seemed ill-suited at appearing in his darkest hour. Frostrend lived up to its namesake, delivering its special effect called ¡®blistering freeze¡¯ into the struggling dwarf¡¯s throat. Even besides the mortal wound inflicted by the enchanted mana-steel, his windpipe bisected, not one molecule of life-giving oxygen would ever pass through a flash frozen neck. My gambit cost me, though thankfully only in mana points. Turning to face the remaining dwarf, Lowki¡¯s hunkered form could be seen behind the fighter. Three pairs of legs cocked, ready to spring at the unsuspecting dwarf. Ignoring yet more impacts against my aegis, my gaze looked over the rest of our small battlefield. Ripley had downed two of the armored guards, one lying motionless face down, blood pooling around his torso. The other was on his back, attempting to keep his guts from falling out. I winced reflexively at the brutal scene but ignored the dying dwarf¡¯s plight. This war was brought to the city¡¯s doorstep by the Silvern people, it was hard to not be callous as their warriors died in battle. About to order Ripley to finish the dying dwarf, Tallos beat me to it. We were alike in many ways. I was not surprised when an arrow whistled through the air taking the dwarf in the face. Going limp, his body flopped backward in the finality of death. Ripley was exchanging attacks with the only dwarf left not impacted by my grasping roots spell. She had taken several blows, her dark tendons gouged in several places, though by the look of it, she was mostly unaffected. Wishing I could throw a regeneration spell her way, I turned to the entwined dwarves struggling futilely to break free of the sharp, living vines. They had little success other than causing far more cuts to form on their exposed flesh. My current opponent landed only one more attack against my warded back before Lowki barreled him head over heels. As I stalked towards the mass of twisting plant life, I spied Lowki¡¯s dastardly work in the corner of my eye, her black fur rippling over corded muscles and barbed tentacles lashing repeatedly against his target. In short order, Lowki¡¯s maw would locate the warrior''s neck and end his remaining struggle. The grasping root wand¡¯s item description did not indicate how long the spell would keep the dwarves locked tight, so it was important to finish off this grisly business quickly before they were freed. These four individuals, along with the entire Silvern armada arrayed, had brought war of their own volition. They were responsible for their actions and, as such, so too the consequences. In war, the enemy can sometimes set the tone and rules of engagement. These warriors intended to kill, pillage, and plunder the human settlement without care or mercy. With the battle still raging, I dismissed the notion of taking prisoners as I unhooked my flintlock pistol from my belt. Even if we wanted to, we had no means of detaining these trapped fighters. Once my spell broke, there would be little to do other than to continue the fight. With the sounds of battle thundering in my ears, I placed the barrel of my gun to the closest dwarf¡¯s temple. The armored soldier was completely encased by twisting vines, so was unable to see what was coming. He would at least be granted a clean death. Still, my finger hesitated on the trigger as the mass of thorny plant twisted tighter around its ill-fated prey. They would have killed us, given the chance. There¡¯s nothing else you can do, I lamented internally. Actions have consequences. I knew there was a possibility I would come to regret this decision, the moral dilemma of taking the life of a bound prisoner, but with the battle still in a heated contest we could ill afford to have more enemies roaming free. The pistol bucked in my hand as I pulled the trigger. Like strings cut from a marionette, the mass of vegetation and the dwarf underneath dropped to the ground. The power of the grasping roots spell immediately released its hold before the strands lashed to strengthen the bonds of the other three warriors. I refused to look at the dwarf¡¯s body. When everything was done, I would see his body properly buried. He died in battle and deserved to be honored in death regardless of his actions while living. The remaining dwarves fell with one or two strikes of my keen battle axe. As soon as my first attack landed, I discovered the grasping roots would untangle of their own accord. It was a common property of crowd control spells, so was not unexpected. Still, even as the barbed vines released their hold, the fighters could offer no defense as I methodically finished the task. As best as I could, their deaths were quick and as painless as possible. I doubted we would have been shown such mercy in defeat, but I was entirely unlike their vicious and abhorrent race. They preyed on the weak. We were helping save the lives of innocent people who would have fallen to dwarven blades. Still, a war like the one surging around us was something I hope to never experience again. My eyes caught Stella hovering next to me. She wore the same grim expression I had, understanding my internal struggle. Her face relaxed as she spoke, her tone empathetic, ¡°You did the right thing. They did this, they caused this.¡± Nodding, I was soon standing next to Ripley as the last of the dwarves were vanquished. Tallos moved to retrieve what arrows he could as the battle wasn¡¯t over. Lowki bounded over, brushing his shoulder into my hip. I slapped his fur appreciatively. Each of us was not proud of what needed to be done but would do it again if necessary. This is who we were. Who we decided to be. Turning to the catapults, nothing but charred husks remained. The living serpents of flame thoroughly destroyed three of the lumbering devices before swiftly turning their attention to the dwarven workers. Not being warriors themselves, they offered token resistance against the blazing creatures. As soon as anything hostile nearby was eliminated, the serpents winked out of existence as if they had never been, leaving only burnt mushroom stalks and smoldering bodies in their wake. The two catapults devastated by my fireball wand were equally useless, though most of the workers were able to escape with their lives. From the look of it, those fortunate to not have been slain outright by the explosions were rushing towards a small knot of dwarves a hundred yards from our position. Three individuals sat atop what would best be described as grotesque salamanders. The creatures had tall legs like that of a horse but were thick and stocky. The creatures had a deeply green leathery hide that reflected torchlight as if the beasts were covered in some strange liquid. What caught my attention the most was the black demon standing near one of the riders. The beast¡¯s upper torso was swollen like a balloon, though its easy movements implied none of its mobility was sacrificed by the mounds of corded muscle heaving beneath its obsidian skin. The demon¡¯s head looked little atop the massive body, yet in reality was likely no smaller than any of ours. Orange eyes blazed in the creature¡¯s eye sockets, reminding me of Ripley standing watch over us. Like the Terminator, I said before realizing. This thing was a minion. The saddled dwarf next to it was then undoubtedly its master, some type of demonologist. He was wearing nondescript robes with an unusual shade of purple. If the towering beast wasn¡¯t standing next to him, the dwarf would seem no more threat than a pauper. The remaining two dwarves wore the standard silvern plate armor the majority of their kin wore. Nothing of particular note could be seen at this distance, though I already felt confident who those three were. They were the army¡¯s officers, their generals. From the look of their gear though, they likely would have been subservient to the dwarven commanders we eliminated down in the Silvern tunnels. The trio were already looking our way, a palpable aura of hate and contempt reaching across even at this distance. The mismatched dwarven workers were shouting something to their leaders, fingers pointed back at us, though we could not make out their words. Unless they were speaking in the common tongue, which I doubted, we had no way of understanding what was said. Their intent, however, was clear. They wanted us dead. With a flick of leather reigns, the three mounted figures galloped in our direction. Their intent, too, was obvious. Chapter 79 - The Demon and its Master We had a short amount of time before our mounted enemies reached us. Taking a moment, I scanned to the sides of the charging dwarves, attempting to see if any other foes would be joining. Beyond the charred workers, who were presently running to something shining well behind where the field commanders had been standing watch, no other dwarves were present. Though the approaching group looked fierce, I was confident we would be victorious. At least, until I remembered my magic was still locked away. Cursing under my breath, I turned to my friends. ¡°Get ready. Those three don¡¯t look as powerful as the battlelord¡¯s group, but that demon worries me,¡± I judged. ¡°Without access to my spells, this could be a tough fight.¡± The dwarves¡¯ mounts moved with an unusual gait, a waddling back-and-forth motion one would suspect of reptiles. It was the long, muscular legs that rubbed my sensibilities the wrong way. No longer upright like a standing horse, their swollen legs welled out from their bodies. Thankfully, the beasts of burden did not carry the same galloping speed associated with actual horses, giving us precious moments to consider how to respond. Images of being run down and trampled under muscular legs flashed through my mind as I considered what to do. The demon master slowed slightly, allowing the two heavy plate warriors to take the lead. The bulging demon stuck to the caster¡¯s side, its abnormally thin legs curiously fast enough to keep pace. Tallos was not one to wait when it came to dispatching foes, so was already firing a stream of arrows, intent on disrupting what could be a disastrous charge for us. Some arrows plinked off of silvern armor, yet more still thunked into taut reptile hide. The beasts bucked at the sudden pain but, unfortunately, his shots did little to slow the charging group''s awkward strides. The leading dwarves proved to be skilled in mounted combat, both pulling heavy crossbows from satchels attached to their saddles. One bolt crashed into my magical aegis, the hardened mushroom splintering into a hundred pieces on contact. While I only grunted slightly from the physical impact of the shot, it was nothing I couldn¡¯t manage. Tallos was not as fortunate, nor was he similarly protected as I was. With a sickening whack, the ranger was impaled, a bolt landing painfully in his shoulder. With a cry of pain, Tallos dropped to a knee as he clutched the affronting shaft. Moving to aid my injured friend, the grimacing elf waved me off. My eyes shot back and forth between him and our dashing foes, indecisiveness wracking my sensibilities. When Tallos slipped a large healing potion from his belt and chugged it with one go, I turned a dangerous glare at the offending dwarves. Hoping the pair of wands still had charges remaining, I aimed the enchanted lengths of mushroom wood at our enemies, one in each of my steady hands. With a thought, I willed both to discharge their deadly magics. Two beads of energy, one a blazing ball of plasma, the other an excited glob of emerald, hurtled forth. My vindictive grin vanished as the armored dwarves once more proved their skill in the saddle. With surprising agility, the leading lizards sprang to either side, the two balls of energy passing harmlessly between them. The spell caster in the back was either not as talented with his mount or hadn¡¯t seen the approaching threat, so panicked as the powerful spells sliced towards him. He jerked back hard on his reins, instead of turning to the side as he should have done to avoid the missiles. His gangly ride dug long back legs into the soft dirt, halting its charge but doing little in evading the incoming projectiles. With both spells on target, a grim satisfaction welled in my chest. At least their spellcaster will be taken out, I thought confidently. I shouldn¡¯t have been as surprised when the rotund demon hurtled forward, intercepting the two hostile spells. The ball of fire rupture on contact, detonating into a raging torrent around the beast¡¯s swollen chest. My sight of the creature was lost, along with the twisting globe of grasping roots, as fire blasted around the tall demon before winking out of existence a moment later. When it reappeared, the demon was struggling as green vines surged around his torso. Sadly, the hooked creepers could not withstand the impressive strength contained within the oversized terror as the creature tore at the roots with almost voracious glee. The spell''s enchantment was not so easily defied, however. With each strong pull, clumps of snaking vines were torn away in the demon¡¯s clawed hands. Yet, as I watched, more of the energetic plant surged from the central mass bubbling across the creature¡¯s chest to restrain the mighty beast. The armored dwarves gave no regard to the plight of their comrade or his pet, the magical interplay ignored the desire to draw blood from their enemies. With only a dozen feet separating us, I called forth another gout of flame from my wand of fire stream. Though at first similar to the deadly burst which halted the charge of the squad of dwarven warriors, this time the wand sputtered as the last drop of roaring crescendo burst forth. Without needing to inspect the wand to confirm my suspicion, the wand was spent and couldn¡¯t be again for some time. Unlike the earlier contingent of armored dwarves, these commanders were not swayed as they pressed their salamander mounts on, heedless of the biting flames. Skin burned both dwarf and reptile alike as the intense heat ravaged unprotected skin and hide. Known only to the dwarves, their salamander beasts had a modicum of protection against the burning torrid so were only minimally hurt by the spell. The commanding dwarves atop were not similarly warded, their unguarded skin blistered and bubbling by the firestorm. Still, like the demon behind them, their charge was not so easily faltered. Rushing through the barrage both sighted their blades on my shocked face. Charging to either side, a longsword and an axe slammed into me. The impact went me spiraling backward in an uncoordinated mess. Luck was with me, albeit slightly, and I avoided the stomping hooves of the bulky salamanders as they careered past. A large chunk of mana was stolen away from the two devastating blows, my empowered aegis weathering the attacks. While I had assumed the spell would halt the dwarves¡¯ charge as it had against similar foes earlier, Ripley did not. Living up to her class, she moved close to one of the charging beasts, swinging her curved blade in a low arc. As a lizard shot past, her weapon cleanly severed the creature''s leading leg. The beast¡¯s rider was thrown forward as the mount crashed head-first into the dirt. Lowki, crouched low and waiting for such an opportunity, hurtled through the air, landing atop the momentarily stunned warrior with feline ferocity. Muffled cries of agony were lost among the rolling pair as Lowki tore into the vulnerable fighter''s sides with vicious claws and hammered tentacles. Ripley finished off the downed reptile with one quick stroke before righting on the sole remaining warrior a dozen feet away. The dwarf savagely punched his heels into his lizard¡¯s flanks, urging his mount into another charge. His target this time was the towering skeleton standing confidently over his brethren¡¯s deceased mount. Holding firm, Ripley held out her silver shield, its embossed dwarven face leering towards the charging warrior. My thoughts finally settled as my tumble came to an abrupt stop when I landed in a slight depression on hard-packed earth. Though I suffered not an inkling of direct damage, my bell had been rung. With only enough time to stare back from where I had been blown backward, my eyes widened as an obsidian form dominated above me. Undulating vines attempted to restrain the demon, but most of the power had been torn away as a massive fist hurtled down toward me. A small number of barbed vines clung ineffectually across the creature¡¯s broad chest but did next to nothing to hinder the fierce blows as clenched fists slammed repeatedly onto my chest. Though not stunned, I was nonetheless staggered by the brutal beating. Summoning Frostrend into a hand, my attempts to slow the pounding did little at first. Between another pair of blows, I focused my awareness into an intercepting swipe. Finding my target, my weapon¡¯s crackling edge cut deeply into obsidian skin. A flare of frost singled Frostrend¡¯s special effect triggering, freezing the demon¡¯s hand and most of his forearm into a solid block of frozen meat. Not wasting the opportunity, I lashed out once more, aiming for the beast¡¯s immobile wrist. Like the shattering of glass, the wrist joint exploded. An unearthly howl escaped the demon¡¯s maw as it reared back. Horror spiked in my chest as I, for the first time, spotted the demon¡¯s row upon row of viciously jagged fangs. It reminded me of the maw of a great white shark. There was no way I wanted to be on the receiving end of a bite from those things. Wailing in outrage, the demon¡¯s blazing amber eyes turned back down at me with utter hatred, even as congealed droplets of black ichor spilled from the creature¡¯s missing appendage. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. My gray eyes stared back with similar wrath the same moment I raised the barrel of my gun. Having intended to use it solely against the undoubtedly powerful demonologist, I needed to eliminate the threat his minion posed otherwise I would never get the chance. The weapon jumped in my hand as an enchanted bullet cut upwards, through those glinting serrated incisors. Once more, a part of the demon shattered as my attack landed. The bullet tore a ragged hole through the demon¡¯s obsidian teeth. The beast¡¯s howl was cut off abruptly as its head was thrown backward. The momentum of the gunshot, combined with its painful recoil, was enough to topple the giant creature backward. Dust and debris rocketed from the towering demon as it crashed heavily on its back. Then the first harmful spell landed on my warded body. My focus had been solely on the demonic minion, so I was caught unawares as a necrotic swell of energy rushed over my body. A sphere of revolting sludge was attempting to pass through my protective barrier. I could feel its avaricious hunger as it clawed around, seeking any weakness in my magical protection. Though none of the gunk managed to harm me directly, I nonetheless was keenly aware chunks of my mana were being eaten away. ¡°He has DoTs!¡± I exclaimed, coming to my feet in a rush. The demon was not finished, it struggled to right itself with its only unmarred hand, its maw cracked and spewing black bone chips with each puffing exhale. Though the dwarf¡¯s minion was a concern, I knew from long experience it was the master who was the most dangerous target. In one swift motion, Frostrend was sent careening end over end toward the gloating warlock as another curse tore across the space between us. Roiling living darkness veered with me as I attempted to dodge, slamming into me as if a homing missile. Another debuff appeared next to my name on the party window at the top corner of my vision. This bastard was trying to kill me exactly how I fought. ¡°Bastard!¡± I exclaimed in irritation. A crash behind me, followed by a guttural squeal, threatened to steal my attention, but it was further back than the demon was. It had to be Ripley combating the final mounted warrior. Hopefully, the sound was a good sign for our side. ¡°Stella, let me know when the demon gets close!¡± I roared as my feet carried me closer to my target. The demonologist was astride his lizard mount still, which would make it difficult for me to fight him. If I could get him on the ground, I was certain I would make short work of the spell caster. In melee range, magic users were far more exposed and vulnerable. ¡°It¡¯s nearly back up,¡± Stella barked at my side a moment later, her gaze shooting behind us. ¡°You have at most ten seconds before it''s back on you.¡± It would have to be enough. Recalling my axe to my waiting grasp, it was immediately sent tumbling through the air once more. My target this time was the bouncing salamander as it danced from side to side in either agitation or enmity at my approach. The warlock astride the best was deep into another spell casting, his hands moving in winding motions so was unable to use the reins to assist his dim-witted companion. I hadn¡¯t seen what effect my earlier thrown had accomplished against the warlock, but this time we witnessed first-hand the power of my enchanted weapon as it slammed into the lizard¡¯s thick skull. The dwarf¡¯s spellcasting was spoiled as his mount collapsed lifelessly beneath him. He shouted what sounded like a curse as he was forcibly dismounted, his robed body crashing hard to the side of his unmoving salamander. Tucking forward in a roll, hoping the move would help me evade the dwarf¡¯s follow-up spell, I vaulted to my feet. Placing a boot on the creature''s head, I tugged at Frostrend with all my strength. The ring that allowed me to instantly recall the weapon to my hand was on a cool down, so the need to manually retrieve it was a necessity. Nearly ripping the reptilian head from its body, my battle axe tore free, throwing chunks of skull and brain matter in a wide arc overhead. Without my spells, I had to rely on my weapon to defeat the enemy caster so needed my unique-tiered weapon to even the odds. Though I had incredible strength compared to a normal man, punching the fool to death seemed unlikely as he probably had multiple lines of defense. Another spell slammed into my side, this one cracking and sizzling as if it were comprised of burning acid. With a glance at my mana pool, I was relieved to see it was still more than three-quarters full. With two DoTs tearing away at my protection, and likely more on the way, I needed to end the fight before the dwarf could layer me with deadly afflictions. Though Stella could tell me how much damage the spells were inflicting, we had no way of knowing how long each would last. Most likely, the hostile dwarf had either lesser or average-tiered spells. Meaning my aegis had to withstand a minute, perhaps a minute and a half, per spell. Considering the total damage my DoTs could dole out, I started worrying. ¡°The last warrior is down, but he hurt Ripley gravely. She¡¯s barely mobile,¡± Stella boomed beside me. ¡°Tallos and Lowki are trying to garner the attention of the demon, but it¡¯s ignoring them. It will be on you in a few seconds!¡± Stella had been right, none of the whizzing arrows, racking claws, or barbed quills could grab the enmity from the swollen demon-minion as it moved to protect its master. I was the greatest threat, making me the priority target. That was until Ripley used her rarely used taunt ability. Normally the taunt wasn¡¯t needed, but this foe had singular resolve. Nothing would normally sway the commands binding its existence to its evil master. Stella and I witnessed as the powerful ability took hold of the demon like a tangible wave of energy slamming into the beast. With a broken, savage roar, the demon changed direction, tearing across the dirt towards the unwavering Ripley. My attention had been spoiled, sadly. With Stella shouting, ¡°You¡¯re clear,¡± another wave of harmful magic layered a third damaging over time spell upon me. Charging with every ounce of strength available, I activated my ring of blind rage. My strength and constitution attributes instantly doubled as power coursed through my muscles me. Instantly, my health bar shot to over eight thousand and my strength attribute to two hundred. Hoping the extra health would be enough to keep me alive should my aegis fail; I chewed up the remaining distance between myself and my foe. Not reacting in the slightest as Frostrend crashed towards him, the dwarf spoke words of power as if unbothered by the incoming assault. A dome of protective energy appeared an instant before my attack landed, absorbing the heavy blow. Unlike my empowered aegis, none of the kinetic force passed through the warlock¡¯s defensive barrier. As a second swipe landed, once more ineffectually, a fourth DoT took hold. Thousands of tiny beetles sprung into existence as they roamed over my body. Thankfully, their thousands of tiny pincers failed to touch my skin or clothing, but the power of the combined spells ravaging my aegis continued to ramp, tearing larger chunks of my mana with each tick. My mana was below fifty percent now. My chances of surviving this encounter decreased further with each new spell. When the dwarf started another casting, my worry deepened. ¡°You need to interrupt that spell!¡± Stella demanded, dire implications dripping thick in her voice. As limited as I was, there was only a single way to accomplish the deed. Words tumbled through the dwarf¡¯s beard as a tormented gleam reached his inflamed eyes. His spell had a lengthy casting time, definitely bad news for me if he completed it. With my inability to directly harm the caster, my opponent was taking the chance to cast what was likely his most powerful spell. Usually, anything upwards of ten seconds would unquestionably be powerful. With only one option available, I swapped out Frostrend for my crescent flintlock pistol, aiming the barrel between the maniacal dwarf¡¯s eyes. He smiled silver-stained teeth as I pulled the trigger. Click! Nothing happened! The weapon didn¡¯t spit death towards my foe. The enchanted bullet capable of bypassing most defenses was nowhere to be seen. I had forgotten in the heat of the moment the pistol took thirty seconds to recharge between shots. Not enough time had passed between the last time I fired it, hurling the demon-beast away from my prone position. My eyes darted, panic marking my features as I fumbled to think of anything else I could do. Nothing came to mind! ¡°No!¡± Stella¡¯s terrified scream touched something inside me. Her desperate shout came out like a long howl. It sounded like she believed my death was about to become a certainty. Unshakeable determination refused to succumb to despair as my axe slashed through the air. It whistled as blue lightning crackled in its wake. Frostrend slammed against the grinning dwarf¡¯s head¡­ and was stopped cold. Whatever magical protection the warlock carried; my final attempt was not enough to overwhelm it. The dwarf¡¯s arcane words were reaching a crescendo, marking the final syllables of his devious spell. This was it, nothing I had would stop his spell. Stella¡¯s cry carried shrilly across the field of battle, momentarily pausing several nearby struggles as human and dwarven faces turned to her anguish. It wasn¡¯t the final triumphant peal of unescapable doom from my opponent to follow Stella¡¯s cry. Instead, like a deafening cannon fired from the deck of the Moon Siren, an explosion sent a concussive wave across the trampled field. It was surely loud enough to reach the distant ears of the wealthy inhabitants of the bridge city a long day¡¯s travel to the west. Suddenly feeling as if I was standing too close to a speeding bullet train, a rush of compressed air pulled at my clothes threatening to throw me off balance. My mind was momentarily incapable of comprehending what caused such a spectacular display of might. Chapter 80 - A Heros Sacrifice In the wake of both the incredible gust of compressed air and the enormous cannon-like shot, silence stole across our small section of the battlefield. It felt like a passenger jet blasted inches away from my face right as the warlock was about to complete whatever spell he had been cooking up. Looking to the side, the dwarf was languishing on his side several paces away. The remnants of his protective bubble were completely shattered, shards tinkling on and around him. The arcane pieces of crystal sparkled before morphing into small motes of energy which evaporated into the air like miniature tornados breaking apart. The fiend was not dead, though by the look of it wished he was. One arm was completely missing, only a shredded stump which he flailed wildly as blood gushed from the rent. The poor warlock hastily moved his other hand across his body, clamping down on the wound to either staunch the blood loss or halt the terrible pain he was experiencing. I needed to finish him off, who knew what life-saving abilities the dwarf had at his disposal? Summoning my battle axe to hand once more, I looked to the side where the incredibly powerful burst had originated from, but only saw what appeared to be an armored dwarf peppering something robed on the ground with wild gauntleted haymakers. I was nowhere close enough to physically intercede with whatever was being pummeled, but it didn¡¯t mean I was out of options. Knowing time was of the essence, I nonetheless sighted my flintlock pistol at the plate-armored dwarf and pulled the trigger. This time, the weapon rocked back in my hand as it discharged its armor-piercing round. Barely able to make out the effects at this distance, the dwarf nonetheless dropped to the ground as the impact stole his remaining life. Hopefully, the unfortunate person weathering the warrior¡¯s beating would survive the brutal assault, but I had other things to worry about. Namely, ending this fight. ¡°Xaz, that was¡­¡± Stella started, paws pressed rightly to her cheeks. From my angle, I couldn¡¯t see the anguish forming over her softly furred face. I loomed over the fallen dwarf as he cradled his injured arm. No! I realized a split second later, not cradling the mush of shredded flesh. The dwarf was in the process of casting something! Ribbons of blood were being pulled from the injury, collecting in a slowly forming sanguine ball in the caster¡¯s hand. He was using the pain and injury to fuel a spell! A sneer reached the dying dwarf¡¯s face as he endeavored to cast one last spell before his life expired. It looked like he was channeling his own life into the spell, a last desperate gambit to bring his enemy with him to death. The warlock was determined not to cross the threshold on his own. Frostrend descended. The weapon¡¯s electrified edge found no resistance, no magical protection flared, as the dwarf¡¯s head separated from his body. The dwarf never halted in his efforts to throw one last spell, his eyes tinged with utter hatred even as my weapon sliced downward. His lone arm fell limp on his side, and an intelligible breath escaped his stained lips. A growing sphere of blood, now the size of a grapefruit, splashed over his body. Grotesque leech-like lampreys the color of midnight covered the dwarf¡¯s robes, their tiny bodies convulsing as whatever magic sustaining their rapid growth ended. ¡°¡­Marrek.¡± My head spun to the side, my eyes squinted with confusion. ¡°What?¡± I asked disbelief etched into the single syllable. How could it have been Marrek? The last I saw of him¡­ He was blasting dwarves with bursts of magic. Before racing off, a glance to the side confirmed Ripley and Lowki, with Tallos¡¯ support, had finished off the two plate-wielding dwarves and their lizard steeds. With the leaders of the invasion defeated, an eerie calm was settling over the flattened field outside the city proper. Hurrahs and cheers of victory filled the night sky as guards thrust their weapons high overhead. I rushed to where we last saw the wizard, Marrek. A small number of dwarves were retreating towards the back where we had spotted the catapult drivers dash off earlier. All thoughts of further conflict disappeared from my mind. Flashes of silvery light near a distant tree line implied some magic was at work, whisking the withdrawing dwarves away most likely, but it was none of my concern at that moment. Stella gasped as we neared the downed figure. He was all blood and bruises, a layer of mud-trampled dirt clinging to his robes. My fingers went to Marrek¡¯s neck after moving the soiled robe away from his face. There was nothing, not even a trickle of life. Jamming two fingers once more, hoping I simply had the wrong spot, I held my breath as I sought a pulse. ¡°Oh, no,¡± Stella muttered beside me. She floated down and rubbed a spot of dirt marring the wizard¡¯s unmoving face. ¡°I can revive him,¡± I breathed without thinking it through. Pushing my sleeves up my arms, I closed my eyes and sought my center, my core. Surprisingly as black as a marble, nothing stirred at my command. Even the normally animated storms raging across my core¡¯s surface were nowhere to be seen. No cool wisps of ice danced with snaking bursts of lightning. It was a cold void. Confused, I turned to Stella, a question forming on my lips. She beat me to it, her voice shallow and devoid of any of her normal bright enthusiasm. ¡°Remember, you don¡¯t have access to that spell. Not for at least another ten hours,¡± she agonized, a tear forming at the side of her face. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Xaz.¡± My normal resolute, unbreakable faith in my abilities crumbled as comprehension finally found a foothold in my mind. There was nothing we could do. ¡°He cast the spell that slammed into the warlock, didn¡¯t he?¡± I asked. ¡°He did,¡± Stella said between soft sobs. ¡°I think he heard me yell out. The damnable warlock was casting a horribly perverse spell. Marrek must have turned away from his fight and risked throwing a spell powerful enough to break the dwarf¡¯s magical protection.¡± The fight replayed in my mind, the defeat gnawing in my chest at my inability to stop the dwarf from doing whatever he pleased. His protective barrier had been too much for my axe to quickly break through. The blast likely saved my life, but the attention Marrek diverted to help cost him everything. If I had access to my spells, all of this could have been avoided. I may not have needed the intervention. The rest of our group, Ripley, Lowki, and Tallos wandered over to where we were kneeling. Tallos¡¯ hand on my shoulder sought to relay some compassion. He didn¡¯t say anything, instead opting to provide what emotional support he could as we mourned. ¡°He said he was done helping this city,¡± I lamented, the words difficult to form as I choked up. ¡°When the time came though, he didn¡¯t hesitate. He rose to fight for his fellow man. Marrek was¡­ a hero.¡± I rested my palm against the man¡¯s forehead. The skin carried a layer of sweat laced with fine granules of dirt. Closing my eyes, I wished the man find a spot in the afterlife, if there was such a thing, reserved for heroes. Noticing a stillness in the air, the many cries of victory absent, I opened my eyes and looked up. Standing nearby were hundreds of armored men. Blood, grime, and sweat covered almost every spare inch across the countless breastplates and battered expressions looking our way. Some of these very men may have been those responsible for apprehending Marrek, stringing him up for some public spectacle, like a beast to slaughter. Not a single eye held malice or anger towards the fallen man. When these men found themselves in a tenuous position, having difficulty defending against a near-invisible foe in the dead of night, the man lying on the dirt before them had come to their aid. Like a blazing beacon, Marrek stood by their sides, saved lives, and fought beside them. Bonds forged in battle are as strong as titan steel. What happened next started with one of the closest soldiers, repeated by another, and another. Like a silent wildfire, every nearby person dropped to a knee in respect for the fallen hero, for Marrek. Stella and I gazed across the field, seeing every soldier following suit. ¡°A hero he was,¡± a resolute voice affirmed from somewhere in the kneeling group. ¡°Godspeed, Wizard Marrek. Go with our thanks for your sacrifice and bravery.¡± As one, every man thumped a hand to their chest. The peal of metal on metal resounded as the men of Mammoth paid their respect. Returning to their feet, the guardsmen resumed searching the battlefield for survivors, a somber mood firmly entrenched in their faces. ¡°We will see him buried, with the respect and honor he deserves,¡± an approaching guard said. Turning to the voice, I recognized it as the same voice who spoke moments earlier. A bearded man with a shallow cut across his brow closed the distance. His armor had embellishments, unlike the regular guards around him, marking him as their captain, or perhaps the commander. With a snap of his finger, two leather-clad soldiers rushed to either side of Marrek before placing a litter under his body. The pair moved off, carrying Marrek towards the city and what would become his final resting place. A short while later, after Stella returned from the downed demonologist¡¯s body, looting what equipment and gear he had, she suggested we check it out the far end of the field. She helped me recall the flashes of light we spied as the dwarves retreated. Moving out, near a thin line of trees we found some rather odd standing stones. Glinting bricks, a foot long and half as tall, were stacked atop one another creating an arched doorframe about five feet tall. We couldn¡¯t detect any active magic, and if I hadn¡¯t suspected what they were, I would have sworn the archways served no purpose. It was the material composition of the bricks which clued me into its purpose. ¡°This has to be a gateway, something like the travel nodes we found earlier,¡± I remarked, laying out my suspicion, though I was certain Stella had already come to the same conclusion. ¡°Can they still be activated?¡± This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. I had no desire to follow the retreating force, even if we could, but the worry of another assault was not something to be dismissed so soon after battle. ¡°Possibly, but it would take a dwarf with innate knowledge of the gate¡¯s working to turn it back on,¡± Stella said as we inspected the arch. In total, there were three of the stone doorframes nearby. ¡°My guess is they had a small force of dwarves come here late in the night and called up these gateways with some kind of power. These can be turned on from the other side, so I¡¯d suggest we smash these to pieces.¡± It was sound enough advice for me, so, with Ripley¡¯s help, we made short work of the silvern doorways. The bricks could hold some value since none carried the normal toxic taint, so each slab went into my inventory. Each weighed close to five pounds, but with the magical properties of my bag of holding, none of it translated into how heavy my bag felt on my side. Daylight was beginning to creep over the horizon, bringing with it a radiant warmth my center seemed to soak up. We had been in darkness for so long, the sunlight felt like a balm on weary skin. Picking up the final wedge from the third archway, a message popped up in my vision. I had been silently wondering if the System would reward us for everything we did recently. I was not disappointed. Congratulations! You have completed a hidden quest, ¡®Nearly Torn Asunder.¡¯ Discovering an impending threat against the human citizens of Mammoth, you and your party worked tirelessly to neutralize a Silvern invasion. Without your direct intervention, most, if not all, the people who call Mammoth home would have been tortured, slain, or scuttled below the surface to function as little better than slaves. Though the battle was hard fought, with many lives lost, your team¡¯s actions proved the fulcrum for final victory. Fight on, honorable Hunter. Objective One: Help the guards of Mammoth defeat the dwarven ambush. COMPLETED. Objective Two: Help prevent as many deaths as possible among citizens residing within Mammoth. Citizens survived (79%). COMPLETED Objective Two: Help prevent as many deaths as possible among the guard force within Mammoth. Guards survived (51%). COMPLETED. Objective Three: Eliminate or dispatch the Dwarven Catapult threat, 5 of 5. COMPLETED. Objective Four: HIDDEN. Objective Five: HIDDEN. Objective Six: Eliminate or dispatch the Dwarven Commanders, 3 of 3. COMPLETED. Objective Seven: Eliminate or dispatch the Silvern Waypoints, 3 of 3. COMPLETED. Calculating Rewards¡­ Please stand by. Notice! Quest rewards have been increased due to the survival of at least half of the citizens of Mammoth. Notice! Quest rewards have been increased due to the survival of at least half of the guards of Mammoth. You earned 31,250 experiences (Base 20,000) Congratulations! You have earned a quest reward, the title ¡®Hero of Mammoth.¡¯ Congratulations! Your renown and reputation with Mammoth have significantly improved. Its citizens and guards will look upon you favorably from this moment forward. System Notification: You have been granted a new title, ¡®Hero of Mammoth.¡¯ Your actions have marked you a hero among the common and noble folk of Mammoth. Long will your name live on, held in the highest regard, for your actions towards the city¡¯s defense in a great time of need. Title Benefits: Permanently increases all damage you deal to hostile invaders during a city¡¯s siege by 10%. Your presence on the battlefield increases friendly morale by 5% and increases damage dealt by friendly forces by 5%. Would you like to change your Title to ¡®Hero of Mammoth?¡¯ Note ¨C Title benefits remain regardless of the displayed title. Yes/No? Selecting ¡®no,¡¯ the notification disappeared. I wasn¡¯t sure when the title¡¯s benefits would come into play, the likelihood of defending another city under siege seemed remote. Still, it could come in handy one day. Closing out the latest notification, a golden light radiated from far overhead, washing me in refreshing power. The effect spread to anyone nearby, instantly returning our party and several soldiers to peak health. Another bout of cheers rang from the lips of those affected. Level Up! You have earned enough experience to advance to level 24. Tier 3 class characteristic attributes have been applied. You have 7 attribute points to distribute. Congratulations on reaching level 24. As a Wraith, you are able to choose one of the following class-appropriate skills or spells. Please know that it is possible any skill or spell not selected may be found elsewhere in the World. Additionally, another set of skills or spells will be selectable at level 26, and level 28. When level 30 is reached, a tier 4 class will be available. Choose wisely. ¡°Ready, Stell?¡± I queried my small friend. She bobbed her head enthusiastically in response. The first option appeared before us and was a skill I had not been expecting. Option 1: Skill [Minion Resurgence] ¨C Instantly resummon your recently defeated minion. Upon use, your enhanced skeletal minion, Ripley, will appear fully healed at your side regardless of injuries previously sustained. Additionally, your minion will receive a combat buff increasing maximum health, stamina, damage, and all attributes by a moderate amount. Note ¨C This skill has a moderate cool down, reducing in duration as this skill increases. Note ¨C This skill levels four times faster than normal skills. ¡°At least it levels quickly,¡± I jested after reviewing the skill. ¡°Ripley has only died like two times so I can¡¯t see this skill being of much use to us. Still, when she drops, it means we''re in a tricky spot. Being able to recall her to the fight instantly, could turn a defeat into a victory, if not helping a quick getaway at least.¡± ¡°That combat buff would help in those situations,¡± Stella offered as she swiped a paw in the air, interacting with an Accelerator-only screen. ¡°Ah, good to know. The increase in her potential is based on the recent damage she sustained, meaning if she died rather quickly, the buff would be far more powerful. It also lasts as long as she remains in active combat.¡± While I preferred acquiring new spells when I leveled, this skill which allows a buffed Ripley to return to a challenging fray couldn¡¯t be dismissed out of hand. I said as much to Stella before turning our attention to our second option. As the new screen appear, Tallos mentioned he was going to see if any of the men nearby needed some assistance. I asked Lowki to stick by him, just in case. I didn¡¯t expect anything would happen but wanted him a modicum of protection since his aid could take him beyond our group¡¯s line of sight. Option 2: Spell [Charged Detrimental Abeyance] (Average) ¨C At triple the normal mana cost, and ten times the typical casting time, the caster of this spell is able to hold up to three separate damage over time spells in temporary stasis. Once enacted, the arcane spell forms are shunted to an undetectable pocket dimension and will only degrade after a moderate period of time has elapsed. Upon mental command, all stored spells are instantly cast on a target. Note ¨C A small amount of mana will be reserved to hold each spell in stasis, increasing moderately with each charged spell. Note ¨C Maximum target distance is set by the lowest distance among the stored spells. Note ¨C This spell levels two times faster than normal, and is considered as a damage over time effect when calculating bonuses, et cetera. ¡°Oh, I like this one,¡± I gawked. Being able to cast three spells at the start of a battle instantly would be incredible. ¡°This would allow my spell damage to ramp so much faster. We¡¯d probably want to use our hardest hitters, but it frees me up in combat instead of standing still for the first few second''s casting initial DoTs. I¡¯m not going to lie, I really like the feel of this one.¡± Once more, Stella shifted through her unseen screens, looking to find any tidbit of information she could to help in our decision. ¡°It¡¯s a clear contender. That part about it being considered a damage over time spell means your class benefits will apply, which is nice to see.¡± I hadn¡¯t put much thought into the last footnote about the spell, but at her words, I reread the information. ¡°Well, I¡¯d imagine my duration buff from Wraith will automatically be taken into account,¡± I said, pulling up my character screen to remind me how my DoTs were impacted by my class selections. Wraith increased the total duration of each DoT I cast by a set percentage, depending on the tier of the spell. My tier one necromancer class benefited by doubling spell damage, while also enhancing how quickly the spells increased in level. ¡°Wait, for my tier one benefit, will the increased leveling speed be added as well?¡± ¡°It will,¡± Stella replied. ¡°After taking a fifty percent boost from necromancer, an additional hundred percent of that will be added to this spell. Meaning it will level really quickly, for sure.¡± ¡°Can you see the benefits of the spell as it levels up?¡± ¡°Yes, but we won¡¯t know more concrete numbers unless you choose the spell,¡± Stella replied, her eyes darting from side to side as she sought the answer to my question. ¡°From what I see, each level will decrease the reserve mana needed to hold the charged spells, and¡­ Nice! It will also eventually increase the number of spells you can store! Can you imagine it? Casting all or most of your DoTs instantly at the start of a fight would be impressive to see.¡± ¡°Between the two, I¡¯m definitely leaning towards this charged ability,¡± I suggested. ¡°So far, our options have been incredible. I can''t wait to take a look at the third.¡± With a mental nod, the final option popped up. Option 3: Spell [Pyroclastic Funeral Pyre] (Average) ¨C Upon casting, this spell directs a fast-moving blast of superheated ash and particulates at a target causing a considerable amount of damage over time. The target is afflicted with the debuff, ¡°Burial Pyre,¡± which causes moderate damage to other nearby hostile targets. Additionally, friendly targets and party members close to the affected target will receive a small attack speed buff and a minor health regeneration. Note ¨C This spell''s secondary effect does not cause additional threat generation for the caster. Note ¨C When this spell expires, a random hostile target damaged by the ¡°Burial Pyre¡± debuff will have a new instance of this spell placed upon them. The number of times this secondary effect triggers is dependent on spell level. ¡°Remarkable, this one will definitely lead in dealing the most amount of damage among all my DoTs,¡± I commented. ¡°Even better, it has a small area of effect that harms anything hostile nearby, all the while buffing friendlies to boot! A trifecta.¡± ¡°Yeah, that last note cuts the cake,¡± Stella agreed. ¡°If the original target dies, or the spell¡¯s duration ends naturally, it automatically jumps to another enemy. The System doesn¡¯t tell me yet how many times it can happen, but probably at least twice at level one. Give me a second..." Stella tapped away at her interface. "I want to see if the spell can be cast multiple times against different enemies.¡± Stella worked through her invisible screens for a minutes before continuing. ¡°From what I can see,¡± Stella said as she tapped the air as if proving an important point. ¡°This spell has a slightly longer cool down but can be cast to cast on multiple enemies, even those affected by the secondary AoE. The overlapping damage would work wonders against larger groups of mobs.¡± ¡°Overall, all three are good options,¡± I noted while running a hand through my hair. It was matted in several places and tiny bits of dirt fell away as I pulled my hand back in mild irritation. I would be taking a nice long bath, I promised myself, as soon as we had the option to do so. ¡°So, what do we think? An instant revive for Ripley, a triple spell charge, or a burning DoT and AoE?¡± Stella tilted her head up at me as she pressed a paw to her lips before shrugging. ¡°I¡¯ll take the hit, and sound like you every time we get the choice. ¡®I want all three,¡¯¡± she replied while attempting to mimic my voice. She brought a smile to my lips as I patted a hand against her back in good humor. Chapter 81 - A Decision and New Achievements Pondering over my options, I worked each through my head several times. While I loved the second option, the ability to charge a spell for future use, something about it nagged at my sensibilities. It felt¡­ weak so I peered at my hovering friend. ¡°Hey Stell, for the charged abeyance spell, does it have any other benefit, like to spell damage?¡± Stella returned my glance before returning to her attention to her Accelerator interface. She apparently was not expecting the question, seeing as I had earlier marked it as one of my favorites. ¡°Um. I can check again, but I doubt it. Why do you ask?¡± ¡°A part of me is¡­. hesitating picking it. It sounds like the only benefit of this spell, at least at first, is saving three seconds of cast time?¡± I responded. Stella quirked up at me, so I elaborated further. ¡°Most of my DoTs have a one-second cast time. Meaning, with this ability to store spells in advance, I¡¯m only saving a short amount of time? It hardly seems worth it when thinking about it in those terms.¡± I let out a sigh as another thought entered my mind. ¡°Can you see if the spells we store can at least be dual cast?¡± ¡°Sorry, no. Nothing here in the data suggests the stored spells will be enhanced in any way. It doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s not a flat-out possibility, mind you. Sometimes we don¡¯t learn more about a spell''s potential until we unlock it,¡± Stella replied. A moment later she rocked her head back as if she uncovered an important clue while sifting through a haystack of data. ¡°Damn, that''s unfortunate. What I can say is skills like quick cast, dual cast, and channeling cannot be used in conjunction.¡± Making up my mind, I shook my head. ¡°I love the idea of the spell, but I can¡¯t justify choosing what amounts to brief spell haste compared to either an instant revive for Ripley or an impressive damage over time option,¡± I began with a long sigh. ¡°If the charged spells offered more concrete benefits, perhaps, but I don¡¯t think it¡¯s the best pick right now, no matter how much I want it.¡± As we spoke, Stella and I moved closer to where the mounted warriors had fallen. Stella had already looted the caster earlier, but to my knowledge, the other two dwarfs had been left where they fell. Around the battlefield, wounded men were being carried or supported to receive healing. Hopefully, the city had capable healers as I would not be able to assist in with such a capacity for close to a half day yet. Stella had been following my gaze, so when I turned to her with a questioning look, she knew what I was about to ask. She nodded in silent understanding. She knew me so well. Calling out to a pair of uninjured guards, I fished out nearly every single healing potion I had on me. I kept the strongest ones for us but handed over two dozen precious bottles. As the men stared wide-eyed, I said, ¡°Please use these on those most injured.¡± The two soldiers accepted the donation graciously, asking a third man to help carry the potentially life-saving items. The armored trio departed, heading for what looked like a makeshift hospital tent. It was hastily put up but would serve the city well in triaging the wounded among the chaos left in the aftermath of our fierce struggle. Reaching the slain warriors and their reptile mounts, we found only a few minor enchanted rings granting a few attribute points. Tucking them into my belt pouch, my gaze panned over the destructive scene around us. Cries of loss and grief were creeping louder in nearer to the city. From the profound ache in the voices, family members were finding out loved ones had been lost in battle. This city would take a long time to heal from the violent surprise attack but would recover in time, I was sure of it. ¡°So, we¡¯re passing on the second possibility then?¡± Stella asked after a long moment, bringing me back on track. ¡°Unless you feel strongly otherwise,¡± I replied before pausing, allowing her to voice her opinion if she wanted to press the issue. ¡°No. As much as I want it, I¡¯m going to pick something else.¡± ¡°Sounds like you¡¯re leaning towards one over the other?¡± ¡°I am, the pyroclastic DoT,¡± I shared, meaning we would be passing on the minion revival option. Seeing Ripley nearby in all her grandeur. She was an impressive sight, decked out in gleaming plate armor. ¡°Fortunately, we don¡¯t often lose Ripley often in our struggles. With her recent upgrade and impressive stats, I think we can safely assume it will become more difficult for her to be slain in battle. More so, the last option matches what I do best, dealing damage over time.¡± Looking at Stella to see if she disagreed, she didn¡¯t, so I selected ¡®pyroclastic funeral pyre¡¯ and confirmed the decision. A torrent of information funneled into my mind as I selected ¡®yes.¡¯ Needing to close my eyes against the massive influx of knowledge, the spell was sketched into my brain. In seconds, but what felt like days to me, the process was complete. As if a fog had been lifted, I could intellectually parse the spell and every minute detail of its inner workings, available to me like an open book. Swiftly moving through my Hunter interface, I willed the detailed information to appear in window before us. [Pyroclastic Funeral Pyre]. A fast-moving, blast of superheated ash and particulates engulfs a target within 50 feet, causing 300 plus 3.5n damage immediately and then every 6 seconds until the spell expires, where ¡®n¡¯ equals Intelligence. The target is also afflicted with the debuff, ¡°Burial Pyre,¡± which causes 100 plus 2n damage to hostile targets within 10 feet. Additionally, friendly targets and party members within this radius receive a minor health regeneration restoring 22 plus 2n health every 6 seconds (this effect does not stack with other instances). Cost: 500 mana. Cast Time: 2 seconds. Cool down: 6 seconds. Duration: 168 seconds (base 120). Plus 5 feet maximum range, plus 30 base damage, and plus 15 damage, and 6 healing on the spell¡¯s secondary effect per spell level. Note ¨C This spell''s secondary effect does not cause additional threat generation. Note ¨C When this spell expires, a random hostile target damaged by the ¡°Burial Pyre¡± debuff will have a new instance of this spell placed upon them. This effective triggers twice, if able, increasing by one additional target every seven spell levels. We stood in muted silence after reading the finer details of the spell. Exchanging astonished glances, I was the first to speak. ¡°I think we picked the right one.¡± Imaging how effective this spell could have been if we had it during the siege battle was staggering to contemplate. It could have certainly turned the fight in the city¡¯s favor if I dedicated every available opportunity to cast the spell, whenever it came off cool down. Not only did it deal impressive amounts of damage before leaping to another two enemies, it was also effectively a free minor regen spell on anyone close enough to reap the benefit. Hurting an opponent, while also healing friendlies was an insane combo. Stella could only smile back in response, no doubt feeling the exact same way. Tallos returned with Lowki trotting beside him. Inquiring if they were okay, we moved in the direction of the city unsure of what we would do next. A part of me wanted to return to Marrek¡¯s shop, he had suggested preparing a reward for us after saving his life. Yet, with his sacrifice, I hardly felt we deserved it now. It felt wrong to think of a reward when the man had sacrificed himself to save me. Tallos caught my internal struggles as we walked. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Xaz? You seem bothered by something.¡± ¡°I was thinking of Marrek,¡± I replied at first, attempting to dodge the real question. Even Stella saw through my non-answer, so prompted me to continue. She seemed capable of seeing through the fa?ade and the lingering embarrassment I felt below the surface. What kind of person was I to think about a promised reward when a person just died? It felt gross, like feeling something small walking across your skin. This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. Neither friend pressed further, allowing me to work through my emotions. I decided to be honest, my friends deserved as much. ¡°I wasn¡¯t sure what we should do next, so I recalled Marrek said he wanted to give us a gift for saving his life¡­ Only for him to die saving mine. Now, I¡¯m embarrassed for even thinking of it.¡± Stella and Tallos shared a look, empathy clear on their faces. Stella was the first to respond, ¡°I think it¡¯s only natural. I feel confident in saying Marrek was the kind of person to lay down his life for a friend, the same as any of us. We need all the help we can get nowadays. Our struggles have only been getting stronger, challenging us to our limits. If Marrek left a gift, he would still want us to have it.¡± ¡°Stella¡¯s right,¡± Tallos acknowledged, his hands resting easily across his belt. ¡°It was clear the strength of character Marrek had. He died fighting as he lived, helping others. He would still want to help us. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s dishonorable to see if he left something in gratitude for our deeds.¡± Their words helped settle the bubbling roil in my stomach. Nodding in response, our small party altered course to Marrek¡¯s shop. Nearly all fires had been put out by now, though many homes and businesses had been completely destroyed by the dwarves'' flaming barrage. We helped whenever we could which included stopping to look through debris and rubble as the search for survivors continued long into the morning. We were in no rush, so freely offered our aid to any who needed it. As we walked through numerous tarnished streets and past charred buildings, I reviewed the rest of the notifications awaiting my attention. As soon as I did, another halo of golden light appeared as the experience from the slain catapult drivers, guards, and command trio trickled in. It was enough to move me to the next level, twenty-five, and another seven attributes to distribute. Level Up! You have earned enough experience to advance to level 25. Tier 3 class characteristic attributes have been applied. You have 7 attribute points to distribute. Not putting too much thought into it, I placed five into dexterity to reach the next threshold, and the rest of my points into intelligence. The sooner I reached five hundred, the better. Reaching the lofty goal would allow me to use the two spell tomes we looted from the brimstone magus in the lightless tunnels far underground. Each had an impressive intelligence requirement I was closing in on. I had about ninety points to go. Dexterity Threshold Reached (100). Benefits: Plus 20% increased accuracy with all ranged attacks (including spells), skills, and abilities (up from 14%). Plus 9% chance to score a critical hit, attack speed, and ability to dodge incoming attacks (up from 7%). Next came my skill notifications. It was a sad reminder I hadn¡¯t been able to use any spells, so none of those improved in the slightest. Though, Ripley¡¯s necrotic aura did increase as the spell remained continuously active which was pleasant to see. Notice! Skill and Spell increase messages have been condensed. Skill: [Axe] has increased to level 20. Spell: [Lesser Necrotic Aura (Pet)] has increased to level 18. Skill: [Stealth] has increased to level 18. Skill: [Throwing] has increased to level 17. Skill: [Firearms] has increased to level 15. The next notification to appear was something we hadn¡¯t seen in a long time. The last we saw it was back when we stopped the whole dread hecatomb debacle. The fact people from around the galaxy were actively watching our adventures hadn¡¯t quite set in as a fact of life. Still, the rewards were nice and would help us continue our fight. Congratulations! Reputation Achievement: You have reached the 5,000,000 viewer achievement tier. System reward is based on the contributing factors that increased your viewership. (Epic tier reward.) Congratulations! You have received: Empowered Aegis (Upgraded). Empowered Aegis (Upgraded) ¨C Your magical prowess is no longer contained inside only your Core. Now, a permanent barrier of magical energy protects you from hostile spells and attacks at all times as long as you have mana to spare. This magical protection draws against your mana reserves when struck, stopping most magical and non-magical attacks at a one-to-one damage ratio; health to mana. Note ¨C Extreme physical and magical attacks will still cause you to stagger, become dazed, or even stunned. The physical component of such attacks can bypass this protection. The amount of force to circumvent the barrier is inversely proportional to the caster''s current mana. Note ¨C For example, at full mana capacity, 0% of the physical force will bypass Empowered Aegis (Upgraded). At half mana capacity, 50% of the physical force will bypass Empowered Aegis (Upgraded), et cetera. ¡°Now that¡¯s certainly going to help,¡± I beamed in genuine satisfaction. This last fight alone, I had been thrown nearly senseless when two charging salamanders careened into me. Now, at peak mana, none of the impact would get through the aegis. ¡°Thank you!¡± ¡°Congrats! It¡¯s the perfect skill to receive a much-needed upgrade. I think you owe your luck attribute a thanks, at least in part,¡± Stella joked with an appreciative node at my arguably most important ability. Congratulations! Reputation Achievement: You have reached the 1,000,000 follower achievement tier. System reward is based on the contributing factors that increased your follower count. (Rare tier reward.) Congratulations! You have received: Voting has been enabled for all of your current followers to present you with a new skill, or spell. Good luck! After reading the message, two bars appeared horizontally to the side of the window. It was reminiscent of when my followers opted for a new ability when we defeated Adom the Savage. This time, with only two choices, the vials filled faster as they cast their votes. The first was a bright orange, the other violet, representing either a skill or a spell. I preferred the latter and, thankfully, it was clear which I would be granted. Congratulations! You have received a new spell, [Stalwart Aura (Pet)]! [Stalwart Aura (Pet)] The Wraith¡¯s undead minion radiates a strengthening aura causing the minion, friendly targets, and party members within a twenty-five foot radius to receive the beneficial buff, ¡°Invigorated Firmament,¡± which causes plus 15% physical damage mitigation, 10% increased physical attributes, 10% maximum health and stamina, and a 5% melee haste. Cost: 570 mana (200 mana reserved). Cast Time: 10 seconds. Cool down: N/A. Duration: Indefinite/until canceled. Plus 1 foot maximum range, plus 0.25% physical damage mitigation, plus 0.33% increased physical attributes, plus 0.33% maximum health and stamina, and plus 0.1% melee haste per spell level. ¡°Nice, another aura for Ripley,¡± Stella crooned as she beamed a bright smile at her favorite skeleton. She looked at me too but, with the flood of new arcane knowledge, I hadn¡¯t heard her comment as my awareness was overwhelmed. She repeated herself for my benefit once my eyes opened. I wasn¡¯t overly thrilled by the new addition, but was thankful for it, nonetheless. Remembering Stella¡¯s words which felt so long ago, I turned an appreciative look up to the sky and uttered a soft, ¡®thank you,¡¯ to the people following my adventure. Stella got a kick out of the gesture, and I could tell she was about to remind me to be grateful. When our eyes met, she stuck out her tongue, followed by a Cheshire smile. Growing closer to Marrek¡¯s store, I briefly looked at my inventory window for the gear we had taken off the dwarven warlock. Nothing was of particular note, my new set was well beyond anything he had been wearing. ¡°More stuff to sell,¡± I stated. Rounding a corner, near the center of town, we found our destination. Unlike the destroyed buildings on either side, Marrek¡¯s place seemed almost untouched. The windows were still boarded from when the wizard was first apprehended, but I was glad to see the man had replaced his front door. It had been hanging awkwardly the last time we saw it. The large oak door was an as-of-yet unpainted, bringing a stark contrast to the building¡¯s overall richly stained appearance. Finding the door unlocked, we stepped inside. Before, the place had been a wreck. Now, the place was devoid of almost everything. Barren shelves and empty tables lined every square inch of the place. ¡°He did say he was leaving for the capital,¡± Tallos recalled as we stared at the scarcity of goods around us. As he spoke, a messy bed of hair poked up from a corner table. It quickly vanished when the movement caught our eyes. ¡°It¡¯s alright, we¡¯re not going to hurt you." Moving slowly to that side of the store, we found six children ranging in age between twelve and as low as eight or nine. They wore modest clothes smeared by soot and grimy smudges. They looked like they had been through a forest fire. My guess was likely not far off the mark with all the burnt buildings nearby. ¡°We didn¡¯t steal anything!¡± a young female voice called out. She was one of the older children, showing admirable courage at the sight of our imposing group, particularly the towering Ripley, as she slid protectively in front of her fellow kids. ¡°Wizard Marrek told us we could come in here when the stars were falling.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, we believe you. Marrek was our friend too,¡± I said in a soft tone, holding out my hands in a pacifying gesture to dispel any tension. With his shop mostly intact, it was safe to assume the talented mage had reinforced the building. It was not hard to imagine Marrek ushering in waylaid children as he rushed out to defend the city. A lump formed in my throat after considering how to break the unfortunate news of the courageous man¡¯s demise. Before I could speak, the young girl asked a pointed question. ¡°Are you Xaz?¡± ¡°I am,¡± I replied, momentarily taken aback by how she knew my name. Chapter 82 - A Delighted Homecoming This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. Chapter 83 - The Wild Stallion With the heavy tome hand, a window appeared in the air in front of us containing the spell''s detailed description. As I read the information, I bobbed my head in appreciation of the soon-to-be addition to my growing repertoire. [Gnawing Blizzard]. Create a localized blizzard within 50 feet of the caster. Within the storm rages piercing crystalline shards capable of puncturing through most magical defenses up to enhanced tier, as well as non-magical armor up to rare quality. Within a 30 feet area of effect, hostile targets are inflicted with the debuff, ¡°Biting Ice¡±, which causes 200 plus 2.5n damage immediately and then every 6 seconds thereafter, where ¡®n¡¯ equals Intelligence. Additionally, afflicted hostile targets suffer a movement speed penalty of 20%, and suffer melee and spell haste penalty of 10%. These effects are compounded further with each minute hostile targets remain in the area of effect, though the effects are immediately dispelled when the spell expires. Cost: 500 mana. Cast Time: 2 seconds. Cool down: 10 seconds. Duration: 168 seconds (base 120). Plus 1 foot maximum range and area of effect, plus 20 base damage, minus .33% movement speed, and minus .1% melee and spell haste per spell level. Note ¨C Once cast, the spell effect cannot be moved from its original location. Note ¨C Friendly targets and party members are immune to this spell¡¯s deleterious effects, only seeing a ghostly impression of the spell. Stella and I looked at one another, equally impressed with the evocation¡¯s description. Thankfully, the spell was clearly a DoT meaning all of my bonuses from being a Necromancer and Wraith would positively modify the spell¡¯s damage and total duration. Better yet, the spell¡¯s AoE wouldn¡¯t hurt or hinder friends meaning I would not need to be discriminate when using it. ¡°It¡¯s a nice spell to add to your collection,¡± Stella commented after moving to sit on my shoulder. She graciously accepted several affectionate strokes from me as we neared the inn. While the streets were bustling with people coming and going, only a few appeared to be lingering around the two-story establishment. A sign over the double door depicted a bucking unicorn over the words ¡®Wild Stallion.¡¯ Stella pressed on with thoughtful consideration, ¡°If these last battles were any indication, being able to dole out damage across a wider area will be incredibly helpful as we continue to advance.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not wrong. If my math is right, between Ripley¡¯s necrotic aura, the area damage from my new pyroclastic torrent, and this hailstorm¡­ we¡¯ll be doing slightly over twenty-five hundred damage with every spell tick.¡± Pausing the group for a moment, I had us hug the tavern¡¯s reinforced wood siding. Sensing my intent, a message popped up inquiring if I wished to learn gnawing blizzard. ¡°Give me a moment, guys,¡± I said to curious glances. ¡°I¡¯d like to learn this spell, sooner rather than later.¡± Selecting ¡®yes¡¯ on the prompt, it suddenly felt like I had a massive brain freeze. The System downloaded a deluge of information into my mind, and, for whatever reason, added a chilling sensation that carried from my head to the bottom of my spine. While not painful, it set my teeth to rattling. When the arcane formulas and information were successfully imprinted, the bulky book disintegrated into fine particles, drifting away on a light breeze between the two nearby buildings. ¡°Frosty,¡± I mentioned, my exhale forming a puff of cold air like we were in the dead of winter. ¡°That¡¯s something new.¡± Stella revealed the System sometimes added effects like what I experienced, essentially to ''spice up things up'' for the audience. I tucked the useless nugget away, chalking it up as yet another oddity of being a Hunter. ¡°Wish I could learn a spell as quickly as you can,¡± Tallos chuckled a self-deprecating laugh at my side. ¡°I¡¯ll need at least eight hours, if not more, to cast mine.¡± Patting him on the back good-naturedly, we rounded the side of the building and entered the Wild Stallion¡¯s front door. Even before we entered, a pleasant aroma of burning incense and wood from a crackling fireplace wafted out from the place. Once indoors, we were politely hailed by who I assumed was the inn¡¯s proprietor from behind the bar. The common area had dozens of tables, ringed by stout wooden chairs. Striking paintings of horses, unicorns, and other equine creatures covered every square inch of the banquet hall''s timber walls. From the lofty ceiling banners of all shapes and colors hung, most depicting an animal of one sort or another. The place had an inviting feel, welcoming to everyone and anyone. The innkeeper was a sightly middle-aged woman with sandy blond hair tumbling over her petite shoulders. She wore lightly colored clothes with a hide apron embroidered with foaming beer mugs across her chest and waist. She wore a friendly smile and waved us closer. She must have been thrilled to see our group enter her establishment as the place only had a handful of people at midday. Mostly cloistered around a pair of tables, and chatting amongst themselves, the other patrons were easily identified as off-duty guards. None wore their plate armor, though still carried a sheathed long or short sword. Several men must have recognized us as calls to the barkeep said they would buy our first round of drinks. Tilting our heads in appreciation at the remark, we approached the tavern owner. ¡°Welcome to the Wild Stallion, you lot seemed to be well known,¡± the woman noted with a nod at the soldiers across the room. As we approached, the bar top caught my attention with its smooth polish, and rich cherry lacquer. ¡°You look like adventurers in need of a warm bath, a comfortable room, and a hot meal. I¡¯m Heraclea, but everyone calls me Hera. What can I do for you?¡± ¡°Nice to meet you, Hera,¡± I promptly replied, resting a shoulder on the beautiful bar. ¡°Hopefully all three, if we can.¡± ¡°Bath¡¯s first,¡± Stella blurted before Hera could respond, then flinging a paw in my direction. ¡°Especially this one. He smells of someone who enjoys rolling around a pigsty for fun. I will take one as well, but only to get the dirt that has flaked off this one.¡± Our host declined to poke fun at my expense but readily nodded to not overlook Stella¡¯s comment. ¡°Of course, baths are three coppers each. Towels, soap, and individual basins are down the hall, there. We also provide cologne for the gentleman and exquisite perfume for the lady for an additional copper.¡± Fishing out a silver piece and several copper coins, I placed them on the counter. ¡°We would like a room, preferably with at least two beds. We¡¯re planning on leaving tomorrow morning.¡± ¡°Wait, I don¡¯t need¡­¡± Tallos started to say but was interrupted from a scowl from Stella. He had only half been paying attention as his face was buried in his book. ¡°Never mind, I could enjoy a nice soak.¡± Hera smiled before winking at the hovering Stella. ¡°Of course. We have fine rooms which will certainly meet your needs. For the day and evening, it will be three silver pieces.¡± Handing over four, the coins were quickly scooped up with a radiant smile as Hera passed us a room key. ¡°When you return, simply ask me or any of our waitresses and we''ll happily provide you with lunch. Dinner tonight is roasted quail or, for the adventurous individual, an exceptional slice of steak prepared by our renowned chef. Your room is up those stairs to our second floor. You have the final room on the right.¡± The bath that followed was incredibly refreshing, removing the layers of dirt and debris I didn¡¯t know we had acquired over the last long few days. The water was blissfully warm and, when combined with jasmine bath salts, aches I hadn¡¯t even noticed fade into nothingness. The cologne had a scent I couldn¡¯t quite place, but at Stella¡¯s forced promise I applied a few sprays of the bottled stuff. It had a floral aroma, with perhaps honey and some cinnamon. Passing through the common room on our way to our rooms, the clink of plates and silverware reminded us it had been a long while since we last ate. My stomach audibly growled at the reminder. Stella, fresh and prim from her own bath, made me promise we would come right back down once we were settled in our room. The room, we discovered, was more like a suite in actuality. Far larger and grander than I had been expecting. It was wide enough to comfortably accommodate a party twice our size, with three different types of coaches. One was leather, another a dark fabric, and the last a cotton blend. The side room had a pair of lavish beds with enough spare blankets and pillows to make a makeshift fort like when I was a child. Also in the living room was a walnut rolltop desk, and padded chairs around an ample card table. The room¡¯s windows ran along the south side of the city, granting us an expansive sightline over the distant grasslands and fields. The sun was high in the sky with a small spattering of rolling clouds providing minimal shade for a half dozen tillmen plowing and seeding their fields. Opening several windows, a crisp scent blew into our room reminding me of vanilla and hints of citrus. Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. ¡°If you want to head down for lunch, I¡¯m going to remain here,¡± Tallos said from one of the leather couches. His legs were fully extended down the cotton sofa, his back resting against the plush armrest. In his lap, he held his tome of minor snare as he gradually flipped from one page to another. ¡°We¡¯ll have something brought up for lunch if you¡¯d like,¡± I offered, hiding a quirk of a smile. Tallos had said his lifelong dream was being able to cast spells, and he was in no mind to delay that from happening now that it was so close to bearing fruit. I couldn¡¯t blame him. We did have plenty of free time until our planned departure tomorrow morning. I remembered only so many days ago when I learned my first spell, courtesy of Stella. ¡°Please, it would be appreciated,¡± he replied with another turn of a page. Tallos looked to be three-quarters through his book, though based on what was commented earlier, he would probably go through it at least a few more times before he was ready to attempt a casting of the ensnaring roots. Returning to lounge area, more off-duty guards had since arrived, their group taking up close to half of the available space on the lower floor. Not wanting to grab more of their attention, I led our crew up a nearby half-hidden staircase which led to the room¡¯s second floor overhanging the main bar. A waitress spotted us heading up, so followed close behind. Setting up at a high table in the corner, we were asked what we would like for lunch. After hearing what was offered, we ordered a platter of cooked meat, steamed vegetables, and a healthy sample of the house beers. ¡°You¡¯ll love the honeyed mead,¡± our willowy waitress assured us before departing. We were the only ones on the upper level, and I enjoyed the time away from all the attention our recent efforts had garnered us. As much as I enjoyed helping others, sometimes you just needed to take a break. I intended to follow through on the thought. Stella reminded me of ordering something for Tallos, so I ventured back down the staircase, asking our waitress to add it to our order, but delivering it to our room instead. Glasses clinked, and dozens of lighthearted conversations created a jovial atmosphere as I returned upstairs. Delicious aromas of grilled steak, spices, and yeasty beer drifted up to us as we chatted. When the food arrived, we dug in hungrily. The meal was intensely savory, Stella and I filling our bellies with salted ribs and spiced chicken. Even the roasted vegetables were delicious, the right amount of salt popping with each bite. Leaning back in my chair, I let out a satisfied burp. The beer, especially the honey mead recommended by our waitress, helped smoothly wash everything down. ¡°Well, that was absolutely delightful,¡± I murmured to Stella who was finishing off the last of her barbeque glazed chicken wings. She had me crack open a jar of her favorite ¡®Marv¡¯s delectable barbeque¡¯ sauce. I suppressed a smile as she gleefully doused the savory stuff across her meal adding a nice tang of flavorful, or so she said as she slopped the barbeque around her plate. I hadn¡¯t the heart to tell her she had a generous amount of her favorite sauce caking the sides of her snout. We spent another hour or two relaxing and simply enjoying the atmosphere. We didn¡¯t drink too much as I wanted to avoid becoming inebriated. I had hoped to check out some stores, but my hope was dashed when Stella reminded me most had been locked up as the city responded to the dwarven attack. ¡°We may have better luck tomorrow morning once everything has truly settled down,¡± Stella stated as she lounged backward, hovering an inch above her high chair. She had a proudly extended belly, her front paws resting comfortably across in satisfaction. Paying our tab to the waitress, as well as leaving a generous tip, we returned to our room. Tallos hadn¡¯t moved from his spot and as we opened the door, bore an excited look across his chiseled face. A plate of food rested on the sofa table nearby, looking hastily picked over. I was glad he had eaten as much as he had. By the look of it, the engrossed ranger had rushed through the delicious spread it to get back to his reading as quickly as possible. ¡°You look happy,¡± I commented as we sat on the leather sofa. Ripley stood near the front door, like usual, with Lowki jumping atop Tallos¡¯ legs on the other side of the leather couch. ¡°I¡¯m close. Maybe another few hours, a half a day at most,¡± he replied enthusiastically. ¡°I can feel it.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t let us slow you down, I¡¯m happy for you,¡± I replied with a friendly grin. ¡°We¡¯re going to rest for a few hours before heading back down. Say, Stell, how long do I have before I can cast my spells again?¡± ¡°Another four hours and some change,¡± she replied as she snuggled into a padded armchair. ¡°I¡¯ll let you know as soon as it¡¯s been restored. Now, quiet, all of you. I¡¯d like to take a small nap if it¡¯s alright with you.¡± Not complaining, with the luxurious sofa under me, I closed my eyes, soon drifting into a light nap with spotty dreams I wouldn¡¯t recall. I woke several hours later feeling quite a bit better. Tallos still appeared not to have moved in the slightest as I dozed, though Lowki had at some point moved closer to the young man, resting his wide back against the ranger¡¯s legs. Tallos politely moved a tentacle aside as it drifted lazily around the cramped couch. Stella was still sound asleep, with soft snores escaping her lips as she twitched in a dream. With nothing else to do, I pulled up my inventory screen. I had been curious to see the status of the wands we pulled from the boss dwarf¡¯s compatriots. During the battle with the catapults and dwarf guards, both had expended all available charges. Sadly, the wand of the undulating fire serpent hadn¡¯t regenerated any charges. Looking at its description, I was reminded it recharged only a single use every twenty-four hours, so we had a bit to go before it could be used again. The other wand, the fire stream one which created a devastating fan of fire, showed one charge meaning it recharged far faster than the serpent wand. My thoughts wandered as to our parties next steps. The notion of returning to the silvern travel node was instantly quashed when I vividly recalled the cramped confines of the often-narrow tunnels leading deep below the city. Even if we used the node to jump however many miles to the west it carried us, there was no guarantee we would be able to find a path to the surface. It was too much of an unknown to be used reliably. From what I recalled in my conversation with Tallos, an elven kingdom city was at least a ten-day journey to the east, located in a sprawling forest commonly known as the High Thicket. Briefly inquiring with my friend, I learned the kingdom was called Galanlenor, named after its first ruler. "I''ll be leading us to the city of Quarris, which is near the northwestern corner of the High Ticket," Tallos explained earlier that afternoon. "Though not as large as the grandest city in the fifty mile woodland, it has its own wonders." Ten days on foot was a noteworthy period of time, it seemed daunting, so I tasked myself with hopefully acquiring some horses in the morning to speed up our hunt for Duke. With our recent gains, we could afford a pair of draft horses, for sure. If we took the time to sell off the numerous magical items, rings, and jewelry, I was confident we had more than enough. Stella was beginning to stir, uttering something which sounded awfully like, ¡°Bacon¡­¡± so I propped myself up. My movement woke Stella who had since moved to my chest. She stared bleary-eyed, her gaze slowly beginning to focus on Lowki¡¯s slumbering form as she mumbled something unintelligible. ¡°Is it dinner time already?¡± she finally muttered coherently after several long seconds. Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, Lowki must have sensed her indirect stare. A feline eye peeked open, an ear twitching in Stella¡¯s direction, but was quickly closed seeing no threat. Feeling refreshed, everyone beside Tallos, who opted out once more, walked down the hall towards the common area for more food and good company. I had pressed the elf to join us, but he assured us he was close to an understanding of his new spell. Promising him we would send up another platter of food, he buried himself back into his work. He had started muttering arcane words as the door closed behind us, so I believed him. The bar was half again as full as earlier in the afternoon, though nowhere near to max capacity yet. The sound of beer glasses tapping against wooden tables from overhead clued us to our previous table on the second floor was likely taken. The overhang was only a quarter of the size of the main floor, though did offer a nice view of the common area so I wasn¡¯t surprised it had been filled in our absence. Finding a table on the far wall away from the burning fireplace, the heat was a bit too much for me at the moment after coming out of a comfortable nap, we quickly ordered several helpings of the dinner¡¯s roasted quail and exclusive steak Hera told us about when we first arrived at the Wild Stallion. The T-bone steak was so delicious and tender, even the overly zealous Stella hadn¡¯t bothered adding a helping of her favorite barbeque sauce to the delectable meal. The garlic butter was divine and the meat veritably melted in our mouths. Throw in roasted asparagus, mashed potatoes charmingly called ¡®pur¨¦e de pomme,¡¯ several foaming beers and you have a recipe to be completely satisfied. Ensuring an order was sent to Tallos, we paid for the dinner and joined the growing crowd. A small band was setting up in the corner near the bar, so we knew we were in for a wonderful evening. An interesting bit of information we picked up over the course of the evening, overheard from a group of guards, was that the capital had sent a moderately sized group of soldiers who arrived the afternoon before the dwarves sneak attack. When word had reached Allerton of former Magistrate Ussek¡¯s apprehension and abdication, they saw fit to send a detachment to reinforce the city during possible unrest among the citizens. ¡°Thank the gods those capital soldiers arrived,¡± one boisterous man called out, his beer mug overflowing as he rocked on his heels. ¡°Along with the Hunter and his team, we probably wouldn¡¯t be standing here now if not for them.¡± Another round of drinks was called by an unknown individual. The crowd loved it and friendly pats across backs swirled around the place. Hearing the news our actions with Ussek further benefited the city and helped quash any remaining doubt I had been carrying over our actions in the Silvern mines. In a way, the city had been reinforced by us, though only indirectly. Indirect or not, it still made a difference we could be proud of. Long after nightfall, we returned to the quarters. Stella continued to mumble the lyrics to a newfound favorite local song as she lightly pranced across my shoulders. Tallos and Lowki rested in one of the twin beds, looking not unlike an uncomfortable jumble of limbs and twitching tentacles. Tallos¡¯ dinner plate was on the floor near his former couch, no doubt a gift Lowki appreciated considering not a drop of food remained this time around. Settling down for the evening, I quickly fell asleep, ready for whatever tomorrow brought us. Chapter 84 - Dutch and Jax The morning arrived faster than expected, most likely because of my slight overindulgence the night before. My head was pounding from a hangover, punished no doubt for my lack of restraint for the crowd-favorite honey mead. Instinctively, I moved my hands through the motions of casting minor regen on myself, which did help in turning the sharp pain of twisting daggers behind my eyes into a bearable dull ache. A few seconds after casting the spell, my eyes snapped open when the realization. ¡°Yes!¡± I called out but quickly tamped my raised voice when my outburst netted me a few choice words from Stella as she attempted to drift back into sleep. I reined in my excitement of regaining the ability to cast spells. I pondered what effects my regen spell could have had, had I used it while enjoying ourselves the night before. Something for another day perhaps. I had no intention of celebrating like that again, not for a good long while. We had work to do. Speaking in a low a voice, I sang the soft tune necessary for a song of travel. A quickened feeling reached my calves and upper legs, indicating the thirty percent increase in movement speed afforded by the spell. Followed quickly on the heels of my latest spell, I uttered the arcane phrases necessary to enact my least impactful buff, minor shielding. Though it only granted a measly thirty or so armor, similar to a single piece of my new armor set, it could help should the worst happen. With my high intelligence, the beneficial spell would last nearly seven hours. It was too bad I couldn¡¯t cast it on anyone else. Excitement surged through my veins as I turned my attention inward. Reviewing all the nuanced details of my next spell had me smiling in anticipation as I opened my eyes and looked at Ripley. She was standing between the two rooms of our suite, her penetrating gaze sweeping back and forth. Before starting the spell¡¯s long cast time, I reviewed the System description for stalwart aura. [Stalwart Aura (Pet)] The Wraith¡¯s undead minion radiates a strengthening aura causing the minion, friendly targets, and party members within a twenty-five foot radius to receive the beneficial buff, ¡°Invigorated Firmament,¡± which causes plus 15% physical damage mitigation, 10% increased physical attributes, 10% maximum health and stamina, and a 5% melee haste. Cost: 570 mana (200 mana reserved). Cast Time: 10 seconds. Cool down: N/A. Duration: Indefinite/until canceled. Plus 1 foot maximum range, plus 0.25% physical damage mitigation, plus 0.33% increased physical attributes, plus 0.33% maximum health and stamina, and plus 0.1% melee haste per spell level. Peering at my towering friend, I sent Ripley a wink before for beginning the lengthy ten-second incantation. Arcane phrases escaped my lips as if I was uttering a long-memorized poem, even though it was in a foreign dialect. The way the end of the alien syllables snapped reminded me of a saluting soldier standing at attention. Similarly, the spell¡¯s necessary hand gestures, while seemingly erratic, were in fact a tightly choreographed symphony of movement. Completing the strenuous ten-second cast time, a golden glow which had been forming on my hand flashed once before Ripley¡¯s entire body mirrored the yellow-tinted light. The effect faded only a moment later and, as much as I could tell, nothing else happened. Returning my focus inwards once more, I couldn''t detect the expected boost to my attributes. Ripley glanced in my direction, locking her gaze with mine for a moment, before returning to our unblinking back-and-forth pan. Feeling no different than before the casting, irritation flittered through my chest as I opened my character screen. Perhaps it would show the modifications there. While a buff icon for ¡®invigorating firmament¡¯ was newly listed beside my name in the party window, along with everyone else, none of my stats had been modified. Thinking the spell was defective, I ran through the incantation, though was sure it had been cast perfectly. Turning to wake up the slumbering Stella and inquire why the spell wasn¡¯t working, I found her already stirring. Slowly, with a paw held against the side of her head, she floated over to sit beside me. The miniature poodle had been resting atop Lowki¡¯s balled body, but my activities must have pulled her out of sleep. ¡°Don¡¯t worry your pretty little head,¡± she whispered groggily as she moved to my shoulder. ¡°The aura¡¯s buff only works while in combat. We couldn¡¯t see that before, but it¡¯s apparent now having been cast for the first time. Don¡¯t worry, the effects of her aura will wash into anyone nearby as soon as we get into combat. A little disappointed at the news, but nonetheless thrilled for our new party buff, I thanked Stella before moving to the end of the bed to reequip my armor. Tallos was roused soon after and followed my lead. It was time to take hold of the day. Sometime later this morning, we would be heading far to the east to the elven city of Quarris. Images of raised platforms hanging far overhead, strung between trees with elven magic ran through my head. Tallos¡¯ earlier descriptions flooded back to me as I imagined how wonderful the elvish settlement must be in person. Packing quickly, I couldn¡¯t wait to see such a magical place. From everything Tallos had previously shared, it would be a wondrous sight to behold. ¡°Everyone ready?¡± I questioned the group. Receiving curt nods in response, we opened our door and tracked down the hallway towards the inn¡¯s common room. We enjoyed a nice breakfast of sausages, sizzling bacon, and perfectly seasoned scrambled eggs. Stella had the great idea of asking if we could each have two more plates before we left. Saying she would also like to pay for the plates, stating we would be taking them ¡®to-go,¡¯ Hera agreed with only a few questions before accommodating the unusual request. Stella was thrilled as our next two breakfasts would be the Wild Stallion¡¯s finest as she safely tucked away the plates in our bag of holding. Waving goodbye to Hera and her staff, we made our way outside. It was a bright, sunny day with barely any cloud cover. A cool breeze kept us comfortable as we walked back toward the street shops and merchant stores we passed by the day before. Finding only a few open for business, we discovered the majority were still locked tight with no indication when they would reopen. Entering the nearest store, ¡®Wades Wares,¡¯ the elderly man inside sold little in the way of magical trinkets. Unfortunately, we learned most shops wouldn¡¯t be reopening for at least another day or two as those other traders were either still recovering from the disaster or helping their closest neighbors. Thanking the man, I asked if he would be interested in buying any enchanted equipment or jewelry. Sadly, we soon departed Wade¡¯s lackluster wares. Not only did he have mundane items, but he had nowhere near the liquid funds to cover the cost of even our cheapest enchanted item. At our inquiry, he was able to point us to another store down the road where enchanted trinkets and the like could be purchased and sold. Wade said it would be the best place to trade or sell off our unwanted loot since everyone else was closed. Sure enough, we had far better luck when we entered a tidy shop with a wooden placard over the front door naming the place ¡®Bethel¡¯s Magical Matrices.¡¯ The two-story brick-and-mortar shop was lined front and back in soaring stained glass windows. It gave the place an enthralling multicolored atmosphere. A tall elf greeted us as we entered, a bell over her doorway chiming and announcing our presence. Bethel was slender and wore a beautiful sun dress with attractive floral patterns. Her sharp facial features enhanced her charming smile. ¡°Hello, sirs and madam. Welcome to my humble store. How can I be of service?¡± Bethel greeted, her arms waving in grand, sweeping movements. Fortunately for us, her pockets were deep, and we were able to offload a good number of our acquired gems, jewelry, and a few pieces of arms and armor. In all, we traded with the eccentric woman for over a dozen gold pieces. Remembering how expensive horses were in the capital, a whopping twenty-five gold pieces each, we would be hard-pressed to buy more than one if they were as expensive here. I could only hope that was not the case. What magical gear Bethel had on sale was prohibitively expensive, especially considering we needed to save enough funds to purchase horses for our cross-country trek. Passing up on several items we couldn¡¯t afford, we did find a spell book which was perfect for Tallos. Guessing the tome was likely more expensive than if we would have found it back in the capital, I nonetheless handed over a bag of copper and a fist full of silver, as well as a minor enchanted dagger. {Tome of Minor Eagle Eye}. Quality: Well-crafted. Rarity: Uncommon. Type: Spell Book ¨C Consumable. Durability: 250/250. Properties: Teaches the spell [Minor Eagle Eye]. Call upon the spirit of the eagle to enhance the caster¡¯s long-range perception, and mobility. For the spell¡¯s duration, all range attacks will receive an accuracy bonus. Additionally, Dexterity will be increased by a small percentage amplifier. Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. Note ¨C This is a single-use item and will be destroyed when used. Tallos was looking forward to testing his snare spell. We were planning on running some field tests when we were outside the city proper. Now, with another spell book in hand, he was practically giddy with excitement. I couldn¡¯t remember the last time I saw him so cheerful. Though this new spell wasn¡¯t anything incredible, it was well worth the price to see my friend so delighted. With what little shopping we could manage out of the way, we inquired locals where the nearest stable was. We hadn¡¯t seen one in our perusal of the city but knew one had to be about. Directed to the western corner, we marched with an excited Tallos once more deeply buried in another book. We had a little bit of time before we reached the stables, so I poked the enthralled elf and asked if he wanted to demonstrate his snare spell. Tallos seemed hesitant at first, clearly wanting to continue reading but nodded at my request. Walking twenty feet away, I turned around and faced my friend. Tallos wore an intense expression and moved back and forth on the balls of his feet a couple of times. ¡°When you¡¯re ready,¡± I called out. Tallos¡¯ forehead tilted forward, his eyes sharpening like a hawk preparing to dive at a field mouse. His lips were moving, though I barely heard what sounded like gibberish at this distance. It was only my keen senses that allowed me to pick up what little I could as his hands completed a series of flourishing gestures. With a final palm thrust in my direction, I waited patiently for the spell¡¯s effects to manifest. While nothing visually spanned through the air between us, the effects of his incantation were nonetheless immediately felt. The packed dirt road under my feet cracked and split as vines shot up to encircle my boots and lower legs. None carried thorns like with my wand of grasping roots, but the strength and tenacity of the vines were no less impressive. Beginning only as thick as a finger, the vines quickly swelled until they were closer to the width of a water hose. Tallos wore a satisfied grin as he watched the spell latch on and restrain me. He motioned with a hand, signaling me to try to get closer to him so I stepped forward. It was not an easy feat by any means. Even with a hundred-plus strength characteristic, I struggled as I trudged forward. Vines snapped but were quickly replaced by more of the tenacious stuff. It was like wading through quicksand that continually shifted to get a better hold on my legs. We discovered that while the spell couldn¡¯t entirely immobilize me, the hindering effect of the enchanted roots was impressive, nonetheless. Seeing if I could break the bonds with a weapon, I swung my axe downward, cutting to the side of my right leg. Dozens of the twisting vines split under the weapon¡¯s keen edge. While it allowed me a brief increase in speed, the animated plants quickly regrew enough to slow me down once more. If I had to guess, it slowed me down around a quarter of my normal movement rate, if not slightly more. Trying to run was futile as the vines threatened to trip me if I moved too fast, growing tighter to match my increased effort. ¡°For a minor spell, it¡¯s stronger than I thought it would be,¡± I commented when the spell ended thirty seconds later. ¡°Unless I have some way to ignore the spell¡¯s effect, there is no way I would risk running while that stuff is wrapped around my legs.¡± Tallos was thrilled with the results, commenting how it would allow him to keep his distance against at least one enemy focused on entering into melee range with him. While we discussed the strengths and relatively few weaknesses of the spell, Tallos exclaimed in surprise when he noticed the tome for the spell had disintegrated at some point. Stella said she noticed it, but stated it was expected given the item¡¯s description. Further tests showed Tallos could cast the spell nearly back-to-back against a maximum of two targets. Stella stated this limitation should increase in time, though wasn''t certain. Against Ripley, her increased strength meant the movement penalty from the spell was not as severe as it was against me. I had less than half her total strength, so it made sense. Against the nimble Lowki, the spell was most useless. Not only could Lowki jump over the grasping vines with ease, but his three sets of legs were able to kick off most of the effect. It seemed the spell, at least in its current incarnation, only created enough vines to wrap up two legs. If Lowki was able to avoid the stuff with a quick jump, his landing spot would quickly attempt to sprout more of the ensnaring vines. Still, the agile cat quickly demonstrated only another quick leap that allowed him to continually evade the spell¡¯s effects. In the end, we were pleased with the snare¡¯s effectiveness. It had its weaknesses, but against most enemies, it would allow Tallos to maintain plenty of distance to pepper his foes with slicing arrows. Back on the road, Tallos quickly dove back into his tome of eagle eye. He had a fervent twinkle in his eyes. He couldn¡¯t wait to add another spell to his growing personal repertoire. Stella and I assured the zealous elf we¡¯d be on the lookout for anything else he was capable of casting. ¡°He won¡¯t be able to cast as many spells as you can,¡± Stella reckoned as we neared the sprawling equine estate. The place, called ¡°Mannie¡¯s Stables,¡± had several large pastures teaming with horses of all breeds and colors. The steel-reinforced wooden barn looked recently built with how spotless it was on the outside. ¡°It¡¯s not something we¡¯ll really need to worry about but, by my estimate, he can probably learn somewhere between five to eight spells at our levels. For NPCs, it increases every fifth level or so, but there is no standard frequency the System follows. It mostly depends on the individual and their unique talents.¡± Mannie¡¯s stable had dozens of hands working all around the place. Some were hammering in fence posts around the dozen or so open pastures teeming with horses. Others were lugging large bales of hay or cleaning and refilling large water buckets. Walking through the main arched gate, we spotted several smaller outbuildings, multiple free-standing lean-to¡¯s horses used as protection against the elements, and an impressive three-story house. Everything was maintained to a near-professional standard. The odds of us acquiring a pair of horses seemed to be slipping through my fingers the more we saw. Pride practically emanating from every beam and timber. When we inquired about purchasing some horses, a pair of stable hands led us through to the main barn to see the barn owner. The inside was as meticulous as the rest of the place. Young men and women were cleaning stalls, sweeping floors with large push brooms, and laying out flakes of hay for when the horses were brought back in later that day. Having once been to a barn that reeked of ammonia in my former life, this stable was an upscale resort by comparison. A tall, heavy-set man approached with an extended hand. He seemed more enthusiastic at our visit than I would have expected. It seemed like he was happy greeting royalty as we shook hands. He had a firm grip, his calloused hands marking he was as diligent in the work around his barn as much as his employees. He had a neatly trimmed beard beginning to show signs of gray and his hair was tied back in a ponytail. His overalls showed an odd patch of dirt here and there showing he worked right beside his people. The man was built like an ox and wore a generous smile as he introduced himself. ¡°Welcome, welcome. I¡¯m Mannie. I know you, and your band of heroes. I watched you myself as you helped save the city. You have my thanks for that. How can I help you? Are you in the market for some of our fine horses?¡± Confirming we were, we quickly learned his horses cost a whopping thirteen gold coin pieces each. Not as expensive as those in the capital, but higher than I was hoping for. Seeing our grimaces, Mannie told us not to fret as he would be offering a thirty percent discount considering what we did for the city. Still, for a pair of horses, it was more funds than we had available. I told the man as much. ¡°For nine gold and a silver each, I would be more than happy to sell you a pair,¡± Mannie announced before continuing as we explained we could only afford one of his fine animals. ¡°I normally don¡¯t do this, but if you have the right item, something of comparable value, we could come to an agreement.¡± After going through what we had available, Mannie offered our second horse in exchange for the choranaptyxic leather wrapping we acquired from defeating the Minotaur leader. I had begun to worry we wouldn¡¯t find anything the man desired, but when we pulled out the bundle of leather wrappings his eyes widened. The armor was destroyed and would need to be repaired per the item¡¯s description, but Mannie assured me he could turn the long strands of flexible leather into several truly remarkable reins. Stella shared we didn¡¯t know exactly how much the hide armor was worth, but Mannie assured us it was more than fair. A part of me felt like I would regret trading away the impressive armor set, but we had no idea when, or even if, we would find someone capable of repairing the damaged leather. Here and now, another horse would help us travel over the country to the elven forest. By Stella¡¯s estimate, the city was some two hundred and fifty miles to the east. We worked with Mannie over the course of the next half hour picking the right pair of horses. It was a pleasant experience. The stable owner was incredibly knowledgeable about his trade and ended up suggesting we choose warm-blood horses. According to him, warmbloods were well-tempered, meaning they would be unlikely to spook at the sight of our skeletal friend, or if caught in a battle. They were strong, had incredible endurance, and were perfect for the long-distance ride we were heading out for. Handing over an additional pair of silvers for the two sets of saddles, robe halters, bridles, and leather reins we prepared to head out. Mannie asked if we wanted to purchase any bales of hay. Thankfully, my bag of holding would allow us to carry a week or two''s worth of hay. As long as our horses had plenty of grass to munch on when we rested each day, a single bail would last a day or two. With the five hundred cubic feet of storage space from my bag of holding, we soon stored away seven of the fifty-pound bales. Shaking hands, we departed the stable with two new friends named Dutch and Jax. Chapter 85 - Cross-Country My horse, Dutch, was sixteen hands and had a coat as black as the pitch on a moonless night. Interestingly, he had a subtle glimmer across his long-flowing mane if the morning light hit at just the right angle. He was stocky with robust back and leg muscles ideal for long-distance travel. Being twelve years old, his soft eyes nonetheless held a deep intelligence that belied his relatively young age. I wasn¡¯t sure if it translated to this world, but it wasn¡¯t unheard of for a horse to reach thirty years old back on Earth. Mannie recommended gelding warmbloods for both of us due to male horses generally having increased strength and stamina, as well as the youthful vitality all warmbloods had. A great choice by the sound of it as we ventured cross-country to the elven forest nation far to the east. Dutch was the stable owner¡¯s first choice for me since I was the most likely to engage in face-to-face combat. From a yearling, Dutch received training similar to that a courser. Mannie explained coursers were essentially warhorses normally ridden by knights and men-at-arms, though Dutch training was not as strict training as true warhorses. His training afforded him more than enough steadiness to not panic and bolt when surrounded by hostile adversaries. Walking beside the tall animal, I lightly patted Dutch¡¯s shoulder as I spoke encouraging words to him. I knew from experience the importance of bonding early on with a horse, so wanted to start our relationship off right. Catching a curious frown from Stella in the corner of my eye, I shot a questioning look her way with my eyebrows pinching uncertainly. ¡°Don¡¯t pat them,¡± she commented before floating over to rest a paw against Dutch¡¯s brawny shoulder. Almost mockingly slow, she ran the paw across his ebony coat. ¡°Horses don¡¯t understand the gesture. Instead, caress him, like this.¡± Following her example, I stroked the side of his neck. To my surprise, Dutch responded quickly and pushed into my touch, clearly enjoying the show of affection. ¡°Good call, how did you know?¡± ¡°Something I remember Stouter saying,¡± she replied offhandedly before moving to sit atop the leather saddle. She smiled down at me as she wiggled her butt into the padded seat. Speaking of saddles, we had chosen, with Mannie¡¯s recommendation, two ¡®endurance saddles¡¯ during the final parts of our negotiation. The deep seats and extra padding would help provide a far more comfortable seat than all-around saddles. They also weighed less, distributing the weight of the rider over a wider area across the horse¡¯s back, thereby reducing strain for our steeds. With the tremendous distance we needed to travel, the endurance saddles would be greatly appreciated by everyone involved. We had a few options to customize our saddles, so at my request, we received a pair with sturdy saddle horns as neither of us was an expert rider. I would appreciate the extra support it would provide. Looking at Tallos, I found he had a similar satisfied grin to Stella¡¯s and was actively stroking his horse¡¯s neck and shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t look at me,¡± he stated when he caught me looking. ¡°I already knew it. It¡¯s pretty obvious to elves, or so I thought.¡± Ignoring the slight jest for what it was, I examined Tallos¡¯ slightly younger horse, Jax. The gelding had a powder white coat with hints of gray skin underneath, an animated pink nose that seemed to always be on the hunt for treats, and eyes darker than Dutch. At fourteen and a half hands, he was notably smaller than his burly brother. Jax¡¯s gaze carried a youthful innocence yet had an inkling of a devious nature not yet fully realized. Between the pair, Jax was submissive and, for the most part, followed the more dominant Dutch. Tallos discovered he needed only use his legs or tug gently on the reins to steer Jax back if a particularly delicious clump of grass threatened to grab his attention. With only minor guidance, Tallos was soon lightly holding his reins while studying his eagle eye tome in the other. A year younger than his brother, Jax had a leaner and more agile frame. If Dutch was a warhorse, Jax was a nimble cross-country jumper. He also received some initiate-level combat and desensitization training to help him remain calm in the face of danger. This worked well for our group dynamic as Tallos would prefer to keep his distance anyways. I was a little jealous when Tallos easily leaped atop his saddle, realizing he had earned enough trust from Jax. Within thirty minutes, I sat tall atop Dutch with the city of Mammoth slowly fading behind us. Dutch had shifted nervously under me at first, my inexperience showing as I struggled to hold my seat, my legs a bit too firm in my stirrups. At Stella¡¯s reminder, I did my best to hold my reins in a loose grip. Soon enough, I found my balance and was riding comfortably, already thankful for our choice of saddle. Looking over my shoulder, as expected, Tallos held his spell tome held in his lap as his eyes devoured its written information. His reins were resting atop Jax¡¯s neck, who was more than content with following a step or two behind Dutch¡¯s lead. Sometime later, with lunch not far off, we looked for a spot to take a small break even though we had only three or four miles at this point. Around us were sprawling grasslands and dozens of tilled fields with a wide variety of greenery and produce. We saw the occasional farmhouse and farmer, though no one had been near enough to exchange polite greetings. After dismounting, our horses immediately showed interest in grazing the tall grass. Heeding their unspoken request, we swiftly removed their bridle, keeping their hope halters on. Both were typically worn, especially when you were just getting to know a horse, as it was safer. I learned that taking the short few seconds to switch from a bridge to a halter could be enough time for a horse to bolt off if you were not extremely careful. What I did know, was you shouldn''t allow a horse to eat grass with a bit in his mouth, so the halters alone were a far better choice. The pair eagerly moved to enjoy the tasty green snacks. Pulling a pair of apples from my inventory, Dutch and Jax perked up and bit eagerly into the green orbs. Being careful to avoid snipping teeth, especially with the overzealous Jax, my hands were soon covered in a mix of horse saliva and apple juices. Brushed my hands across the ground, a light chuckle escaped my lips. ¡°They sure do love these things,¡± I observed before realizing with a start we only had a half dozen of the treats left. Eyeing up our mounts, I grimaced. ¡°That¡¯s not good.¡± Tallos must have seen my plighted look as he lightly tossed a small sack to me. Inside were perhaps a hundred-inch-long square cubes. Pulling one from between the drawstring, it looked like compressed sand though it was pristinely white. ¡°Taste it,¡± Tallos offered. Following his suggestion, I was pleasantly surprised by the sweetness. Moments later I was crunching down on the tiny cube. ¡°Sugar cubes!¡± I exclaimed after enjoying the scrumptious treat. As my hand reached for another one, I halted abruptly as a soft slap hit the back of my neck. ¡°Those are for Jax and Dutch, you goof,¡± Stella barked before quickly returning to Ripley¡¯s shoulder. ¡°He said to taste it, one of them, not dive back into the lot of them.¡± She continued muttering to herself, though I paid little attention as I offered an ivory dice to my Dutch. Tallos had kept a few before tossing me the pouch and Jax was eagerly asking for another. Thanking Tallos, I underhanded the pouch back to him before offering a final one to Dutch. After enjoying a brief lunch, we returned to our saddles, intent on getting as much distance as we could before nightfall. Mannie had said his stable¡¯s warmblood was bred for endurance and, so far, his comment was right on the mark. Neither Dutch nor Jax seemed tired in the slightest. We were told, normally a horse should only be worked eight hours each day but with their breeding and endurance training, ours would be able to reach closer to ten hours before needing to rest. With the High Thicket around two-hundred and fifty miles away, the extra time would add up over the coming days. Even better, we discovered my travel song also applied to our new friends. When I commented to Tallos about this seemingly fast gait, Stella pipped up. She confirmed the increased movement bonus afforded by my spell affected everyone in the party. ¡°It works for them too because the System recognizes we own the pair. For all intents and purposes, they are party members, so receive the beneficial buff,¡± she shared. ¡°They¡¯ll also be healed if in range of your pyroclastic area of effect.¡± It was fantastic news to my ears. I hadn¡¯t recalled the buff working on our two loaner horses back from the capital. Captain Baracus borrowed out a pair of city horses after we agreed to look into the Minotaur threat. Stella shared my buff didn¡¯t work back then because we hadn¡¯t technically owned the duo. ¡°Will my song mean we need to rest earlier since we¡¯re putting more energy into our steps?¡± I questioned, hoping we wouldn¡¯t need to. ¡°Thankfully, no,¡± Stella assured. ¡°The benefits from the song don¡¯t include a negative aspect. While we move quicker, we don¡¯t work harder to do so, if that makes sense. To us, we¡¯re moving at our normal pace so are spending the same amount of energy as if we were not under the spell¡¯s effects.¡± It was welcomed news. As we pressed on under the sunny sky, we found fewer and fewer farmlands the further our steeds carried us. The sun was hanging low meaning we would need to stop for the evening soon enough. Coming across a small brook, it was the perfect place to camp for the approaching evening. We dismounted and removed the tack from Dutch and Jax before grooming both with bristle brushes. Tying their halters to a strung line between the solitary tree and a hefty pole purchased for this exact purpose, the pair began grazing on nearby grass with plenty of room to roam. Ensuring they had enough food for the remainder of the evening, I dropped several flakes of hay before pulling out a steaming plate for everyone else. Though we started later in the morning than I had hoped, we had made good ground, probably forty to fifty miles on our first day. Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. As daylight broke across the horizon, I found Tallos and Stella already awake. He sat on an old, felled tree with his spell tome flat across his lap. By the look of it, he was studying the final few pages of the book. I had hoped he could be ready to try casting the eagle eye spell sometime today. With how Stella floated close to his face, the two conversing over some detail, it looked promising. It was then I noticed two empty plates resting on the log on either side of the pair. Apparently, the duo helped themselves to breakfast while I slept. Sighing loudly in mock hurt, I plopped right back down on my bedroll and pulled out the scrambled egg dish from Hera¡¯s inn. I grinned at Stella when I caught her staring at my plate. She licked her lips unconsciously, so I turned my body to the side to hide my scrumptious meal. Not looking back around, I heard an audible huff before they resumed chatting. Her tone was instructional, like a teacher helping an overly exuberant student who was struggling to understand some nuanced concept. From what I recalled, Tallos hadn¡¯t needed such tutelage with his snare spell, so a slight worry came over me for a moment. Hopefully, the spell wasn¡¯t beyond his capabilities as the spell could benefit his accuracy and mobility. Glancing towards our horses to check how they were doing, neither was hooked to the lone sapling from the night before. Their rope reins had been tossed over their saddles, essentially giving them the ability to roam about as they wished. As I watched, Jax moved towards a distant tuft of long grass, well clear of his brother. Stella flew over to corralled him back. Once Jax resumed his morning meal, Stella returned to Tallos¡¯ side where they resumed their discussion. ¡°How¡¯s it going,¡± I asked after finishing the last tasty morsels of my breakfast. The bacon was nice and crispy, just the way I liked it. Returning the now barren plate to my inventory, I looked hopefully at the pair. Tallos didn¡¯t respond, or even look up, at my words. Perhaps sensing some mounting frustration, she spoke for him. ¡°It¡¯s going¡­ alright. The last part of the spell is tricky as it calls for Tallos to bring a specific image to his mind, while at the same time making several precise gestures with his fingers. He¡¯ll get it, I¡¯m sure of it.¡± ¡°Well, keep at it, bud,¡± I called out to my friend. ¡°I¡¯m going to get Dutch and Jax ready.¡± Tallos closed his eyes and began practicing the required hand gestures. He repeated a gesture several times, his fingers spread before tightening into something akin to a diving hawk. After brushing and tacking up our horses, I returned with both reins in hand. Jax had thoroughly enjoyed the grooming, while Dutch only stood there impartial as I cleaned the dirt from his coat. Both were more than eager when I pulled out several sugar cubes to treat them for their good behavior. So, the way to their hearts is with treats, good to know, I mused internally. ¡°Ready to mount up?¡± I asked. Tallos no longer wore the frustrated expression he had. With Stella¡¯s guidance, he finally appeared at ease, and confident. His spell book sat closed beside him while he appeared to be meditating. As I watched, he took several long breaths, inhaling and exhaling as if doing a breathing exercise. ¡°Before we go, we think he¡¯s ready,¡± Stella said for the ruminating elf. Tallos nodded a pair of times, though his eyes remained firmly shut. I moved both Dutch and Jax¡¯s reins over their necks, allowing them to return to grazing. Neither had their bits yet, as I planned to switch them over when we moved to mount up. Wanting to keep them close, I tossed a flake of hay between the two. It should keep them occupied while Tallos made his attempt. This time around, I was not going to be the target of this spell since eagle eye could only target the caster himself. Approaching to help provide emotional support, Tallos wore a serious expression as he rose to his feet. Opening his eyes, his gaze appeared to be unfocused as if all his attention was still focused inward. Taking a deep breath, the focused ranger began his incantation. Tallos¡¯ words were confident and precise. It was obvious he wanted to cast the spell correctly on his first attempt. Learning a spell the long way had to be incredibly difficult. Thinking of my weakest spells, like my unused firebolt, it took an intense amount of concentration, multiple precise gestures, and a series of phrases entirely unlike this world¡¯s common language. For me, it was as if my spells had been memorized over several long years and came easily when I mentally reviewed the necessary steps to cast them. For Tallos, he had to do all of it the hard way, without shortcuts or artificially implanted years of experience. Perspiration formed on his brow as his hands swept across his body during the long cast time. At a five count, he closed his eyes before tilting his head backward while his fingers flashed downward like the plunging bird of prey. With a final word, he stood perfectly still like he had been transformed momentarily into a marble statue. When his eyes opened, a green halo shone brightly around his irises. Before it disappeared, the clockwise-spinning nimbus appeared to contain dozens of minuscule inscriptions within the glowing jade band. This time around, everyone noticed as the nearby tome evaporated into tiny motes of dust now that its magic was spent. ¡°This is intense,¡± he muttered, slightly stumbling backward. ¡°It¡¯s like my vision has been magnified. It is a bit disorientating.¡± ¡°You should be able to mentally examine the enhancing effect and turn it on and off at will,¡± Stella offered helpfully. It took a moment, but once Tallos figured it out, he turned a satisfied smile our way. ¡°Now, try shooting an arrow,¡± she teased like she knew something no one else did. Tallos shrugged and swiftly strung his bow with practiced ease. In moments he had an arrow notched loosely on the string. ¡°Now what?¡± he asked. Stella rolled her eyes before replying, ¡°Shoot. You¡¯ll see, trust me.¡± When Tallos looked around himself aimlessly, Stella gave a lighthearted sigh and pulled out a small clay mug. It was unfamiliar, meaning she must have pulled it from the mundane equipment we looted from either Adom or Tsurra. Handing me the cup, she instructed me to toss it. Curious about where she was going with this, I cocked my arm back and launched the mug into the air. Tallos, understanding his role, now with an obvious target, sighted down his arrow¡¯s shaft before releasing the string. A loud clatter of broken pottery and a puff of clay marked a successful shot. Though it was an impressive shot, nothing seemed out of the ordinary. I would have expected the skilled archer to make such a shot even without his eagle eye buff. ¡°Incredible!¡± Tallos exclaimed, catching me by surprise. ¡°When I took aim and was about to release, the cup calmed¡­ like time slowed for a fraction of a moment. I don¡¯t know how to describe it. When I focused, the mug grew larger in my sight and its spin slowed. I¡¯ve never heard of such a thing, definitely not something our elders ever shared.¡± Stella sat smugly in the air, her legs doing a little wiggle as she preened. ¡°Not only does it allow you to tighten your vision on a distant target, but your perception of time does slow the moment you¡¯re about to fire an arrow. No one else can sense it, and it¡¯s not really time-altering magic. Instead, your buff temporarily amplifies your brain¡¯s processing speed. To you, your target appears to move in slow motion.¡± A strong part of me wished I had the spell. The perception increase alone would no doubt help with the accuracy of Tallos¡¯ shots. His already pinpoint accuracy was going to reach a new level. I told Tallos as much while patting him on the back. The remainder of the day was pleasant and we made good progress until we reached a rolling countryside filled with large mounds of earth reaching two to three hundred feet into the sky, not to mention three times as wide. Navigating wasn¡¯t difficult thanks to my map interface, but it did slow our overall progress. The hills were a bit too steep to risk our horses slipping, considering the topmost layer of dirt seemed to be lying over gravel. The only interesting thing we spotted that day was what appeared to be a roving band of goblinoid-type creatures. Even a mile away, their indigo skin, skimpy bodies, and short stature were easy to identify. Even with their numbers, they hardly seemed a threat. As soon as they realized they were spotted, the group hooted and hollered before disappearing around a hill and out of sight. We never saw them again, and nothing showed up overnight while we slept, though we increased our night watch to be safe. By the middle of day three, we spotted a large lake off in the distance. We were ready for a change from the monotonous back and forth necessary to hike around through the countless tall knolls. The lake ahead was akin to an inland sea with how wide it appeared. We decided to skirt around the south side as the lake butted up against a massive mountain range to the north. Stella called the vast spring-fed water Lake Kirkholm and the surrounding low-lying basin, Kirkholm¡¯s Gorge. The mountain range had a solitary snow-covered peak. It was an inspiring sight, reminded me of Mount Everest. Unfortunately for us, the mountain range was shaped like a backward ¡®C,¡¯ slicing across to the south at the far end of Lake Kirkholm. I questioned if we shouldn¡¯t skirt to the south side of the mountain, but learned it would add at least another hundred and fifty miles to our already lengthy trek. Our fourth day started miserably as it turned out the gorge south of the lake was a deep wetland. Better yet, I¡¯d likely describe it later as more of swampland with how pungent and foul it smelled. Our progress slowed considerably due to the need to carefully pick each step. Everyone was put into a foul mood, matching the reek around us. Eventually, we saw an end in sight. After rounding the edge of the lake stood an expansive grassland. Night was fast approaching, so we needed to set up camp. No one wanted to attempt wading through the deep swamp in the dead of night. Finding a particularly dry hill the size of a small yard, we knew it was going to be the best we would find. The horses didn¡¯t have much to eat so we laid out all ten flakes from a bale between the two. With Tallos and Ripley''s help, we created a small enclosure around the horses using a combination of waterlogged wood and long pieces of metal from our inventory. There was an eerie feeling as if a soundless predator was creeping up on us even though we found no evidence of anything larger than a small critter all day long. A silence fell over the group as if talking amongst ourselves would delay morning approaching so we could clear out of this murky place. When the sound of drawn steel clearing a scabbard hit my sensitive ears, my heart was sent racing. ¡°We¡¯re under attack!¡± Chapter 86 - King Cobalt Brachyura The cry of alarm sliced through my consciousness like a scalpel through flesh. Tallos'' shout held with such primal urgency that my heart threatened to seize. The suddenness caught me completely off guard, as I had been about to drift off into sleep atop my padded bedroll. Throwing off my blankets and any lingering drowsiness, I summoned Frostrend into one hand and my pistol into the other. Leaping to my feet, I surveilled our base camp. ¡°Shit, they¡¯re coming from all sides!¡± Stella cursed, causing another spike of panic to cut through my chest as my mind attempted to comprehend the unfolding situation. Questions of how we had been surrounded without anyone noticing were quickly suppressed, I needed to know what we were dealing with. Worrying about how we were caught unawares would not help us right now. With Stella¡¯s observation in mind, I shouted commands to cover us from the multiple angles of approach. We would be spread thin, but being attacked on all sides required such a response. ¡°Ripley, protect to the north,¡± I barked. ¡°Lowki, cover the south. Tallos, cover the east side. I¡¯ll handle to the west.¡± Though I could only see Ripley dash off, she was the closest to me, I knew the team would branch out as directed. We couldn¡¯t let even one enemy get through us since the only thing protecting Dutch and Jax were a few measly timbers penning them in. Even though they had combat training, we hadn¡¯t known them long enough to see how they would respond, nor their capabilities at defending themselves. Worse, if they bolted, I wasn¡¯t sure we would ever be able to find them in the dead of night or the expansive swampland around us. ¡°They¡¯re humanoid crab monsters,¡± Stella communicated sharply. ¡°Don¡¯t let them get those pincers around you. They could cut you in half!¡± Stella¡¯s relatively plain description only partially covered the creature¡¯s unique physiques. Each stood six to seven feet tall with a bulky exoskeleton protecting their broad upper torso. The chitinous shell and similarly armored body parts were a deep metallic blue allowing them to nearly blend in completely with the dead of night. Thankfully, my Dark Vision was up to the task and allowed me to easily spot them against the darkness behind them. The same would be true for everyone else. Stella flouted a bit higher, spinning a circuit overhead, and quickly called out additional observations. Information was vitally important, even more so when caught flatfooted. ¡°Three coming from the north, south, east, and west. Three more from the northwest heading for Dutch and Jax!¡± We were in trouble. We were facing a band of monsters at least four times our own. With my initial order, Tallos, Lowki, and Ripley would each be facing three of the beasts on their own. I would be the hardest pressed with six to figure out how to deal with. Fear and doubt raged through me, attempting to overwhelm my thoughts. The damn things were monstrous, literally. Standing upright on two powerful legs, the mobs appeared to be a wicked blend of a gorilla and an azure saltwater crab. Each had two dissimilar sets of arms, with one at the normal shoulder joint, with the other slightly smaller pair jutting from where the bottom of a human¡¯s ribcage would be. The beast''s upper arms were all bulging muscle ending with human-like hands. At the base of the creature¡¯s torso, snapped two pincers appearing strong enough to cut through stone. While the beasts¡¯ claws were dwarfed by the size of their hands, there was no way I wanted to get grappled by either. Their upper arms alone looked powerful enough to tear me limb from limb. Though they moved sluggishly, wading through the deep mud and knee-high water, the giant crabs powered through almost effortlessly. Had they been able to move faster, we likely would have already been overrun. As it were, we had time to engage the creatures before they reached our elevated position. Somehow, even though they looked to weigh over five hundred pounds each, they weren¡¯t sinking into the sludge of the muddy marshland. Where a nose should have been, the crabs instead had gill-like openings that flared and closed at regular intervals. Instead of eyes, each beast had two comically short eye stalks ending with opaque black beads. I doubted they had vision worth a damn, so perhaps we could use it to our advantage. Above their chitinous heads, two antennae twitched, bending forward slightly to point directly at where I stood. Where a mouth should have been, instead was a dozen twisting tentacles like that of an octopus. A strange garbled gurgle came from one of the approaching monsters and was answered by one to its side. I realized with horror they were speaking to each other! The three approaching from the west spread out slightly, stepping further apart to limit my ability to run. Alarm flooded me once more as the trio to their right shifted their attention to the horse pen behind me, and the vulnerable Dutch and Jax. A glance back showed neither was panicking yet but definitely appeared nervous at the sight of such terrifying foes. Dutch was stomping his front hooves, while Jax paced back and forth. None of the creatures we faced bore weapons of any kind, other than their natural fists and sharp claws. Even without forged weapons, the beasts looked entirely capable of rending flesh. Their armored torso would undoubtedly put a knight¡¯s steel breastplate to shame with how solid and thick it appeared to be. I was certain it would take an extremely powerful strike to have even a fool¡¯s hope of breaking through those defenses. While they looked to have chitin protecting every major body¡¯s part, the armor between them appeared thinner and more susceptible to attack. ¡°Aim for their joints!¡± I shouted, hoping it could help even our odds and the disadvantage we were facing. This early in the fight, we needed to pounce on any advantage we could. Wanting to slow down the north-west group, I quick cast my gnawing blizzard spell as the colossal crabs marched closer. With the spell¡¯s normal two second cast time cut in half, a ghostly whirlwind of ice shards appeared a moment later, just in front of the three advancing monstrosities. I had placed the spell in such a way as to maximize its area of effect in hindering their approach. As soon as the first sting of an ice crystal shattering across their carapaces, those three sets of eye stalks turned in my direction. The triplets adjusted their course targeting me instead of our horses. It was exactly what I had been hoping for. Likely already having the aggro of the other three crabs to the west, I intoned pyroclastic funeral pyre, using quick cast once more, targeting the centermost crab. One second later, I was shocked when a System message appeared in my vision. Any message appearing in the heat of battle was almost never a good sign. Notice! Your spell, Pyroclastic Funeral Pyre, has been largely resisted. Notice! The detrimental area effect from Pyroclastic Funeral Pyre has been largely resisted by nearby enemies. Cursing under my breath, I could only hope my spell¡¯s AoE heal would still function properly with the crab¡¯s resistance against the damaging volcanic gas swirling around the center crab. Still, even if the healing worked properly, there was no way I wanted to get close to feeling the restorative magic. Even with my newly upgraded empowered aegis, I felt no ambition to test its effectiveness against these massively powerful monsters. As I watched, a casual swing from one of the creature¡¯s fists caused a nearby tree to shatter into splinters. Taking a moment, I inspected the same beast who had mostly resisted my pyroclastic spell. Instead of reading the information line-by-line, I allowed the information to wash over my consciousness. With how close the monsters were, I didn¡¯t have time to spare. King Cobalt Brachyura (Level 21) Little is known about these exceptionally dangerous ambush predators. Using the dead of night, most adventuring crews are swiftly eliminated with only an infrequent survivor lucky enough to manage an escape. More intelligent than their decapod cousins, King Cobalt¡¯s thoroughly scout their targets before attacking with overwhelming numbers, though how this is accomplished is unknown as these monsters are never seen in daylight. When engaged, those few souls lucky enough to survive an ambush always described how even their weakest man, or stationary beast of burden, seemed to draw three of the massive enemies hell-bent on their destruction. The King Cobalt¡¯s chitinous shell is stronger than steel and functions as full plate armor for these impressive creatures. Only highly enchanted or substantially powerful attacks could hope to begin penetrating their defenses. The wary Hunter should look to defeat these foes using deadly magicks or with precise attacks aimed between these monsters¡¯ armored plates. Good luck, Hunter! A hopeful thought crossed my mind after absorbing the information. We had fifteen total Cobalt crabs attacking, per Stella¡¯s original count, not eighteen. Between myself, Tallos, Ripley, Lowki, and our two horses, we should have had three more crabs ambushing us. I believed I understood why, and a flitter of hope swirled in my gut. Like the dwarves far below the earth, Ripley¡¯s undead state may just have caused her to be undetectable. Still, fifteen of the massive fiends seemed large enough to overpower us. Unable to confirm my suspicion with six of the creatures bearing down on me, I dedicated myself to layering as many DoTs as I could on my charges. If I could keep enough distance, and considering their slow but steady pace, it should be enough for me to kite the entire group. Ranging between levels twenty and twenty-two, at least those around me, I had a chance. I intended to make them suffer. Weaving in chained lightning whenever I could, its hammering bolt of electricity twisting to connect with all six of the hateful crab-men, added to that suffering. As I was far too preoccupied with slinging spell after spell, I couldn''t see how accurate my assumption had been. Ripley, whose enchanted plate armor quickly proved far superior to even the natural armor of the King crabs, was making mincemeat out of the beasts. She was like a ghost dancing around the confused creatures. Ripley was no mindless minion and quickly discerned her opponents could not keep track of her position as she waded in and out of battle. Forgoing her often-used sword and shield combo, she had pulled her giant greatsword off her back and used it to deadly effect. Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. Where antennae could hone easily on a living being, the creatures¡¯ poor eyesight and inability to detect a trace of the towering skeleton, allowed Ripley to shine. Though a few instinctive swipes from the crab''s claws did manage to strike her armor, most were either deflected outright or only caused a small dip in her substantial health pool. Of all the furious combat our group was facing, Ripley was having the best luck. She felled one of the massive creatures with a strong horizontal swing, tearing straight through the thinner armor protecting the beast¡¯s neck with a loud crunch. The lifeless body toppled into the churning muck under its broad feet, sending a splash of water in all directions. Lowki was faring the worst against our hardened foes. It was only thanks to his high mobility which kept from being pulverized when the Cobalt crustacean slammed a massive appendage either at him or his elusive displacement illusion close by. Whenever Lowki counter-attacked, his barbed quills, more often than not, ineffectually bounced off the monster¡¯s armored exoskeletons. Attempting to overcome his disadvantage, Lowki did his best to aim between armored sections, hoping he would eventually be able to punch through. Between great leaps and hasty dodges, Lowki landed a few quills into one of the creature¡¯s necks as he soared past in a blur. A satisfied growl sounded from deep within his chest as his vicious poison finally entered the body of his troublesome foe. For all his agility and speed, being outnumbered three to one against semi-intelligent creatures, along with the mud and muck attempting to slow him down at every turn, he was still hit a few times as he bounded around. Thankfully, none were more than glancing blows, but it was only a time before something solidly connected. Lowki¡¯s limited success thus far was largely a result of his solidifying strike ability and his frantic flight around and between the frighteningly powerful creatures. Fortunately, more than a single opponent could be affected by the slowing properties of the solidifying strike. Lowki dedicated at the start of his fight to ensure all three king crabs had the semi-petrifying effects coursing through their bodies. Still, Lowki deduced the ability was not as effective against the crabs as he was used to, perhaps only half as beneficial as normal. He was working between the narrowest margins between landing poisonous quills and becoming a crushed hunting cat. To the east, Tallos didn¡¯t have the same luxury as Lowki with his increased mobility or hit-and-run tactics. On his end of the battlefield, the surrounding mire meant the ranger had little room to maneuver through the grasping muck. Thankfully, his minor snare spell made up most of the difference as two of his three opponents were practically immobilized with tangling roots and vines clinging around hulking legs. Their already slow march was largely turned into a standstill. The duo of king crabs affected by the spell tried ineffectuality to free themselves with multiple downward slashes aimed at the offending roots. No matter what was broken or torn away, the power of the minor snare ensured more of the snatching vines swelled in those places. In effect, Tallos was only fighting a lone cobalt crab while the other two could barely take a single step forward. Tallos considered himself blessed to have his powerfully enchanted bow, otherwise most, if not all, of his shots, would have failed to penetrate even the lighter armored sections between the incredibly formidable cobalt carapace. Recasting his snare spell every time it was off cool down, Tallos ensured he had enough room to kite the lone crab capable of making any headway. It would only be a matter of time before he inflicted enough damage to sunder the looming foe. Once he accomplished it, he could stand on the high ground our campsite afforded and pick his shots with impunity. Struggling with my six opponents, I slowly worked through my spell list, layering DoT after DoT on each opponent. It would normally take me ten seconds to cast a full set on each monster if I wasn¡¯t pressured, but having to duck swings while resisting the sucking grasp of the muck tugging at my feet was doubling that time. It was only my blizzard spell that really allowed me to keep as little distance as I could manage at first. To strengthen the hindering effects, since each minute within the blizzard doubled the slowing effect, I did my best to circle the group. With my positioning, and more than one blizzard storming through the middle of the group, my attempt at kiting was unintentionally causing the mobs to bunch together. Sadly, I discovered my ignite bones DoT was similarly ineffective as my pyroclastic spell was against the protected creatures. Whether it was their chitinous armor or some innate property, the mobs negated nearly all the damage anything fire-based could do. Flamethrower was entirely worthless, so I opted for my defense-shattering flintlock pistol whenever it reloaded itself. Its bullets could burst straight through their impressive chest armor. Unfortunately, even after four or five shots, I couldn''t best determine the most effective place to put my follow-up shots since I was wholly unfamiliar with their crab-like anatomy. Shots to their head ricocheted more often than not, so I continued to pump lead whenever the thirty second cool down elapsed. Between spells, I threw Frostrend with as much force as I could muster. With my ring of return¡¯s own internal cool down, I got into a routine of firing my pistol and then immediately re-summoning my axe to be thrown once more. Time and time again though, the axe landed with crushing force, creating a fracture across the creature¡¯s sturdy armor. The damage was adding up and beginning to show on many of the giant beasts. As long as I could keep my distance and continue effectively kiting the monsters, I would be victorious. It was only a matter of time. My optimism devolved into anarchy when the semi-intelligent creatures suddenly upended their tactics. Lulling me into a false sense of security, the group of six fanned out into a convex formation, effectively cutting off my ability to continue encircling the group. If I dared the edge, at least two crabs would move perpendicular, further boxing me in. Unfortunately, the king cobalt crabs had chosen their timing well as they slowly pushed me further north and away from my friends. With each step backward, the water, which was originally up to my knees, was getting deeper as I was forced to retreat. The thought of crashing into the sucking mud and mire threatened to be the end of me, and it was nearly happened. Unable to backpedal further, I desperately attempted to dodge a heavy claw, but lost my balance and crashed sideways into the filthy water. Knowing another blow was soon to follow, I kicked away with all my strength. Using my leg muscles to propel me through the disgusting water, I hoped it was enough to create enough seperation. My desperate gamble paid off as an explosion of muck and mud blasted away from the crab¡¯s double claw attack. It missed! My frantic kicking, combined with the force of the rushing water, was enough to send me far enough away. I didn¡¯t realize it at the time, but I was lucky enough to not lose my legs in the process. Breaching the waterline, I situated my feet underneath me and twisted back to where my opponents should be. Thankfully, I had kept my bearings enough to know where my enemy should be as I took in a gulping breath. To my surprise, instead of six slowly withering king crabs bearing down on me with a finishing blow, the pack turned back and forth as if they had lost where I had gone. Their antennae were whirling around their head like they were long sensory fingers attempting to sense hidden prey. My guess was not far off the mark. Realization struck. Earlier, when the colossal mobs were arm¡¯s reach away, I briefly recalled contemplating their complete lack of any detectible odor. I had been expecting a foul stench to pervade the large creatures but found it exactly the opposite. Now that I was drenched in stinking filth, I put the pieces together. Considering their seemingly inadequate eye stalks, their homing antennae, and their gill-like olfactory noses, it was obvious to me now. These monsters hunted by scent! Backpedaling towards our campsite, attempting to create as much distance as I could manage before the pack reoriented on me, I shouted at the top of my lungs, ¡°They hunt by smell! Dive into the water if you can! The stink of the swamp makes it hard for them to sense you!¡± Either my splashing, my shout, or perhaps the swamp water running down my clothes, whatever was the case, the six lumber beasts locked onto my position and resumed their slow, unrelenting march. Firing up another gnawing blizzard, I slowed them enough to near where my party members continued to clash. Well before my words sounded out across the wetlands, Lowki had already determined the creatures¡¯ hunting tactics, having been completely covered more than once with filthy water. Using the advantage, Lowki finally managed to finish off one of the beasts after having injected enough poison to bring down a mountain giant. No longer able to support itself, the king crab slammed face-first into the muck, never to rise again. Still, even with the swamp masking most of his scent, the remaining two foes were close on his heels. Lowki¡¯s impressive weight was a determent in this fight as he struggled to keep the majority of his body weight above the water line. The mud underneath also continuously threatened to lock him in place long enough for one of the crabs to annihilate him. His distinctive ability to bound from place to place was of no help here. Then, his luck finally ran out. The cobalt crabs had been coordinating with each other and, as one, viciously attacked. Not knowing whether they were targeting the real Lowki or his phantasmal double created by his displacement ability, the mob¡¯s tactic finally bore fruit. One crab slammed a clawed hand through an image that instantly disappeared upon contact, whereas the other garbled in glee as it felt the satisfying crunch of Lowki¡¯s back being pulverized. ¡°Lowki! Lowki¡¯s in trouble!¡± Stella shouted out, though no one was free enough from their struggles to come to his aid. Tallos turned and risked a few shots since his opponents were mostly immobile, but the combination of distance and the odd angle did little as the arrows simply ricocheted off their chitinous armor. Ripley was finishing off the last of her three foes but had over three dozen yards between her and Lowki. With my six foes hindered, I was the closest to the great cat, but my spells were capable of quickly finishing off his attacker. Nonetheless, I sighted my pistol and pulled the trigger at the closest one to my feline friend. With Lowki¡¯s back broken, he lost all control over his lower sets of legs. Still, he had complete control of his barbed tentacles as they sprouted from his shoulders, so slammed them repeatedly into the crab¡¯s face as it bent forward to crush him under its massive weight. My enchanted bullet and his final desperate strikes proved enough to slay the crab, but gravity was not so easily eradicated. Not only was Lowki buried under the bulk of a now-deceased king crab, but his brethren began slamming his powerful pincers and mammoth hands down, again and again. It took only seconds, but Lowki¡¯s life was spent and his name grayed out on my party interface. Furious, I focused every ounce of my considerable talents to layered spell after spell on the still-hammering crustacean. In seconds, synaptic toxin, wyvern sting, arrested affliction, boil blood, and soul leech were driven into the crab¡¯s body. Combined, the creature was losing over six thousand health every six seconds. With the damage Lowki had earlier inflicted before his death, a deadly poison in its own right and capable of destroying tissue and crab innards alike, the offending crab was soon floundering on his back in the final throes of death. Tallos, seeing he could offer no more support, returned his attention to his restrained opponents. Unfortunately, his moment of inattention allowed one of the crab¡¯s snares to fall off, the spell¡¯s maximum duration having elapsed. Seeing an opening, the King Cobalt had moved as quietly as possible. Where Tallos had been expecting two dozen feet of separation, his eyes widened in surprise as the crab leaped forward, intent on crushing the puny elf beneath descending fists and pincers. It was only Tallos¡¯ agility to save him from a near-certain fatal impact. He had been resting on the edge of our plateau, so it wasn¡¯t putrid water that exploded but hard-packed earth sent rocketing away as if a meteor had slammed into the ground he had been occupying only a fraction of a second earlier. His desperate backward leap sent him awkwardly crashing into the swamp, where he was lost from sight. I was about to move to aid him as I was fraught with unease over his predicament when a scream to the north split the air. Whipping my head in its direction, I watched in abject terror as Dutch and Jax came under attack. Chapter 87 - Desperation A surreal scene unfolded before my eyes. Dutch was rearing, his front hooves kicked furiously in the air as he fended off his would-be assailants. Standing in front of him, within the broken round pen, were two King Cobalt crabs with several notable differences from their larger kin. Only half as tall, these miniature versions had heads only coming up to about my waist. Though far smaller, they were no less a threat for the diminutive size. While their central bodies were less pronounced, their claws were no less sharp as the two swung for Dutch¡¯s front legs. Jax, unlike his brother, was fearful of the other two facing him and was only presenting a token resistance. With a gash on a foreleg already, the smaller horse was being corralled off the island into the waterlogged marsh. Jax snorted and sent showers of murky water everywhere whenever he stomped a leg. His cruel aggressors were not intimidated by the menacing display. If someone didn¡¯t intervene, soon, Dutch would probably be cut down since it was clear he had no intention of being hassled into the dark water, and Jax would be goaded into the deepest parts of the swamp, never to resurface again. Another notable difference between these mini-crabs was the color of their shells. Where the larger crab¡¯s chitin was a deep blue akin to an ultramarine lapis lazuli, these lesser versions held an effervescent shade of violet. With a simple effort of will, I commanded the System to display their description, hoping a weakness could be quickly identified. Several of my blizzard spells would soon fade behind me, meaning the six tenacious cobalt crabs held at bay would be close on my heels. I needed to be quick! King Cobalt Brachyura Youngling (Level 15) Though far less imposing than adult King Cobalt¡¯s, youngling crabs are no less successful ambush predators. Though smaller in stature, these budding creatures have the same punishing sharpness at the edge of their claws and are capable of slicing through flesh and bones with relative ease. Until a King Cobalt¡¯s shell fully develops, marked by a metallic sapphire pigment, a youngling¡¯s chitin is less resilient and does not offer the same magical protection against fire-based spells. Still, as they often attack in packs to make up for these weaknesses, King Cobalt Brachyura Younglings are no less fearsome opponents for their size. Dutch had taken a cut across a front leg and was bleeding profusely. Thankfully, it was not a debilitating slash as he attempted to pummel the smaller mobs. Hoping my spell would affect the lesser crabs where it had failed with the adult variety, I quick cast pyroclastic funeral pyre. Targeting the sole remaining mob facing my steed, I celebrated internally when no prompt appeared saying the miniature beasts resisted the spell. The crab nearest to Dutch, flinched at the sudden burst of damage. Burning ash and embers surrounded the tiny thing, before swelling outward ten feet. Losing sight of Dutch, I was confident the healing to friendly targets from the spell¡¯s secondary effect would stitch up his wounds. I was about to throw a gnawing blizzard at the two crabs prodding Jax further away from us when a shout from behind had me diving into a forward roll. ¡°Duck!¡± Stella yelled. Had I hesitated for even a moment, the claw strike would have blasted into the back of my head. As it was, my roll didn¡¯t carry me too far as I had been facing an upward slope when I leapt. Scrambling to get away from follow-up attacks, with one such assault crashing just behind me sending a pelting shower of earth that ricocheted against my empower aegis, it was clear I could no longer ignore my pursuers without spelling my doom. I was in no position to get to Tallos¡¯ horse, not for at least a minute or two. ¡°Someone help Jax!¡± I bellowed, regaining my feet and turning to face the closest threat. Backpedaling, I fired another shot from my crescent pistol before sending Frostrend end over end. ¡°I can¡¯t get to him in time!¡± All of my attention over the next dozens of seconds was firmly rooted upon the slowly weakening king crabs who never slowed their steady advance to crush me as had happened to the poor Lowki. With the great cat out of the fight, it meant only Ripley or Tallos could come to Jax¡¯s aid. Unfortunately, from what I last saw of the elf as he frantically dodged a crushing blow, Tallos had his own problems to handle. Pathing the rabid pack through the center of our obliterated campsite, our many dishes and bedrolls scattered from the desperate struggle, I lead my attackers around the edge of our small island. Dutch, from the little I could see, appeared to have his remaining youngling crab down for the count. When I reached the far end of the atoll, my vision of him continually stomping the motionless opponent to death assured me he would be safe as long as I didn¡¯t falter. Casting another gnawing blizzard, I hope to slow down the raging king crabs and create enough separation to check on Jax. If Ripley couldn¡¯t get to him, the prospect of him surviving this ambush was slim to none. Pulling out my wand of grasping roots, I launched two back-to-back orbs of snaring energy into my pursuers. The slowing effects from both spells should allow me the time to intervene in Jax¡¯s predicament. Trudging through the brackish marsh in the direction I last saw him, I hoped I wasn¡¯t too late. While I slogged through the viscous slurry that had been kicked up, I peered in all directions to find my endangered equestrian friend. Jax was nowhere to be seen. Frantic thoughts crashed through my consciousness sending my already panicked heart into a worse state. A loud whinny pulled my attention toward a line of cypress trees off to my left. Between the conical bases of the eighty-foot conifers, only a sliver of Jax¡¯s romping form was visible. His normally ivory coat was completely drenched with disgusting swamp water, making him appear like another horse entirely. As I came around several saplings Jax was in dire straits. With the bog reaching his chest, Jax was constantly backtracking, the water growing deeper with each step as he struggled to retreat from his now unseen attackers. About to rush forward, with a small part of my consciousness recognizing there was no way I would reach my doomed friend in time, a familiar form entered my field of view. Ripley, after climbing up the conical base of two side-by-side trees, launched herself through the air with all her empowered ebony leg muscles. Crashing heavily into the dingy muck, Ripley hurriedly planted her skeletal feet under herself and arched to her full height. Raising her greatsword overhead with deadly intent, her corded biceps constricted as she put all her might into a vicious downward slash. Water exploded with chunks of jagged purple chitin around her after the enchanted steel slammed into something solid just below the waterline. Knowing I could offer little aid to Ripley or Jax, though it was hopefully no longer required, I swiveled around and brought my attention back fully to the gaggle of crabs inching slowly forward through a ghostly snowstorm and tenacious thorny vines. These creatures wanted to tear the life from our bodies. It was time I repaid their transgressions upon them a hundredfold. Fury stoked deep in my chest as I lashed out with debilitating spells, piercing bullets, and brutal axe throws. As the rest of our party moved to the end game of our brawls, Tallos found himself alone against two of the mighty crabs. Thankfully, his furthest adversary was still mired by his minor snare, but the ranger was not as fortunate with the other as he came back up for air. After his frantic backward leap, evading the murderous double claw strike, Tallos found himself within arm¡¯s reach of his attacker. His only saving grace was his opponent¡¯s inability to properly sense where he had gone after diving in the awful muck which clung stubbornly to his leather armor. With only his head and shoulders visible above the water, Tallos intoned a new snare as he slowly backed away. The beast¡¯s antennae twitched this way and that, giving the creature enough sense for it to reorient on the submerged elf. Stalking down the slight embankment, most of its forward movement was interrupted as roots erupted from the ground. Engorging vines snaked up the creature¡¯s ankles and wrapped swiftly around its bulky legs. Still, with the mob¡¯s prodigious strength, and not hindered by water, more than a fair share of the vines snapped as it lumbered on. Had the spell not persistently created new creeper vines, the towering monster would have already been on top of Tallos. Quickly locating his lost bow, it floated only a few feet away, Tallos moved away from the advancing creature as quickly as his elven agility allowed. Filthy water flew and splashed around him as he reached for an arrow from his back quiver. Finding nothing but air, Tallos¡¯ eyes shot down to his belt quiver. It was empty too! Frantically, he looked around to locate his missing arrows. He saw a clump of arrow shafts floating atop the marsh water between himself and his attacker. To retrieve any, he would have to get dangerously close to the crab struggling to break through his snare spell. Tallos knew he couldn¡¯t risk it. If he attempted the dangerous maneuver, he would come within easy reach of the creature¡¯s long arms and grasping fingers. He needed to replenish his quivers or he would be entirely incapable of harming the remaining cobalt crabs! ¡°I¡¯m out of arrows!¡± he shouted at the top of his lungs. With no response forthcoming, Tallos resigned himself to cast his snare on the furthest beast and hoped he could successfully kite the creatures until help arrived. His mana was not endless, probably a fraction compared to my staggeringly high mana pool, but it would have to be enough. If it wasn¡¯t, he would be pulverized into paste without ever being able to fight back. ¡°Here!¡± a feminine voice called. Stella¡¯s voice was strained as if she was lifting a boulder. Turning to her voice, Tallos spied Stella barely hovering over the ground with a quiver brimming with fletched arrows. She was having difficulty bearing even that much weight. Tallos dove into a diagonal roll towards Stella, sending water spraying before skidding to a stop at the base of the tiny isle. Without uttering a word of thanks, he hadn¡¯t the time, he snatched the quiver and looped it to a belt hook at his waist. In one fluid motion, he notched an arrow and sighted his approaching foe. Instantly one arrow, quickly followed by another, sliced through the air. Conscious of his positioning between the two crabs, he steadily retreated up the small island, all the while sending arrow after arrow. Soon enough, the nearest lumbering beast was close to collapsing under the archer¡¯s unending barrage. Enhanced by the powerful properties of his bow, the crab soon sprouted dozens of arrow shafts from its lightly armored neck. Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. Standing like a metallic blue marshmallow pin-cushion, an arrow slammed with finality between the thin gills in the middle of the monster¡¯s face. Whatever little strength remained evaporated as the arrowhead pierced brain matter. The king crab lurched to the side, tumbling like a rolling log down the embankment before crashing into the filth below. With only a single opponent left, Tallos knew he had more than enough arrows to finish off that beast as well. Arrow after arrow split the night¡¯s air, ending their threat forevermore. It was only Ripley¡¯s sudden appearance that saved Jax from a gruesome death. The stallion had been floundering in the deeper water as he struggled against the biting claws tearing painful gashes across his legs and lower chest. His frantic movements had kicked up an incredible amount of sediment and sludge, necessitating the final crab to peek its head above the waterline to keep track of its meal. Blood-drunk on the impending kill, the beast forgot to keep an ¡®eye¡¯ on its surroundings. Though little better than pencil stubs, its eyes failed to detect the approaching Ripley as she wadded close. Finally, in range, Ripley hammered her weapon at the lone remaining foe. The greatsword burst through the tiny creature¡¯s head like an avalanche, sending gory bits of crab meat and blood flying. The beast was slain instantly and moved up and down in the water like some giant bobber. Stella soon flew over and helped the distraught Jax slog back to our elevated campsite. His eyes were wild for several tense minutes, but her soothing voice and gentle handling calmed our friend enough to get him back in the disjointed horse pen. For my part, I swiftly finished off the last six crabs, felling one after the other, as my deleterious spells stole the last slivers of their health and vitality. With the final crab collapsing into the dark slurry, the oppressive silence from before the battle returned. Nothing stirred in the swamp, not even the normally ever-present croaking frogs, nor hundreds of chirping crickets. As Tallos and Ripley repaired the horse pen, the rest of us remained warry for a full twenty minutes before anyone felt safe enough to sheath our weapons. The battle was won. As sudden and frantic as it was, I was surprised we only lost a single person. Lowki would resummon soon enough, and I was grateful Tallos had not shared a similar fate. Dutch and Jax were no worse for wear after recuperating from my copious healing spells. Dutch had been mostly fully healed by the secondary effect of my pyroclastic cloud spell, while Jax required my regeneration spell to close up the dozens of gashes across his body. Worried about infections, Stella assured me my healing spells would eradicate that possibility. Soon enough, we reinforced the makeshift round pen and had Ripley stand close guard in case any of the smaller crabs surfaced. Thankfully, none did. A smile tugged at the corner of my lips when I noticed Jax seeming more at ease and thankful to have his watchful guardian nearby. Every so often Jax would send a soft nicker the skeleton¡¯s way. None of us found sleep with what remained of the dreadful evening. Worse, each of us reeked of rotten eggs from the marsh scum we had been covered in. Nothing we did seemed to be able to remove the foul stench. Stella went so far as to promise her we would each take cold showers when we got out of the stagnant bog. Though I wasn¡¯t looking forward to having buckets of canteen water poured over my head, it would be better than smelling like a decaying, putrid skunk. In the morning we inspected the bodies of our fallen foes, though discovered nothing of note. Intent on not walking away empty-handed from the hard-fought battle, I harvested two complete sets of the cobalt chitin armor in hopes it could be turned into something useful someday. Surprisingly, the natural shell was quite a bit lighter than I had been expecting. With how heavy the crabs had been, I figured their chitin would weigh a ton. While it took up a decent amount of space in my bag of holding, we had more than enough room now with most of the bales of hay eaten over the last several days. Poor Tallos needed everyone¡¯s help to retrieve as many arrows as possible. By the time we were done searching, he had less than a half quiver remaining. Unfortunately, more often than not, the arrows we plucked from the stagnant water and crab bodies were either too splintered or mangled to ever be useful again. The adult¡¯s heavily armored cobalt shells wreaked havoc on the frail missiles. In the end, we lost over half of our former store of arrows. Tallos said he would be able to fashion more from the salvage arrowheads and feathers but would need to find a dry supply of wood. Tallos explained the tedious process as we marched along, describing the hours of work needed to handcraft each arrow but, given enough time, he was confident he would be fashion more. Everyone let out a collective sigh when we finally pushed past the edge of the clingy swampland and finally stood atop firm soil. Before us, only a sprawling grassland was our obstacle until we reached the looming mountain range in the distance. Considering the sheer discontent and loathing we held from our tedious trek through Lake Kirkholm, we unanimously agreed to stop early for the day. We set camp a half mile from the tree line designating the start of our hike over Mount Kirkholm. As we prepared for the evening, we scrutinized the best avenue to pass over the prominent mountain range. We decided to aim for a natural ¡°V¡± between two snow-covered peaks. It would be difficult work, but Stella and I felt it was a good plan as any. Tallos couldn¡¯t provide any guidance having never traveled through the place himself, so agreed with our assessment. Treating Jax and Dutch with a handful of their sugar cube treats, along with enough hay to see them through the evening, we found the best sleep in what felt like days. Lowki had long since returned and was keen on ensuring nothing remotely dangerous got anywhere near our party as we slept. Thankfully, our feline friend seemed no worse for wear from his death. As soon as he reappeared next to me, Lowki immediately pushed up into me for some affection. Before falling asleep, I reviewed our experience gains and spell and skill increases from surviving the king cobalt ambush. While not extraordinary since we out-leveled the mobs, the gains were appreciated. Experience Awarded: King Cobalt Brachyura x 15 (level ranges 20-22). Experience Awarded: King Cobalt Brachyura Youngling x 4 (level 15). Spell: [Lesser Boil Blood] has increased to level 18. Spell: [Lesser Soul Leech] has increased to level 17. Spell: [Lesser Arrested Affliction] has increased to level 16. Spell: [Lesser Chained Lightning] has increased to level 15. Skill: [Quick Cast] has increased to level 14. Spell: [Lesser Poisoned Breath] has increased to level 13. Spell: [Lesser Wyvern Sting] has increased to level 13. Spell: [Synaptic Toxin] has increased to level 9. Spell: [Pyroclastic Funeral Pyre] has increased to level 6. Spell: [Gnawing Blizzard] has increased to level 6. Spell: [Stalwart Aura (Pet)] has increased to level 5. Our sixth day saw our group often needing to backtrack our steps as we found multiple dead ends, or paths far too unstable to attempt traversing. Though it was slow going, we made decent ground and by nightfall had passed between the twin peaks. At our new altitude, we found the evening bitterly cold as a light dusting of snow showered around us. We were all chilled to the bone. Thankfully, we had plenty of blankets in storage, allowing us to rest in relative comfort. To keep Jax and Dutch warm, at Mannie¡¯s insistence those many days before, we acquired a pair of waterproof turnout blankets. As soon as we placed the insulating blankets over the pair, they seemed more at ease in the wintery air. When morning arrived, we had a beautiful sightline of another meadow at the bottom of the mountainside. Perhaps sixty to seventy miles away from that stood a considerably sized forest off in the distance. It was our destination, the High Thicket. If we made good progress today, we might reach the edge of the forest by late morning or early afternoon the following day. A sense of excitement and anticipation lifted all our spirits. Rarely bothering to look behind us since we had detected not even the slightest hint of danger all morning and afternoon, disaster nearly ended our descent as we trekked the last few miles before the inviting savanna before us. For whatever reason, and perhaps it was a bit of good luck, Ripley was the first to come under fire. Where Ripley had been standing a moment before was nothing more than splinters of bone and dust as a several hundred-pound rock barreled through her like she was nothing. Had Tallos and Jax been the target, they certainly would have been obliterated. Even though I could have survived it courtesy of my aegis, Dutch surely wouldn¡¯t have. Thankfully, Dutch had more awareness than I or perhaps was shocked enough to jump away from where Ripley had been standing, but the move saved us from the same fate. The second boulders followed its brother as the pair crashed down the mountainside. Anything unfortunate enough to be in the way was annihilated. Trees cracked and split, and some were uprooted entirely before the two boulder¡¯s momentum was fully spent. ¡°Scatter!¡± I shouted as I jerked on Dutch¡¯s reins, trying to alter our direction in case any more deadly missiles were quick to follow. Dutch¡¯s heavy breathing and loud snorts of agitation sounded in my ears as I whipped my head to get a view of who attacked us. With the sound of loose stones and pebbles scattering under stomping hoofs as we spun, we located our assailants. Several hundred yards to the north, up an incredibly steep embankment, rising a couple hundred above us, stood two colossal creatures made of an amalgamation of rocky stones. Both had humanoid shapes with two arms, legs, and an oversized head, while their bodies appeared completely made of granite. With only dark depressions where eyes should have been, jagged mouths of stone roared soundlessly at us. Standing at the edge of thr precipice, the two monstrosities rose massive boulders over their head, their intentions clear. Whatever primordial force had granted them such savage strength would soon lay us low. With how steep the ridge was, we had no hope of getting anywhere close to them without trekking half a mile or more to come at them from their rear. Laying ample around the two behemoths were more boulders than we could count. Even if we attempted to shower them with spells or arrows, we would be plastered against the mountainside long before we had any hope of defeating them. ¡°Incoming!¡± I yelled at the top of my lungs while lurching Dutch¡¯s reins to the side. The newest projectiles rained with devastating force, destroying everything in its path. Thankfully, we were able to dodge aside in time even as Tallos sent several piercing arrows towards the goliaths in return. With Jax shifting under the saddle, I didn¡¯t expect the ranger to have any success given the steep angle of attack. Nonetheless, he shouted immediately after, ¡°My arrows can¡¯t penetrate their stony hide! They¡¯re just bouncing off!¡± He had landed at least one shot after all, an impressive feat given our general state of disarray. My amazement at his eagle eye buff rose all the more. ¡°We need to run!¡± Stella demanded, her thoughts aligning with my own. Her next comment was aimed directly at me. ¡°They¡¯ll pummel us before your longest-ranged spells do any appreciable damage. Not only that but they are made of rock, meaning they are probably resistant to most of your DoTs. Run!¡± She must have seen hesitation in my eyes as I glanced back toward where Ripley had been split apart. My mind screamed we would lose everything she had if we fled. Stella screamed in my ear, ¡°She¡¯ll reappear with everything. Now move!¡± Not hesitating longer, we tore away from the titans as quickly as Dutch and Jax could manage in the rough terrain. Lowki was nowhere in sight, but I trusted him to be able to take care of himself. His health bar was still a bright red on the party menu, so I focused all my attention on getting as far away from the rock giants as possible. The further we got away, the more time we had to dodge their stone missiles. Stella called out whenever we needed to shift our direction and, several hours later, we found ourselves at the base of Mount Kirkholm with no sign of pursuit. Ripley had long since returned to us, appearing uninjured as she jogged next to us in her full plate armor, along with all of her impressive weaponry. When we stopped for the evening, Lowki reappeared with a gravelly slab of stiff flesh hanging from his jaw. Spitting it on the ground with so much content I felt it, Lowki moved to sit proudly behind his ghastly trophy. We hadn¡¯t received any experience gains or notifications, so I doubted he slew either giant. Still, seeing his grisly prize, Lowki made the pair pay for the affront of trying to murder us. ¡°Good boy,¡± I praised Lowki as I patted his soft fur. Sighing deeply, these last few days had been insanely dangerous, I let the tension flow out of my body. Hopefully, we wouldn¡¯t find anything else so dangerous for many long days. We had earned at least some respite. Chapter 88 - The High Thicket The evening chill we encountered back near the peak of Mount Kirkholm seemed to have decided to follow us down into the sprawling savanna. Waking with the rising sun, it was cold enough my breath formed with every exhale. With nothing but flat land in all directions, the frequent gusts of wind sent a shiver throughout my body. My collection of wizardly and priestly garb was barely enough to block out the chill, so I tugged my blanket tightly around my shoulders. Tallos was sitting on his folded bedroll and was whittling an arm-length piece of dry wood. While there was the occasional tree around, the ranger explained earlier he would only use reclaimed wood when making arrows. ¡°We never use the wood from living trees to fashion our bows and arrows,¡± he had explained when I first met him, atop the crow¡¯s nest back on Captain Larsa¡¯s ship those weeks ago. ¡°It¡¯s a sign of disrespect to do otherwise. In the forest, nothing goes to waste, but we won¡¯t sacrifice the living to defend our realms.¡± I wasn¡¯t aware we had come across any naturally felled trees, but Tallos nonetheless had located something with the loose strips of wood lying beside him. Perhaps he had ventured out during the pre-dawn hours and found a suitable piece of lumber. He didn¡¯t have an axe, to my knowledge, so must have sought Ripley¡¯s assistance in splitting the natural bounty into foot and a half long sections. ¡°Good morning,¡± Tallos called across the small camp when he noticed my lingering gaze. The archer seemed entirely unfazed by the wintery chill in the air, his ranger clothing ample enough to keep him warm against the cool breeze. ¡°I¡¯ve been able to complete two arrow shafts so far with many more to go,¡± he remarked with a slight smile and nod to the pile of wood next to him. ¡°Anything I can do to help?¡± I inquired, though honestly had no idea how I could manage anything close to his work. Anything I made would undoubtedly fly off at a weird angle. ¡°No, but I appreciate the offer,¡± Tallos replied and returned his attention to the lengthy kindling held loosely in his hand. Bringing the shaft close to his eye, he rolled it back and forth as if appraising his progress before using his knife to whittle away at a stubborn knot. ¡°I¡¯m ready to go when you are, I¡¯ve already eaten,¡± he added as he caught me again looking at his pile of perhaps a dozen soon-to-be arrows. ¡°While your having breakfast, I¡¯m hoping to get this one done, and perhaps another ready before we mount up. When we¡¯re back on the road I¡¯ll attach the bladed heads and feathers. While Jax¡¯s gait is quite smooth, I am not yet skilled enough to be as precise as needed when creating the arrow shafts.¡± As I enjoyed my meal, a mixture of steaming sausages and glazed pork, my eyes never wander much from Tallos. His commitment to the delicate task was surprisingly enthralling. Nodding to himself, he finished his first arrow. Grabbing a second piece, he turned to me and shared how Lowki was fortunate enough to come across a downed ironwood tree not far from camp. Lowki showed commendable initiative, so Tallos said, when the great cat work the ranger with a gentle nudge a little before daybreak. Seeing breakfast wrapping up several minutes later, Stella helped Tallos store away his woodworking tools and spare kindling strips into my bag of holding. Tallos hadn¡¯t quite completed a second shaft. With Stella¡¯s aid, the archer needed only to hand her the rough shafts before winking away as each was stored in my bag of holding. I debated giving Tallos one of our spatial devices, but it worked quite differently for non-Hunters. Instead of an inventory window popping up for him, which could only be accomplished through a linked Accelerator, he would have to manually speak the name of whatever item he wanted to retrieve or store. He could do it, but it was simply easier to get Stella to help. We brushed then saddled Dutch and Jax before mounting up. With a week¡¯s worth of travel with the pair, the process was fast becoming habit and didn¡¯t take too much time. As we worked, we chatted amongst ourselves, and to our horses. Miles passed underfoot and a sense of contentment soaked into our previously wary bones. Commenting on how cold it was, I questioned if fall was drawing near. Tallos replied that while it was approaching the season, more than likely the frigid wind was likely nothing more than air currents coming down the Mount Kirkholm. Tallos¡¯ comment made sense as we took in the savanna around us and the stark difference of other wide expanses we had passed through. Back near the capital city, the surrounding grasslands were plush and vibrant with long blades coming up to our waists if we walked through it. Here, the cool mountain air noticeably tamped down on the local flora and vegetation¡¯s growth. The grass was far shorter and less vibrant. Our equine friends seemed not to worry as there was still plenty of grass to munch on whenever we stopped to rest. Fall was approaching and I was curious how this expansive field would look. None of the leaves on the few trees around were changing colors yet, but would inevitably transition into reds, oranges, and yellows over the next several weeks. I loved the scent of fall, in either of my recalled lives, and the earthy scent on the wind whispered a taste of the calming fragrance. I was able to store my spare blanket not long after, thanks to the warmth Dutch¡¯s body radiated up into my saddle. It helped stave off the chill morning air. The massive forest that was the High Thicket was no longer visible at our ground level, the magnificent view blocked behind the sprawling horizon. Still, I could imagine the splendor in my mind¡¯s eye as I recalled the majestic trees blanketing the countryside across countless miles from north to south. We had perhaps another thirty to thirty-five miles before we reached the High Ticket. As the morning progressed into the afternoon, and the further from the mountain we traveled, the warmer the air around us grew. We soaked up the sunlight as if we were swaying dandelions. Tallos shared a rousing tale about some of the elves we would soon be introduced to, especially one wizened elder named Mistress Dilomon. According to Tallos, she was rumored to be so skillful with a bow she never missed a shot, not in a hundred years. His story was ended abruptly when a distressing sight in the distance stopped us all in our tracks. Slowly climbing into the sky was a sizeable pillar of smoke. As we watched on, horrified by the implication, the smoke billowed upwards as a spiraling mix of black, gray, and white stretching into the light cloud cover. ¡°That much smoke is a very bad sign. We have at least twenty miles to go yet before we reach the edge of the forest,¡± Tallos said, his voice heavy with concern. ¡°Elves rarely burn anything in the forest. It¡¯s too much of a hazard and any such practice is tightly controlled. That¡­¡± he pointed towards the distance plume before giving me a grave look. ¡°Can only mean the forest itself is under attack! We have to hurry.¡± At our usual pace, Dutch and Jax covered five miles each hour when under the magical effects of my song of travel. Given the broad flatland before us, we could easily quadruple it or more if we kicked our horses into a fast gallop. Tallos was in obvious distress at the recognition an elven-guarded forest coming under attack. His desire to help his countrymen and their forest home was so tightly etched across his angular features it could cut through steel. Locking gazes with my friend, I nodded as we kicked our horses into high gear. Every minute brought us closer to the smokestack marking our destination. From what little we could tell, the fire was contained to the northern-most section of the forest and wasn¡¯t spreading like a wildfire. Had it done so, Tallos explained, the plumes of smoke would have spread further to the south yet, with each pounding hoof across the plains, the fire remained closely packed together. The smoke grew denser as the miles vanished under our charge. From our angle, it appeared as if the raging inferno was expanding almost directly away from the initial plume in a relatively straight line. From another angle, I wouldn¡¯t have been surprised if it stretched a mile or more across. It took only a little over half an hour to finally approach the forest¡¯s edge. The skyscraping behemoths dominated the countryside, leading to the south for miles. The sight reminded me of when I visited the Redwood National Park back on Earth. The grand scale of the forest took my breath away, though my appreciation for the mammoth trees was stanched somewhat knowing part of the forest was burning. Standing proudly four to five hundred feet tall, the massive sequoias were wider than four buses parked side by side and the tree¡¯s enormous branches created a dense canopy far overhead. Nothing nearby was on fire, thankfully. Though with the trees blocking most of our view into the forest proper, it shouldn¡¯t take us long to determine the culprit. Standing at the edge of the nearest sequoia, the prevalent plumes of smoke so easily spotted earlier were now hidden from view. What normally would have been a pleasant scent on the wind, the sweet armor of burning wood known as nature¡¯s incense, seemed tainted as my nose caught wind of it. Ill intentions were at work here. This was no friendly campfire surrounded by friends and cheerful stories. This felt¡­ malevolent. Tallos turned to me, pointing a finger deep into the forest, ¡°The city of Quarris is five miles that way. Whoever or whatever is causing these fires seems to be moving nearer to the city¡¯s limits. We need to hurry.¡± With the chaotic spacing between the massive sequoias, we could no longer carry on at top speed. Both horses were slathered in sweat from our swift ride but, if their attentive expressions were any sign, both had stamina to spare. Dropping to a trot, with Tallos now leading, we stepped under the forest canopy. The undergrowth under the many storied sentinels was almost like something out of a movie. Fallen red bark, sword ferns, redwood sorrel crunched underfoot as we meandered around the impressively wide trees. The rich cherry of the trees and terrain contrasted well with the greens of flourishing plant life. Unfortunately, the grandness of it all was tainted with sweet scent of burning wood, and soon smoke was hanging low across the forest floor. The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. It wasn¡¯t long before we started finding bodies. Burnt beyond recognition, dozens of bodies were laid out as if haphazardly discarded like they were nothing more than worthless marionettes. Elven forged blades, snapped bows, and elvish armor lay blackened and scorched from the heat of a yet unknown influence. In the corner of my eye, Tallos dismounted briefly to collected several quivers brimming full with arrows to completely restock his two belt quivers, as well as the one angled across his back. Tallos¡¯ tightly focused expression and pinched eyebrows seemed to shout to everything around him. His demeanor promised swift retribution to whoever committed these atrocities. He was going to make them pay for single slain member of his race. While I was not born a true elf, having only transformed into a half-elf after linking with Stella, I nonetheless felt the loss and pain at the loss of so many noble warriors. The damage of whatever smothered the life out of these proud forest-dwellers was not contained to only their bodies. No, whatever the cause, and for no apparent reason other than to inflict torment, an inferno had been set upon many of the tall sequoias. None of the fire still lingered, at least near us. The raging fires, having completely consumed the noble redwoods, left only charred mockery in its wake. Even without my tracking skill easily highlighting the intruder¡¯s route, the carnage of death and destruction drew a line in only one direction. Everything led towards the elven city. Dutch and Jax were beginning to show signs of nervousness, excessively salivating and trembling the prime indicators. With the scent of so much death permeating around us, we decided it was best to lead them on foot otherwise we risked accidents. With my reins in hand, and Ripley standing next to me, I took point and followed the trail of devastation. We found more bodies, spread chaotically around another grisly scene. Unlike before, not all were blackened beyond recognition. Some of the bodies held deep lacerations which likely had proven instantly fatal, while other bodies showed no trace of what stole their lives. Whatever had done such horrific work seemed to kill with such an ease it alluded to prodigious power. More and more, a particular suspect gleamed in my mind, but I hoped it wasn¡¯t him. I wasn¡¯t sure we were ready to face my nemesis. If this was Duke, we could very well end up like the deceased elves around us. Though we could not make out any sounds of battle, the path of destruction only worsened as we carried on. Not a soul was left living in all the carnage. Smoke was heavier now but a stiff breeze, as if the forest was breathing, was carrying it away which allowed us easy sight of the carnage around us. Soon enough, we came upon fires still raging and tearing at the bark of the esteemed redwoods. Furiously burning up the wide trunks, it was as the fire itself was an incarnation of vengeance against the immobile giants. Tallos had a crazed look in his eye, though said nothing as we hurried deeper into the forest. His breathing turned fast and raspy, and his posture grew rigid. Tallos seemed to be silently screaming in outrage as if the trees were sacred friends to him and his people. This was their home, and the trees were watchful guardian who provided shelter and protection to any below their boughs. I needed to do something. I needed to help. Reviewing my available options, I could only settle on one thing, gnawing blizzard. [Gnawing Blizzard]. Create a localized blizzard within 50 feet of the caster. Within the storm rages piercing crystalline shards capable of puncturing through most magical defenses up to enhanced tier, as well as non-magical armor up to rare quality. Within a 30 feet area of effect, hostile targets are inflicted with the debuff, ¡°Biting Ice¡±, which causes 200 plus 2.5n damage immediately and then every 6 seconds thereafter, where ¡®n¡¯ equals Intelligence. Additionally, afflicted hostile targets suffer a movement speed penalty of 20%, and suffer melee and spell haste penalty of 10%. These effects are compounded further with each minute hostile targets remain in the area of effect, though the effects are immediately dispelled when the spell expires. Cost: 500 mana. Cast Time: 2 seconds. Cool down: 10 seconds. Duration: 168 seconds (base 120). Plus 1 foot maximum range and area of effect, plus 20 base damage, minus .33% movement speed, and minus .1% melee and spell haste per spell level. Note ¨C Once cast, the spell effect cannot be moved from its original location. Note ¨C Friendly targets and party members are immune to this spell¡¯s deleterious effects, only seeing a ghostly impression of the spell. Going through the spell¡¯s description, I needed to ask Stella a question. It looked as if the spell could potentially be used to combat the raging fires, more or less anything hostile. In my mind, the fires were exactly that. ¡°Stella, can I use gnawing blizzard to fight the fire? The spell seems to only affect hostiles?¡± ¡°It should,¡± Stella answered after a brief moment of consideration. ¡°In your mind, mark the tree as friendly and the fire hostile to you. Your intent should be enough to mold the spell to help staunch these fires.¡± At five hundred mana a pop, I had more than enough mana to cast the blizzard again and again. Though I could hardly put out every fire we came across if I had any hope of standing a chance at whoever or whatever was causing such destruction. Mana was my lifeblood, and I suspected I was going to need as much of it as I could. Stella caught my contemplation and offered a suggestion. ¡°We need to keep moving if we¡¯re going to help stop whatever is causing this, but if you cast while we ride, the spell will help. We need to be mindful of your total mana, as this will most certainly devolve into a fight when we find out who is doing this.¡± Her eyes flicked across a screen I couldn¡¯t see before she continued, ¡°You regenerate over eleven hundred mana each minute. If you limit yourself to two, at most three blizzards every minute, you should have a high mana count when we reach the city. Remember, your mana powers your aegis. You won¡¯t be able to help anyone if you get there with no mana left.¡± Quickly pulling up my inventory window, I sorted it by listing all of my restorative items. ¡°We have plenty of mana potions,¡± I stated after quickly setting my mind to the task. ¡°I¡¯m going to use them to help supplement my mana regeneration. For at least a little while, I should be able to cast three or four each minute.¡± Stella nodded her understanding and I asked Ripley to take the lead before handing her Dutch¡¯s reins. With the closer bond Dutch had after Ripley saving his life, he was more than amenable to having her lead. With a two second cast time, it was relatively easy work to ride and cast at the same time. A part of me wanted to quick cast the spell, but knew it would eat up more of my precious mana, and wasn¡¯t worth it to save a few seconds. Stella was right, I was going to need every drop of mana I possessed. I was sure of it. Though I couldn¡¯t stop every fire, I quickly discovered if I placed the blizzard at the top of the fire, as long as it wasn¡¯t more than fifty feet up in the air and out of my range, I could limit the total damage the fire inflicted against the giant sequoias. The fire wouldn¡¯t be able to spread higher to engulf the entire tree with this tactic, and the cold air descending from the blizzard would quickly end the fire burning below. Between casts I chugged mana potions and, with Stella¡¯s help, timed my spells to greatest effect as we kept a close eye on my mana regeneration. Soon, every single spell cast was enough to save a tree from burning to death. Some were too far gone of course, or the fire had climbed too high for my spell to make a difference, but I was able to save a great many redwoods from sharing that grim fate. Tallos still hadn¡¯t spoken since we first found his fallen brethren, though appeared grateful for trying to save as many trees as we could. While our mounted pace slowed between spell casts, it wasn¡¯t long until we heard the sound of battle up ahead. My liberal use of mana potions had dropped our stores by a significant amount, but it was entirely worth it. Now, with our enemy a few dozen yards away, it was time to focus on that. The distant scream of dying elves pleaded us on, but I paused a moment to consider our equine charges. Jax and Dutch would be willing to charge into a fight, there was no doubt about it. But, I wasn¡¯t willing to risk their lives if we could help it. Quickly confirming with Stella and Tallos, though the elf only nodded in response, we tied the pair to a log hanging and unmarred branch before continuing on without them. Either we would return once we eliminated whatever was threatening the elven forest or, should the worse happen, Dutch and Jax would be able to break free if they applied enough pressure. Hoping it wouldn¡¯t come to that, I slipped Frostrend into my hand and crouched low into stealth. No one voiced our growing suspicions in regards to who we were about to face. The casual display of killing was all too familiar with how the vile Duke dispatched Stella¡¯s friend Stouter those many days ago. From our grim expression, each of us believed the time of our true confrontation might have finally arrived. I could only hope we were strong enough to stand a chance. The last we saw of him, Duke effortlessly withstood a barrage from dozens of capital guards as if their arrows were less than nothing. It was only my timely intervention that finally allowed him to sustain even a single point of damage. Worse, we discovered he was max level for this world. Who knew how many powerful spells, or extraordinarily enchanted arms and armor the cold-blooded man had uncovered during his path of barbarism? If our suspicious were true, we were about to find out. Tallos finally broke his silence, though he kept his tone to a low whisper. I needed to strain just to make out his words, but it was not hard to miss the razor¡¯s edge biting in the ranger¡¯s words. ¡°The city is just up ahead. These fires will soon bring in a thousand elves raining down upon whoever was crazy enough to burn the High Thicket. Such a reactionary force will take at least several hours to mobilize, unfortunately, but I¡¯m certain whoever is over there will come to regret this calamity.¡± I did not have words to express my sorrow for what Tallos and his countrymen were going through. If my elven friend was any indication, seething anger boiled throughout the hearts of anyone who called this majestic forest home. Deliberately burning millennia-old trees, to an elf, would be like an enemy intentionally harming your child just to spite you. It was demented and uncalled for. War and battle inevitably took lives, of course, but collateral damage should always be avoided. To do otherwise, spoke of the twisted and psychotic mind. The thrum of flying arrows, detonating explosions, zaps of lightning reverberated behind the trees standing between us. Crouching forward, doing our best to maintain our stealth, we, at long last, found our quarry. Chapter 89 - Duke Xander Marth, Scourge Titan-Lord Duke Xander Marth, the Nemesis Hunter, was an intimidating sight to behold. His aura of malevolence was no less palpable since the first day I had the misfortune of seeing him in all his unholy glory. Even from the back, his mere presence seemed to infect the majesty of the forest around him. He was a ghastly shadow posing among the living. His void-black plate mail, with its many jagged spikes threatening to easily catch either steel or flesh if one ventured too close, looked straight out of a horror movie. As I watched, his mailed fists thrust skyward, releasing a sphere of roiling plasma rocketing towards one of the many platforms overhead. At first, I had only eyes for the Nemesis Hunter. Before us stood the man who casually snuffed the life of Stella¡¯s dearest friend, allowed goblins to raid my home of Winterfalls, causing a slaughter of defenseless innocent souls, and was ultimately responsible for my parent¡¯s deaths. His condemnable actions were all an attempt to uncover an Accelerator to further his goal of rising beyond this world, all at the expense of everyone else. For the life of me, Duke had no redeeming qualities. He was vile and cruel like a serrated blade eager to rend flesh. We knew which Accelerator Duke was hunting. It had been Stella all along and only chance caused him to overlook her. She was his ultimate goal, and there was no way I would be handing her over. She meant more to me than he could possibly imagine. I doubted Duke cared for anything but his own satisfaction. He would never know love or friendship. Duke¡¯s fireball and the subsequent blast far overhead finally tore my attention away from the armored warrior long enough for me to take in our surroundings now that we had a clear line of sight. Dozens of fires raged several hundred feet in the air looking as if Duke had randomly thrown fireballs at anything that caught his penetrative gaze. The city of Quarris was on fire. But, it was not undefended. Though many of the massive wooden platforms strung between the giant sequoias burned, most of the fire was being dispelled by sleets of rain and biting ice. The elves had mages aplenty, though I doubted any came near the power of the foe casually flinging death from the forest floor. Countless elves stood staring down at Duke from elevated wooden platforms strung with incredibly thick ropes to secure them against the forest¡¯s giant sequoias. Each platform varied in height and thickness. It must have taken decades to create the grand city of tree houses, verandas, and terraces linked by hundreds of rope bridges spanning across the sky like a giant spider¡¯s web. Though we could only see a small portion of the city from our limited position, it was not hard to imagine the city presumably spanned several miles off to the east and south. Arrows rained down by the hundreds, slicing through the air beside magical bolts of lightning, and pulses of arcane-infused orbs, all racing towards the singular threat. Duke was not content to only throw overpowering fireballs around. With a series of articulate gestures and flicks of his wrist, his much deadlier bolts of electricity twisted through the air to find new targets. Next came cutting blades of wind sharp enough to slice through armor, planking, and flesh with equal ease. Nothing short of the massive redwoods themselves had any hope of slowing their menacing flight. Duke¡¯s repertoire of arcane magic dwarfed my own, even in the short ten seconds I stared in amazement as he through spells of every element. Blackened bodies, some with limbs severed by wind blades, others seizing and convulsing from a demented spell, fell from the sky to slam against the forest¡¯s undergrowth with sickening crunches. Those few not instantly killed by Duke¡¯s deadly spells had no surviving such a perilous hundred-foot fall. My gut wrenched when several elves, looking little better than living torches, flung themselves off their platforms to end the misery they were suffering. Duke laughed when one such poor soul slammed into the ground a few feet away from him. Bones and limbs protruded at unnatural angles and, even though the elf was clearly deceased, an arcane word from Duke, along with a belligerent thrust of his hand caused the body to explode as if a grenade had detonated within the elf¡¯s chest. A shower of sanguine horror was thrown out in all directions but, instead of splashing across Duke as I had been expecting, the blood landed harmlessly on a semi-visible translucent spherical barrier. Unlike the last time, I came face-to-face with Duke, when he was surrounded by heavily armed and armored guards within the capital city of Allerton, the elves of Quarris were having better fortune than those soldiers did. Though a large portion of arrows plinked harmlessly off his mana barrier, several were able to breach the magical protection, only to then ping harmlessly off his suit of armor. Harmful spells of lightning, ice, and arcane had a better time of it, though Duke seemed to shrug those attacks off as well. He was a titan standing unconcerned against an advancing hurricane. Duke¡¯s raven black hair was tied in topknot reminiscent of old Japanese samurais. What little of Duke¡¯s bronzed skin was visible, between his obsidian plates which seemed to pull in the light around him, was surprisingly unblemished. An impressive feat considering the multitude of spells and unfriendly projectiles constantly slamming into him from above. Either he was fortunate none of the attacks had been able to touch his body, or he had impressive regenerative abilities. Pondering the man¡¯s capabilities, the thought prompted me to fully inspected my rival. The last time we saw him before we teleported away from the capital, we only got a brief glimpse of his information. As we remained, thus far, undetected, we finally got a complete picture of the man¡¯s capabilities as he continued to sling dark magic. Duke Xander Marth the Nemesis Hunter, Scourge Titan-Lord (Level 30 MAX Human Hunter) Health 24,032/24,964. Mana 13,122/17,525. Stamina 9,670/9,800. Active Abilities ¨C Juggernaut Resolve, Vampiric Grasp, Smoldering Duplicant, Infernal Surge, Sanguine Blood, Rune Weapon, Scourging Touch. Seeing the names of his domineering abilities felt like a hand reaching into my chest and grabbing hold of my heart. While we couldn¡¯t afford to delay our ambush against Duke any longer than necessary, as elves continued to die by the score, we needed as much information as possible before engaging. Perhaps we could find, as unlikely as it seemed, a weakness in the man¡¯s impenetrable armor. Mentally probing the System for detailed information on each ability, I directed the data to flow into my consciousness instead of reading the information line by line to save as much time as possible. Juggernaut Resolve ¨C You are able to ignore all but the most overwhelming magical and physical attacks. While this does not diminish the damage sustained in any way, you experience only a slight sensation of numbed pain. Vampiric Grasp ¨C Each melee attack with your attuned weapon drains health proportionate to the total damage inflicted on a living target. The target¡¯s blood must make contact with your weapon, creating the necessary conduit, for this ability to take effect. Smoldering Duplicant ¨C Your brief touch with the infernal has altered you. Once per day, you are able to create a living-flame duplicate of a single minion, pet, familiar, or similar entity. Your summoned companion perfectly matches the target minion¡¯s physical capabilities, while its active abilities will be modified to equivalent infernal variants. Infernal Surge ¨C Your repeated exploration into the infernal powers has marked your core. Once per day, you may call upon this brand for a burst of accursed healing which restores you to maximum health and reduces the duration of all negative aliments and detrimental effects upon you. Sanguine Blood ¨C Every drop of your blood has been augmented, becoming denser and far more potent. Your maximum health is increased by 25% and any healing effect with an aspect of blood heals you for an additional 25%. Animated Runic Weapon ¨C Furthering your bond with your attuned weapon, you can transcribe mystical runes which allows you to temporarily animate it. The living blade will attack any target you designate with 75% of your fighting prowess and skill. This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. Scourging Touch ¨C You have fundamentally tied your being with the infernal, saturating every melee attack with your attuned weapon with fiendish ferocity. Even the lightest touch with your wretched weapon causes additional abyssal fire and shadow damage while also leaving behind a festering wound. Duke¡¯s abilities were as astounding as they were powerful. Not only would his sword drain health, as long as it drew blood which was a near certainty with how devilishly sharp it looked slung across his back, but would also inflict increased damage because of his scourging touch ability. Going even further, his sanguine blood ability boosted his weapon¡¯s life-draining ability. As if that wasn¡¯t enough, those same blows would also leave a necrotic damage over time effect which, unless I missed my guess, was probably as powerful as some of my own spells, if not more so. That¡¯s not to mention Duke was able to create a flame-variant copy of either Ripley or Lowki which would be just as powerful as either of them. I could only hope Ripley¡¯s tier-two enhanced minion status would nullify the ability from working properly. It would hardly seem fair for a single ability to copy what was gained only through a Hunter tier advancement. Then, there was Duke¡¯s ability to bring his wicked blade to life as if the man himself was wielding the cursed weapon. Even at seventy-five percent of Duke¡¯s proficiency with the blade, it would still be a monster in its own right. With the ability, Duke could summon his weapon to attack a foe, while he sat back and slung devastating spells at whoever was foolish enough to engage him. Instead of fighting one foe, you would be facing two, one an intangible melee attacker while also being bombarded by another with deadly magic. Hopefully, the animated sword wouldn¡¯t have too far range, but as it appeared to have been gained from his tier four Hunter advancement, I wouldn¡¯t be holding my breath. Duke¡¯s ¡®attuned¡¯ weapon sat affixed to his steel-clad back, clinging there as if magnetically attached. Black as the void, it was difficult to make out all of the long sword¡¯s intricacies. From our limited vantage point, the ebony pommel was shaped like a devil¡¯s snarling face, though it could have simply been a fearsome beast with how dark the metal was. The hilt¡¯s length was closer to a hand and a half sword and the grip was wrapped in dark leather with blood-red stitching. The upswept guard was capped on both tips with opaque rubies, looking as if both were lifeless devil eyes. The blade, from the ricasso, fuller, and the tip was made from the same inky-black metal as Duke¡¯s plate mail. Duke¡¯s weapon perfectly embodied the lethality rolling off his body as if anything nearby would start to wither and die. This was a man who was as dangerous as an entire armada, yet wrapped into a singular being. With the shocking synergy of his many talents, only a single potential weakness stood out to me, his juggernaut¡¯s resolve. If my inkling was correct, I could possibly turn his strength into a weakness. Turning to Stella, I whispered my question, hoping she would confirm my suspicion. ¡°Stell, will my DoTs go largely unnoticed because of Duke¡¯s juggernaut resolve?¡± Stella¡¯s eyes flicked to the ground in serious contemplation before shooting back to me. With an excited and wide-eyed expression, she confirmed my guess. ¡°Yes!¡± she whispered, her voice tight with excitement. ¡°The initial damage and subsequent ticks deal less damage than direct damage spells like those bolts of lightning and ice spears, so he probably won¡¯t notice them right away.¡± ¡°Okay, then here¡¯s my plan¡­¡± I said to my huddled team, quietly laying out my idea. Tallos, Lowki, and Ripley would hold still and only engage Duke directly when he became aware of our presence. I readied myself. Our countless uphill battles, our extensive dedication to improving ourselves, everything all came down to this. Either he would die, or we would. We would have no way of retreating. It was all or nothing. ¡°Don¡¯t start with scent of decay,¡± Stella quietly stated as I began pulling up my sleeves. When I shot her a questioning look, she elaborated. ¡°He, or more likely his Accelerator, will probably detect the spell right away since it doesn¡¯t inflict damage. It¡¯s also rather obvious since, you know, it explodes like a rotten watermelon on contact. It¡¯s not worth it, plus with it being only a minor spell I doubt it will do much against his tier four resistances.¡± Starting my initial casting, Stella turned to Lowki who was crouched beside Ripley to give one final instruction. ¡°Lowki, do whatever you can to not get hit by that devilish sword. His drain will affect you, but not Ripley,¡± she instructed with a tilt of her head towards her skeletal friend. It was good advice. Though the liberal use of my quick cast skill, by the time Stella finished her sentence, Duke had synaptic toxin, blood boil, wyvern sting, ignite bones, arrested affliction, and soul leech ravaging his ample health pool. In less than five seconds, all but my newest two DoTs, other than minor acidic bolt and poisoned breath, were ticking away at Duke¡¯s health every six seconds. Slowly, his body would be ravaged with a destructive mix of arcane energy and, with any luck, would go unnoticed due to the man¡¯s juggernaut ability. Meanwhile, my newest spells, pyroclastic funeral pyre, and gnawing blizzard, would be held in reserve until he realized he was under siege. Sadly, Duke¡¯s resistances were as impressive as predicted and, while he didn¡¯t so much as flinch or twitch his head as each spell landed, he partly resisted nearly every lesser-tier spell. Though it was a risk, as soon as my rotation of spells was completed, I went back into spell casting in the hope a second time would do the trick. To further the goal, I pushed extra mana into those resisted spells via dual casting this time around. Not only would it enhance the damage inflicted every six seconds, but the extra oomph could help circumvent whatever magical resistances he had. My efforts rewarded another three spells landing fully. Only ignite bones and arrested affliction were resisted this time. With the infernal blessing Duke appeared to have, my ignite bones would probably never take hold fully, so I opted to focus only on getting arrested affliction to land. As my latest attempt, magical energy crashing into Duke¡¯s shield, he flinched and peered around himself briefly. Thankfully, with the continuing barrage of attacks from above, he returned his complete attention to the elves. He may have had an inkling something was amiss but with his extreme confidence, he was not overly concerned. Redwood bark and twigs crunched under his ebony sabatons as the wicked man continued to fling devastating spells with enough mirth it seemed to everyone Duke was overjoyed from the act of murdering innocent people. Though my actions went unnoticed by the Hunter, his Accelerator was not so easily fooled. Resembling a fledgling raven, it must have decided to check on things itself. Rising from the man¡¯s shoulder, twin beams of azure light shone from its eyes as it began scanning everything in a counterclockwise rotation. Back when I first saw the small device, when I was still an unwitting NPC cowering behind a bush, the Accelerator had spotted me but stated to its master I was ¡®nothing significant.¡¯ Duke¡¯s Accelerator had deemed me worthless. Today, that opinion would no longer be true, far from it. Knowing we had little time before our position was discovered, I combined quick cast and dual cast into my strongest DoTs. First, pyroclastic funeral pyre, quickly followed by a gnawing blizzard. We were right at the edge of the range of both spells, a paltry fifty feet, but with how overbearing Duke appeared, even at this distance, we would soon require every drop of damage we could inflict. The moment his Accelerator locked on to our location, Ripley would shoot forward faster than an Olympic runner with her curved sword and silvery shield embossed with a foaming mug leading her charge. Likewise, Lowki would leap across the distance like a cannon ball fired from a nine-pounder off the deck of the Moon Siren, ready to rend flesh and impale my nemesis with poison-barbed quills. Tallos, crouching with his enchanted bow already fully drawn, would send a mighty barrage as fast as elvenly possible. When the funeral pyre landed, Duke¡¯s feathered Accelerator spin noticeably increased, its gaze was nearly on top of us. When a gnawing blizzard created a wintry tempest, engulfing the hateful man in a torrent of ice, those piercing high beams instantly latched onto us. About to shout for an all-out attack against the madman, who would soon be informed of our presence, Stella visibly shuddered in the corner of my vision. Fearing she was under some type of assault, I risked looking at her directly. Her words tight with effort, she halted the impending attack. ¡°Trying¡­ to stop¡­ his Accelerator¡­ from notifying...¡± It was all she could manage as her face grimaced as if she was lifting a hundred-point weight. Knowing she couldn¡¯t hold her AI counterpart at bay indefinitely, and with every DoT ticking away at Duke¡¯s massive health pool, I pulled out two items from my inventory. First was my defense-busting crescent-moon flintlock dueling pistol. The second was my wand of grasping roots. A viscous blob of roiling thorny vines leaped away and, a split second later, an explosion rocked the forest floor as I pulled my pistol¡¯s trigger sending a piercing bullet rocketing at our mortal enemy. As soon as both projectiles were inches away from crashing into his back, Duke''s defensive shield flared to life. An arrow from Tallos crashed into the barrier just over the small of Duke¡¯s back. The ranger had been aiming for a gap between his breastplate and plated arming belt. Ripley and Tallos sprung from cover, tearing across the distance toward the deadliest opponent any of us had faced so far. As for me, as soon as I pulled the trigger of my pistol, I quick cast one of my favorite spells. Even though we only had a single target, the crackling bolt of energy about to crack to life, would deliver a small fraction of the seething fury raging in my chest for who could very well be the worst Hunter in existence. To add insult to injury, I duplicated the chained lightning instantly by tapping into the magical properties of my new magian tiara of twin cast. Our war between life and death, at long last, had truly begun. Chapter 90 - *Interlude - Duke, the Nemesis Hunter* (1 of 2) Perhaps there would be some enjoyment to be found this day, though Duke was doubtful as even the magically inclined elves didn¡¯t normally present much of a challenge. Still, perhaps he would be surprised, and some fledgling archmage may be nearby. Duke had no cause to attack the tree city of Quarris, other than for some sport and the off chance something worthwhile would appear, but such moralities never stopped Duke in his quest for true power. Since reaching the maximum level for his prime world, a partly thirty levels, he had really only a singular objective. He needed to ascend. Ascension was the elusive goal every Hunter sought, though rarely accomplished. Only the strongest of their kind achieved what trillions of people could only dream of. Or, at the very least, live vicariously through Hunters like Duke through the Universal Game broadcast. Based on his reputation numbers, trillions did watch Duke and had been following him tirelessly through the years. All to watch Duke rise above the masses. With a successful ascension rate of roughly twenty-five percent, most of the rich elites brave enough to enter the Games would fine only ruin and death. The greater the risk, the greater the reward, and Duke had some damned grand aspirations for his future. Duke had already been a quadrillionaire before electing to become a Hunter, having inherited enough wealth from his tyrant of a father at an early age. Duke could have done absolutely nothing and would have been able to enjoy the so-called ¡®good life. Living in complete luxury didn¡¯t sway him as it did with so many people. His father had owned several worlds at the time of his death and everything was passed down to his sole heir. Looking back at those dark days, his inheritance had been the only good thing Duke¡¯s father had ever done for him. Duke¡¯s childhood had been a living torture compared to most. It was only in his adulthood that Duke had come to recognize his father¡¯s brilliance. Being beaten daily, ridiculed, taunted, and everything in between turned Duke into the prosperous man he was today. Back then, his father, in between the painful lashes, said he was only trying, ¡°to turn Duke into a man, a man of influence.¡± At the time, Duke had hated the cruel bastard and was thrilled the day he received the news when his father¡¯s heart finally gave out. Before the child, Xander, had earned his Dukedom, his life of constant pain and struggle had given him the firm willpower and grit to do what was necessary to succeed. When Xander Marth became Duke Xander Marth, he took his first step in righting the injustices of his humble origins. Born only to wealthy parents, the nobility his destiny demanded had finally been taken at the tip of a sword. With his blade still drenched in the royal lifeblood, Duke earned his moniker and wore it proudly from that day forward. It had been a glorious day, and still brought a shiver of pleasure whenever the particularly bloody memory came to mind. Born into a life of plenty, after his father¡¯s death, where every possible want or need was at his fingertips, Duke knew he was destined for so much more. He was destined for greatness, to have his name spoken in awe by the most powerful people in the universe. It was an easy decision for him to become a Hunter. forfeiting a significant portion of his inheritance was something he knew he would never regret. Only those few Hunters who survived and ascended earned citizenship among the empire. Duke held a Dukedom, yes, but in the greater universe, he was thought of as nothing more than a simpleton fortunate enough to own several middling planets. Ascending guaranteed his took his rightful place among the true nobility of the wider cosmos. It only took a single ascension to earn full citizenship, and was something most Hunters immediately grabbed hold off as they elected to retire from the Universal Games instead of progressing onward. Duke had grander plans than most. With each new world a Hunter ascended, they unlocked new benefits, new titles, new powers, and greater nobility within the universe spanning empire. One of the most successful Hunter, a woman named Tyrania the Fearless, had ascended eleven times in her extraordinarily long career. By the time she finally retired, her accomplishments had placed her only a few steps shy of becoming an empress herself. The power her contained at the time of her last ascension rivaled an entire fleet of dreadnaughts. She was a one-woman armada. Duke was destined to surpass Tyrania¡¯s legendary accomplishments. One day his name would be spoken with the same absolute reverence across the thousands of interlinked galaxies. And woe anyone who got in his way. In his five years on this miserable planet, Duke eliminated over fifty Hunters which earned him his current in-game title. Duke was proud of his accomplishments as a Hunter, most notably the achievement of reaching the maximum level in less than a year¡¯s time. Normally, this took Hunters upwards of three to five years, considering most Hunters carefully bided their time as they explored their starter worlds. Frustratingly, Duke had been stuck at his current level for the past four years. Most of the weak Hunters he slaughtered nowadays barely netted him anything of value, let alone any worthwhile System rewards. His earliest Hunter vs. Hunter kills had netted him rewards beyond his original estimations he would earn in his first year as an initiate Hunter. Before paying the exuberant sums necessary to join the Universal Games, Duke hoped he would amass even half of his current arsenal. His synergistic abilities, skills, and spells would travel with Duke beyond retirement, one day far off in the distant, very distant, future. Only Hunters, through trials and tribulations in the Games, were allowed such talents outside of System worlds. When Duke finally did retire, he would have power to rival even the emperor himself. He was sure of it. Back to the present, Duke had slain a few dozen elves as he steadily marched upon the elven tree city. While he was certain he wouldn¡¯t find anything of note, other than some satisfying kills, there was a slim hope that his actions would perhaps garner the attention of whatever Hunter was fortunate enough to possess the world¡¯s only ¡®Prime Accelerator.¡¯ Such a unique AI was more myth than legend, but Duke¡¯s long years assured him there was such a thing hidden somewhere on this planet. If he could only find the elusive AI, his Hunter career would be catapulted beyond even his loftiest ambitions! The long, arduous journey it would be worth it in the end. There were, of course, dozens, if not hundreds, of ways to ascend beyond a prime world. Some were more complicated than others but were all ripe for the taking. You simply needed to find them. Yet, Duke only had eyes for one, the ascension that brought the greatest power. With the unique Accelerator under his command, he would instantly be granted the ability to ascend, or so he had believed through his often- voracious studies into the matter, which was unusual in its one right. Even better, once he reached the next world, and each ascension after that, the Prime Accelerator would grant powers beyond what a normal AI could. He had, of course, ¡®replaced¡¯ his Accelerators over these many long years, but he had only eyes for the best. He had always been on the hunt. His latest AI, which took the form of an obsidian bird, was only rare-tiered. It was an insult he had to settle for such a weak Accelerator, but it did have an innate special property he wasn¡¯t even aware was a possibility until the later worlds. Each Accelerator had a secret, though not many Hunters were skillful enough to figure them out. Duke had, because of course he did. Duke had thought the Hunter, Stouter the Fortunate, had been in possession of the world¡¯s prime AI but, even after torturing the man, Duke came to learn he likely never did. Sure, Stouter had been able to accomplish some pretty impressive feats in an short amount of time, but it must have been through luck than any amount of skill the man possessed. Then, Duke had believed another Hunter, whose name he couldn¡¯t recall from the capital city, may have somehow acquired it. No, only disappointment again, which was something Duke was experiencing all too often for his liking. One day though, Duke would find his treasure. He would not settle for any lesser ascension. If needed, he would burn the entire world with his infernal talents to obtain what was rightfully his. So, in reality, attacking the elves in the High Thicket was more of a simple distraction than anything else for Duke¡¯s keen and penetrating mind. The excuse it could bring out the Hunter who held the Prime Accelerator was probably just another pipe dream. From what Duke had learned through his research, this supreme AI would only willingly bind itself with a Hunter of a certain ¡®temperament.¡¯ That temperament was what many fools called a positive alignment. Duke would never debase himself to being ¡®positively aligned.¡¯ In his mind, only weak-willed Hunters did things for the greater good. The hell with that, Duke mused internally. A Hunter could, and should, do anything he damn well pleased. There was no other way to earn greatness, and Duke ensured he did exactly that from the very first moment he appeared on this world. After slaying whoever owned his ultimate treasure, Duke would force the AI to capitulate to his will. The artificial mind may resist at first but, eventually, it would break. Then, Duke would ascend and begin anew on a higher tiered world. Duke would be a force to be reckoned with. This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. Having worked his way through the tree city¡¯s perimeter guards, with relative ease he might add, Duke found himself standing under the magnificent architecture of multi-tiered platforms spanning the city of Quarris. Duke could admit the elves had talent, and none would deny it. Being able to create something so majestic was commendable. Unfortunately for them, Duke was bored. For as glorious as the city appeared, the damnable elves, cowards all, were too gutless to come down to face him on even ground. In that case, Duke had more than enough spells under his command to bring their entire city to ruin. They couldn¡¯t stand atop their mighty platforms if they were burnt to tinder. It would only take time. Still, the frequent bolts of lightning, shattering ice spears, and plentiful hail of arrows were making some small dent in his formidable mana barrier. He had more than enough power to withstand the city¡¯s meager counter-offensive. Yet, Duke knew he would not be able to stay more than a quarter day as his actions would bring down a hornet¡¯s nest of elves from all across the High Thicket. While he could fight a small city entirely on his own, an entire nation¡¯s worth of spell casters, archers, and fighters would press him hard. The gains wouldn¡¯t be worth it, so Duke planned to eliminate as many elves as he could, especially their city elders who were likely near level thirty themselves. NPCs could surpass the maximum level, unlike Hunters, but it was rarely seen except with leaders of a nation or the like. After defeating as many of the elves he could reach with his fast arsenal of spells, Duke would continue on to his personal settlement where he would plan where to next look for the elusive Accelerator. Looking up at the nimble elves and their redwood platforms, Duke was annoyed he had yet to acquire any spell which would enable him to fly. One way or another though, he would manage to kill whoever flitted up there. The thought of the giant wooden platforms crashing to the thicket floor was an entertaining notion. The thoughtless elves were predictable with their counter bursts of magic and unending slew of piercing arrows. Duke¡¯s protective mana barrier could stop nearly any spell or physical attack, even those from highly enchanted weapons. Only spells targeting his flesh or body directly would bypass his shield. His particular mana barrier had that often-seen weakness, so Duke was surprised the elves didn¡¯t change their tactics when they failed to penetrate his shield. Their spells do little more than flash brilliantly as they discharged against his mana barrier. If they had any brains, they would switch to different spell types, such as damage over time spells, which could bypassed his protection. If Duke had been in their shows, he would have done exactly that long ago, though the man rarely used anything but direct damage spells whenever possible. He had a small collection of DoTs, but since the damage ramped slowly it held little interest for him. Continuing to launch powerful blasts of varying arcane energy, necrotic bolts which immediately desiccated flesh, and other similarly impressive spell casts, Duke was reminded of his home planet as even more broken bodies slammed into the forest floor. When he was growing up, he had always been fascinated by the massive hailstorms which frequently ravaged outside his home. He had never been in any danger from the boulder-sized chunks of ice as his father¡¯s personal residences had powerful enough shield domes that protected his lands. Seeing such ferocity had instilled a desire deep within his younger self, a desire to be able to control power of that magnitude. With each crashing body, Duke smiled all the more. ¡°Sir,¡± a familiar robotic voice sounded from his shoulder. It was Duke''s Accelerator, Felix. ¡°Several damage over time effects have taken hold on your persons.¡± At last, Duke thought. An elder had finally taken enough notice to join the magical show. More experienced spell casters would instantly recognize Duke¡¯s magical protections and discern the appropriate counter, a feat a city elder should be able to easily perform. No matter, Duke said to himself internally. He had the health and other resources at his disposal to ensure he could weather the assault. He long ago decided to balance his health and mana for this very situation. While DoTs could manifest into a legitimate concern, enough spells could overpower even his stout health pool, Duke could always fall back upon his infernal surge ability to instantly restore him to full health. ¡°Find the mage casting those spells and highlight him for me,¡± Duke commanded nonchalantly without turning his attention from the colony of ants scrambling above him. Once his AI located whichever elder had finally deigned to show himself, he would focus all his considerable magical talent on the galling fool. Duke felt a slight added pressure as each subsequent DoTs landed on him. First was a feeling of something foreign invading his body, then a slight pressure in his veins, followed by necrotic, poison, fire, or similar sensations. Duke smiled to himself as his AI notified him how many of the spell caster DoTs where either partially or mostly resisted. This only confirmed his suspicion the mage was nothing of note. Seconds passed as the mage stubbornly reapplied those partically resisted spells. On his second attempt, Duke felt additional pressure building in his body, indicating the mage had put more mana into his spell. It was a common enough skill, dual casting, so Duke was not overly worried. Any mage worth his salt could do such a thing. Still, as soon as Felix located the fool, Duke would wipe the DoTs off his body with a simple exertion of his will. ¡°Sir¡­¡± Felix began to say but cut off abruptly. The AI had been spinning a circuit around Duke, but was out of eye sight at the moment. Duke waited for his AI to finish the statement, though nothing additional was forthcoming for several long seconds. Duke fumed internally, was nothing in this accursed world competent? He was about to turn and grab hold of his worthless Accelerator when two more spells landed upon his person in quick succession. The first enveloped Duke in a cloud of tightly burning ash, with the second sending an intensely cold blizzard spiraling as if he were in the middle of a tornado. Duke¡¯s keen mind quickly realized only a mage using quick cast could have cast those obviously average tier spells as swiftly as they had. Such a skill was uncommonly rare among NPCs, but not so with his fellow Hunters. ¡°¡­behind! Health¡­ warning!¡± Felix voice finally sputtered out, straining as if the AI was being crushed by a great force. As Duke whirled around, his eyes shot up to his health bar in the top left corner of his vision. There hadn¡¯t been a need to look at the useless information in over a year, so Duke had prompted Felix to shrink it down. There was no reason to see his health, stamina, or mana when all were nearly always entirely full. With a thought, he magnified his resource pools to their normal size. Duke¡¯s eyes widened. His health was below fifty percent! ¡°What in the infernal blazes?!¡± Why hadn¡¯t he felt anything when over ten thousand health had been carved from his body? It was a mystery for another day, for sure. Duke instantly realized he needed to finish off the enemy mage sooner, rather than later. As he spun, his mind formed the necessary connections to cause his infernal ability to manifest in reality. It would restore his body to his normal maximum health, and significantly reduce any detrimental effects affecting his body. A loud crack resounded across the area, through the many redwood trees to create an curious echo as the sound rebounded. Near instantaneously, a projectile pierced his mana barrier as if it wasn¡¯t there before slamming into his armored shoulder. That Duke felt. It was like a dagger skewering just below his clavicle. Unless Duke missed his guess, the mage had an incredibly enchanted pistol because nothing physical should have been able to penetrate his mana barrier, let alone his scourge-steel pauldron. As Duke completed his one-hundred and eight degree turn, he had enough time to see a bubbling globe of living vines as it slammed into his magical protection. Such a snaring spell had no hope of bypassing his shield, but it obstructed Duke¡¯s vision of whoever had managed to injure him. Duke flexed his will as the mass of writhing plants sloshed off the dome of energy, commanding his wellspring of infernal energy to wash through his body. Near instantly, as if Duke¡¯s core erupted like a supervolcano, ecstasy rushed through every fiber of his being and restore him to pristine health. At the same time, the pressure inside his body from the numerous DoTs there, either significantly lessened or where removed entirely as his ability washed him clean from the inside out. With his best live-saving ability now on cool down, something that he hadn¡¯t needed to use in over two years, Duke¡¯s fury raged. He would see his assailant pay for the affront. As the gangly ball of twisting roots landed harmlessly on the forest floor, Duke could finally see his opponent. Correction, multiple opponents. Arrayed against him was a small force of four individuals. Duke thought he recognized the half-human as the Hunter who attacked him as Duke was teleporting away from the capital, an impressively armored skeletal minion bearing an enchanted blade and shield, a massive hunting cat with odd wriggling appendages sprouting from its shoulders, and a relatively bland elf archer. Duke took in everything about the force arrayed against him in a split second. Then, Duke¡¯s eyes locked onto the Hunter¡¯s Accelerator hovering over his shoulder. The AI resembled a small canine, no bigger than a pup really. It¡­ she, Duke corrected himself, had flowing black hair, a relatively short snout, and intelligent eyes. She was the Prime Accelerator! Duke was sure of it without a doubt. His day of victory had finally arrived! Seeing the Hunter with the world¡¯s most powerful Accelerator, it was no stretch of the imagination to explain how this seemingly new Hunter had been able to harm him so grievously. The bastard likely didn¡¯t know how lucky he was to have an Accelerator even the top tier ascenders could only hope to one day possess. Who knew what kind of benefits this unique Accelerator could bestow upon her Hunter? No matter, Duke was confident, this AI was soon to be his and would allow him to take the most important step necessary in his bid for supreme glory. Chapter 91 - *Interlude - Duke, the Nemesis Hunter* (2 of 2) Duke took a moment to inspect the approaching pair of combatants. The first was a tall muscular skeleton, though whatever corded muscle it had from its feet to its thick neck was comprised entirely of black bands of rippling energy. As a result, the subtle hints of bone peaking from underneath were more gray than ivory, unlike its head which was pristinely white. What normally would have been an intimidating opponent for most, didn¡¯t bother Duke in the slightest. While the skeleton had an impressive set of plate armor with an interesting silver gleam within its metal, fighters, and warriors almost never presented Duke with much of a challenge. Duke¡¯s other adversary, a bull of a panther swiftly eating up the distance between them, must have easily weighed over four hundred pounds if not more. With the copious amount of light breaching the dense canopy overhead, Duke could easily track the void-black beast as every tout muscle flexed in a concerted effort, implying incredible raw physical strength. In the dead of night, Duke was sure the creature would be nearly invisible to anyone without Dark or Infravision. Duke had both. While Duke doubted he wanted to be on the receiving end of the panther¡¯s wickedly sharp claws, or the vicious set of bared teeth, not without his mana barrier at least, the writhing tentacles sprouting from the cat¡¯s shoulders caused Duke to consider the beast further. Barbed quills stretched toward him from the twisting appendages, and likely contained a powerful toxin. Fortunately, neither the skeleton nor the panther beast would be much of a threat as they would not be able to bypass his unyielding mana barrier as long as it had even a single drop of mana flowing through it. His most potent magical protection was perfectly capable of handling nearly any physical attack, certainly anything these two could dispense. Duke was excited at their approach nevertheless. He smiled inwardly as he considered one of his most cherished abilities, his smoldering duplicant. The talent created a flaming mirror version of any hostile pet or minion and was one of his least-used abilities. Mentally rubbing his hands together, Duke needed to determine which of the two creatures would be the best target to be duplicated. Duke first inspected the imposing skeletal minion, and then he allowed the information to flood into his consciousness. Skeletal Minion (Enhanced) ¨C Level 25 Minion of Xazorus The animated set of bones from a vanquished enemy, this undead servant unflinchingly serves its master in perpetuity. Even if the worst should happen, this minion cannot be permanently destroyed unless its master is delivered true death. As skillful as any first-rate warrior, this is not a foe to be underestimated. Further, as an enhanced version, this skeletal minion¡¯s competencies have grown to impressive heights making this enemy a force to be reckoned with. Duke was surprised at the ¡®enhanced¡¯ minion status the towering undead warrior possessed. Somehow, miraculously, this Hunter had acquired an extremely high-tier spell and had the capability of casting it! He couldn¡¯t fathom how this upstart managed such a feat as Duke himself only had a single enhanced spell which was only bestowed after reaching the level cap. While Duke would never admit to himself another Hunter could surpass him in his power, the ability to have such a dominant minion was not to be underestimated. Turning to the midnight black hunting cat next, Duke was excited to see which of the two creatures would be the best target for his potent ability. If the cat was anything like the striking skeleton, Duke would be ecstatic with his next summoned companion. Umbral Displacer Beast ¨C Level 25 Pet Companion of Xazorus Creatures of the night and born for the hunt, Umbral Displacer Beasts are usually only found in areas of great magical density, though they can survive in even the most barren of lands. These magnificent creatures have adapted to a life of shadow and constant struggle. Their supernatural abilities make them incredibly difficult to pin down, let alone injure. Only a foolish Hunter would opt to ignore the displacer breast¡¯s deadly quills which contain enough poison to bring down nearly any foe. Somewhat disappointed in the displacer beast, Duke knew the higher-tiered skeletal would be the best choice between the pair. He always found it exhilarating to watch his mirror copy overwhelm his opponent. Duke prided himself on taking every opportunity to humiliate his adversaries to the fullest extent possible, and having the ability to make a better version of what was often his opponent¡¯s greatest strength was always pleasurable. He couldn¡¯t even remember the last time he had the pleasure of using his smoldering duplicant ability so this was a rare opportunity as monsters and NPCs rarely had summoned minions. The last time Duke used the ability was over a year ago as he stood back and watched as his duplicated flame golem utterly destroyed its twin, then its hobgoblin master, before ultimately turning its blazing fists against an entire hovel singlehandedly. With his vast combat experience and tactical training from an early age, Duke worked through these internal contemplations in only a fraction of a second. He prided himself on quickly determining the best course of action in any situation. This particular conundrum was not a difficult decision with the enhanced minion clearly the better choice. His target determined, Duke triggered the mechanism to bring forth his smoldering duplicant ability. Forced to lock eyes with the target, smoldering duplicant thundered within his core. In a moment, a tidal wave of energy was ready to burst forth into reality. However, unlike every other time he had used the ability, something went wrong. The swell of infernal energy stilled before it could attempt to cross the threshold of his core¡¯s outer layer. It was as if the power slammed into an impenetrable barrier before it could take hold. In an instant, Duke¡¯s devilish grin faltered as, for the first time, his ability failed to breathe infernal life into existence. Notice! This is an invalid target for your Smoldering Duplicant ability. Ability cool down has been reset. Not bothering to spare a moment to consider the failure, Duke reoriented on the approaching displacer beast and, once more, triggered the ability. This time, it worked flawlessly and a moment later a cat of writhing flames appeared at his side. The heat given off by the creature would never harm its master, but Duke relished the palpable power emanating from his summoned companion. Duke mentally commanded the infernal displacer beast to destroy its twin, who was only seconds away from reaching Duke¡¯s dome of energy. Without hesitation, the blazing fire-cat leaped forward, imposing itself between its master. Turning his attention back to the Hunter, Duke nearly flinched as an arrow exploded against his barrier a scant inch from his eyes. Having promptly put the simple archer out of mind initially, Duke felt the strength behind the arrow when it connected with his protection. With how powerful the Hunter¡¯s minions were, perhaps this unassuming ranger could challenge Duke in his own right. Mentally inspecting the elf, Duke, even at this distance, could feel the potent enchantments radiating from the archer¡¯s bow. Duke would never lower himself to using such crude weapons, but he did always love finding potent magical items for his ever-expanding collection. Tallos (NPC) ¨C Level 20 Elf Ranger Elven rangers come in¡­ Duke dismissed the follow-up description about the ranger, having seen the exact information only moments ago when he found the first elf in the forest. This paltry ranger was no different apparently, and had a level so beneath Duke¡¯s own he understood there was no need to even consider the fool further. The only interesting thing about the elf was his marvelous bow. Nothing else from his drab leather armor, his three quivers teaming with arrows, was worth any more of Duke¡¯s attention. It would likely only take a single of Duke¡¯s spells to eliminate the simpleton. There was no need to kill him, yet. Duke finally turned his attention to the primary challenger. Xazorus the Hunter Kill II, Wraith (Level 25 Half-Elf Hunter) Health: 3,895/3,895, Mana 19,250/21,550, Stamina 1,335/1,335. Active Abilities ¨C Darkvision, Clear Headed II, Spell Strike, Empowered Aegis. Garbage. That was Duke¡¯s initial estimation of his foe. While Duke understood no one could see another Hunter¡¯s hidden traits, the half of the picture he could see did not impress. The Hunter had some skill, regardless of his limited abilities, this Xazorus had defeated two other Hunters given his title. In actuality, this peasant probably earned his servants through the two achievements. Still, it was important to determine as much about your foe as you could, especially so against another Hunter. Duke focused his will and demanded the Hunter¡¯s ability¡¯s information to enter his psyche. Darkvision ¨C Grants the ability to change vision to allow sight in near-total darkness. Clear Headed ¨C You are immune to all but epic-tier mind-altering effects, spells, and abilities. Spell Strike ¨CYour damage over time effects can now critically hit. Empowered Aegis ¨C A permanent barrier of magical energy protects you from hostile spells and attacks at all times as long as you have mana to spare. This magical protection draws against your mana reserves when struck, stopping most magical and non-magical attacks. The Hunter had at least one ability worth noticing, his empowered aegis. Duke would have killed for such an ability as it blocked what his mana barrier could not. With it, Duke wouldn¡¯t have damage over time spells affecting his body directly, not while he had his barrier up. Sadly, unless he wanted to destroy the unique Accelerator for a chance at acquiring the obvious upgrade, Duke knew he wouldn¡¯t do so. There was absolutely no way Duke would crush the AI for such a paltry gain when it could instead elevate him to a higher realm of power. While his mana barrier had a weakness, only specialized foes had any hope of bypassing it. Plus Duke would likely find a version in the higher world that could accomplish the same goal. Since the empowered aegis caused any damage to first eat away at the Hunter¡¯s mana, his opponent had an effective health pool of over twenty-five thousand points. It was a number just slightly higher than his own health, though if Duke had the aegis, his effective health would be far higher at over forty-two thousand. Duke was more than capable of tearing large chunks of this Hunter¡¯s magical protections with any of his potent spells, or through skilled manipulation with his masterwork longsword. While his embodiment of flame scrambled after Xazorus¡¯ feline pet, the latter dancing away in an attempt to avoid the hungry flames threatening to devour flesh and fur alike, their battle was essentially a stalemate. The Hunter¡¯s cat had some brains, so it would seem. The warrior skeleton reached Duke¡¯s side and was hacking away at the dome of protection with repeated horizontal thrusts and slashes. With a casual flick of his wrist and a single arcane phrase, Duke recast his mana barrier, restoring it to full power as it had been beginning to wane from the previous elven assault. The volley of arrows and spells crashing into him from behind had increased in volume. Clearly, the elves had decided to take advantage of Duke¡¯s distraction. As long as Duke had ample mana, he could reforge his mana barrier over and over as needed. To date, Duke had never run out of mana, not even a single instance since the start of his glorious exploits a half-decade ago. It wasn¡¯t about to be different here or any time soon. Plus, Duke had a fantastic array of potions which were only a quick summons away due to his lesser bag of holding. A prized possession, Duke had taken the impressive spacial device off the corpse of a Hunter he killed after reaching maximum level. While such bags were not wholly uncommon, a lesser version like his wouldn''t normally appear with any regularity until the higher-tiered worlds. Duke¡¯s Accelerator manifested a countdown timer in the corner of his vision without prompting. The notification was no surprise and was automatically pulled up whenever his mana barrier took an appreciable amount of damage. The number represented how long, on average, the barrier would continue to protect him. To Duke¡¯s surprise, his shielding would fall in just over a minute, an impressive feat all things considered. Duke decided to act to change that estimation. Turning to face the skeletal minion, Duke¡¯s fingers twinned through an average-tier spell called infernal damnation. After the short incantation, a tear in reality looking much like a maw of blazing teeth, snapped around the minion like a shark swallowing a smaller fish. Then the spell winked out, leaving behind a small pea of fire hanging in the air. The minion was not destroyed, Duke knew. It was merely transported to an infernal plane for a short period of time. The duration largely depended on how powerful the victim was and, considering his duplicate ability failed to work on the enhanced minion, Duke expected at least a minute or two would pass before the warrior reappeared. Inside the small pocket plane of existence, the skeleton would be forced to defend itself against a wide variety of infernal enemies all looking to remove his skull. Only after the last enemy was defeated, would the spell spit whatever had been confined back out. The moment of distraction allowed Xazorus to renew slinging spells that crashed against his energy shield. Duke was entirely unblemished though each spell to impact his shield caused several seconds to skip downward within his countdown timer. First, a fireball swelled around him and momentarily blocked out all sight other than the intense inferno. When it disappeared into the ether a moment later, a bolt of twisting electricity replaced it and instantly spanned the distance toward Duke. The brilliant flash of light winked out, unable to so much as harm a hair on Duke¡¯s skin. The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Duke examined the subtle distinctions between Xazorus¡¯s lightning attack and a regular bolt of lightning. It had been a multi-target spell commonly known as chain lightning. It was strong against a single enemy as a normal lighting blast would have imparted, which demonstrated to Duke his opponent lacked variety in his direct damage spells. Duke was surprised when Xazorus immediately followed up the first bolt with a duplicate a split second later. Such a thing was an impossibility as all spells had cool down before they could be used again. Apparently, this Hunter had come across an item or trinket that allowed him to duplicate one of his spells. A handy item Duke would enjoy looting off the Hunter¡¯s corpse as soon as he destroyed the whelp. When a swollen mass exploded against his barrier, Duke grew slightly irritated. Duke had impressive magical resistances which increased the effectiveness of his mana barrier. Though Duke didn¡¯t have this particular type of spell in his vast litany of options, as he far preferred direct damage compared to everything else, Duke had seen similar effects over his years of battle and conquest. When a System notice sent by Felix appeared in his vision a moment later, it confirmed Duke¡¯s suspicion of what new spell had been used to weaken his defenses. His resistances had been slightly lowered, though by no appreciable amount. Duke decided to ratchet up the intensity of their encounter. This Xazorus fool would regret coming anywhere near Duke in short order. With a mental command, Duke enacted his animated runic weapon ability. With a flex of will, his prized weapon was gifted something akin to a will of its own. Though not true sapience, of course, the imbuement did afford his scourge-steel longsword a majority of Duke¡¯s own talent with the blade. The blade was called, quite elegantly Duke might add, the Hungering Scourge. It was one of the first items Duke discovered during his first year as a Hunter, and the blade¡¯s power only grew as the years rolled by. Very few weapons could match its caliber. It was a growth weapon, meaning it would increase in power over time. Certain situations had to happen for that strength to be magnified, but with how similar the blade took pleasure in causing pain and suffering, it had become a truly impressive instrument of death in Duke¡¯s hands. As if an invisible version of Duke himself darted off towards Xazorus, the animated blade began sending powerful hacks and backslashes against his enemy. Duke smiled to himself, proud of his empowered weapon. For the next ten minutes, it would devastate anything or anyone unfortunate enough to be its target. Xazorus didn¡¯t look overly bothered as the weapon started sending a relentless number of strikes his way, apparently confident his empowered aegis would protect him from the festering wounds the dastardly edge could impart. Not content with watching his blade have all the fun, Duke decided it would be entertaining to continue humiliating his adversary further. Now, whenever the Hunter cast a spell, Duke matched it but with a strong version of his own. If Duke had to guess, as the two attempted to harm the other, this Hunter¡¯s spell variety was not only lackluster but mostly contained lesser-tiered spells. Sure, Xazorus had a few average tier spells at his disposal, all damage over time spells, but any Hunter who reached their tier three class selection should have at least earned a few as they leveled. This fact revealed this Hunter was relatively new to the world and didn¡¯t have the years, as Duke had, to uncover vastly superior incantations. For Duke, all of his spells worth mentioning were average tier or better. When Xazorus threw a fireball, Duke responded with a fireblast. When the other Hunter recast his chain lightning, Duke replied with a cataclysmic bolt. All the while, Duke walked forward as if he was entirely unbothered by anything the Hunter could throw at him. Duke¡¯s health was once more dipping below fifty percent, but he wasn¡¯t bothered. He had ways to keep himself alive. The only thing Duke couldn¡¯t match was the enchanted pistol Xazorus used every half minute or so. Whatever enchantment the weapon carried was enough to bypass even his resilient defenses. It was the only thing that had been able to inflict any degree of pain, though Duke had learned to ignore such trifles long ago. Still, the weapon posed a risk so Duke put himself on guard to always be on the lookout whenever Xazorus pulled the weapon out. Apparently, this feeble Hunter had earned his own bag of holding, though Duke doubted it was as capable as his own. Whenever Xazorus lined up the pistol, Duke readied an evasion spell which teleported him to the left or right a few paces before impact. The troublesome projectile would not touch his skin again. Duke smiled. Xazorus, on the other hand, was starting to show signs of stress, and panic. It was written all over his face. Like so many other Hunter¡¯s Duke had butchered over the years, it brought an intense level of satisfaction to Duke¡¯s heart. Even as elven barrages continued peppering his flank, Duke knew victory was closing in on the doomed Hunter. As soon as he died, the Hunter¡¯s familiars would disappear and Duke would be able to easily handle whatever the elves could throw at him. Faster than expected, a tell-tale sizzling pop from somewhere behind signaled the return of Xazorus¡¯s enhanced minion. That had been quicker than expected. Apparently, the skeleton was more enhanced than Duke had given him credit for. Perhaps it had not been a simple high-level spell that summoned the minion after all. As silly as it might have been, perhaps the fool of a Hunter had wasted one of his tier advancements on his minion. It was preposterous to consider, but Xazorus was perhaps a greater fool than Duke realized. Every Hunter knew that when you advanced a tier, you always, always, selected skills or spells which directly improved your capabilities. If the minion¡¯s power was a result of the Hunter increasing his tier with the base spell as the foundation, it would explain why Duke had been unable to duplicate it. Shaking his head, Duke pushed those contemplations to the recesses of his mind for another day. Felix spoke from his shoulder, confirming what Duke already knew what happened. ¡°Sir, the skeletal minion has defeated your infernal damnation invocation. The enemy fighter has moved to engage your duplicant.¡± Duke understood against two powerful opponents his mirror copy would quickly fall under their combined assault. It was disappointing, but Duke didn¡¯t want to break off his own engagement to support his new minion. As long as he killed the upstart quickly, his flaming familiar would possibly survive long enough. With a brief mental command, he ordered his minion to concentrate its efforts on defense rather than offense. Duke wanted it to survive so he could send it against the cowardly elves once this battle wrapped up. It would be fun to watch the punishing flame scale their precious redwood trees, setting them ablaze, before hunting down the elves one by one. Duke redoubled his efforts, no longer waiting patiently to throw spell for a spell against what was obviously an initiate Hunter. Duke would end their duel decisively and swiftly. ¡°Sir,¡± Felix stated in his robotic voice. Before the AI continued speaking, Duke already knew exactly what it was going to say. ¡°As the Hunter¡¯s mana pool decreases, the force your weapon imparts with each impact is increasing at a linear rate. No damage has been able to penetrate the barrier, as of yet, but as the Hunter¡¯s mana continues to dwindle he will become increasingly susceptible to physical attacks.¡± Duke didn¡¯t bother pointing out he had already made the same conclusion early into their fight. It was obvious as his sword repeatedly bashed against the dome of energy more force was bypassing the shield. At first, Xazorus completely ignored the heavy attacks, but now was nearly stumbling after each attack. Duke really needed to replace the emotionless bird. If it wasn¡¯t for its special ability, he would have done so long ago. When you find a writ granting a stay of execution, you keep it in your back pocket in case the worse ever becomes your reality. Seeing his duplicant vanish from his party interface, Duke fumed internally. He could have had a lot of fun with such a companion. It would have obeyed him without question or hesitation. With its untimely termination, the minion and the hunting cat would be upon him in moments. Still, the duplicate had done its job admirably, dividing his opponents nicely and allowing him to not become overwhelmed with attacks on multiple fronts. Duke probably had ten seconds, at most, before they rejoined to attack his flank. With the explosive spectacle continuing from the elves, such a risk could transpire if Duke wasn¡¯t careful. Duke was a powerhouse, there was no doubt in anyone¡¯s mind about that. Still, a giant could be taken down by a swarm of fire ants given enough time. He still had enough time to dispatch his bothersome foe. Duke couldn¡¯t wait for Xazorus¡¯s protective aegis to finally collapse. Not only was his blade superbly enchanted, but it would siphon health back to its master. This wasn¡¯t to mention the gangrenous festering wounds left behind an enemy¡¯s flesh with each blow. Being thus far unable to break the Hunter¡¯s skin with an attack, those two abilities had no impact on the battle¡¯s outcome. When the aegis dropped, the supplemental healing from the drain effect would offset a significant amount of the damage from the numerous damage over time spells playing havoc in his body. Back to back, Duke cast two spells to ensure his victory. First, he refreshed his mana barrier and not a second too soon as the skeletal minion and displacer beast crashed heavily against his rear shield in the next moment. Second, he cast an extraordinarily strong regenerative spell, one of Duke¡¯s only restorative incantations. While it lasted, it would slow the damage his opponent''s DoTs were relentlessly inflicting. He never had much use for healing spells, but his high-tiered regen was powerful even at considerably low levels. Both spells took a sizable amount of Duke¡¯s remaining mana, dropping him lower than he could recall seeing in a long while, but he had more than enough to handle this nobody. With how much the Hunter was foundering with each heavy blow of Duke¡¯s animated weapon, the end was near. Duke reveled in what was to come, the exhilaration and vast eternal glory he would earn once the Prime Accelerator fell into his hands. Such an optimistic view of the future dimmed somewhat when Felix flashed a warning in his vision. Even with the refreshed mana barrier, the combined assault from the hundreds of elves, the skeletal warrior, the dangerous displacer beast, and the direct damage spells from Xazorus were dropping his protection at an alarming rate. As soon as Duke¡¯s eyes flicked to the timer, Felix understood the unspoken question soon forthcoming from his master. Having been with Duke for years, the Accelerator immediately complied with the requested information. ¡°Sir, the minion and pet companion are the immediate threat to your mana barrier. They are leveraging an incredible number of attacks when unchallenged. A strong percentage of elven spells and arrows have been missing you entirely due to the increased distance between us and their city. The Hunter¡¯s direct damage spells pose no significant threat on their own.¡± Duke made a split decision based on his AI¡¯s comments, one he would soon come to regret. He turned his attention away from the battered Hunter to destroy the two biggest threats to his protective shielding. Recalling his animated weapon back to his hand, Duke set himself on destroying the pesky annoyances. With a few devastating blows to the giant panther, Duke knew he would finally find his health drain pouring health points back into his flagging body. With his average-tier regeneration and the health leech from weapon ability, the combined amount should hold off Xazorus¡¯s DoTs long enough for Duke to destroy the skeleton and panther. The Hunter¡¯s companions were, unfortunately, able to adjust their tactics on the fly. As soon as Duke whirled on the pair, both immediately moved to defend themselves. These were no mindless automatons, both had more tactical awareness than should have been contained in such relatively young summons. The bulky skeleton was a defensive master, even Duke could admit it to himself. What little strikes he could land, since it was an undead creature, Duke¡¯s leeching effect could find none of the blood necessary to form a magical connection. As soon as Duke turned on the displacer beast as the next best target, the minion resumed its hacking attacks against his mana barrier. Duke¡¯s frustration grew as the displacer beast lived up to its namesake. Whenever he managed to strike the elusive beast, the panther¡¯s image would distort as if it were nothing more than an illusionary image. Unfortunately for Duke, he had no way to bypass illusions, meaning the displacer beast was easily able to avoid his devastating blows if it forgo any semblence of offense. Refreshing his regeneration spell, Duke threw several area-of-effect spells to pin down the damnable cat, as well as to harass the skeletal minion, but two weaker regenerative spells from Xazorus on the pair negated some of the damage. Duke recognized his decision to focus on the two minions was a losing proposition. He couldn''t make any substantial headway against the two when they turtled up, which was exactly what they did when Duke focused all of his ire on them. He understood he should never have listened to his Accelerator. While Felix was not wrong with the information he shared, the AI did not take the whole of the battle into account. Duke had wanted to know what was dealing the most damage to his barrier, but it was a mistake to alter who his primary target should have been all along. Worse for Duke, his taunts aimed to embarrass the weaker Hunter were also a blunder. Duke should have instead leveled all of his considerable physical and magical might upon the bastard as soon as he presented himself for slaughter. He would have fallen, and taken his two minions to the grave with him. Compounding the issue, the numerous elves who had been out of range as the battle carried the ground combatants further away, finally decided it was worth the risk to assault Duke on foot. When blasts of elven magic resumed hammering against his mana barrier, a glance from Duke confirmed dozens of elves were on the forest¡¯s floor. The elves understood Duke¡¯s prowess so had formed up into battle lines with warriors and tall shields in front. This allowed the archers and mages free reign to cast their most destructive spells with little worry of retaliation. Switching his focus to Xazorus, the coward did all he could to avoid coming into melee range. Duke understood. This was a tactic to take down an impossibly strong foe. If you are its target, you evade and do everything in your power to not be struck. Everyone else was then free to deal as much damage as quickly as possible. It was a winning strategy Duke should have foreseen. Duke¡¯s rage burned deep in his chest. Even before Felix stated the obvious, Duke recognized he had overplayed his hand and would not emerge victorious. His life, for the first time, was in true jeopardy. ¡°The hell with that!¡± Duke growled in contempt, his voice discordant like an enraged volcano. He would not lose his quarry, never again! From his bag of holding, Duke withdrew a small metallic orb as thick as his thumb. It was absolutely covered in minuscule arcane runes across every centimeter which empowered the device with a single capability. It held the ability to track any target, anywhere. Eyeing the still retreating Xazorus, Duke willed the magical item to lock onto the fleeing coward. Immediately, a beam of darkness shot toward Xazorus and pierced through his strengthening aegis. The effect could not be dodged or avoided and would penetrate through any magical protection. Unless this damnable Hunter possessed a legendary item powerful enough to block this type of tracking magic, Duke would be able to find him anywhere on the planet. Not even Duke possessed such a powerful enchantment, so this upstart certainly wouldn¡¯t. The spell took hold, lacking onto the Hunter¡¯s very core, creating an unbreakable tether between it and Duke¡¯s consciousness. The tenacious enchantment would not end until Duke willed it so, and that would only happen once the meddlesome fool was lifeless at his feet. Now, no matter the distance, Duke would infallibly know the exact distance and direction to his most precious prey. The Prime Accelerator would be his, in time. The actions shown by his enemies this day only delayed the inevitable. ¡°I¡¯ll find you anywhere on the planet now, you fool,¡± Duke spat bringing the retreating Hunter up short. ¡°We¡¯ll be seeing each other real soon.¡± As if his proclamation was foretelling the end of this confrontation, Duke¡¯s mana barrier finally broke under the combined onslaught of his enemies. Duke had mana to spare for another barrier, perhaps two if he desired, but with the advantages Xazorus held in this fight, it wouldn¡¯t matter. The next time they met, Duke would bring an army with him so even the elves would be cut down like wheat in a field, or like a settlement swept out to sea by a terrific tsunami. Xazorus looked confused, not comprehending what Duke was about to do. Felix, though, sensed what was coming but was powerless to do anything about it. An Accelerator was bound to its master and could not disobey. Even as spells, slashes, and barbed quills slammed into his back, Duke¡¯s malevolent eyes never left his rival¡¯s. Duke didn¡¯t so much as flinch as he casually reached up to his shoulder and wrapped his long fingers around the dark raven¡¯s form. Felix vibrated, almost as if the AI was afraid of what was about to happen. Xazorus¡¯s Accelerator cried out in a surprisingly eloquent voice the same moment Duke crushed the small bird. The shout was shrill and held such a grief-stricken tone it brought a modicum of pleasure to Duke¡¯s heart. ¡°No!¡± the Prime Accelerator screamed as darkness enveloped the Nemesis Hunter. Chapter 92 - Disentanglement This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. Chapter 93 - Redwood Abode Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. Chapter 94 - The Forest City of Quarris Predictably, Lowki was the only one disinterested in exploring the elven city. Tallos was veritably leaping towards the door when I asked the team who wanted to check things out. Tallos explained he would give us a brief tour before heading out alone. He wanted to visit some old friends rumored to be in the city. Like us, this was Tallos'' first time in Quarris, but he was intimately familiar with how the platform city operated as his hometown of Kelewithe had the exact same architecture. ¡°If Lowki does decide to come out after his¡­ cat nap, will there be any issue with him roaming the city by himself?¡± I asked our resident expert. ¡°More than likely, he will come straight to us, but he is naturally curious.¡± ¡°Most folk already know of him, as well as each of us. We were the talk of the town yesterday evening, as you can imagine. At the very least, all the city guardians know of him since I¡¯m sure Commander Wallace spread the word. I¡¯m sure he¡¯s fine to wander alone if he decided to,¡± Tallos replied confidently. He was certain of his words, so I let my worry evaporate as we walked outside. ¡°From the last we saw of him, looking quite comfortable in your silk bed, I doubt he¡¯s going to go anywhere,¡± Stella laughed. Still, I pondered how the massive panther would get outside if he got up. That was a question I didn¡¯t have a ready answer for. ¡°Let¡¯s at least prop the door open,¡± I offered after visions of a giant cat attempting to jump out of a pan of glass swam in my mind. The answer became apparent after seeing multiple nearby homes with open front doors. Unlike a human city, I doubted elves worried about petty theft, so I figured we could follow their lead. Those homes could be shops, which would naturally have their doors open wide, but we would be safe. Even if thievery was a concern for the city, we always carried all of our properties on our persons or in our bag of holding. The sheer number of platforms around was truly staggering at first. Seeing the city from within was completely different from seeing down at ground level. From the forest floor, I soon realized that many of the reinforced platforms were blocked by a line of sight, either behind the giant redwood trees or other platforms. Something else we soon learned, there wasn¡¯t a single crown of foliage at the top of the forest. From outside the forest, when we first approached on horseback, it appeared only the very top of the sequoia trees contained a dense layer of trees creating a massive canopy. I had been mistaken. Like the hundreds, if not thousands, of platforms ranging in height throughout the city, so too did the natural awnings, creating a pleasant contrast of red trees and vibrant green leaves. Seeing successive layers of walkways, catwalks, footpaths, and promenades was truly inspiring. It reminded me of side-scrolling video games where the main character could jump from one platform to another. As far as I could deduce, the only overarching theme for the varying heights of the platform¡¯s placements seemed to be dependent on where natural tree hollows formed. Wherever a cavity appeared, the elves built a platform, thus creating a myriad of bases throughout the city. A healthy number of the cavities, we soon discovered, were not used solely as places of residence. To reach other platforms, long spiral staircases going up or down allowed citizens to easily access different levels, though there was still a good number of smaller elevators available to achieve the same feat. Coming across my first elevator, as Stella described earlier, the magic allowing relaxed transport from one platform to another was quite sublime. The wooden structures varied in diameter, some allowing groups of people to move up and down, while others allowed one, perhaps, two people at a time. All were operated by a simple lever in the middle of the elevator. Whatever magic had been imbued into the wood made the elevators incredibly stable. It was so smooth if you weren''t paying attention as your elevation changed, you would fail to notice you were moving at all. As Tallos guided us to a section of the city containing various merchants, armorers, and the like, he enlightened us about the basic layout of Quarris. Essentially a sister city to his home city of Kelewithe, the lower levels, those closest to the forest floor, were generally reserved for barracks, horse stables, and archers. That way, the city¡¯s guardian force could quickly respond if a threat appeared. Most of the free-standing buildings within the city¡¯s middle layers were made of merchant dwellings. Quarris had nearly every type of crafter imaginable, from smiths with billowing forges, to bowyers, leather armorers, and everything in between. There were also a number of mages selling enchanted gear. I would be looking forward to inspecting those later. As expected, the city¡¯s top-most levels, the most defended section, contained the majority of houses, residencies, and schools, both magical and non-magical. Per Tallos, elvish citizens were allowed to choose a craft, professional, whether mundane or not. No one was held back from finding a life best suited for them. The very highest sections of the city, we learned as Tallos led us through dozens of different platforms, helping us become familiar with at least the area surrounding our home away from home, which was reserved for the top officials and the council chambers. Glorious wooden mansions with towering spires reached beyond the forest''s crown, allowing some wonderful sights of the wooded countryside. We were surrounded by incredible beauty and architecture of the finest quality. These elves worked to perfection in everything they did, which showed on each square inch of the city. While we didn¡¯t visit any of the mansions, they were only accessible by invitation, we would be able to see them tomorrow when we met at the elder¡¯s council. Such invitations rarely reached outsiders unless a great deed was performed or significant aid was given to the city in some notable way. As we walked, Tallos talked at great lengths regarding everyday citizens'' regular comings and goings. Learning more about the race was exciting, and most of what was shared fell in line with my expectations from my previous life. Long living, innately talented and supreme dedication were only a few of the attributes we witnessed everywhere we looked. One question did nag at me as we explored. ¡°Where are the guardrails? Aren¡¯t people worried about falling off?¡± I asked our friendly guide. ¡°We¡¯ve gone up and down dozens of platforms and ridden elevators, and I haven¡¯t seen a single one the entire time. We¡¯re a few hundred feet off the ground, so I doubt anyone could survive such a disastrous fall, at least not without the aid of magic in some way.¡± Tallos chuckled, not at all surprised at my pointed question. If I didn¡¯t know any better, it seemed like the fear of falling off the side was like worrying about being caught in a rainstorm. ¡°It is a hazard, certainly, but for the elves living so many years here, everyone is more than careful to avoid a tumble off the edge. There are no guardrails because there is simply not a need for them. Plus, it would cost more to source reclaimed wood without bringing any benefit to the city. We do have some guardrails, as you call them, but those are reserved for the highest tiers, mainly for the children coming and going to school and their homes. Still, even our children are taught early on to respect the edge of tiers, and by the time they reach adolescence, the risk is negligible. While someone does fall, an exceedingly rare situation that happens perhaps once every three years, it is more often than not an outsider, even with the vast number of platforms around us. Even if someone were to fall, let me show you. It¡¯s unlikely someone will perish.¡± With an inviting wave of his hand, we approached the boardwalk''s edge. Tallos¡¯ last comment hit the nail on the head. If you were daft enough to fall off the side, the most you could fall would be twenty to forty feet. With the numerous great platforms spread randomly through the tree city, more often than not, a person walking off the edge would crash into a lower wooden boardwalk than reach the forest floor. The levels were so numerous that there was little line of sight to the ground level far below. ¡°I suppose that¡¯s good to hear,¡± I commented, though still plenty wary of getting too close to the edge myself. Falling even twenty feet wouldn¡¯t be pleasant, but thankfully, it was highly unlikely to be fatal, especially with healing magic so prevalent in this world. As Tallos said, growing up here allowed the elves to build a strong mental awareness of the city¡¯s layout, so walking around was no different from staying on sidewalks in a human city. Back on Earth, how often did you accidentally fall into a roadway knowing the real risk of passing cars nearby, creating what was also a persistent threat?¡± I shrugged before another thought struck me. ¡°What about when people go drinking?¡± I wasn¡¯t sure if public intoxication was as much of a thing for elves as it was for humans, but a little inebriation could easily send a drunkard off the edge. ¡°I¡¯d be happy to show you one of the few bars within the city later on,¡± Tallos replied, again without much concern in his voice. ¡°Elves don¡¯t usually drink in excess when we enjoy some ale. Plus, most of the bars are up near the housing levels, so ¡®guardrails¡¯ mostly stop anyone who enjoys a bit too much drink. Not only that, but most bars have watchful doormen who are wary of letting someone, more often an outsider, walk out if they are that drunk. Instead, they would be directed to a room to sleep it off, for a small additional fee, of course.¡± As we continued exploring more of the city, Tallos helped us understand the numerous shop signs advertising the store''s wares and services. The cool breeze and soft rustle of leaves once more took me aback at the striking nature of the forest city. Even with the ever-shifting canopy around us, enough light reached even the lowest levels to accentuate the tranquility practically radiating through every facet of the glorious city. One of the more interesting sights was when we found a gorgeous fountain with jets of pristine water shooting out of the mouths of wood-carved elks, deer, eagles, and several aquatic animals. With even a delicately close inspection, there was no way to determine where the water originated. We were at least three hundred feet above the forest floor, but it didn¡¯t take away the impressiveness of the wide public fountain. Though the line was short, many elves carried buckets over to collect enough water before going about the rest of their day. Most, if not all, waved to us and called out greetings, enhancing the comforting experience that was Quarris. There was not an ounce of stress in the city, even with the blatant destruction of life and property Duke wrought the previous day with his fiery blasts of magic. I was most pleased to see little of the damage he caused remained. Tallos explained that many elves were talented in nature-affiliated magic and could coax the giant redwood trees to regenerate. ¡°There you have it, welcome to Quarris,¡± Tallos said with outstretched hands, inviting us to soak in the wonderment bound into every fiber and knot of wood. ¡°You should have a good feel of the city now. I¡¯m going to visit some old friends but will meet up with you tonight. If you have any questions as you go about the day, any of the watchful guardians would be happy to help. You need only ask. As you can see, everyone is happy to help one another which is a defining attribute of any elvish city. Be careful, though, as you walk around,¡± he said with the barest hint of a joke forming on his lips. ¡°I would hate for you to take a tumble.¡± Wishing him luck finding his friends, we waved at Tallos as he departed. We planned to meet a little before sundown as a group, having mostly agreed to attend the burial scheduled for that evening. We wanted to honor those lost in the struggle against Duke. They had been kin to Tallos and, in a way, even me. The loss of even a single person in this city was felt far and wide. We wanted to be there to offer our support as so many lives had been irrevocably changed by Duke¡¯s actions. Looking at Stella and Ripley, I asked if either of them had anything in particular they would like to visit first. As expected, our tall skeletal companion shook her ivory head in response, more than fine to follow me. Stella stated it would be nice to unload some of our old gear before we looked for upgrades, so suggested either a jeweler since we had a good number of magical rings, or perhaps a wizard¡¯s shop. Within our bag of holding was a plethora of goods, most notably from the results of the dwarven siege a week ago now, not to mention my previous armor set. ¡°Plus, we should be able to find some new spells, though I bet most will be nature-themed. Then again, we might get lucky,¡± she shared helpfully, mirroring my own thoughts. Stella had long since returned to her customary position on my shoulder, so I only needed to give a slight nod in her direction to signal my agreement. ¡°A good idea as any,¡± I agreed, the matter settled. Not long after, we spotted a jeweler¡¯s placard, a series of ten conjoined rings, so we sauntered towards the front door. ¡°I¡¯m glad Duke wasn¡¯t able to do any lasting harm to the city,¡± I remarked as we neared the open door. The place looked packed inside. ¡°The number of spells he sent shooting around so recklessly had we worried he would burn the entire city to the ground.¡±The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Stella sensed I had more to say, so nudged her snout against my cheek. ¡°Sorry, I was contemplating how long we should stay in the city,¡± I remarked before moving to the building¡¯s side as Stella pressed the matter. My self-doubt and fear of causing more elven deaths weighed heavily upon my shoulders. ¡°This city has been nothing but incredible to us so far. The thought of staying for any length of time, leading to even more deaths, has me worried. Even if the council continues to offer their protection, I¡¯m not sure I want to risk it. I''m not too fond of the thought of more elves dying trying to defend us. It should be the other way around.¡± ¡°Friends support friends. This is how the city sees us. Plus, having their help could make all the difference when we confront Duke again,¡± Stella commented. She had a good point. The city¡¯s guardians were aware of the threat Duke posed and understood the peril it could bring to shelter us. Perhaps, with the council¡¯s consent, an army of elves at our backs could allow us to actually take him down. Twice now, Duke escaped with only temporary injuries. As we continued to level, we closed the distance to be able to take him head-on, but he had years to develop his skills, spells, and not to mention his powerful armor. Stella sensed my hesitation, so she continued, ¡°Let¡¯s at least wait to decide on what we should do next until after our meeting with the elders. We can make the best decision for us, as well as the city, when all the cards are on the table.¡± I was confident we could wait that long, at least for right now. Plus, I didn¡¯t want to make any decision without having a chance to check with what Tallos wanted. There was the distinct possibility he would decide to remain in the city when our path eventually took us beyond the city¡¯s limits. After his near-death experience during our fight with the dwarves, he had signaled he might not carry on with us after reaching this city. I would miss him dearly if he chose to remain behind, but I also wanted what was best for him. As far as I was concerned, Tallos owed me nothing. Friends helped each other because that¡¯s what friends do. Regardless of his decision, Tallos would be a friend until my dying day. If he ultimately chose to stay behind, we would be nothing but happy for him. As far as how much time we had before Duke¡¯s threat rematerialized, we were not entirely sure. From what I understood from Stella¡¯s comments earlier, Duke couldn¡¯t do much of anything until he linked with a new Accelerator. Destroying Felix to escape certain death at either our hands or the elves he attacked, Duke was now no different from a regular non-player character. My last thought caused me to pause and consider my words. Stella said losing his AI caused Duke to lose access to his skills and spells, but we knew for certainty that regular people could still use them. Even without seeing the elves sling mighty spells at our nemesis, Tallos, technically an NPC himself, learned a spell and could use it. I needed to clarify that irregularity with Stella before we continued. ¡°Stell, when you said Duke wouldn¡¯t be able to access his abilities, are you sure? I ask because there are a lot of people in this world who regularly use spells and skills, just like a Hunter can. They¡¯ve never bounded with an Accelerator, so how does losing one cause Duke to lose his?¡± ¡°Oh, Duke still has them all, as well as the potential to use them,¡± Stella answered swiftly, not at all bothered by the pointed question. ¡°Think of it like this, imagine you got into an accident. Say, falling off the edge over there, and when you hit the lower level, you broke your back. Magic can repair the damage, but even in our world, it''s possible that the body would need to relearn how to do something as simple as walking. For Duke losing his Accelerator, it''s something like that. Without his Accelerator, he would find it difficult, at best, to manifest his powers by himself, having never done so a day in his life since becoming a Hunter.¡± Stella allowed me a moment to consider her words before continuing, ¡°We have at least two days, at the bare minimum, before Duke would even consider returning. Plus, we have no idea how far away he teleported himself. We might learn where he whisked himself off to after meeting with the elder council tomorrow. Then, we¡¯ll better understand how much time we have before he may show up again.¡± Nodding at her words, the matter was settled in my mind, at least for the time being. After our meeting tomorrow, then we could put some serious consideration into what our next move would be. ¡°Thanks, Stella,¡± I whispered after letting out a long breath. For now, we would enjoy the hospitality and opportunities staying in such a wondrous city would bring. Without more information, there was no sense stressing over what Duke may or may not do. ¡°Alright, enough chit-chat. Let¡¯s go check out this store, yeah? Perhaps we¡¯ll be lucky and find a nice upgrade for one of us,¡± I said while rubbing my hands together. Motioning us forward, we walked around the corner and went inside. On my shoulder, it was clear Stella was as excited as I was to find something thrilling. Acquiring loot was one of the many benefits of being a Hunter, and was somewhat a good distraction away from stress. As long as you didn¡¯t ignore the stress outright, which I learned long ago did more harm than good, especially over long periods, a good distraction now and again did a body good. Like every other building, even though built within the massive tree cavities within the expansive redwood trees, the jeweler''s store was constructed entirely of reclaimed wood. As far as I could tell, not a single nail had been used. Instead, notches had been carved into each piece of lumber, allowing for a secure connection as the two-by-four similar pieces of wood were laid atop one another. Every piece of wood had the now familiar red tint. The hardwood timbers were cut with amazing precision, as if each handcrafted work of art was instead created through the use of great machinery like those back on Earth. Such was not the case in this world, magic and practiced hands, it would seem, were more than capable of creating long pieces of lumber with the same machine-like precision. Halfway into the store, the stained flooring shifted to a tiled mosaic depicting beautifully cut gems against an earthen-tone background. Each tile was only one inch to the side, meaning it must have taken considerable effort to create such a fantastical piece of artwork. The store was busier than I had been expecting, not only with elven patrons. For the first time today, we spied several humans, a pair of dwarfs, and a fair number of half-elves. All were customers, and, at first, I thought we would be hard-pressed to grab either the shop owner or one of their worker¡¯s attention. We didn¡¯t have to wait long, as it turned out. Nearly wall to wall along the outside edge of the square building, with enough room for a store owner to work with a customer, were glass display cases. Each came up to our waist and held countless shining pieces of jewelry. Glancing around, at least three or four workers bustled about, assisting inquiring customers and pulling out requested rings, necklaces, or other fine jewelry. In the middle of the room were dozens of tall display cabinets, mostly made of large panes of glass. Multi-tiered displays allowed customers to easily see the shop¡¯s goods, not to mention a fair bit of loose-cut gemstones ranging in size from a pea to an avocado. The amount of wealth on display was impressive, to say the least. Ample overhead skylights, similar in construction to the magical windows in our guest home, allowed plenty of natural light into the store. Artificial spotlights were also generously placed across the store¡¯s ceiling, shining their brilliant light onto the shop¡¯s many display cases. Knowing we had a small array of rings to sell, I headed to an unoccupied section of the shop with a wide display ring of all shapes, sizes, and colors. Gold, silver, and platinum rings shone, doing their best to catch a customer¡¯s eye. There was no way that I could tell if any of the rings were magical, but that would come later. For now, we had stuff to sell and gold to acquire. I was confident we would be spending nearly every dime we had over the course of a pair of days. Not long after we rested against a glass display case, a slender elf meandered over with a bright smile on her face. ¡°Hail, travelers. Welcome to Miss Tee¡¯s. I¡¯m Earien. Have you ever had the pleasure of visiting us before?¡± the young maiden asked. Earien looked to be in her early twenties, yet with elves guessing their age was exceedingly difficult given their extremely long natural lifespans. Radiantly beautiful, the elf maiden had wavy brown hair which was accented by large golden hooped earrings. She had a dazzling necklace with an assortment of beautiful sapphires and one or two rings on each slender finger. I wanted to start by selling all of our loose accessories, rings, and necklaces, so I started by asking if they would be interested in buying enchanted jewelry. We were in luck, and Earien was more than happy to look over each piece. With each new ring we pulled out, the tall elf used what I assumed was a magical eyepiece to judge the quality of each. The meager enchantments with the ones we were alright parting with were nothing of particular note but still held value as magical items were not as commonplace as mundane items. Soon, we came to an agreeable price for the lot, a nice amount of gold and silver pieces. We asked Earien about any enchanted wares they might have. Unfortunately, most of the jewelry on display was non-magical and carried no enchantments. The shop did have several pieces on hand, though Earien needed to point us to a specific corner within the storeroom. Following her to the other side, I was mostly disappointed in the low volume of enchanted pieces for sale. There were many other stores throughout the city, but I hoped our first encounter was not indicative of what was to come. I had been hoping for more, though perhaps this place was an outlier, or so I hoped. Pushing the worry out of my mind, there was at least one item that grabbed our attention. It was a small bracelet with a single dark-colored gem at its center. Earien gave a brief description of the item''s magical properties, and unless she was mistaken, it was unlikely that the bracelet enhanced illusion-based spells and effects. At first, I was dejected as we didn¡¯t have any illusion spells, but something nagged in the back of my mind, like I was forgetting something. I took a moment to recall all of our party¡¯s abilities, and realization soon followed. Lowki... Lowki could use illusion magic! Lowki¡¯s racial ability allowed him to create a displaced image of himself near where he actually stood. It was an illusion through and through, and I hope the bracelet would work with more of an innate ability instead of something that was actively cast by a magician. ¡°Wait, can you tell me more about what the bracelet can do?¡± I asked the young elf with hope brimming in my voice. If it could work with his ability, it would be quite the find. Lowki¡¯s displaced image was one of his best defenses to avoid being hit. Enhancing it could expand his defensiveness to new levels and make a world of difference in his overall combat prowess. Jackpot! Speaking with Earien, and with Stella¡¯s confirmations, we indeed found the ¡®bracelet of illusionary double¡¯ would work for the cat. The bracelet would allow our friend to create a third illusionary copy of himself, akin to a non-corporeal form of a giant cat. Better still, Lowki would be granted the insanely powerful ability to instantly swap places with one of his illusionary clones. Without the bracelet, normally, Lowki could only create a single version of himself, while at the same time bending light around himself to act as a sort of camouflage. With this simple-looking bracelet, Lowki¡¯s innate ability to be modified to create two illusionary doubles of himself. It would cost him the ability to bend light around himself, thus allowing enemies an easy way to see him, but it was still worth it. Being able to swap places with an illusionary copy of himself destroyed any disadvantage the bracelet would bring to Lowki¡¯s lethal arsenal. The gem in the bracelet would need a short amount of time between teleports, absorbing ambient magic in the environment to recharge the feature, but creating two copies of himself, each being fully capable of moving around undependably, though ultimately at Lowki¡¯s control. It was a fantastic item and worth any price. ¡°How long of a delay is there between each use of swapping places with one of the created illusions?¡± Stella asked, almost disinterestedly. She didn¡¯t want to clue the merchant into the fact that we desperately wanted the item. We hoped the delay wasn¡¯t overly long in between uses of the incredible feature. This unassuming band could amplify Lowki¡¯s hit-and-run tactics to new heights. Teleporting from place to place on a battlefield was an incredible boon. ¡°It varies depending on the distance of the illusion you wish to swap positions with,¡± the Earien answered professionally. I couldn¡¯t tell if she realized how badly we wanted the band for our panther friend. She was playing it cool, the same as Stella. My excitement would be on easy display, so I would let Stella handle this negotiation. ¡°If you are within a few feet of the desired illusion,¡± Earien continued. ¡°The band can be used reliably every five seconds.¡± Pulling out a folded piece of parchment which had been wedged beneath the miniature display cushion, she answered what would have been my next question. ¡°At exactly five feet, the recharge time doubles to ten seconds and doubles for every additional five feet after that.¡± ¡°So, it would be twenty seconds of recharge at ten feet, forty seconds at fifteen feet, and a minute twenty at twenty feet,¡± Stella counted off from my shoulder, motioning with her paws as if she was counting off fingers. ¡°What¡¯s the maximum range?¡± ¡°Fifty feet,¡± the merchant answered with one last glance at the sheet in her hand. ¡°Are you interested in acquiring the bracelet?¡± Stella ignored the question, at first. Instead, looking at me after having done the mental math to determine the item¡¯s maximum cool down if used at max distance. Fifty feet was an impressive distance. ¡°Just over eighty-five minutes to recharge at maximum range.¡± It wasn¡¯t horrible, but the fact it doubled the recharge time for every five feet of distance quickly compounded the necessary amount of time to be used again. Though I doubted Lowki would need to teleport at such long distances, it was an incredible ability nonetheless. Lowki would more often than not use the teleport while he was within feet of his illusionary doubles, considering he fought primarily in melee range. While five seconds was a long time in combat, the ability to ¡®jump¡¯ away from an attack when he was already prodigious mobile would greatly increase his combat effectiveness. He was going to be ecstatic, granted we could afford the damn thing. Now, the only thing to determine was the price, and trying to negotiate so we didn¡¯t lose every single gold coin we had been able to amass. Chances were, most would be spent in our very first shop, but we had a lot of other enchanted gear to sell, so it shouldn¡¯t be too bad. In the corner of her eye, Stella saw a worried twinkle on my face. She understood her role in securing the best deal for us, but in the end, we wanted to walk out of the store with this bracelet. She put on her best smile, and I had no desire to intervene in this next part. I was having a hard enough time not jumping up and down in excitement. Never let the other party know how badly you want something they own when buying something expensive. Doing so would only cost you more. ¡°We are interested in the bracelet, Earien, my dear. I hope we can come to a mutually beneficial arrangement¡­¡± she started as I disguised a smile as a casual rub against the side of my cheek. Chapter 95 - Bartering Stella floated an inch above my shoulder and wore an extremely proud expression. Her chin was held so high it was borderline comical. The gleam in her eyes made it seem as if she had single-handedly defeated a notoriously dangerous enemy. Perhaps, in a way, she had. ¡°You seem pleased with yourself,¡± I commented, trying to suppress a smile. Stella had done wonderfully with the back-and-forth, the bartering, and, ultimately, the purchase of the illusion-enhancing bracelet. ¡°Do you think you would have been able to buy it for only ten gold pieces and a few chunks of silvern metal?¡± she asked emphatically, never once dropping her smug demeanor. I couldn¡¯t hold back my amusement as a chuckle burst from behind my lips after Stella imitated tossing her non-existent long hair over her shoulder. I was tempted to ask her where she learned the gesture, but I let it go. Best to let her enjoy the moment and the thrill of victory. Normally, I wouldn¡¯t be thrilled at the prospect of the normally toxic material being used to fashion ¡®an interesting piece of jewelry,¡¯ or so Earien had told us. Yet, we were dealing with elves, after all. Now, if we had been making a deal with a human merchant¡­ too many nefarious repercussions would have played in my mind to agree with parting the dangerous material. Little did the attractive sales elf or her boss, we had an absurd amount of silvern metal within my bag of holding, with a good portion magically enchanted. There was no reason to clue the eager woman the substance was not as rare as they assumed it would be. In the end, Stella had done wonderfully and really did get us a great deal. The bracelet had a unique enchantment, and Lowki was perfectly suited to bring out its full effects. The acquiescing didn¡¯t cost us much, courtesy of Stella¡¯s hard negotiations, as most of the gold we spent for the bracelet was acquired moments earlier from selling some lowly enchanted rings. We still had some jewelry we could sell, but I didn¡¯t want to offload everything we had in a single place. As far as the bracelet went, I was confident we got a fantastic deal. ¡°Lowki¡¯s going to give me some great snuggles when I give him this,¡± Stella said while holding the thin band in her paws. There was a subtle teasing quality in her voice like she was baiting me. Seeing if I could turn the tables on her, I knowingly took the bait. With equal sass, I replied, ¡°Oh, so it¡¯s a gift from just you, is it? I¡¯ll have you know it was my money¡­¡± Our friendly spate went back and forth for a little bit, with Stella managing to eke out victory by a hairsbreadth from our mock disagreement. I didn¡¯t catch it at first, but Stella had known I was joking from the start, so easily cornered me into a verbal trap and swatted me like a fly. As we chatted away, we continued exploring the city¡¯s middle tiers while on the lookout for an interesting shop or two. If we sold most of our silvern goods, mostly armor, and weapons, before anyone became the wiser of the volume we held, we were all for it. It seemed most of the merchants we chatted with expected the rare dwarven to be extremely difficult to come by. We didn¡¯t confirm nor deny such was the cast. If they believed the material was scarce, who were we to say otherwise? We weren¡¯t taking advantage of their assumptions. Well, okay, we were, at least a little bit. But, who in their right mind would advertise they had a boatload of the stuff? It would only drive down the value, and, honestly, we needed all the funds we could get. We wanted to buy quite a few things. Thankfully, most stores had at least a few magical trinkets for sale. Most were well out of our price range, which was a bit surprising considering we were only a few levels away from reaching the world maximum, but I doubted most Hunters shot through the levels as quickly as we had managed. If we spent years in this world, as much did per Stella, then it would be reasonable to pay hundreds, if not thousands, of gold for a single piece of equipment. Stopping at a highly recommended armorer¡¯s shop, we found an impressive upgrade for our talented Ripley. However, for whatever reason, the place''s owner thought it was a brilliant idea to have a blazingly hot forge within a half dozen feet from his sales counter. I wanted to do nothing more than leave the infernal store as I sweated buckets as we discussed the item¡¯s price. The only reason I could think of for having a lit forge so close to your customers was to throw them off their game and to get them out of your shop as quickly as possible. While I struggled in the heat, the abnormally muscular fire-elf owner seemed to enjoy the blistering heat wafting off his stocked forge. The heat was nearly unbearable. My initial suspicion of the elf¡¯s motivation for the design of his shop was confirmed with only a few interactions with the brass-tacks individual. Stella didn¡¯t catch the smith was all business and flat-out stared her down Stella when she attempted to tell a joke. I was too distracted to hear specifically what she uttered, but it sounded like she made a joke about a ¡®fire down under¡¯ or some other such thing. When the elf¡¯s eyes began twitching, I needed to step in. Pushing my shoulder into the uncomprehending Stella, I guided her back over to Ripley¡¯s shoulder so I could take over the negotiations with the burly elf. She resisted at first, but when I gave her a wide-eyed stare and mouthed, ¡®What are you doing?¡¯ Stella relented and flopped on Ripley¡¯s shoulder. She was inclined to take a back seat, at least in this instance. Her foe was beyond her, or so I joked later on, and the irritable elf was immune to her charms to her chagrin. Stella didn¡¯t say anything else as we finalized the price for an interesting helmet, instead seemingly shrinking away and out of sight as I spoke with the fiery smith. The helm we wanted, an oddly shaped one called a ¡®burgonet¡¯, which looked like a steel baseball helmet, appeared quite amusing when we tested the fit on Ripley¡¯s bulbous ivory noggin. The enchantment etched into the metal wasn¡¯t game breaking, but it enhanced her ability to keep me alive. Confirmed with a System prompt, while wearing the helm, a portion of any damage I sustained would instead pass magically to her. While the five percent damage transfer could seem minor, the additional damage mitigation it offered meant it was more like I was wearing leather armor instead of mostly cloth. Every bit helped and could save my life one day. Against her twelve thousand plus health pool, the five percent would be a pittance to her. Even better, the helm also came with a ten-point Constitution bonus, increasing my desire to acquire the item. In only a quarter of the time it took for Stella to negotiate with the last elf we worked with, the helmet cost a little more than a slightly enchanted silvern breastplate and matching longsword, which, in my opinion, was a pretty good deal. Stella attempted to tease me about my poor negotiation tactics once we left the elf¡¯s forge, finally saying something after her poor performance, I might say. In fact, I did. It didn¡¯t get through to her as Stella swore she could have gotten the helmet for a single piece of dwarven gear. Certainly, not two pieces like I had. When I threatened to take her back inside to renegotiate, she promptly changed the subject, though I was pretty certain she let a soft whisper slip which sounded an awful lot like, ¡°noob.¡± We would have sold more to the brawny elf, his red-flaked skin and muscles screaming to the world the hard labor of his profession, but the closeness of the forge had been bounding out of the store once we purchased Ripley¡¯s new helmet. The elf only smiled as we turned to leave, confirming the smith had little desire to work with the customer. Only his forge brought him any enjoyment. Selling his stuff was simply a necessity to keep doing what he loved. As primarily an introvert myself, I understood the inclination. Stopping at a clothier, the proprietor was a noble-bearing elf named Lystra, and I hoped we found the perfect place to part ways with my old enchanted armor acquired from Tsurra the Corrupted¡¯s body. The set had been unquestionably useful when I first acquired it, but it couldn¡¯t hold a candle to my new dwarven mismatch set. Moments before Lystra and I confirmed the sale price, I paused to send Stella a message that struck me like lightning. Xaz: Is there transmogrification in this world? Stella: That¡¯s where you make a piece of armor look like another, right? Xaz: Yeah, it allows you to fine-tune your appearance. Stella: Sadly, no, it¡¯s not an option. Not at least on prime worlds. Perhaps at higher tiers? But, we won¡¯t know for certain until we get that high. Xaz: Man, I hope I don¡¯t regret this. I loved the look of it! Coming to an agreement with the clothier, the entire Aratar¡¯s Blazeweave set netted us a hefty amount of gold and silver coins, not to mention two platinum pieces worth ten gold each. It was the first time we had seen a higher form of currency. Still, a part of me cried out when I handed over the samurai-like garb. A nagging feeling had me certain that, one day, I would regret handing it over. Ultimately, we needed more funds, here and now. With only a slim-at-best possibility of being able to tranmog my gear one day, it was not enough reason to hold onto old items. If our battle with Duke taught us anything, we needed better gear and better spells to stand a chance against the powerhouse. Stella assured me we got a good bargain for the set, mirroring my own thoughts when she reminded me, we would need every spare gold piece we could get our hands on if we hoped to acquire elvish spells. The reminder I could be learning more average-tiered spells soon, or if we were lucky, an enhanced tier quickly had any lingering worry disappear like a distant memory. With our metaphysical coin purse practically bulging at the seams, we agreed to be on the lookout for a wizard¡¯s shop next. Spells, spells, and more spells were back on the menu. Unfortunately, I couldn¡¯t for the life of me remember where Tallos had pointed out where they were. My in-game map automatically updated itself wherever we went, but Tallos had only pointed out a conglomerate of arcane shops a few platforms away. I must have been in wanderlust because I couldn¡¯t remember where he said it would be. Unfortunately, my map was of little use because I hadn¡¯t taken the time to mentally drop a pin, so to speak, where the hovel was. Stella was less than useless when I asked her about it. She practically rebuffed me, saying she had been thinking about other things at the time, not paying attention to what Tallos had been saying. When I shot her an exasperated look, my lips tightening to lines and my brows furrowed in disbelief, she finally admitted she had been in just as much wanderlust as I had been. The city was magnificent, and she had been soaking it all in, barely paying attention to our elven friend. I could hardly blame her as I had been doing the same thing. I wasn¡¯t about to tell her, though. ¡°Let¡¯s ask around. I¡¯m sure someone would be happy to point us in the right direction,¡± I offered in concession. While it had thus far been a wonderful day, not knowing where anything was and with how spread out the many platforms were was starting to wear on our excitement. Feeling lost never feels good, in my opinion. After asking around, we had a general direction to our destination. We meandered about, and it wasn¡¯t a wizard¡¯s shop we came across next. Instead, we simply had to pause when a sign portrayed an elven archer kneeling with his bowstring taut. In other words, a talented bowyer and Tallos came immediately to mind. We were more than happy to detour to see what the place had to offer. Thus far, we had an upgrade for Ripley and Lowki, so why not Tallos? I doubted we would be replacing his superbly enchanted bow anytime soon, but perhaps there was something else we could find. We were happy to stop. The store owner, an elderly fellow who frequently gave instructions to a nearby apprentice throughout our visit, his grandson, or so I believed, was happy to help us find something for our friend. From a shelf, the frail elf handed over a quiver for our inspection. Throughout any of our fights, one of Tallos¡¯ most limiting factors in battle was the number of arrows he had on him. A few occasions happened where he ran out of arrows mid-fight and was no longer able to impact the battle effectively. To make up for this shortcoming, we had long since had our friend, almost ridiculously, carrying three different quivers. One slung across his back and shoulder, with the other two on either hip. Trading one of our stronger backup rings, one which granted plus four intelligence and constitution, along with another two pieces of silvern armor and my old troll hide tunic of the bloodless, we purchased the wonderfully enchanted quiver. We might have overpaid, but after seeing the item¡¯s descriptions, I knew we needed to make it happen. The benefits it would bring would be a huge quality of life improvement, as well as increasing the options our friends had when engaging our enemies. Thinking back towards the last part of our journey to the High Thicket, with Tallos attempting to whittle even a few arrows from scratch, I believed he would be ecstatic when we saw him next.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. {Elemental Quiver of Summoning}. Made from the hide of an adult oblex slime, slain while mimicking a beast¡¯s form, and elementally charged gemstones, this quiver has been enchanted to summon arrows of common quality. Additionally, enhanced arrows can be summoned by sending mana into one of the elemental gems affixed at the top of the quiver. Quality: Superb. Rarity: Rare. Type: Quiver. Slot: Ammo. Durability 1,000/1,000. Effect(s): Common arrows are automatically created at a rate of one arrow every ten seconds to a maximum capacity of sixty arrows. Once removed from the quiver, these arrows will remain tangible for 60 seconds before disappearing. Secondary Effect(s): At the cost of 10 mana, the quiver can create elementally charged arrows. Each elemental arrow takes 2 seconds to summon and will replace a common arrow up to the quiver¡¯s maximum capacity. These enhanced arrows will remain tangible for 30 seconds once retrieved from the quiver. (Fire Agate) ¨C Summons a flame arrow, which inflicts additional fire damage. (Aquamarine) ¨C Summons a water arrow, which inflicts a slowing effect. (White Opal) ¨C Summons a wind arrow, which has increased range and accuracy. (Green Aventurine) ¨C Summons an earth arrow, which inflicts a damage over time effect. While we didn¡¯t know how much mana Tallos currently had at his disposal since the number wasn¡¯t displayed anywhere for NPCs, it should be easy to deduce his maximum as soon as he used his new quiver and created some elemental arrows. Stella and I were confident he would be able to summon at least one, perhaps two, of each element before needing to regenerate mana naturally. For now, I was content to take a few minutes and some of my mana to swap out a good number of the regular arrows already within. We wouldn¡¯t know more information about what the elemental arrows did until Tallos fired off a few, but that would come later. Finding a bench near the bowyer, we sat down as I concentrated on swapping four common arrows for ten each of the elemental versions. The quiver would hold the power in each arrow indefinitely, and it would only begin to disperse once one was pulled out. Setting myself to the task, I first replaced ten arrows for their flame version, focusing on putting mana into the fire agate gem near the rim of the quiver. Then, I channeled mana into the aquamarine for water arrows, followed similarly by the white opal and green aventurine gemstone. In less than two minutes, the work was done. Tallos would have twenty regular arrows and forty elemental arrows. Stella and I were both excited to see what the arrows could do. Exceedingly happy with our purchase, neither of us could wait to see the expression on Tallos¡¯ face when we saw him later in the evening. ¡°This was a nice find,¡± I said in appreciation of the wonderfully enchanted quiver. Stella eagerly bobbed her head in agreement. We stopped for lunch at a tidy little bistro catering mostly to non-elven folk. While it was easy to find vegetarian food anywhere since it was a staple of an elven diet, the city was wise enough to recognize that many of its visitors preferred a meatier diet. As a result, the city allowed non-elven merchants to set up shop to sell food more palatable for outsiders. Our current little pub was tucked away in the corner of one of the many wooded platforms, and the smell of roasting meat instantly had us heading in its direction. The owner, a lanky human fellow with a beard any dwarves would be envious of, stood behind a counter and was taking orders from a myriad of different races. Apparently, this was one of the more popular establishments, considering the long line. Content to wait our turn, we walked to the back of the line and were thankful that it moved relatively quickly. We learned from overhearing gossip from other first-time visitors that shops like this one couldn¡¯t get their meat from animals in the forest. Instead, they hired outside hunters to roam the lands to the north, outside of the forest limits and then hauled the short distance to Quarris. It was quite profitable for both the hunters willing to foray into the northern wilderness and those few non-elf merchants selling the cooked meat. Stella and I were more than happy the city allowed outside merchants to cater to people not bound by a vegetarian diet. When it was our turn, we ordered a delightful meal of smoked venison, along with a generous portion of mashed potatoes and grilled vegetables. The meat was incredibly flavorsome, and the marinade was absolutely divine. At Stella¡¯s reminder, as was customary whenever we found a delicious meal, we stood in line once more and ordered another three dishes. Each would be stored magically in my bag of holding and would remain piping hot until we removed it someday. We lightly chatted while we continued our trek through the many levels of Quarris. At one point, Stella reminded me to take a look at my notifications. With how tranquil our day was since waking up, I had completely forgotten to check our gains from the fight with Duke. Even though the bastard managed to escape, removing nearly all of the incredible gains we would have received since defeating another Hunter was incredibly profitable, we nonetheless completed a hidden quest for our troubles. Congratulations! You have completed a hidden quest, ¡®The High Thicket Burns...¡¯ Upon arriving at your destination at the High Thicket, you discovered your nemesis, Hunter Duke Xander Marth, was laying siege on the elves of Quarris. Out leveled and out geared, you nonetheless charged headlong into battle and assisted the city in being victorious against the terrible foe. Though the Hunter escaped with his life, without your timely intervention, many elves, and perhaps the city as a whole, would have been lost in flames. Your quarry may have evaded you, this time, but the fight continues. Good luck, Hunter. Calculating Rewards¡­ Please stand by. Congratulations! You earned 17,500 experience. Congratulations! You will receive a Hidden Reward: A level-appropriate skill, spell, or item. Note - Report to Commander Wallace and the Quarris Elder Council to receive this reward. Congratulations! Your renown and reputation with Quarris, as well as the elves residing throughout the High Thicket, have significantly improved as a result of your deeds. Its citizens and guardians will look upon you favorably from this moment forward. Notice! Skill and Spell increase messages have been condensed. Spell: [Lesser Boil Blood] has increased to level 19. Spell: [Lesser Necrotic Aura] (Pet) has increased to level 19. Skill: [Stealth] has increased to level 19. Spell: [Lesser Arrested Affliction] has increased to level 18. Skill: [Dual Cast] has increased to level 16. Skill: [Firearms] has increased to level 16. Skill: [Quick Cast] has increased to level 16. Spell: [Lesser Fireball] has increased to level 16. Spell: [Lesser Chained Lightning] has increased to level 16. Spell: [Lesser Ignite Bones] has increased to level 15. Spell: [Lesser Wyvern Sting} has increased to level 15. Spell: [Synaptic Toxin] has increased to level 12. Spell: [Pyroclastic Funeral Pyre] has increased to level 10. Spell: [Gnawing Blizzard] has increased to level 10. Spell: [Stalwart Aura (Pet)] has increased to level 8. The boost in the majority of my spells and skills was a worthwhile reward for nearly defeating Duke, helping to bridge the gap between our levels. If not for his arrogance, perceived immunity with his admittedly strong mana barrier, his strong desire to humiliate me, and the forest elves at his back, perhaps he would be the one right now reaping the rewards from a Hunter versus Hunter engagement. The hidden reward was nice but already implied by what we were told by the Commander about our meeting with the city¡¯s elders. ¡°Ready?¡± Stella asked with a downward dog stretch. She was hovering a few feet above the bench and, as always, seemed to be standing on solid ground. With plenty of daylight left, we had more than enough time to continue our stroll with many more shops to search for interesting loot. ¡°Indeed,¡± I replied succinctly after giving my friend a light smile. Considering the day before, the two of us felt as if we didn¡¯t have a care in the world. She was just as eager as I was to see what the city had in store for us. Moving to yet another platform, this time through a sturdy spiral staircase built within a hollowed section of a particularly wide redwood specimen, we finally found the destination we had been searching for, better known to non-elves as ¡®spell alley.¡¯ The place was packed with elves, humans, dwarfs, and even several shorter people I identified as hobbits. This particular promenade was set up in low rows, creating four different avenues to travel down. The stores were smaller than other merchant quarters but allowed for an even greater number of shops and specialty stores. The scene before us was overwhelming at first, as the platform was at least twice the size of any other we had visited so far today. Every shop had its front door propped open, with colorful and interesting placards informing potential customers of the particular type of magic the shopkeeper dabbled in. In the middle of the platform was an elevated section, almost like a stage of sorts. Even from our distant vantage point, it appeared as if there was a friendly competition of spell casters throwing out fantastic displays of magic in a challenge of one-upmanship. The mood was cheerful as the magicians, wizards, and summoners tossed fantastic feats of magic in the air, all completely harmless but nonetheless entertaining to everyone happily watching nearby. One particular robed human, with a flourish of a wand, created a fantastic illusionary displace of a galloping unicorn which turned and bucked in the air. We started at the northern edge with the plan to make a winding circuit through the many shops. I doubted we would stop at every store, but I marked the location of ¡®spell alley¡¯ on my mini-map. The first store had a sign over the door which appeared to be triskelion, which neither Stella nor I knew what it represented, so I decided to step inside. The thin-as-a-reed owner greeted us as we entered, but we quickly learned she only offered tomes and items specific to druid classes, so we didn¡¯t stay long. Still, one spell for sale allowed the caster to summon a short-lived woodland elemental. The druidic spell caster stated the elemental would be random in nature, having different abilities based on whatever was called into being. I passed on the tome for now since I was mostly eager in learning new DoTs, but I asked Stella to remind me of the place in case we had some funds left over after our escapade through the other stores. Not at all discouraged from the first shop, we entered the next store in line and found items unlike anything we had seen before. The place only had a few shelves displaying their unique wares, which were solely comprised of opaque orbs differing in size and color. Inquiring with the handsome elf wizard behind the counter, who was already keeping a close eye on each of us, we learned the glass spheres were called Ameliorating Spherules which allowed an learned spell to upgraded to a higher tier. Instantly, I recalled when we had incredible luck when the System upgraded my minor fireball to its lesser-tier counterpart. The increase in damage was substantial, and I knew right away I wanted to purchase as many of the orbs as possible. Too many of my minor spells were stuck at their max level of ten, and the thought of turning some of my favorite lesser spells to average-tier was exciting to contemplate. Sadly, the upgrade orbs were prohibitively expensive, drastically increasing in value the higher the orb would upgrade. The lowest, minor to lesser tier, cost ten golds each, which wasn¡¯t all that bad. Going to the next tier, lesser to average, costs a whopping ten times as much. One hundred gold was nothing to sneeze at, for sure. The astounding price of average to enhanced tier continued the multiplicative trend and would cost a thousand gold pieces! It was insane to consider anyone to be able to afford the astronomical price. Even if I sold everything I own, I might be able to afford a single one of those orbs, but there was no way I was willing to do it. Stella attempted to negotiate for lesser prices but was firmly shut down by the elf behind the counter. When she asked for a discount if we purchased multiple orbs, the owner folded his arms over his chest and flatly stated, ¡°No.¡± Nothing Stella so much as budged the stubborn elf. Stella and I thought something else might be coming into play, besides a greedy shopkeeper, so we subtly inquired about the hard prices for the wondrous orbs. Finally, we got somewhere. Apparently, the price for the upgrade orbs was strictly controlled by the city¡¯s elder counsel. Nothing else could be pried out of the elf, not even why this particular item had such a restriction in place. So, at least for now, there was nothing more we could do. ¡°It¡¯s just the way it is and is the same across all elven cities,¡± Tallos would tell us later in the evening when we met back up. He offered little more to our probing questions other than saying, ¡°Only an elf can create the orb, and it¡¯s a painstaking process to undergo.¡± In the end, we chalked it up to another mystery we would likely never solve. Knowing we wanted as many of the orbs as we could while still keeping in mind the potential for other upgrades and spell tomes, Stella was able to make good headway in bartering our stored loot. While this particular merchant was not interested in trade, nearly every other shopkeeper was. Spending the better part of the next three hours, we offloaded almost all our unwanted goods, drastically increasing our spending potential. As we hawked our wares and saw more than one spell I hoped to acquire after buying the extraordinary orbs, I relented my desire not to flood the market with silvern steel. My bag of holding suddenly had a lot more available room, though our coin pouch was all the bigger for it. We didn¡¯t sell off every piece of dwarven gear, though. We decided to keep a single full set of plate mail, and one of each weapon we took from the defeated dwarves. Everything else, to the fire sale, they were consumed. By the time we were ready to return to the upgrade store, we had more gold than I had ever seen in a single place. On Earth, I would likely have been a millionaire. With over four hundred gold burning a hole in my pocket, we returned to the stubborn elf and swiftly purchased all five of his minor upgrade orbs, and two lesser orbs. Like that, two hundred and fifty gold disappeared, though we still had a decent amount of fund stashed away for other gear and a number of spells we picked out as we roamed about. It had been worth it, though. Holding a minor version, I twirled the glass marble and inspected the intricate glyphs and runes masterfully etched across its glossy surface. The weakest of the upgrade orbs were only the size of a tangerine and varied in color from brilliant blues to dashing oranges. From what we could gather, the color differed depending on the specialty of the wizard who created it. After some back and forth with Stella on which spells we would upgrade to a lesser tier, we decided only to use four of our six minor orbs, to begin with. We would have two in reserve on the off chance we found a particularly notable minor spell in the near future. We still had plenty of shops to visit after all. For lesser upgrade orbs, we swiftly agreed on which two spells would be upgraded to average tier. First and foremost, my specialized lesser blood. Wanting to start from the top down, I swapped to a larger orb and concentrated on my lesser boil blood spell. Per the elf enchanter who sold the unique devices, triggering the effect was easy. All I needed to do was focus on the desired spell, and the imbued magic would do the rest. ¡°Here we go,¡± I said, excitement lacing every syllable. What once had been my strongest spell was acquired long ago and specialized when I first became a necromancer, and I couldn¡¯t wait to see its increased properties. Even better, upgraded spells could gain an additional bonus to their effectiveness when upgraded. It was exceedingly rare to trigger, but was one of the reasons the orbs were sought after. Holding the faintly glowing blue sphere, I willed the magic to activate. Chapter 96 - Amelioration The moment I activated the magic, torrents of a gaseous substance like a planet-wide amalgamation of countless hurricanes manifested and danced across the surface of an ocean-blue orb. The innumerable storms whirled and grew in intensity with each passing second, swiftly blocking out all but the slimmest slivers of the once entirely blue Ameliorating Spherule. Then, as if the temperature of the ocean world was leeched away, the orb grew cold as it rested on my palm. Though the chill did not threaten me with frostbite, it couldn¡¯t have been more than a few degrees above freezing. To my surprise, the chill seemed to flow into me as if I was suddenly connected to an intravenous drip, feeding chilled liquid directly into my bloodstream. The cold washed through me, and an instinctual part of my mind wanted to drop the glass sphere. The cold sensation swiftly reached out to every part of my body, causing my body to shiver even though the forest was pleasantly warm. When the feeling reached my head, it was as if the chill began funneling to a specific area in my brain. It was like having a headache without any of the debilitating aches. I was acutely aware as the icy liquid, most likely a stable form of mana, sufficed the area of my mind where lesser blood boil was stored. Once the target was reached, everything shifted as if an endless drain was opened to lap up every drop of power greedily it could. As if the spell had become a black hole devouring a star unfortunate enough to venture too close to the singularity, the sphere¡¯s magic was pulled to that minuscule location. Starting with the tips of my toes and then working up my body, the sensation receded and was replaced by the comforting warmth of the forest. As the last dregs were absorbed, my innate understanding of blood boil grew, forming new connections and pathways to better harness its power. The complexities of the spell expanded as if a single book of collected knowledge was suddenly multiplied into a trilogy. Lesser blood boil evolved. The once-required gestures necessary for a successful spell casting grew more elaborate, and the arcane syllables needed to call the spell into the real world morphed into longer syntax strings. More mana would be needed to bring the arcane energy, though that was hardly unexpected. Once it felt like simply reciting a memorized poem while directing a small chamber orchestra, blood boil transformed into the recitation of a beautiful manuscript with eidetic accuracy while also conducting in front of a full symphony orchestra. As the last vestige of flowing energy was drawn away, the swirling vortexes within the storm-infested orb stilled before changing from a faint blue to the hollow blackness of a dead world whose life had been drained away. Before my eyes, a series of small cracks fissured across its glassy surface before shattering entirely. In moments, nothing remained but the tiniest of fragments of broken glass before those, too, faded away, leaving not the barest hint the orb had been there. Looking at Stella, I found her rapidly swiping a paw as if she was scrolling through a lengthy and invisible, at least to me, online forum post. She was using her Accelerator interface, and I had long since grown accustomed to her waving her obsidian nails in the air. She was most likely reviewing the changes to my spell. Stella gave a curt nod as if satisfied with the information before abruptly flicking her paw. As she did, a System notification appeared before me detailing the gains of my newly improved spell. [Blood Boil] (*Specialized*) A deluge of magical energy strikes into a target within 100 feet. The target is afflicted with the debuff ¡°Searing Blood," which causes the victim¡¯s blood to boil at a life-threatening temperature, resulting in traumatic internal injuries. After a time, the target''s blood cools rapidly, and the debuff expires. The spell causes 250 (up from 125) plus 3n damage immediately and then every 6 seconds thereafter, where ¡®n¡¯ equals intelligence. Additionally, spell damage has a moderate chance to stun the target for 4 seconds each time damage is applied. Cost: 300 mana. Cast Time: 1.0 second. Cool down: 1.0 second. Duration: 168 seconds (up from 120). Plus 10 feet maximum range, plus 25 base damage, and plus 1% additional chance to stun the target per spell level. Specialized Effect added, ¡®Blistering Surge¡¯ debuff. ¡®Blistering Torrent¡¯ - If the target dies before the spell expires, the target¡¯s major veins violently burst outwards, showering all hostiles within a 20-foot radius in the victim¡¯s boiling blood. Those enemies received 50% of the remaining unapplied damage divided among them. Note ¨C While the total damage dealt by the specialized effect cannot exceed the new target¡¯s maximum health, residual damage is not sacrificed. It will instead be funneled to other nearby targets. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if the slightly upgraded specialized effect was simply a result of the spell upgrading or if it were one of those rare chances the upgrade orbs can apply a new additional effect, though I would suspect we¡¯d receive a System notification if that happened,¡± Stella commented, tapping a nail against the side of her cheek. ¡°Either way, it means more damage will go around to other hostile mobs when your initial foe succumbs. I don¡¯t envy anything unfortunate enough to get this sticky napalm on them, let alone the poor sod who suffered his blood being magma-fied.¡± ¡°It¡¯s also nice we¡¯ll see more enemies stunned every time damage from the spell ticks,¡± I stated, somewhat in awe of blood boil¡¯s enhanced features. Doing some quick mental math, this single spell would be dealing nearly two thousand damage initially and then every six seconds after that. Dual casting it would¡­ ¡°Oh wow,¡± I uttered, my eyes going wide. ¡°Over five thousand damage per tick if I dual cast this bad boy!¡± ¡°It¡¯s impressive,¡± Stella whistled. ¡°Cast normally, over the entire duration, blood boil dishes out fifty-five thousand eight hundred and eighty-three damage. Whoa to anything nearby when blood boil kills. That¡¯s a heck of an upgrade. So, what are you thinking of doing next?¡± ¡°I know we were talking about upgrading lesser ignite bones because of its ability to weaken an opponent¡¯s accuracy,¡± I replied, albeit hesitantly. ¡°Just as synaptic toxin is great against enemy spell casters, ignite bones helps against melee-focused enemies. Yet, I¡¯m wondering if we should instead take another look at the spell due to be upgraded. Perhaps, even looking at something other than a damage over time spell.¡± While my DoTs made up a significant portion of my damage output, I couldn¡¯t help but think about how useful one of my direct damage spells would become if upgraded to average tier. Stella clearly knew what I was thinking after I made my comment, something she did with increasing regularity, and raised a curious eyebrow in my direction. With a slight forward tilt to her head, she stated the obvious, ¡°You¡¯re thinking about chained lightning, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°So, what if I am?¡± I asked defensively. The spell was spectacular and was my go-to once my DoTs were applied to whoever we were fighting. Sometimes, I even led with it. I explained as much to Stella, though she didn¡¯t appear swayed. When I mentioned that Fireball would also be a good candidate for an upgrade, she shook her head from side to side in annoyance. ¡°Let me stop you right there, chief,¡± she drawled. ¡°I know you. This is all about chained lightning. Fireball is great, don¡¯t get me wrong, but I see the same thrill across your face as you do every time you cast your twisting bolt of lightning.¡± She paused for dramatic effect while giving me a wide-eyed stare. ¡°You are foremost a necromancer, don¡¯t forget that. Every step of the way, you¡¯ve chosen to focus on damage over time spells. I¡¯d be negligent if I didn¡¯t remind you about what you¡¯re the best at. DoTs.¡± Stella didn¡¯t say much after her comment, and I felt she was ¡®allowing¡¯ me to come to the same conclusion by myself. She wasn¡¯t wrong, but damn, did I love chained lightning. It would undoubtedly deliver even more destructive potential than it already did, but, as she reminded me, two of my three Hunter classes directly improved every single DoT I possessed. First, my tier one necromancer class decreased the chances of the spell being resisted, doubled the base damage, and caused the spell to level faster. Meaning more damage simply because it was who I was. These spells were enhanced further when I chose to become a Wraith as my tier three Hunter class. With it, all of my DoTs had their duration increased by a significant amount. This bonus lessened as the spell tier increased, but even at the average tier, a forty percent increase in duration was impressive. It added to the total damage the spell could inflict. Average-tiered DoTs seemed to last two minutes on average, meaning as a wraith, it was increased by another forty-eight seconds on top, or an additional eight ¡®ticks¡¯ since the damage was applied every six seconds. Even if I only consider my newest upgrade, Blood Boil, the spell dished out roughly two thousand damage per tick, which meant an additional sixteen thousand damage was added because the spell lasted that much longer. Add the benefit to every single DoT I had, and the damage increase was extraordinary.This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. Choosing a direct damage spell over a DoT simply didn¡¯t measure up if I looked at it objectively. Every DoT I learned was made much more effective because of my class choices. Unless the upgrade of chained lightning added some incredible new property, a slim chance from everything we learned about the spheres, it wouldn¡¯t have the same impact. Stella saw my face when I reached the same conclusion as she had. She would never flat-out reject my desire if I still decided to use the orb on my lightning spell, but I appreciated her insight as I agreed with her. She was the expert, after all. Seeing a defeated look on my face, I truly wanted an improved chained lightning spell, and she offered me an olive branch. ¡°If you really want to, go ahead and use it on chained lightning. The decision is ultimately yours. If you make that decision, you know you¡¯ve got my support, but don¡¯t forget, we can always look for a better version. Heck, we might even find one in one of these shops,¡± she stated with a smile while sweeping a paw out to tightly packed stores around us. With a reluctant sigh, I nodded my head. Stella was right about which spell was the best candidate to be upgraded. It is better to focus on your strengths than make a potentially poor decision because of a simple impulse to do something different. Pulling out our last lesser upgrade orb, I settled my thoughts, focusing my desire to upgrade lesser ignite bones spell. This particular orb glowed a vibrant orange, unlike the earlier ocean blue. Regardless of color, the spheres functioned the exact same way, so there was nothing to worry about. As I triggered the magic held within the jeweled ball, this time, the orb grew hot to the touch. Like last time, it was enough of a chance to injure me but it was nonetheless close to that threshold. A wave of heat inundated my hand before flooding the rest of my body as the magic took hold. As it ran rampant through what felt like every vein in my body, another spot in my head opened and began to draw that energy. Exactly like the miniature black hole from earlier. This time around, I wasn¡¯t shivering as the enhancement did its work. Instead, sweat gushed from every pore in my body like I had hiked three miles in the middle of a desert. Before I knew it, every last drop of the burning heat was sapped to where ignite bones were imprinted in my mind. With another wave of Stella¡¯s paw, the new spell description appeared before me. [Ignite Bones]. A burst of searing magical energy strikes a nearby enemy within 100 feet causing the target¡¯s bones to become immolated and muscle tendons to begin disintegrating away. The spell causes 300 (up from 150) plus 3n damage immediately and then every 6 seconds until the spell expires, where ¡®n¡¯ equals Intelligence. Additionally, the target¡¯s accuracy is lowered by 6% per spell level. Cost: 200 mana. Cast Time: 1 second. Cool down: 1 second. Duration: 168 seconds (up from 120). Plus 10 feet maximum range, and plus 30 base damage per spell level. Note ¨C The severity of the accuracy penalty is dependent on the target¡¯s level compared to the caster, as well as their Constitution attribute. As a result, targets significantly weaker than the caster will feel the spell''s full effects, while stronger targets may be more resistant to the degradation in accuracy. Before I could form a question about the last bit of information since there hadn¡¯t been a similar note there earlier, Stella beat me to it. ¡°I had the System add that last part. With your advancement in levels, I can see more behind-the-scenes information, and I felt this was relevant. The spell is definitely stronger, but it makes sense much stronger monsters may be less affected by the accuracy penalty.¡± ¡°I guess so,¡± I replied, unperturbed. Average tiered spells could reach a maximum level of thirty-five, so I thought it unlikely a powerful mob would have their accuracy reduced by over two hundred percent. ¡°It''s still a great upgrade, but again, sadly, no extra effect was added. Hopefully, we get at least one of these fantastic orbs to do it. On to our minor orbs¡­¡± A thought entered my mind as I considered the noticeably smaller minor upgrade marble resting in my palm. This particular version had a touch of lime-green, but the color wasn¡¯t what caught my attention. My eyes widened as I blurted out a question, hoping we hadn¡¯t lost a valuable alternative. ¡°Stell, please tell me we couldn¡¯t have used a minor orb, then immediately follow with a lesser orb, effectively jumping a minor spell two tiers. Right?¡± Even as I asked the question, Stella was thankfully already shaking her head. ¡°No, you can only use one amelioration orb per spell. Sorry, I forgot to mention that, but don¡¯t worry, you didn¡¯t lose out on anything.¡± I let out a long breath. Her words came as a relief as I hadn¡¯t even considered trying to upgrade the same spell twice. If it were an option, I likely would have seriously considered turning minor regen into regular regeneration, which would be two orders of magnitude higher. Even at a lowly level ten, max for minor spells, regen was a lifesaver, literally. It wasn¡¯t an option, so I exhaled my tension. In a few short minutes, we upgraded minor regen, scent of decay, acidic bolt, and flamethrower to their lesser-tier equivalents. The green sphere went with regen, as it seemed fitting, while a dark green orb was matched with scent of decay, the yellow-tinted sphere was paired with acidic bolt, and, finally, the scarlet-red went to upgrade flamethrower. While the colors truly did not make a difference with the spell chosen, our choices felt appropriate in an odd sort of way. Using the precious gems caught a fair share of attention from the people wandering nearby, but no one stopped to talk with us directly. Most had knowing smiles on their faces as they saw me using the orbs as, evidently, the devices were a commonly known and prized commodity. To my disappointment, none of the orbs triggered the rare special effect which could add a unique effect as a spell upgraded. Yet, each transformation was noteworthy in its own way. Lesser regen, predictably, increased the amount of health restored, as well as increased the spell max duration, which was nothing to sneeze at. Scent of decay, which had a previously debuff maximum of twenty-five percent, was increased to forty and was easier to apply. Acidic bolt, one of my highest damaging spells early on, continued the trend. Last, flamethrower had the width and distance of the spell magnified, as well as increasing the massive amount of heat the gout put out. I wouldn¡¯t dare test this particular spell anywhere near the city, I didn¡¯t want to be banished after all, but I knew its effectiveness was relevant once more. With two minor orbs held in reserve, I was satisfied with the increases in my most useful spells. We were that much closer to being able to fight against Duke on equal footing. Turning to Stella, I asked with a cheeky smile, ¡°Ready to find some new spells?¡± ¡°Hell yeah,¡± was her excited response. Thus far, it has been a great day. By the time we left the now famous Spell Alley, we had far less gold to our name, yet were all the more powerful for it. While most of the tomes revealed in our exploration of the many dozens of shops we visited, most focused on affecting nature, such as increasing crop yield, creating rainfall, or smothering fire. Still, a fair share was perfect for me, or at least three for Tallos. You have found: {Tome of Minor Barkskin}. You have found: {Tome of Minor Camouflage}. You have found: {Tome of Minor Stalker¡¯s Mark}. For our friendly ranger, we purchased minor barkskin, which increased his skin¡¯s natural resistance to physical attacks, and minor camouflage due to its ability to help him blend in natural environments. The last acquisition for Tallos was a fascinating tagging spell that left an untraceable mark on a single enemy. Minor stalker¡¯s mark, once applied, would increase any damage Tallos inflicted while also increasing his ranged accuracy as the magic of the spell pulled his arrows while in flight to the mark¡¯s hidden location. The closer he was to his mark when he used the fascinating spell, the better the odds he could apply the mark to particularly sensitive areas. At long distances, Tallos could likely only land the spell, which had an incredible range of over a half mile, on an enemy¡¯s torso. Yet, if he was far closer, he could place the mark on a forehead or even an eye. The magic didn¡¯t guarantee the projectile would land there every time, but it increased the chances of it happening. While Tallos was going to be unquestionably thrilled with the three spells, I just knew he would also be vexed when he realized how much time he would need to allocate to learn them. Of the three tomes, with the exception of the relatively narrow barkskin, the other two were twice as thick compared to the spells he already memorized. Unlike Hunters, everyone else in this world needed to learn spells the hard way. Still, with each spell, once he dedicated the long hours necessary to learn them, Tallos¡¯ combat effectiveness would increase considerably. For me, well, let¡¯s just say I was quite happy with my gains. You have found: {Tome of Lightning Bolt}. You have found: {Tome of Piercing Swarm}. While Tallos¡¯ spells were all reasonably priced, these average-tier spells were far less, by quite a wide margin. While we passed on an impressive regeneration spell because of the price, these two I couldn¡¯t. Affording them¡­ well, that was an interesting experience. Digging deep into my bag of holding, anything not immediately useful to us or likely to be used in the near future was pulled out and laid bare. Exchanged for large sums of gold and silver, we bought the spells. In the end, we were left with a paltry sum of ten gold pieces. However, even that small amount should be more than enough for everyday expenses. Slapping my hands together, with the lightning bolt tome shooting tiny sparks from my lap, I shot a beaming smile to my friend. ¡°Let¡¯s learn a couple of new spells,¡± I cheered before finding a bench at the platform¡¯s edge. At my words, Stella flew down from her elevated position atop Ripley¡¯s shoulder and hovered close to my side as we examined the hefty tome. It was massive and more akin to two encyclopedias stacked together with one large rune on its cover, shaped like, of all things, a lightning bolt. The leather-clad cover was rigid with numerous blackened scorch marks across its dark surface. Each imperfection looked as if the book had been struck by whole series of lightning strikes, which was likely exactly what happened as tiny arcs of electricity continued to flash across the aged leather. With a mountain of information stored within the book, countless pages, I opened my mind to acquiring a staple spell known by all respectable wizards, lightning bolt. Chapter 97 - (Not So) Average Spell Tomes With the spell tome resting on my lap, I opened the aged leather cover to the first page. With a simple exertion of will, I sent my intention into the book. My desire to learn from the book opened a system prompt which I accepted without hesitation. While this particular spell was not exactly like chained lightning, which created a single bolt to automatically jump from one target to target, this spell would instead create a single beam as straight as an arrow. We expected the damage would be significantly higher since there was no System aid in automatically hitting our foes. Stella explained the portion of mana reserved for chained lightning¡¯s homing feature would instead be used to increase the bolt¡¯s lethality. As soon as the prompt was accepted, slowly at first but swiftly picking up in speed, the pages began flipping over as if by an unseen hand. With each new sheet of papyrus, arcane knowledge was engraved into my mind. Unlike other instances when learning from a spell book, where the information was dumped in one significant thrust, this time, it felt as if a laser printer was encoding the details directly into my mind. It wasn¡¯t painful, far from it. Instead, not only was the process gentle, but the process also seemed to slow down time around me. Stella shifted her position, but she was moving in slow motion like she was trapped in invisible molasses. A diving hawk near the edge of our platform slowed to a tortoise¡¯s pace, sluggish enough that it was easy to follow its plunging path. Leaves seemed to hang motionless in the air. Their usual whimsical descent to the forest far below became prolonged to a leisurely back-and-forth dance that seemed like it would take a full day to accomplish. As eyes returned to the venerable tome, the pages still rapidly turning despite the forward creep of time, an electrical current bound within seemed to reach a tipping point. A massive pulse of energy was released with the tome at its epicenter. With my heightened perception of time, the nearly imperceptible shockwave exploded outwards in an ever-expanding dome of energy. It looked like watching the detonation of high explosives in slow motion, the transparent wave rippling through the air to reach hundreds of meters in all directions. Worry raced through me as the shockwave stretched closer to Stella. Sluggish as everything else, my thrusting hand had no chance of reaching her in time. However, when the blast inevitably reached her, not so much as a single lock of her ebony hair was disturbed. The wave passed through her harmlessly, soon reaching Ripley, the wood construction of several nearby shops, and a few pedestrians walking by. In its wake, a super-charged sensation was left behind, as if you were standing too close to an electrical transformer or about to be struck by lightning. The air practically hummed with relentless energy. Anyone within twenty yards felt as if every hair on their body slowly stood on end, the sheer amount of static electricity amplified a hundredfold in a millisecond. As the last remnants of the spell were encoded into my mind, a bolt of lightning did form, to our collective dismay. With my heightened perception ongoing, the crackling bolt slowly streaked downward, heading directly for me. Frozen as I was, I couldn¡¯t so much as flinch to get out of the way. The intense beam was at least three feet thick, a perfectly straight column of energy, unlike the crisscrossing and chaotic instances in slow-motion videos. Unable to react in the slightest, my eyes widened in terror as the lightning slammed into the book resting in my lap. The entire world exploded with a blinding flash as the final vestiges of the spell were seared into my mind. Thankfully, and to my great relief, even though I had clearly been struck by lightning, I didn¡¯t feel a twinge of pain. As color returned to the world around me, we discovered the book had been wholly disintegrated at the lightning bolt''s touch. A cacophony of sound rushed back into my ears as normal time resumed. The diving bird instantly disappeared below the edge of our platform. Stella jumped in fright, her frizzy hair returning to normal. Shocked outbursts rang out around us as the startled passersby flinched by the sudden appearance of lightning. Such an occurrence should not have been possible with the abundance coverage of thousands of giant leaves over everyone¡¯s head. While lightning had never once touched the city, at least nothing above the crown of the forest, it nevertheless did with me at ground zero. Stella reacted quickly to the gasps and, in a playful tone, apologized for the outburst. ¡°Sorry, sorry. We¡¯re just learning a new spell, nothing to worry about. Hunter business and all, we didn¡¯t mean to startle anyone.¡± If she could blush through the hair covering her face, she certainly would have been. ¡°Well, that was something else,¡± I commented in a hushed tone. I didn¡¯t want to attract any more attention than we already had. Lightning bolt was the first average-tier spell we learned through a spell tome. Every other similarly tiered spell came from leveling up so I was curious if what happened here would repeat itself. ¡°Is it going to be like this every time? It felt like time had slowed to a crawl like I became Quicksilver for a hot minute.¡± ¡°Who?¡± Stella asked, obviously unaware of any of the Marvel characters from my past life. ¡°Never mind,¡± I replied quickly, brushing away the question. Stella shifted in mock annoyance before responding to my earlier question. ¡°I think quite possibly so. Learning higher-tiered spell tomes differs slightly from those granted by the System when you level up. With tomes, the stored magic and knowledge of the book are released rapidly, with the end result like what we just saw. This last spell book looked like it was made ages ago, whereas the swarm one looks young in comparison. I suspect the older the tome, the more intense the experience will be, but it is only a guess.¡± ¡°Well, for now, let¡¯s not use another spell book anywhere near people,¡± I stated, still mollified by the earlier outburst that had startled a good number of people. I would hate for a swarm of angry magical bees to frighten someone off the side accidentally!¡± Stella promptly nodded in agreement but didn¡¯t say anything more. Instead, she swiped a paw in the air triggering a prompt to appear. Lightning Bolt, my newest and most potent direct damage spell, was revealed. [Lightning Bolt]. An intense beam of electricity discharges in a straight line away from the caster¡¯s hand, striking any target caught within the three-foot wide column of energy, causing 500 plus 7n damage, where ¡®n¡¯ equals Intelligence. Additionally, struck targets have a high chance of being momentarily paralyzed, the length of which is dependent on the target¡¯s Constitution. Targets incapable of being stunned or paralyzed are unaffected by this ancillary effect. Cost: 200 mana. Cast Time: 1.0 second. Cool down: 1.0 second. Plus 10 feet maximum range, 100 base damage, and 1% additional chance to paralyze per spell level. Note ¨C At the caster¡¯s discretion, the beam of electricity can be terminated at any point, up to the spell¡¯s maximum distance. Additionally, the effect can be bounced off solid objects such as walls, barriers, and similar hard surfaces. While the caster can influence the direction of the ricochet, it is not guaranteed. ¡°Well, I¡¯m glad to see we can truncate how far the massive beam of electricity will travel,¡± I stated, a little taken aback by the impressive damage the spell could dole out. ¡°I¡¯m a little worried ¡®hostile¡¯ is not listed anywhere in the description, meaning I could hit friendlies. Chained lightning had it,¡± I said, pulling up the other spell¡¯s description with a thought. ¡°Yup, it does¡ªno such luck with good ol¡¯ reliable though. We¡¯ll need to be careful. This sure packs a wallop. ¡°Stell, do you know how difficult it will be for me to modify how far the bolt travels? I¡¯m suspecting the bolt will be,¡± I paused for dramatic effect. ¡°¡­Lightning fast.¡± Stella gave me a look which implied, ¡°Really, Xaz?¡± She rolled her eyes before continuing. ¡°It¡¯s not hard at all. When you cast the spell, you can designate how far you want it to go. From what I see, it¡¯s pretty easy to do.¡± Stella was right. Looking inward, I perused the recently acquired mountain of information about the spell. The verbal component, commonly expressed as the words uttered during spell casting, could, in fact, be subtly modified to adjust the range. Mentally reciting the customary phrases, I instinctually knew which syllables and words could be altered to accomplish the feat. ¡°Good. I¡¯m a bit thrilled to try its ability to bounce off of hard surfaces,¡± I voiced while rereading the description another time. ¡°From the wording, if I want it to ricochet in a certain direction, it will. The rebound is probably more predictable against something like a castle wall, but would it be more risky if I fire this off in the middle of a cave?¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s my take on it as well,¡± Stella agreed. ¡°Against something flat, you¡¯ll have easy control over where it goes. But, if you change that surface to something uneven, such as a craggy tunnel, less so. You could very well end up hitting yourself or friendlies.¡± ¡°Yeah, we¡¯re not going to want to do that. The amount of damage lightning bolt puts out is beyond my expectations,¡± I added. ¡°It¡¯s seven times my intelligence stats, meaning when we finally hit our goal of five hundred, not including the already high base damage, it will hit for thirty-five hundred points of damage. One bolt, all by itself, would be enough to kill me if I didn¡¯t have my empowered aegis up. It will get even higher when we earn levels, up another thirty-five hundred points when it reaches level thirty-five. There¡¯s no way I want to be on the receiving end of such a phenomenal blast.¡± ¡°You kind of already were, remember? Duke hit you a high-level bolt, or at least with one closely resembling it,¡± Stella fretted, mirroring my same feeling when I recalled that particular part of the battle.This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. ¡°All the more reason to level this bad boy up as quickly as we can.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t we know it,¡± Stella shot back with a dash of optimism. I was about to pull out the next tome when Stella rushed forward and put her paw on my hand. Looking at her questioningly, she shot me an incredulous look, ¡°Remember, we¡¯re not using this one around¡­ you know, other people. Let¡¯s find a secluded spot somewhere else, yeah?¡± I had forgotten my own desire to do just that but had been distracted by the excitement of seeing how powerful a lightning bolt was. Whole-heartedly supporting her suggestion, we hurried away from Spell Alley. Not long after, three platforms over, we came across a slightly elevated platform, half as narrow as most, angled up to another section of the city. Beyond a few stragglers moving about, it was mostly deserted. Most people had come and gone with lunch, so we were not surprised with how few people were around. As alone as we could reasonably be, it was as good a place as any for what would happen next: learning piercing swarm. Finding an isolated bench a quarter up the ramp, we sat down, Stella landed beside me. Ripley, as ever, stood watch a few feet away. She panned her gaze back and forth, scrutinizing anyone nearby. We were perfectly safe in the city, but her presence and steadfast vigilance always felt comforting. If the exceedingly rare chance someone was up to no good, she had an answer for that too. No one could get the drop on us. I was mostly confident such was the case. Not even a stealthed foe could approach us without detection if they meant any harm. Thanks to Ripley¡¯s permanent AoE buff, anything hostile would begin taking damage if they got too close. While the damage was nothing comparable to my lesser and above DoTs, it was respectable in its own right. It only affected hostile enemies and was otherwise mostly undetectable until it triggered. Ripley¡¯s invisible sphere of protection brought me comfort, and should someone have ill intent towards us, we would get plenty of warning before they got within striking distance. Alone at last, the tome of ¡®Piercing Swarm¡¯ was withdrawn from my inventory. Resting the heavy book on my lap, I examined it. Unlike Lightning Bolt¡¯s timeworn hardcover, which looked like it went unprotected from the elements for decades, if not several hundreds of years, this latest tome appeared to have only been created recently. The taut bookbinding leather was soft and supple to the touch, allowing easy grip. The cover and spine were smooth, without so much as the slightest imperfection usually found on similar books over long years of storage and normal wear and tear. In many ways, the hardcover was pristine. However, the feeling coming off the book was far from comforting. While there was no outward appearance suggesting otherwise, I half expected to see insects flitting around the thing after withdrawing it from my inventory. The sense of foreboding practically oozed from the leather. It was as if a wasp¡¯s nest, with millions of small predators, moved right below the stretched leather. The tome resonated. That was the best way I could describe it. The constant drone¡­ a vibration, alluded to a veritable swarm of angry wasps were moments away from rushing out to dissuade any intruder. Unlike the last book, which had only a single large rune, the piercing swarm was covered by hundreds spanning nearly every inch front to back. Several, the size of post-it notes or stamps, wrapped around the leather binding. Each glowed with a sickly emerald green that seemed to seep directly into the air. Though I had no hope of understanding even the smallest fraction of the multitude of symbols, this book was far more detailed than anything we had ever encountered. The intricate lines of each rune, to our surprise, were not lines at all. Instead, each was comprised of thousands of microprinted symbols, not unlike the tiny script seen on modern currencies back on Earth. To the naked eye, the runes looked nothing out of the ordinary, but, when viewed from inches away, the amount of script tightly packed together was astounding. We would need a magnifying glass to have any chance of making out the tiny symbols. Whoever crafted this book must have unbelievable talent to outshine anything modern microprinters could accomplish. And, we hadn¡¯t even cracked the book open yet! After gazing at the intricate runes for what seemed like several long minutes, I finally flipped open the cover. I was not at all disappointed by what we found. Each and every page was absolutely blanketed with intricate mystic phrases. Not an inch of the delicate papyrus was wasted. Reconsidering the book in my hands, perhaps it was far older than the former lightning bolts tome. It must have taken decades of the utmost precision in craftsmanship to create such a breathtaking item. Either that or a staggering amount of mana must have gone into its meticulous construction. Stella saw the wonder in my eyes and smiled softly, ¡°Magic is something else, isn¡¯t it?¡± With the book unfurled, the ceaseless thrum from before quieted. It was as if the swarm was moments away from lashing out to slay any who threatened the hive. Nothing happened at first, but then small motes of energy began rising from the pages. After reaching an inch off the exquisite paper, each indistinct spark of mana transformed into a ghostly wasp. Even though the apparitions flitted about casually as if without a care in the world, the apparitions didn¡¯t create the slightest bit of sound. Stella lightly swiped a paw through one, but the tiny thing made no reaction whatsoever as her toe passed harmlessly through it. ¡°Magnificent¡­¡± the single word from her mouth was more than enough to describe the wondrous magic before us. With a flex of my will, a System message appeared before me. Do you wish to learn, Piercing Swarm? Yes/No. Selecting ¡®yes,¡¯ like every time before, the pages began flipping of their accord. Faster and faster, as the pages turned, the sensation of learning every minute detail of the spell was markedly different from anything before. It was as if a stream of worker bees flew into my head, coming from all directions, passing through my skull, and wiggling into my brain. Impossibly small on their own, the swarm moved to cluster in a particular area and, for lack of a better description, began erecting a colony. I have no other words to describe the sensation. In my mind¡¯s eye, an infinitesimally small beehive was being established. With each new honeycomb, detailed knowledge about the spell flickered into existence as the insubstantial bees secreted mental ¡®wax¡¯ into countless hexagonal cells. The experience brought not an inkling of pain as the magic of the tome did its work. An intense impression of being guarded by the swarm took shape, as the honeycomb was firmly rooted in my mind. Forevermore, the swarm would respond to my call, and protect me from anyone foolish enough to challenge the hive. As the last remnants of energy were spent, the magnificent tome began to break apart into a million motes of viridescent light. In seconds, the once-majestic tome sparkled through the air before disappearing from view, leaving nothing behind, knowledge inescapably bound to me. We sat in stunned awe for several long moments with only the gentle song cries of birds and the rustling of leaves accompanying us. Stella¡¯s mouth was hanging open, neither of us needing any more words to describe the breathtaking display of magic we just witnessed. Glancing at each other in appreciation, Stella flicked a paw, and a new window opened before us. [Stinging Swarm]. An aggressive horde of incorporeal wasps engulf a target within 100 feet, causing 800 (up from 400) plus 8n damage immediately and then every 6 seconds until the spell expires, where ¡®n¡¯ equals Intelligence. Cost: 300 mana. Cast Time: 1.0 second(s). Cool down: 1.0 second(s). Duration: 84 seconds (up from 60). Plus 10 feet maximum range, plus 80 base damage per spell level. Note ¨C This spell inflicts an unusually high degree of pain to susceptible targets, potentially distracting those of weaker Constitution. However, the spell has no innate ability to impose such a debilitating effect, such as being stunned or momentarily paralyzed. Taking a moment to read and then reread the information floating in front of us, the spell was fairly straightforward. Based on the unique experience of learning it, I almost expected the description to have an equally unique effect added along with it. Blood boil, for example, showered nearby enemies in a defeated foe¡¯s blood, while ignite bones degraded a foe¡¯s accuracy with physical attacks. Most Dots beyond the minor tier had an additional debuff added in conjunction with the damage. ¡°This is all damage and only damage,¡± I observed, my tone both impressed and disappointed at the same time. The disappointment soon passed as I truly considered the staggering amount of damage the spell would inflict to anything, unfortunately enough to feel its sting. ¡°Even the initial impact of the spell will cause more damage than lightning bolt. That¡¯s absurd.¡± ¡°True, but lightning bolt can hit multiple enemies, as long as they are standing neatly in a row. Plus, you can recast it after a short one second delay, endlessly. Well, until you run out of mana, anyway. It is strong, don¡¯t get me wrong. The damage is so much higher partly because the spell¡¯s duration is half of what an average spell usually has,¡± Stella commented, pointing a toe towards the top portion of the hovering window. ¡°I¡¯m confident the spell has increased damage because there¡¯s no additional special effect. Though, it does look like the spell could cause a target to hesitate, flinch, or, if they were smart, to run in terror as ghostly bees continuously harass them.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll have to wait and see, though being ¡®distracted¡¯ seems to be a bit of an understatement,¡± I stated. Overall, Piercing Swarm was a wonderful addition to my repertoire, especially against individual enemies. Something like Pyroclastic Funeral Pyre, with its extra AoE damage, could deal out more damage against a group of mobs, but when it comes down to a single monster, piercing swarm reigns supreme. The rest of the afternoon came and went by mostly uneventfully. We found a few additional workshops but didn¡¯t find anything noteworthy. We roamed through several more platforms, some home to apartment-like dwellings¡ªevery single one created with obvious care and precise planning. The apartments looked more like condos and, from what we overheard, were primarily occupied by both short and long-term visitors to the city. Apparently, we had received quite the honor when Commander Wallace allowed us to settle down in one of the elven homes nestled within one of their sacred trees. Hearing this, I asked Stella to remind me to thank him again for taking such good care of us. ¡°I¡¯m surprised Tallos didn¡¯t mention it earlier,¡± Stella commented as we made our way back to our esteemed dwelling. The afternoon light was beginning to wane and the crisp coolness of night would soon fall. Around us, unnoticed until this point, hundreds of glow lights illuminated. Shining everything below in a pleasant soft yellow glow. Hovering a dozen feet above the tops of the single-story homes around us, we couldn¡¯t get a closer view to see the magic at work in the glass spheres. Inside each was a suspended tiny bead of flame at its center. As daylight faded, the tiny sparks grew proportionally, allowing a friendly glow to wash across the city. When night finally settled, I suspected we would be treated to quite the enchanting sight as everything became bathed in its radiance. An hour before sundown, we returned home. Opening the front door, we spied Tallos reclining back, the wooden chair''s front support legs a foot off the ground. Our friend¡¯s feet were propped casually across the dining room table, his hands held secure behind his neck. His ordinarily smooth hair was tousled and unkempt, a rare occurrence for the normally tidy elf. When he heard our approach, a rakishly wide grin stretched across his face, eliciting a knowing smile from me. ¡°It looks like you had a good time,¡± Stella snickered, not catching onto the obvious. She saw my side-eyed stare and flinched back, ¡°What?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll tell you when you¡¯re older,¡± I replied teasingly. Chapter 98 - Celestial Eulogy Clearly not enjoying my response, Stella narrowed her eyes at me dangerously. There was no genuine malice, or at least I assumed there wasn¡¯t. Seeing nothing forthcoming from her unspoken demand, she turned to glare at Tallos, who wore a bemused smile. He radiated contentment and was equally unbothered. He caught her look and was unperturbed. ¡°A noble elf never tells,¡± he chuckled, closing his eyes once more. ¡°All I will say is I met up with a few good friends from my past. Some were more friendly than others, but that¡¯s the most you¡¯ll hear from me regarding this particular topic.¡± ¡°I¡¯m happy for you,¡± I remarked, genuinely pleased. Tallos looked happier than I had seen him in quite a long while. Seeing contentment flow throughout his relaxed posture, a sad part of me once again considered whether he would remain behind when the rest of us eventually decided to move on from Quarris. Not receiving the reaction she had hoped for, Stella let go of her bluster, conceding whatever secret Tallos and I were holding onto. With a slow blink, she released a long sigh before offering, ¡°I¡¯m happy for you too, Tallos. Care to share anything else about your day?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Tallos replied easily, picking his feet off the table and sitting upright. ¡°I¡¯ll have you know, you both have quite a few friends in the city, the same as me. I met with a tight squad from the Moon Siren. You wouldn¡¯t know them since they left the ship several years before you met Captain Larsa, but just as I knew it would be, any friend of the captain is a friend to every member and former member of his crew. They would like to meet you before the burial if you still plan on attending, as well as after for some fine wine and company afterward.¡± Stella and I looked at one another. She replied for us, as we had already confirmed our desire earlier that afternoon, ¡°We still want to, yeah. Enjoying some friendly company afterward sounds pleasant, too. You can count us both in.¡± ¡°I''m glad to hear it, but more about the ceremony later,¡± Tallos said, moving the conversation to less somber topics. ¡°How was your day? You look like you¡¯ve seen some wondrous things as you explored Quarris. Oh, and remind me to tell you later about Jakob. I need to warn you about his¡­ eccentricities. The crazy bastard had me cast my bramble spell on his, for whatever reason. I can only imagine him demanding you do the same, even though the majority of your spells are far more powerful.¡± ¡°Will do,¡± I chuckled, more than a little curious about eccentric elf. Moving to sit across from Tallos, I glanced at Stella, who moved to hover in the middle of our home¡¯s glorious redwood dining table. ¡°We had an absolutely fantastic day. Didn¡¯t we, Stell?¡± ¡°We sure did,¡± Stella preened. ¡°We got a nice gift for Ripley, Lowki¡­ and you too!¡± ¡°I hope not more spells,¡± he snickered, clearly only half serious. ¡°Besides the eccentric Jakob, my Moon Siren compatriots were astounded and thrilled for me when I shared about the spells we¡¯ve managed to pick up for me, but, I¡¯ll be honest, learning them is quite the ordeal. Hah!¡± Stella and I both inhaled audibly, holding our breaths at his words. Looking at one another, I bit my lower lip, ¡°Yeah¡­ about that.¡± Tallos leaned forward, still uncomprehending before it dawned on him. A mix of enthusiastic eagerness and dreadful worry stretched across his keen features. His lips opened as if he was about to speak, but no sound came forth. ¡°Sorry¡­¡± I uttered, stretching the word out as I reached for my bag of holding. One by one, I placed three tomes on the table. One was the size of a thick magazine, while the other two were thick beasts compared to the first one. Tallos had practically spent every waking moment across to learn what few spells he had in the days leading up to reaching the High Thicket. ¡°You¡¯re kidding me,¡± Tallos articulated very slowly. Stella saddled closer to her worrying friend, knowing the significant time investment we just placed before him. ¡°You did say you loved having spells, right? So Xaz was like,¡± Stella remarked before lowering her voice far deeper in imitation of mine. "''He¡¯s really going to love these then.¡¯¡± Tallos put his elbows on the table before covering his face with both hands. After a long sigh, muffled words echoed between his fingers when he finally replied, ¡°Thanks¡­¡± Stella¡¯s demeanor changed suddenly, and she looked like she had become a dotting grandmother. ¡°You¡¯re welcome!¡± She was obviously hoping to splash joy through Tallos¡¯ tearless lament. He tilted his face up a little, his hands still covering the majority of his face. ¡°I don¡¯t know whether to hug you or strangle you,¡± he said, though I couldn¡¯t place in his tone if he was serious or not. He was making fun. Yeah, I was sure of it. Of course, he was. Stella came to the same conclusion, beaming a brilliant smile at her friend. ¡°So, which one are you going to learn first?¡± she asked as her tail started wagging of its own accord. She must not have noticed it, so tuned into the exasperated elf, as she often tamped down on her tail wags. It was a rare sight. Determined to cheer up her obviously flustered friend, she focused more on Tallos than anything else. With some coaxing, Stella eventually got our ranger friend to loosen up. His demeanor shifted from a cursing student blighted by the absurd length of a class¡¯s syllabus and the mountain of work it entailed to more of a willing participant. Tallos and our resident expert, Stella, discussed the benefits of the three spells: minor barkskin, camouflage, and stalker¡¯s mark at great length. Tallos had more than a few questions and Stella guided him to the best of her ability. She only had her intuition, the short System description offered by the spell tomes, but it was enough for Tallos to come to appreciate what the tomes represented. As well as what they offered. While the two worked, I pulled out several steaming dishes from my bag of holding so we could enjoy a meal together. In the end, Tallos shared he would endeavor to learn Stalker¡¯s Mark first due to the noticeable increase in damage the spell offered, followed by the camouflage tome, with Barkskin pulling up the rear. I was surprised Tallos hadn¡¯t decided to learn barkskin first since the book was tiny compared to the other two tomes. It made sense, though, because, as a ranged combatant, barkskin offered the least benefit, to begin with. Unless he was often engaged by enemies in melee range, a rare feat though it could sometimes happen, increasing his damage and ability to hide was more useful for now. Our conversation about spell tomes shifted from Tallos¡¯ new spells to the unique experiences I had learning lightning bolt and piercing swarm. Tallos stated more than once how envious he was of my Hunter''s ability to learn from any spell tome nearly instantaneously. Eventually, our topic of discussion moved to the approaching elven burial. From what Tallos explained, nearly every elf in the city would be in attendance, and it was apparently quite the experience. When I asked him what we could expect, he was pretty mum in his reply, saying only that he remembered one from when he was a young elf and had been entranced by the event for several days afterward. He wouldn¡¯t share more, saying he didn¡¯t want to spoil anything for us. Caught up on everyone¡¯s day, we agreed to prepare to head out soon. Tallos confirmed the trek to the ceremony was not far away, only a few platforms over. Even Lowki decided to join us. Earlier, when I was pulling out dinner plates, the giant cat sprinted down the lone stairway using the wall as a launching pad to get to his meal that much faster. As always, when food was involved, he was not far behind. As the great cat approached, Stella practically vibrated with anticipation. ¡°We have something for you, Lowki,¡± she proclaimed when her feline friend neared. Lowki took note of her words, altering his course to bring him close to the side of the table where she hovered. Though Stella was surrounded by delicious and aromatic food, which Lowki would normally have already greedily pulled from the table, he instead looked up at his excited friend with sincere curiosity. Pulling a thin bracelet from the air, she moved closer to Lowki, toward one of his four hind legs. ¡°We bought you something special,¡± she added as she clasped the enchanted chain closed. The narrow bangle adjusted its fit, sinching tighter on its own, and was soon lost below Lowki¡¯s dark fur. What followed was an exciting interplay between Lowki and Stella as the cat explored the possibilities opened up to him by its magical properties. Having learned what the bracelet could do with his displacer image, Lowki soon had two mirror duplicates of himself dancing around the living room. His feline eyes were wide, much like a child opening birthday gifts, as he studied the two identical displacer beasts studying him right back. Though anything would pass right through either illusion, nothing gave away, which was the real Lowki. When I turned my attention to Tallos, who watched the exchange, I lost the true displacer beast as the three panthers began bounding all over the small room. What transpired next was a friendly game between Stella and Lowki, in which the cat would move himself and his twin illusions around the room before all three held still. It was then Stella¡¯s job to pick out the ¡®real cat.¡¯ Lowki, never willing to play fair, subtly used the ability afforded by the bracelet to swap places with one of his illusionary doubles. Thus, ensuring Stella never found the right one whenever she moved to where the real Lowki was standing. While the illusions were perfect copies, each able to move independently, very few clues could be identified to spot the real cat. The best hint, we soon learned, was when the three cats flew across the room and bounced off of walls or the few sofas around the room. The true cat, even with his extremely high agility, still imparted some force into anything he touched, shifting it slightly as the three cats stilled. Stella picked up on this and was finally sure she found the real Lowki, who, of course, had already swapped places with a nearby illusion.This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re cheating,¡± she vainly attempted to scold the unbothered panther. ¡°No teleporting!¡± Lowki quickly learned how to move around best, eliminating even those few subtle indications of where he really was. Soon, none of us could identify which two were the illusion and which was the true one. Lowki, when the need arose for him to teleport to avoid Stella¡¯s outstretched paw, didn¡¯t so much as a flicker or indicate in any way the swapping feature had been used. It was a good sign. From what I could gather, Lowki had a sense when his teleports cool down was reset. He rapidly worked out how to best use his new and fascinating bracelet. Thinking upon the gift further, I slapped myself on the forehead. We had forgotten about Tallos¡¯ other gift! The elf had long since ignored the game of tag between Stella and Lowki, investing all his attention into his newly favorite novel. When I gently rested an exquisite leather quiver in front of him, it was the elf¡¯s turn for his eyes to go wide. ¡°Is this what I think it is?¡± he whispered as he reverently picked up the enchanted quiver. He fingered through the multitude of arrows, inspecting each shaft keenly. The fletching easily identified which element was bound within each. Flame arrows were, expectantly, red-tinted feathers. Water arrows were a bright blue; wind arrows had white fletching and earth arrows were dyed green. ¡°If you suspect it¡¯s a magical quiver that allows you to summon not only regular arrows but four elemental versions? Then, yeah, it¡¯s what you think,¡± I teased as Stella joined me at the table beside the excited ranger. Lowki, for his part, continued hopping around the room while directing his illusions with mental commands. The cat was took caught up with his own gift to notice anything else. His antics only served to stretch the smile across my face further. ¡°Thank you, both of you,¡± Tallos said with genuine appreciation. While he undoubtedly was thrilled at our earlier gifts, even though each required a huge investment of both time and energy, his newest gift could be put to use immediately. He swapped out one of his belted quivers with the elemental variant. As we watched, it was apparent he did this because he would need to glance down at the quiver whenever he wanted to pull a specific arrow out. Stella saw him practice pulling out specific arrows when she offered a suggestion. ¡°If you want, you can just think of the arrow you want to retrieve as you reach, and the magic of the quiver will do the rest.¡± Sure enough, Tallos didn¡¯t need to visually verify beforehand which type of arrow he wanted to pull free. With Stella¡¯s guidance, he quickly learned to pull out whatever version he wanted. As a result, Tallos replaced the quiver on his back with the enchanted version since it allowed for one fluid motion to pull, nock, and fire an arrow. For the time being, he decided to keep his other two quivers on his hips but stated he might forgo one or both in the future, depending on how well his new quiver worked out. With sundown eminent on the horizon, we tucked our weaponry away into my bag of holding and headed outside. Closing our door behind us, a large crowd of elves walked in the same direction. Tallos mentioned they were heading to the nearest elevator and the ceremony site. Swiftly joining the throng of people, we moved along silently as the somber mood of the city settled over us. Nearing our destination, an elevator capable of holding upwards of a hundred people, Tallos veered us off to the side, where a small group of elves stood chatting among themselves. Tallos hailed a greeting which was swiftly returned. A few handshakes and introductions later, our slightly larger group rejoined the queue descending to the forest floor. Tallos promised a more formal introduction later, but it was clear everyone was keen to join the outgoing procession. As we descended, the elevator didn¡¯t make even the slightest bit of sound even though a hundred elves were packed closely together. As the platform lowered, the glow lights all around the city dimmed slightly. Combined with the near-total silence, the once optimistic ambiance of the city shifted to match the mood of its citizens. It became a time of mourning. When our lift touched down with a soft thud, the hundred or so elves around us moved wordlessly into a nearby crowd numbering in the thousands. Our small entourage followed along, more than happy to bring up the rear. We couldn¡¯t see anything beyond the packed throng of mourners, but having spotted a wide-open area from above as we descended, we had a general sense of where the burial site was. Seen from above, a square prairie about twenty yards across was reserved for the fallen, devoid of all elves. From what I saw, not a single headstone was within the grass field. Instead, as we would soon learn, elves laid their loved ones to rest with magically blossoming flowers. Being among the last group to arrive at the ceremony, I settled in to remain at the back. We wouldn¡¯t have a clear view, but it didn¡¯t bother me. It was the city, and its many residents, who needed this time to mourn and honor the lives of those lost in the struggle to protect Quarris. We were here to support our new friends through this difficult time. Over the course of the day, I had come to greatly respect the elves of both Quarris and the High Thicket. They were an intensely moral society that lived in complete balance with the forest and all life and called the High Thicket home. The mood of everyone around held a deep melancholy, from the youngest elf to even the oldest elders. The city was harmonized into a singular entity in a way I had never known was possible, let alone experienced. If one individual shed a tear, the gathered felt her sorrow. When a bright memory of a loved one kindled in the mind of an onlooker, the emotion swept across the field like a tidal wave. Their reverence for life was remarkable, and I, too, felt a tear roll down my face. When I felt a teardrop strike my shoulder, I reached a comforting hand to my dearest friend. A slight commotion ahead pulled me from my reverie. Elves were parting in front of us. With gently stretched hands, it looked like we were being invited to step forward. I looked to Tallos, who nodded to my unspoken question, ¡°Should we?¡± Yes, he replied wordlessly, we were. A small part of me wanted to refuse. This ceremony was for the city and its people, not us. What little we did was what any other person would have done, though perhaps not in the face of the terror that was Duke. Nevertheless, my feet followed Tallos as he walked forward. Tears flowed freely from every person we passed. Every elf, as we passed, either offered a soft smile or a slight bow of their head. I realized, in their eyes, that we were not mere visitors to their beloved city. We were trusted friends who answered the call when the city needed it the most. As we continued, the elves stepping aside wrapped behind us as we passed. An open field opened in front of us. Row after row, beds of vibrant flowers bloomed. Roses, tulips, and others I had no name for sprouted at a speed only accomplished through the work of magic. Around us, hands held tightly to loved ones, sorrowful heads rested on shoulders, and friends shared tears. We reached the edge and paused, the way behind us closing around us like the slow crashing of waves. No one stood within the extended grass field. Instead, it was surrounded by more than a thousand elves. Panning my gaze, dozens upon dozens of individual flower beds marked the final resting place of a citizen of the High Thicket. For long minutes, no one spoke. Then, movement from the corner of my eye caught my attention as a robed figure strode forward into the field alone. With their hood raised, I couldn¡¯t identify if it was a man or a woman. When the individual reached the first bed, red roses, they turned around before lowering their hood. It was a woman, an elderly woman with auburn hair and a pleasant face. Her robes were a muted blue. I didn¡¯t recognize her, though she was unmistakably a city elder. With a bowed head at first, she raised her gaze to stare into the eyes of everyone in front of her, ours included. When she spoke, her voice was a sweet sorrowful melody that swiftly touched the hearts and minds of everyone gathered. ¡°Tonight, we say goodbye to our treasured friends and loved ones. Each was a cherished soul who brought profound joy to us all. This evening, we mark their passing into the great forest beyond. As they walk beside the blissful cherrywood and under the lush emerald canopy of the endless unknown, we witness the approaching future because of their sacrifices. Their touch will linger in our hearts, in our minds, and upon each tree within our noble thicket. Death, as we know, is an essential part of life. With their passing, we feel ache and sorrow deep within our beating chests. The loss of those we love never truly fades, yet life, such as the seedlings planted in their honor, moves us forward and brings new joy into our lives. The forest shelters us all, as does the eternal beyond for those free of their mortal coil. We set our roots with their memories in our hearts, rising ever upwards into the light. May we always remember those we have loved and lost.¡± With the final words of the elder¡¯s eulogy, the hands of every gathered elves reached up toward the forest''s crown. Simultaneously, the shining lights from the city dimmed to a barely perceptible level. The beacons of flame no longer appeared in the darkness as miniature blazing suns sent a shower of golden light upon everything beneath. Now, reduced to a mere pinprick of light, it was as if each had become a distant star among thousands in the night¡¯s sky. Darkness didn¡¯t linger long. A lone brilliant petal of the purest light, followed by another, then coming by the hundreds, lifted from elven hands. One by one, each petal shifted from a dazzling white to the full spectrum and color of a rainbow. The gathered crowd was soon bathed in glittering colors as the petals drifted higher as if pulled by a gentle updraft. Soon, the entire forest and idyllic city above was a kaleidoscope of vibrant colors, appearing to me like an ever-expanding firework reaching outward into the sky above. Beside me, Tallos, too, reached his hands above his head. Soon, he had tiny petals of magnificent light rising into the air. Curious if I could add my own mana petals to the memorial, I glanced at Stella. She was staring in awe at the curtain of shifting rainbow light. She saw my questioning look and smiled softly before raising a paw imitating those around us. She nodded once, her eyes filled with happiness. Soon, my hands, too, were stretching toward the sky. Unsure of how to call forth the marvelous petals of light, the twinge of embarrassment starting to form swiftly evaporated as it was replaced by wellspring of energy building within my chest. A tingling sensation unhurriedly traveled from my chest, up my arms, and into my palms. A second later, petals created from my mana climbed high into the sparkling sky. My core resonated and responded to my desire, sending forth an even greater stream of mana as I called upon even more. The next ivory petals created shone even brighter, an augmented brilliance before they, too, morphed into captivating hues of every color imaginable. Each petal became as vivid as a miniature supernova, throwing multicolored light to the far reaches of the seemingly star-filled night. Even though my mana pool dropped at a prodigious rate, I felt no fear nor the slightest apprehension. Standing together, as one, the city''s tears flowing freely and we bid the fallen a final farewell. Chapter 99 - The Bygone Siren Crew Slowly, the appearance of new starlight petals tapered off as the once mighty jets pouring from outstretched hands slowed to a trickle before ceasing altogether. The tens of thousands of summoned petals, having shifted from blazing spotlights to every other color imaginable, continued to float higher, with most now lost to sight behind the dense forest canopy above. Continuing the steady skyward advance, soon, every glowing leaf was far above the city and began spreading in all directions for hundreds of miles. Darkness once more settled over the gathered crowd. The city¡¯s many lamps remained dimmed, no brighter than reserved candlelight. No one stirred, and a distinct feeling that everyone was waiting for something settled upon me. Everyone¡¯s eyes were still trained upwards. Then, something happened. Unseen by any, the last petal summoned halted its ascent and momentarily hovered over the elven city of Quarris. Radiance from within the simple mana construct gathered as the lone petal multiplied into a beautiful whorl of petals, into an intense corolla of light. Brilliance built to a crescendo as the flower burst into a soundless explosion of pure starlight. The shockwave carried no force as the sphere expanded in all directions like a supernova. The spherical wave moved at a prodigious rate, passing harmlessly through the highest buildings in Quarris, the myriads of wooden platforms, straight through the colossal redwood trees, and stretching towards the forest¡¯s floor. Darkness yielded to the brilliance, receding faster than the rising sun. Crashing downward, a part of me wanted to flinch back, but, still, no one cried out in alarm. Not a single look of concern or worry touched the faces of the gathered mass at the encroaching light. Realization struck. The elves had been expecting this. In a flash, the superluminous pulse passed through everyone and everything before disappearing from sight beneath the packed earth below our feet. An unmistakable sense of rightness, of total serenity, flooded into every fiber of my being. Pain and loss were replaced with acceptance. Basking in the feeling, my eyes still trained towards the forest canopy, the hundreds of lamps overhead swiftly transformed from jasmine candlelight to vibrant emeralds and intense jades. The globes of twisting flames shone with renewed radiance as if a hundred identical suns were shining with the color of life. The city, awash in renewed vigor, seemed to pulse like the slow beating of a massive heart. The heartbeat of the forest, once more reborn, signified the end of the ceremony. Finally lowering my eyes, I witnessed as the small dunes of churned earth and dirt quickly sprouted thousands of baby green blades. What would normally take weeks of painstaking growth, the fledgling stalks elongated and broadened to encompass every grave in lush, healthy grass. The hundreds of roses, orchids, tulips, dahlias, lilacs, and other flowers I had no names for similarly proliferated to truly magnificent sizes. The sweet scent of blossoming flowers reached new heights, amplifying the profound sense of life everyone was experiencing. Congratulations! You have been blessed by ¡®Celestial Sepulture.¡¯ Celestial Sepulture ¨C Not many among the many surface races have had the privilege of witnessing an elven ceremonial sepulture. Tales of those fortunate few spread far and wide due to the incredible wonders witnessed as an elven city mourns as one, professing a final farewell to the honored dead. At its conclusion, the minds and bodies of all participants are nourished, emotions touch upon serenity and peace, and perceptions of the approaching future broaden. Congratulations! This blessing has bestowed the following effects for the next 72 hours: +10% to all stats. +25% to natural health, mana, and stamina regeneration. An improved ability to remain clear-headed in stressful situations. An empowered confidence and outlook allowing you to see momentary adversaries as no more than simple obstacles to overcome. Engrossed in the joyous feeling and many possibilities in store for us, I didn¡¯t notice at first as the gathered crowd began to disperse. Thankful laughs and encouraged smiles flourished in the wake of the ceremony. Unrushed, the people of the High Thicket scattered in all directions, heading for the dozens of lifts awaiting to return everyone to their homes. Stella and I found each other¡¯s gazes. Her muzzle was damp with tears, but her eyes held a look of hopeful optimism. Her smile was warm and inviting. I wrapped her in a bear hug, holding her tight to my chest. She responded by pressing her face into me. Lowki brushed against my thigh, indicating he, too, would appreciate some affection. Acquiescing, I knelt and wrapped an arm across his wide shoulder blades as I pressed my head into his neck. The once somber mood of the city had been replaced with sparks of joyfulness and the happy memories of the departed. Standing again, with a firm pat across Lowki¡¯s shoulder, I looked at Tallos before pulling him into an embrace. He accepted appreciatively, and the tether of our friendship deepened. Separating, we noticed a small group of elves approaching from a dozen yards away. With the thinning crowd, Tallos¡¯ friends finally spotted us and moved to rejoin us. ¡°Who was the elder who spoke in the clearing?¡± I asked, hoping to identify the older woman. Her words truly moved me, as she had with many others by the look of it. ¡°Elder Corona,¡± Tallos answered as he waved a hand to his friends. ¡°You¡¯ll see her again tomorrow at the council meeting.¡± Cheers, hugs, and spent tears heralded the reconnection of our two groups, all of us bygone crew members of the noble Moon Siren. Recalling their names from before the ceremony, I more closely examined each in turn. Jakob was an unusually short, dark-haired elf who wore a perpetual smile. He had an air about him like a temperamental teenager on the lookout for the next rush. Leandra was a lithe elf with flowing auburn hair whose eyes seemed focused solely on the smiling Tallos. Seeing the two lock eyes, I smiled inwardly. So, she was the one stealing the majority of Tallos¡¯ attention of late. Phyros was a plain-robed half-elf who had the look of a mage about him. Finally, there was Miya, a muscular heroine clad in scale mail armor the color of mountain green. ¡°Care to join us?¡± Miya asked, the soft chink of metal brushing against metal sounding as she motioned a hand towards the closest lift. ¡°There¡¯s a pub not far from here that is always open to former Sirens such as all of us. We spend most evenings there, recanting stories of old and enjoying a bottle of wine or two.¡± Miya then pointed towards the domineering Ripley and the nimble Lowki as she continued, the collection of scales covering her dark leather armor rippling with the movement. ¡°All are welcome, though we¡¯ve never been blessed with a company such as your noble friends before now. We would be happy to have them accompany us.¡± Lowki barred a toothy smile, which, while slightly horrifying, garnered a return smile from the elven lady. Ripley also responded to the kind words but with only a stoic nod towards her fellow warrior-sister. Whole-heartedly agreeing, Jakob cut in right as Miya was about to say something more. ¡°Excellent,¡± the braggadocious elf said with a clap of his hands, catching everyone¡¯s attention. He walked closer to my side before placing an arm over my shoulder. A friendly sort of fellow, he was. ¡°So, Tallos says you are talented in the ways of magic. Would you do me the honor of casting one of your¡­¡± And, like that, Tallos¡¯ prediction was fulfilled. I played coy at first, but the elf simply wouldn¡¯t relent. The ostensible masochist grilled me on my entire spell repertoire as we stepped on the platform lift. I shot Tallos a look when Jakob asked me for the fifth time to cast one of my newest spells on him, saying he ¡®could take it.¡¯ My ranger friend was of little help and shrugged his shoulders as if jokingly telling me to figure it out myself. Boy, you¡¯re a real help, I told myself, shooting an evil-eye glare in Tallos¡¯ direction. Little did Jakob know, my newest spell, the average-tiered Piercing Swarm, was powerful enough to tear through both my empowered aegis and my far smaller health pool in under two minutes. Considering the elf was only level twenty-one, I had, of course, inspected him. I doubted he had the same level of durability as my ability afforded me.Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. Stella came to my rescue while my so-called friend, Tallos, pitifully attempted to hide a snicker behind Leandra¡¯s face. ¡°Jakob, his newest spell causes enough damage it would likely take down any of you, with only¡­that¡­ one¡­ spell. He will not risk your life, nor any other, to prove your fortitude. Which, I¡¯m sure, is quite extraordinary.¡± While her words sounded genuine, the last bit was accompanied by a discreetly forced smile, signaling to me she wasn¡¯t being entirely honest with him. Jakob¡¯s shoulders fell dejectedly at her words. His eyes drooped at first, yet he quickly shot back up at her apparent compliment. He clearly believed the white lie. ¡°Alright, then what about another¡­¡± he started but was quickly interrupted. ¡°No,¡± Stella stated firmly, indicating the matter was settled. Sadly for her, Stella was utterly unprepared as the elf turned complete attention to her as we ascended the lift. At one point, it sounded as if she was simply repeating the word ¡®no¡¯ repeatedly while gazing skyward. It was like she was pleading for solace from a greater power than herself. The rest of us chatted lightly and shared a few laughs as Jakob hounded the poor pooch. Several minutes later, as we neared our destination, a respectable and quaint pub called ¡®The Siren¡¯s Galley,¡¯ she finally snapped. ¡°Fine!¡± she shouted before swiftly facing the shocked elf. She cocked her head as if fuming. ¡°You stand¡­ right¡­ here. I¡¯m going to confer with Xaz, and if you move¡­ so help me, I¡¯ll¡­¡± She left the implied threat unspoken as if she was begging the elf to do anything other than wait. I couldn¡¯t see her entire face, but I could picture it. A part of me was surprised she hadn¡¯t barred any teeth at the difficult elf. No one would have held it against her after the downright irksome tactics Jakob had attempted to use on her. A stern look splayed across her face when she zipped over to me, indicating that she was not one bit happy. I was about to say something when a message appeared in my vision, catching me a little off guard. Stella: I am NOT saying this out loud so the blasted idiot can¡¯t know what will happen. Xaz: Stella¡­ My message was cut off as I was relaying my thoughts. I wasn¡¯t even sure such a thing could be done as I mentally began typing. Learn something new every day, I reckoned as Stella continued. Stella: I want you to cast¡­ No, dual cast minor restless slumber on the fool. I will brook no argument about this. He called this upon himself and is about to reap his reward. Xaz: But¡­ This time, I wasn¡¯t interrupted by yet another message from the glaring poodle. I had paused after seeing a dangerous narrowing of her eyes, a perilous flair of her nostrils, and a growl that I felt in my chest. As if my words were suddenly caught in my throat, so too had my mental keyboard. As one, we turned to face the shell-shocked Jakob. Stella''s about-face was far faster than my own, indicating her frustration, so I mentally whispered an appeal to whoever might be watching. Seeing his dream about to come true, the foolish elf¡¯s face shifted to a self-satisfied grin as if his opponent had just conceded victory. Whoa, but wasn¡¯t he in for a surprise? Well, perhaps not if my low-tier spell didn¡¯t work anyway. The enchantment might fail outright, likely encouraging him to ask me to try a different one. Ah, so that¡¯s why she wanted me to dual cast it. Such a devilish sphinx, I recognized internally. Holding my hands out in forced submission, I focused on the lanky fellow. Everyone else turned to watch. Jakob wore a simple brown tunic and pant combo with a thick leather belt wrapped around his waist. A pair of half-full pouches sat comfortably over his hips. His tan, open-toed sandals hinted at his uncaring nature. The elf didn¡¯t have a single piece of jewelry. Additionally, he bore no weapons or magical trinkets I could detect. As my hands moved in a synchronized dance, I whispered the words to restless slumber. Even dual cast, the spell¡¯s amplified mana cost would still be nothing but a tiny drop in the bucket compared to my lake-sized power reserves. Heck, the mana would likely be regenerated in less than ten seconds after casting it. Jakob set his feet, imitating a fighting stance, and tensed his body. Being far less stocky than his friends, I doubted activating his core would help much with what was to come. ¡°I can take it,¡± the elf whispered to himself as his eyes took on a serious look. Completing my spell, a ripple of energy reached across the distance between us. Everyone saw as the magic flew true, striking Jakob between the eyes. Straightaway, his eyes rolled back in his head, and as if his marionette strings were cut, Jakob started falling bonelessly to the floor. My eyes widened after realizing the consequences if the spell actually took hold. A large part of me doubted it would, especially considering how often it sounded like the elf tormented spell casters to use him as a walking test subject. I instinctively began reaching out my arms to catch Jakob, even though I was nowhere near close enough to have a chance of succeeding. Stella, pleased by the outcome, crossed her arms over her chest and so much as flinch. Thankfully, someone else among us had been preparing for such an eventuality. Ripley''s intelligence was far higher than implied by her silent demeanor. She was always ready to jump into action. Her movement was a blur as she darted forward when Jakob¡¯s eyes rolled back and caught him before his body reached halfway to the redwood under his feet. As Ripley gently set Jakob down, Stella huffed her displeasure as if perturbed the consequences had not been more severe. She whispered something that sounded awfully like, ¡°You deserved that,¡± or something similar. I turned a wide-eyed stare toward Jakob¡¯s friends, but each only wore an amused expression. ¡°It¡¯s about time someone did that,¡± Miya stated casually, not at all bothered her friend was knocked unconscious. In fact, she looked somewhat entertained. ¡°Phyros, can you please carry him¡­ Err, can you help Ripley as she carries him home so Jakob can sleep off his worries?¡± After putting the irritable Jakob to bed, the rest of the evening turned quite idyllic. Ripley returned with Phyros a few minutes later and joined us inside the Siren¡¯s Galley. The half-elf bartender happily poured us a round of drinks, which I was surprised to find barely contained any alcohol content. I wasn¡¯t bothered as I had never been much of a drinker in either of my lives. Instead, it was just another interesting quirk of the elves fast becoming our friends. The wine was incredibly refreshing, possessing a fruit-forward flavor to it. Even Stella joined the festivities, though she required the wine to be poured into a clay bowl. ¡°Don¡¯t be rude, Xaz,¡± she said after I questioned her request for me to lean across the bar. Apparently, stating she would only lap at the wine if no one could see her doing it, which, of course, was an impossibility. At first, I could only barely hide a smile after she ordered her first bowl from the surprised barkeep. ¡°You know I¡¯m sensitive about these things. Now, cover for me. This smells lovely.¡± I had no idea what sensitivity she was referring to, but I helped her out. Leaning forward on my bar stool, I heard Stella greedily slurp at her wine. Once she finished it¡ªin one go, I might add¡ªshe signaled to the bar elf to remove the bowl so no one could see it. As twilight deepened, friendships were built and then strengthened. Boisterous laughs from rousing and embarrassing tales filled the aesthetic pub. Far later into the evening than I think anyone expected, our two groups parted ways and ventured into the emerald city for our homes. Though our fruity nightcaps were mostly non-alcoholic, Lowki and Ripley helped me steer clear of the platform edge and cross several rope bridges. Tallos, as Stella and I teasingly predicted, left with Leandra about an hour before the rest of us headed home. After the two left, Leandra¡¯s arms wrapped tightly around Tallos¡¯ elbow. The pair had been the butt of quite a few jokes. Apparently, the two were quite the couple aboard the Moon Siren. Leandra had been one of Captain Larsa¡¯s officers, having joined the crew several years before Tallos. It had been quite the sendoff when the lissome elf decided to return home to the High Thicket. Miya shared that Tallos had been depressed for a solid week after she left. Tallos advised on more than one occasion he would find her again once his destiny carried him beyond the Siren. The story surprised me as Tallos never seemed to be in a rush to come here. After joining our fledgling band of adventurers, he seemed content to hunt down Minotaurs and the many other foes we encountered along the way. Miya waved off when I questioned her, saying, ¡°To an elf, time holds little meaning when it comes to the heart. He would have been just as happy to finally see her ten more years down the road, exactly as she would have been. Elven love knows no bounds. One day, they would return to one another.¡± With Ripley¡¯s steady guidance, I greeted my bed with a hearty smile. It felt like falling into the softest cloud, and I was asleep in seconds. Rousing the following morning from my marvelous bed, I was shocked that not a single physical or mental ache rose with me. I would have to remind Stella to have us pick up a case or two of the Galley¡¯s fabulous wine. Drinking as much as we did, I fully expected to wake up with a pounding headache. Mercifully, this is not the case. Sitting at the edge of my bed, I inhaled deeply. The richness of the redwood filled my nostrils, carrying the wonderful scent of nature deep within my chest. Leaves danced outside our windows, the thick bark of the giant sequoias proudly proclaiming their magnificence grown over a thousand years. Stella continued snoozing away despite my movement. Unlike most nights, she had been snuggled up against one of our plush pillows instead of me or Lowki. Looking for the cat, I found him resting, oddly enough, in the hallway. I was surprised he didn¡¯t make full use of either of the other guest beds. Closing my eyes again, I inhaled deeply, feeling completely relaxed as if the woods wrapped around me like a warm blanket. Ready for the day and planned council meeting in the evening, I stretched out my arms as a mammoth yawn escaped my lips. Kinking my neck side to side, I suddenly felt a deep growl in my belly. ¡°Time for breakfast¡­¡± I started but was blown backward into my bed as Lowki barreled into me. He had apparently been waiting for the several hours we slept through for his breakfast. Like any cat, he expressed his displeasure to be kept waiting. We nearly crushed the snoring Stella, thankfully only causing her to yelp out and kick her velvety pillow away in fright. ¡°Xaz!¡± she exclaimed angrily, thinking me responsible for her scare. I was in no position to correct the injustice, buried as I was by several hundred pounds of a thoroughly annoyed panther. Chapter 100 - The High Thicket Brigade Extricating myself from beneath Lowki was no easy feat. Stella flatly refused to provide any semblance of aid, believing I had been responsible for her jarring awakening. Though my strength stat far exceeded a regular human, technically half-human in this case, I was no match for the sheer weight of muscle enjoying himself as I struggled underneath. Eventually, I was able to move my head just enough for me to call out for Ripley¡¯s aid. ¡°Ripley¡­¡± I labored to say. One of my hands was hopelessly pinned against the side of my body, while the other could do little more than flailing about uselessly. ¡°Help¡­ move¡­ Lowki.¡± The hard thud of her plated boots heralded relief as her approach finally convinced my so-called panther friend to release me from my forcible confinement. Using my body as a launching pad, to my dismay, Lowki sprung away. Sitting up, I gasped for air. Trying to catch my breath, it had felt like the fat cat had nearly collapsed my lungs with how heavy he was. Initially, I debated corrected Stella on her misplaced grievance about who truly disturbed her precious slumber, but thought better of it. She wouldn¡¯t believe me anyway. Reaching the inescapable conclusion I was ¡®always at fault,¡¯ I instead shifted to the topic that caused this mess in the first place. Fast promising to cook up some breakfast for us all, I got out of bed. Well, in actuality, I would be simply pulling some food from my spacial inventory. Lowki excitedly beamed a toothy grin back at me before he bounded down the stairs with only a glance back, ensuring we were following. Of course, everyone knew I wouldn¡¯t be cooking anything, but the distinction didn¡¯t bother the ebony panther in the slightest. Passing through our well-stocked kitchen and into the dining room, I pulled out one of the ornate chairs before taking a seat. In moments, I retrieved a casserole from my inventory brimming with honey-glazed meat kebabs. Most of the skewers only had cooked chicken pieces, though several at the bottom of the pile did have a mix of roasted vegetables such as onions, bell peppers, and a few thick slabs of tomatoes. Knowing Lowki was a moment away from impatiently grabbing a mouthful, skewer, and all, I withdrew the large plate we used for such an occasion and slid off the meat from four of the chicken-only skewers atop it. Sliding it across to the end of the table where Lowki waited, he instantly devoured the lot of them. Stella had me place two meat and vegetable skewers on her plate but declined my offer to slide off the portions, saying, ¡°I am more than capable of doing it myself, thank you very much.¡± Shrugging, I helped myself to four mixed vegetable and chicken varieties. With my two friends contently munching away, I did have to restock Lowki¡¯s empty kabab plate a couple of times. Soon after, I realized Tallos was nowhere to be seen. He likely spent the entire evening with Leandra, the lucky dog. I was only moderately jealous, but I wasn¡¯t about to tell anyone that. Tallos would have to find his own breakfast, meaning all more for us. We had more than enough, of course, but surprisingly, we still quickly emptied the dish of the flavorful treats in record time. Stella¡¯s paws were an absolute mess and necessitated a thorough washing afterward. ¡°So, what do we want to do today?¡± Stella asked afterward, having moved to lounge in the middle of our solitary couch. She beat Lowki to it, who seemed to snicker at her before bounding up the stairs. There was enough room for both of them, but apparently, he had wanted it all to himself. With a loud crash, his quarter-ton weight slammed onto one of the upstairs beds, causing an inordinate amount of dust and wood shavings to sprinkle down from the ceiling. ¡°Well, it sounds like the council meeting is a couple of hours before sundown,¡± I replied, rinsing the last stickiness from my hands under the kitchen sink. How the elves managed to get flowing water, I hadn¡¯t the slightest clue, but it was appreciated nonetheless. ¡°We could explore more of the city, see if there is anything else of note to pick up, or¡­ we could simply relax until Tallos meets up with us. Didn¡¯t he say something about meeting us for lunch, or was it dinner?¡± ¡°Lunch,¡± Stella replied succinctly before nuzzling her face into a fluffy bath towel she pulled out to dry herself with. When she came back up for air, she plopped down on it before continuing indifferently. ¡°I¡¯m down for whatever.¡± ¡°I wish we could open these enchanted windows,¡± I commented as the motion of the leaves outside caught my eye. ¡°It would be nice to get a breeze through here.¡± Stella called out to Ripley, standing guard near the front door, and asked her to prop it open. Soon enough a cool draft wafted into our lovely home, bringing a delightful scent of pine. Thanking Stella, I joined her on the comfortable couch. ¡°This could be our last day in the city,¡± I admitted, thinking forward to what was to come after our council meeting later in the day. ¡°I¡¯ve thoroughly loved our stay here. It¡¯s been wondrous. But I¡¯m not going to lie; I¡¯m pretty hesitant to stay longer. Simply because of our presence, we¡¯re keeping the city in harm¡¯s way. Very soon, Duke will bind with his new Accelerator, right? A strong part of me doesn¡¯t want to be anywhere near here because of this eventuality.¡± ¡°I feel like we should stay in and enjoy the rest of the morning,¡± Stella announced as she stretched out across her wide section of the couch, pushing the damp towel to the floor. Funny enough, she was somehow taking up more room on the leather couch than I was. She was taking up even more room than I was somehow. ¡°Plus, I don¡¯t think we have much in the way of trade even if we did find something. Let¡¯s relax and enjoy the comfort and hospitalities of our amazing accommodations. We can decide this afternoon if there is something else we want to do.¡± ¡°Sounds like a plan,¡± I smoothly agreed, leaning further back into our wonderfully cozy sofa. The tanned animal hide was buttery smooth, provided ample support, and swaddled us like a warm blanket. Something we hadn¡¯t done in what seemed like a long time. We did nothing. Not a damn thing beyond comfortably relaxing as the blissful morning passed by around us. At one point, Stella took a nap, wrapping her small body around the back of Ripley¡¯s neck and board shoulders. At one point, as I fiddled through my Hunter interface, I noticed how close I was to my next level. Surprisingly, only a few hundred more experience would elevate me to level twenty-six. Fighting just about anything would push me across the threshold. At twenty-six, the System would offer me the choice between three new spells, all within the average tier. Perhaps it would offer even the rare skill, yet, at this point, I was far more interested in acquiring new methods of slinging powerful magic. Perhaps we could go out for some light hunting, just about anything would put me over the edge. Yet, it was for naught when I recalled that hunting in the forest was strictly forbidden. Even if we decided to head to the northern boundary, with a good portion of the morning already behind us, it was unlikely we would make it time for the council meeting. I wasn¡¯t about to chance missing it. We were receiving a reward for our aid to the city, after all. With roughly an hour before lunch, perhaps longer depending on when Tallos got back, there was nothing to do, so I decided to run through a calming and regulation exercise I was taught in my past life. Planting my feet on the floor, I purposefully sat up straight, straightening my back and lifting my chin. Closing my eyes, I shifted my weight with my glutes, back and forth, while similarly raising and lowering my legs one at a time. Next, I inhaled slowly through my nose and exhaled through my mouth while focusing on the present. Combined with the celestial buff from the night before, I found the practice extraordinarily easy to accomplish as my emotions came into balance. A sudden noise from a nearby desk brought me from my grounding techniques. Opening my eyes, I found Stella rifling through several of the drawers. She must not have found anything of note as she next flew over to an exquisite cabinet next to the deck, swinging the doors. I was not sure what she was looking for, but she would most certainly tell me in due time. I closed my eyes once more and shifted to meditating. With a calm center, I mentally pictured myself sitting on a beach with ocean waves gently crashing nearby. While imagining the scent of salt on the wind, along with the soft rustling of leaves, my attention was pulled right back to my dear friend as she happily exclaimed. ¡°Eureka!¡± Opening my eyes once more, Stella collected a square tin with her paws before hurrying with it wrapped against her chest to the dining room table. ¡°Xaz, get over here. Look what I found,¡± she said excitedly. I could only imagine what she got her grubby paws onto, especially considering how animated she became all of a sudden. My curiosity piqued, I doubted it was food or some tasty treat as our bellies were still more than satisfied from our plentiful morning meal. Perhaps there was an interesting trinket or magical bauble? Promising myself I would return to my meditation if whatever she found wasn¡¯t worthwhile, I nonetheless sat up and moved to join her. The simple act of sliding my chair across the wood floor brought Lowki bounding down the stairs, his expression excited at first as if it was lunchtime. Seeing nothing of the sort, Lowki disappointedly walked over to the couch and flopped down.If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Smiling to myself at the cat¡¯s antics, he was always hungry. I reoriented on what Stella had in her paws. Turning the tin over, several stacks of what looked to be playing cards spilled across the table. Card games were an enjoyable pastime, so I was more than content with checking out what she found. To see what we were dealing with, Stella giddily spread the entire collection haphazardly across the table. Picking one up, each card looked made of wafer-thin sheets of wood, almost like tightly pressed cardboard. Each was smooth and as pliable as a typical playing card. The cards were flexible and could bend slightly without much fear of snapping it in half. The back of the card held a glossy, hyper-realistic rendition of the bark of the majestic giant sequoias throughout the High Thicket. With the thickness of less than a quarter millimeter, had I not known better, I would have believed these cards had actually been created by modern-day presses. With magic so prevalent, especially among the elves residing within this magnificent forest, I was confident the mystic arts had been put to good use in creating them. Much like standard playing cards, with rounded corners and straight edges, I was taken aback at its immaculate condition. It looked brand new, without the slightest wear or tear you would expect with how carelessly the cards had been stored. Picking up several others, each was in the same remarkable condition. ¡°I bet these would have been graded gem mint,¡± I said under my breath, thinking back on the modest collection of graded cards I acquired in my past life. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Stella asked as she too closely inspected a small number of cards. Even though she had no thumbs, she still had no problem holding a handful with her paws. ¡°Never mind,¡± I casually dismissively. ¡°Stella, these are incredible. The detail is amazing.¡± The front of each card held an artistic rendition of animated woodland animals, such as a frolicking deer, a pouncing fox, or a grumpy-looking bear. Others held far less friendly creatures, such as oddly grotesque monsters and monstrosities. Beyond creatures, a good number of the cards flaunted strikingly beautiful habitats and environments, such as vast lakes, budding forests, serene grasslands, wavy prairies, jagged mountain ranges, or snow-covered wildernesses. The plentiful beasts and differing environments were no less detailed than the unique complexities of the furrowed redwood bark on the opposite side of the cards. ¡°What do you think the game is called?¡± Stella asked in wonderment. Each of the hundreds of cards spread out before us was a stunning work of art that would surely impress even the most ardent of modern-day art collectors. Looking at me with a vibrant smile, she asked eagerly, ¡°Can we play?¡± I chuckled before responding, ¡°We don¡¯t even know the rules.¡± ¡°Not to bother. We can make them up as we go. Please, Xaz!¡± Stella said as she put on her best ¡®puppy dog eyes¡¯ in a charismatic attempt to persuade me. ¡°I will be fun. Pleeeaaasssse?¡± ¡°Alright, I guess,¡± I agreed while pretending to be only mildly interested. In truth, collectible card games were a favorite pastime of mine. As I examined one card after another, my mind fondly recalled a particular entertaining card game involving strategy, fantastical beasts, and lands of power. ¡°First, let¡¯s separate these into two decks. One for you, and one for me¡­¡± And, so it went for the next couple of hours as we created what soon became known as the ''high thicket brigade.¡± Stella came up with the name, mostly because of the redwood bark proudly displayed on the back of each card. The many rules of play were agreed upon slowly, foremost the necessity to ¡®play¡¯ a habitat card before we could summon a beast or monster. In order to summon a creature, it must have been reasonably agreed it could live within what biome we had on the playing field. Each turn we would draw a card and work towards building an army to fight against the other army. For example, a grizzly bear couldn¡¯t be played if you only owned a lake, but a river would do fine. For the more extreme creatures, Stella actually pulled something resembling a titanic dragon, of all things. We argued back and forth, finally agreeing she needed at least four or five habitat cards to summon it because of how powerful it looked. From there, our creatures would fight against whatever the other person had on the table or, if nothing remained, the other player. We were heading into our fourth game, with Stella surprisingly lucky enough to win the last two, when our front door opened, and in walked Tallos. ¡°You two look to be having quite a bit of fun,¡± our friend called out as he pulled up a chair. Unlike yesterday when the elf sauntered in from an entertaining escapade, today his hair was neatly combed, and his clothes looked spotless enough to have been professionally dry-cleaned. Over the top, he still wore his hardened leather armor, but it wasn¡¯t unusual, considering everyone else in Quarris was similarly geared. The city had come under attack only a couple of days prior, after all. Tallos, like last time, wore a happy-go-lucky smile and an affable look about him. Stella''s attention returned to her hand before a distressing thought crashed through her. Eyes going wide, she shot a look to her friend with a question desperately needing an answer. ¡°Tallos, can we keep these when we go?¡± she asked, indicating the cards in her hands and the decks in front of us. ¡°We found them over there in a tin. Please, please, can we keep ¡®em?¡± Apparently, she was pretty worried we would have to give back her new favorite game and was none too happy about the prospect. I couldn¡¯t blame her. I was getting into it myself. Tallos chuckled, more than familiar with Stella¡¯s eccentricities. ¡°Of course, you can, Stella,¡± he answered reassuringly, spreading his fingers out placatingly. ¡°Other than the furniture, for obvious reasons, everything else is yours if you want it. Until we decide otherwise, this home will be reserved for us alone.¡± He tilted his head, looking at the game on the table between us, before continuing with a slightly confused expression, ¡°Though, I¡¯m not sure you¡¯re playing it correctly. From the look of it, I doubt you know the first thing about its many rules. But¡­ if you two are enjoying it that much, there is a couple of shops I can take you to who specialize in creating these cards if you want to pick up more.¡± Stella¡¯s eyes shone brightly at his words, cracking a wide smile before she promptly turned to me. ¡°We¡¯re totally going there, right? Well, right after I sweep you for a third time.¡± ¡°Oh, no, you won¡¯t,¡± I countered, bucking down and reviewing the half dozen cards in my hand. Tallos watched along as Stella amassed a small army comprised of an enormous bone-spiked badger, a flying quadruped amalgamation of a scaled lizard and ruddy seagull, along with several adorable squirrel ¡®generals,¡¯ as she called them. Tallos had made a single attempt to explain how the game was supposed to be played but was immediately shushed by the concentrating Stella. ¡°We like our rules, thank you very much,¡± Stella snapped before her dastardly opponent played a card, summoning a colossal dinosaur looking not unlike a Giganotosaurus. She hesitated, intently studying my side of the board as if trying to come up with an argument about how my three mountains, two plains, and three forests couldn¡¯t possibly be enough to beckon such a titanic beast. She met my eyes and narrowed her eyes, seeming to believe I had cheated somehow. ¡°Care to surrender?¡± I teasingly answered. For a second, a devilish look flashed across her face like she was a second away from flipping the table. I had no idea how she could have managed such a feat with the table weight a hundred times as much as she did, but it was an entertaining thought. Stella thought better of it, thankfully, and laid down the rest of her cards in surrender. With that, it was two games to two. I could live with that, though I could tell that Stella was going to hound me for another game as soon as possible. ¡°You guys hungry?¡± Tallos asked innocently as we collected our cards. At his words, Lowki¡¯s massive head shot up from the couch, his eyes shining toward the lean elf like heat-seeking missiles. Tallos recognized his mistake immediately, doing his best not to make eye contact with the ravenous panther. At this point in our creation of the ¡®high thicket brigade,¡¯ the pair held a deck of around a hundred cards. Wanting to separate them, we placed Stella¡¯s in another tin found in the kitchen and kept my set in the original. Slipping both into my bag of holding, Stella asked Tallos if he could show us to the card shops he mentioned earlier. ¡°Well, that and somewhere to eat, of course.¡± Locating the two shops was easy with Tallos as our guide. At Stella¡¯s insistence, we purchased nearly five hundred cards for a couple of gold pieces¡ªa steep price considering we only had a handful of the golden coins left. She brushed aside my concern with the cost saying it was more than worth it. ¡°We have all the time in the world together, so we might as well pick up as many as we can, seeing as these can only really be found in elven settlements. We have more than enough now, so quit complaining,¡± she muttered after I gave her an incredulous stare. I would have been happy with maybe a twentieth of what she picked out and told her as much. ¡°Oh shush, you know you¡¯ll enjoy going through these together.¡± Stella wasn¡¯t wrong. I was looking forward to more games with her down the road. She was happy, so it was worth the price. The matter settled; we went on the look for lunch. Considering most of the city were vegetarians, it was a harder prospect than locating the two specialist stores. ¡°There¡¯s a pair on the higher levels I know of,¡± Tallos offered, pointing several levels above us. ¡°They¡¯re somewhat near the elder chambers anyways, so I say we head there.¡± Sounding as good a plan as any, we worked through the myriads of platforms, lifts, and countless rope bridges. Stella sat on my shoulder, suspiciously appearing to be doing nothing. Yet, from the corner of my eye, I noticed as she subtly swiped a paw to the side. It could only mean one thing. She was going through the new cards without me! ¡°Stella!¡± I blurted, shocked to find her cheating. ¡°We said we were going to do that together!¡± Stella, clearly shocked her pathetic act of deception had been caught, at first denied my accusation. ¡°What are you talking about? I was just¡­ checking a menu, that¡¯s all,¡± she deflected pathetically. Before I could reach up to grab her, she veritably sprinted through the air, crashing into Ripley for protection. ¡°Why, I would never¡­¡± Stella said as she It was my turn to narrow my eyes as I contemplated her cheating butt. Chapter 101 - Meeting the Elder Council Eventually, Stella relented and apologized for peeping into our newly acquired Brigade cards. It took some convincing until she promised not to look through them without me. She tried to argue there was no harm in her peeking, yet something in her tone still seemed a little fishy. Probing deeper, I asked if she had done anything other than taking a ¡®quick look¡¯ as she put it. Stella scrunched up her face in an overly dramatic confusion before repeating the question back to me as if she didn¡¯t understand. ¡°Did I do anything other than look? No, of course not,¡± she replied before turning away from me a bit too swiftly. She was sitting on Ripley¡¯s right shoulder and, for the next few moments, seemed to make a concerted effort not to look me in the eyes. She was being evasive. I knew it for a near certainty. An easy way to tell someone is lying is when they innocently repeat your question. It buys the brain time to conceive a fabrication, a lie. Sneaking up behind her, I lightly tapped Stella¡¯s shoulder before snatching her away from Ripley. Holding her near my chest, it was my turn to give her an overly dramatic look. ¡°Really?¡± I asked, lifting a single eyebrow and cocking my head to the side. Spooked, Stella attempted at first to refuse yet again, but, as cornered as she was, she relented. ¡°Okay, okay,¡± she squirmed out of my grasp, now hovering a few feet before me. Once she budged to leave, I didn¡¯t put up any resistance. ¡°I may have¡­ also put a few aside. Just the ones I thought were really cool. You know, for research purposes. I was going to put them back.¡± ¡°Uh-huh. Well, since you took cards before we looked at them together, as we agreed, those cards belong to me now,¡± I responded firmly, needing to nip this in the bud. The tone in my voice brooked no argument as I pulled up my inventory window. Tucked near the bottom, I wasn¡¯t sure how she managed such a thing as everything inside should normally auto-sort itself. ¡°Cheating has consequences, my dear.¡± Tallos silently snickered at my side, prompting Stella to glance in his direction quickly. It was his turn to avoid eye contact, clearly not wanting to participate in whatever new odd situation his two friends found themselves in. Stella huffed a few times, seeming hopeful I would change my mind. Seeing her cute temper tantrum not having the desired effect, Stella moved on and asked, ¡°So, what¡¯s for lunch? Hopefully, someplace nice with some grilled chicken.¡± As we were in a section of the city we had not been to before, we looked to our elven guide for recommendations. Unfortunately, my sinking suspicion we wouldn¡¯t be lucky enough to find another caf¨¦ selling saut¨¦ed meat was swiftly confirmed. ¡°What do you mean there are none around here?¡± Stella pleaded, unwilling to accept the truth of the matter. We had, after all, had a hard enough time finding them yesterday and we had explored quite a bit of the city. Ultimately, we stopped at a lovely little diner Leandra had taken Tallos to his first night in the city, a quaint place known as Queen¡¯s. The casual caf¨¦ had a warm and inviting ambiance, with most of the tables outside under the forest canopy. Sadly, to Stella¡¯s dismay, the small restaurant specialized solely in the elven vegetarian diet. The same as most eateries within Quarris. With no other available option, she relented but not before swearing me to let her snack on some smoked jerky after we left. Reminding Stella she could have a snack whenever she wanted, we reviewed the menu together. Stella¡¯s dejected outlook was swiftly changed however after hearing about the delicious dishes the place had to offer. Excitedly, Stella ordered a bowl of plant-based noodles made from buckwheat and a red cabbage salad with ginger vinaigrette dressing and homemade croutons. Not thinking overly much about it, I followed her lead and ordered the same thing from the waitress. Let¡¯s just say neither of us was displeased with the decision. Lowki, for his part, flatly refused to join us after seeing plates full of layered greens. Instead, in an overly melodramatic display I might add, he huffed his way over to a nearby bench to wait. Ripley, not needing any form of sustenance, unobtrusively moved a small bit away to enjoy her favorite pastime, standing watch. As we ate, Tallos, Stella, and I discussed the upcoming meeting with the city¡¯s elders and what we could expect. Tallos didn¡¯t know exactly how the council was run in Quarris since this was also his first time visiting the tree city but he was able to shine some light on the subject based on his knowledge from his home city of Kelewithe. According to him, most elven settlements were organized similarly with only small differences from one to another. ¡°There had been a severe disciplinary assembly many years ago now when a half-elf was discovered hunting wild game within the forest. As you know, such an act is strictly forbidden,¡± Tallos explained in between bites of his kale quinoa salad. ¡°I was too young to attend, but a friend shared afterward how the accused was required to stand in the middle of the chamber, with the twelve residing elders sitting in a semi-circle around him. Apparently, the position was quite intimidating as, in this case, the half-elf¡¯s indifferent demeanor quickly shifted under their withering glares. In the end, he confessed and stated he would accept whatever punishment they decided to levy against him. I don¡¯t recall exactly what happened, but I never heard of him again.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mean they took care of him,¡± Tallos added after seeing a worried expression form on Stella¡¯s face. ¡°They exiled him. You have nothing to worry about. Plus, you¡¯re going to be honored so it¡¯s fine. They only want to express their gratitude for what we did.¡± ¡°You specifically mention twelve elders. Does the number carry some special significance?¡± I asked, bringing the topic back on track to what we might find in only a couple of hours. ¡°Yes, it does,¡± Tallos replied as the waitress returned, seeing if we needed anything else. Tallos ordered a round of the caf¨¦¡¯s specialty, silver tips tea, before returning to my question. ¡°Like my hometown of Kelewithe, the elder council is divided into four seasons. Each season, spring, summer, fall, and winter, has three elders. Combined, they are the ruling body for Quarris and this section of the High Thicket. Whichever season we¡¯re in grants the corresponding three elders the title of Head Elders. During their three months, the Head Elders are granted the authority to make most of the decisions impacting the city. At the start of each season, one elder is voted Chief Elder by all the others and essentially functions as a tiebreaker should the need arise. There are many more intricacies with how it works, but I won¡¯t bore you with those right now. When it comes to us, the three fall elders will be taking the lead. I suspect one of the topics you¡¯ll have the council discuss is what Quarris will do about Duke, right?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± I answered before pausing to sip at my piping hot tea. It was surprisingly flavorful, containing a sweet floral and herbal note within. I didn¡¯t usually take to teas since, according to my limited palate, it felt like drinking a watered-down beverage. Queen¡¯s specialty, however, was quite divine. ¡°Do you think they¡¯ll mobilize a large force to go after him?¡± ¡°More than likely, no. At least, not an overly large contingent,¡± Tallos responded with a shake of his head. ¡°Smaller war parties are sometimes sent out to hunt down a dangerous criminal, like in this case, but it¡¯s almost unheard of for more than a few dozen to be sent. With Duke''s power, I doubt the council will send out such a force, though. I¡¯m quite certain we¡¯ll continue to be granted safe haven and free to stay as long as we choose. So, if Duke were to return, I guarantee the entirety of the High Thicket will be levied against him. We protect our own, including our guests.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what worries me,¡± I said with a dejected sigh. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be responsible for any more deaths. Duke is hunting me¡­ hunting Stella. Elves would only be collateral damage to his tyranny.¡± The fear of Duke hurting others because of me didn¡¯t sit right with me. It would be all too easy to lay back and wait for Duke to trudge on back, thus forcing the elves of the High Thicket to defend me. While I would undoubtedly be at the front of any such engagement, such a tactic would certainly cost elven lives. Who was I to put these people at even greater risk? Sure, we helped push Duke back when we arrived but, as far as I was concerned, the city wasn¡¯t obligated to send more soldiers into harm¡¯s way for me. At the same time, did we have any alternative? Duke was a powerhouse and may have been able to destroy this entire forest city on his own. Without a miracle or an incredible amount of good luck, I feared we were nowhere near strong enough to take the battle against him by ourselves. Even if we decided to focus entirely on reaching the maximum level as quickly as possible, would we be enough? At this moment, I didn¡¯t think we could considering how close he was to defeating us last time. Time, that¡¯s what we needed, and as much as we could get. ¡°Do you think the council knows how far away Duke¡¯s settlement is?¡± I asked trying to figure out just how much time we could have before the Hunter made another appearance. ¡°Most likely,¡± Tallos answered. ¡°While elves generally remain within their forest, we do send out a great number of scouts to the surrounding countryside to identify potential threats. Duke, I think we can all agree, would certainly fit such a designation.¡± ¡°To beat the man, we need four things to have any hope of coming out victorious. First, we need more time. We¡¯re not ready to face him, but we¡¯re getting closer to that mark day-to-day. With more time, we should be able to raise our levels to the world¡¯s maximum, thus leveling the playing field as much as possible. That¡¯s number two. Third, we needed help, as much as we could get. Finally, we need a defensible location to withstand his inevitable assault,¡± I stated after some internal deliberations. An idea was sparking to life in my mind, though it seemed a wild gamble at best. Maybe we didn¡¯t need to involve all the elves in the High Thicket. Perhaps a few would do, something like the war party Tallos mentioned. Thinking further, didn¡¯t we already have a defendable location we could use against the traitorous Hunter? Perhaps¡­ there was a way to mark off all four goals. With a little help, it could work. ¡°You know, I think I have an idea,¡± I announced with a touch of optimism. My friends, seeing my mind working, waited patiently as I rifled through the possibilities. ¡°Here¡¯s what I¡¯m thinking¡­¡± A half-hour later, having worked out the particulars of my proposed plan with Stella and Tallos, we were of like mind. There was a sense of confidence knowing we had a firm plan of action. For the longest time, it felt as if we were just following a few days behind Duke as he moved from one slaughter to the next. Now, we had a plan to bring him to us. We still had a few topics to address during our meeting with the city¡¯s elders, yet in many ways, regardless of whatever was decided, whether they helped us or not would only affect the timeline of our final showdown. If the elders agreed with everything, perfect. Their support would make a world of difference. If they refused, I would not hold an ounce of animosity for the decision. The one topic we didn¡¯t discuss, at least not yet, was whether Tallos would be leaving with us. I avoided that particular topic like the plague, as a part of me feared he found happiness with Leandra and would be staying behind. Not speaking any of these inner thoughts aloud, I decided to wait until after the meeting to have a heart-to-heart with my elven friend. ¡°Alright,¡± I remarked once we were all in agreement. Pumping my fist in eagerness, I turned to Tallos. ¡°So, before we make our way to the council, is there anything else we should know?¡± ¡°Not much, other than the obvious,¡± Tallos replied. ¡°Be honest and respectful. It should really be that easy. Oh, one other thing, they may have questions about your motivations for hunting down Duke, so be ready to talk about what he did to you and your parents. I almost forgot to mention this as I didn¡¯t want it to come as a shock to you when we got there. While everything should go rather smoothly, in the end, they may decide not to help us. So, be prepared for that. The council does what¡¯s in the best interest of the city and the forest, first and foremost. ¡±If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. ¡°I understand, and I hope they will. We could really use their support in this,¡± I admitted honestly. Handing our empty plates to the waitress as we stood, along with a generous silver coin as a tip, we left the fantastic caf¨¦ and gathered up the sleeping Lowki. Our final destination for the day, the Chamber of Elders, was only a few tiers above. Walking through yet another set of stairs built within a giant sequoia tree, we found ourselves perhaps only fifty feet under the topmost crown of the forest. Standing up ahead, we, at long last, saw the grand cathedral for ourselves. Having heard so much about the place from Tallos, the architectural design of the place was impressive, to say the least. It seemed to be straight out of a fantasy painting from Lord of the Rings. The massive building was several hundred feet tall and, along with the platform supporting it, was entirely an alabaster white color. Far unlike any of the thousands of tons of reclaimed wood used throughout the rest of the city, the elder¡¯s chamber stood in stark contrast against the explosion of reds and greens throughout the forest. Somehow it shone like a beacon in the daylight with an ordinary and monotonous color. I had no way to explain the extraordinary vibrancy coming from the place. Whatever achieved the effect, it did spectacular wonders in amplifying the colossal majesty of what could have been easily mistaken for an elven palace fit for a king among kings. ¡°Magnificent¡± was the only word I knew, which only barely touched the grandeur resting before us. Nothing else seemed to do it justice. I could spend years studying the building and would barely scratch the surface of all the inconceivable sophistication given form through its amazing architectural design. Flying buttresses, delicate corner spires, themselves reaching hundreds of feet into the sky, and intricately carved support columns enhanced the feeling of illustriousness permeating from every intricate nook and cranny of the grand cathedral. A central gable at the top of a domed roof proudly displayed the only object not pristinely white, at least on the outside of the Elder Chamber. Atop the triangle-shaped gable appeared to be a living tree and was strikingly similar to the many giant sequoias all around us but extremely small in comparison. Roots from the still-mighty trees stretched below it like a spider¡¯s web before disappearing into the ivory dome beneath it. The elven palace was everything we were expecting and so much more. Tallos walked between us, placing an arm over my shoulder and an arm on Stella¡¯s back, his smiling radiant as our own. He made eye contact with me before motioning with his head for us to proceed to the decorative front portal, where a pair of well-armored elves stood watch. Both wore full plate armor similarly dyed as the building they guarded. Alabaster tower shields rested comfortably at their sides, emblazoned with a tree similar to the one growing high above us on the dome roof. Each guardian bore a silver-hilted longsword held securely within ornate scabbards at their hips. Neither donned a plate helmet so their carefree smiles easily reached out to us as we approached. ¡°Hail,¡± Tallos called out first in greeting. ¡°Welcome, ranger Tallos, Hunter Xaz, Accelerator Stella, guardian Ripley, and companion Lowki,¡± the right guardsman replied with a salute over his chest. The elf¡¯s melodic voice instantly soothed what had been a budding sense of anxiety that had been going unnoticed inside my stomach. It would seem a part of me felt undeserving of being invited to such a place. The guard continued, unaware of the support he had just given me. ¡°The council is awaiting you. Please head inside to the next set of doors. Until you are called inside the chancel, please feel free to relax in the garden in the right alcove.¡± As one, the two guards moved to open the dozen-foot-tall double doors. Being so much closer than before, my eyes widened upon seeing both had been expertly carved in exquisite detail. As if the two doors were one large wooden sculpture, they combined to show a realistic depiction of a blissful prairie with a curving toward the horizon. Animals of every type imaginable frolicked drank from the stream and rested atop comfortable grass beds. It must have taken the master woodcarver years to craft such a beautiful rendition of the natural utopia. Stepping inside, the inside of the chateau was no less spectacular. However, the pristine white of the outside wood had been exchanged with olive greens, bright oranges, mustard yellows, and rust reds. Grand paintings reaching to the high ceiling overhead were hanging on both sides of the short foyer before ending with another set of sculpted French doors. The paintings to either side seemed to portray the progression of the trees through the seasons, starting with a wintery blizzard, with the autumn season at the far end of the hall. The artistry of each mural was truly no less magnificent than anything we had seen to this point. ¡°Elves sure know how to impress,¡± Stella commented from Tallos¡¯ shoulder, having rushed there when we first glimpsed the grand entry hall. Tallos, for his part, grinned from ear to ear at the compliment to his people. A soft boom heralded the door closing behind us. We proceeded forward without any haste in our steps as we closely examined each painting until we finally reached the small garden room at the end of the hall. Once more our eyes widened in amazement as the place was more of a botanical arboretum than a simple garden. Birds chirped merrily as they darted here and there, not the least bothered by our presence. Several were building twig nests and, as we watched, darted outside through wide open windows, allowing ample sunlight to reach the vast collection of flowers, shrubs, and other flora. Where the grand cathedral, at least up until this point, had redwood flooring with a wood grain of unimaginable beauty, the garden held an uncut bed of lush grass that swayed to the gentle breeze flowing into the room. A small gravel path allowed easy access around the spacious garden. The outer perimeter of the garden held flourishing flowers of every type and color, the variety of scents enhanced one another into a perfumed flowery scent washing which washed away any earthly concern. The middle of the room held a solitary multi-tiered water fountain about six feet in diameter. The water cascading down from each subsequent tier created a soothing ambiance, relaxing each of us further. We did not wait long. As the inner chamber doors swung open, two more plate-armored guards welcomed us within. The center of the cathedral was more oval-shaped than it appeared from the outside. A high domed ceiling overhead, at least a hundred feet up, was lined with rows of large windows allowing ample sunlight. The windows had to be the magical variety as I didn¡¯t recall seeing any breaks in the roof when we first saw the palace. Below our feet, the beautifully stained redwood floor stretched in all directions, coming to a slightly raised dais in the middle of the room where the guards directed us to stand. The back half of the massive chamber reminded me of an ancient Greek amphitheater with its semi-circular bank of steps reaching higher and higher to the far wall. Halfway up those stairs, a widened flat area contained twelve desks, also in a semi-circle around the central dais, where the city¡¯s elders sat comfortably. Each councilmember wore fine robes of varying colors, and after a second of contemplation, I recognized each as matching the colors of the seasons with spring colors to the left and winter on the right. Similarly, the ages of the elders ran the gamut. Attractive, handsome, and beautiful elven faces smiled down at us. Behind the row of elders, many other residents sat sporadically throughout the rest of the multi-tiered rows, with Commander Wallace easily standing out among them in his grand armor. Sitting beside him was his lieutenant we met earlier, though I could not recall his name, as well as an elf maiden holding a notebook in the crook of her arm. When my eyes met the Commander¡¯s, he tilted his head in greeting. ¡°Welcome, friends, new and old,¡± a familiar elder from the fall season called out as the room settled from what little chatter had picked up with our entrance. She wore a pristinely white robe with hints of golden hues along the edges, unlike the deep blue from when I last saw her at the eulogy. Her long, flowing hair was the color of strawberries, and her face held the finest of smile lines no doubt formed over a lifetime of happiness. Her dulcet tone voice was gentle and soft as if she were speaking with an old friend. ¡°My name is Elder Corona,¡± she continued as she spread her arms out wide, her gaze fixing on our small group. ¡°You five are our honored guests, and before we begin, we wish you to know you may remain within the borders of the High Thicket for as long as you wish. We gather today because of your bravery when our fair city came under siege from the terrible Hunter, Duke. You showed your courageous nature by subduing the man after finding him recklessly throwing death and destruction at our citizens. Because of your timely arrival, many lives that would have otherwise fallen were saved. While it is true the city and the elven nation of the High Thicket would have mustered enough strength to force his retreat, your decision to stand against him allowed many of our citizens to return to their homes and their loved ones. Thank you, truly and with our most sincere gratitude.¡± ¡°As the chief elder during this autumn season, it was left to me and my fellow head elders to decide how to show this gratitude. As we all know,¡± with these words, Elder Corona swept her gaze across the room. ¡°Fall marks the season of change. Within its colorful depths, there is a delicate balance between the sunlight of the day and the darkness of the night. Today, more of the city will be able to gratefully reap the year¡¯s harvest because of your band of heroes.¡± Taking my eyes away from the strikingly beautiful Corona momentarily, I studied the elders beside her. Interestingly, I noted the desks for the fall season were slightly elevated compared to the rest of the council, only by a few inches at most, with the chief elder¡¯s a little higher than theirs. Additionally, the elder desk held corner tassels of golden thread, whereas every other desk lacked similar embellishments. The mature elf in the middle of three fall desks wore a scintillating gray robe with voluminous sleeves, and next to him sat an attractive elf who, had she been a human, appeared to be in her sixties or seventies. Knowing the long lives of the elven race, I doubted she was that young. Her robes were such a dark midnight black that it was impossible to say if the cloth held any of the intricate runes like her companions did. Corona¡¯s voice continued, regaining my attention, ¡°I would like to introduce to you my fellow elders.¡± She pointed a hand towards the leftmost group of elves, the spring elders. Each was noticeably younger when compared to every other elder. Once more, I considered how elves lived far longer than humans, often reaching the latter half of a millennia. So, while the spring elders looked no older than any of us, each individual was probably closer to three, maybe even four, hundreds of years old. ¡°First, our elders from the season of new beginnings, growth, and renewal. Spring Elders Feno, Katyr, and Aire. With their youthful experience, each brings with them hope and optimism to our council, ensuring we move gratefully into the future while also letting go of unnecessary bygones from the past,¡± Corona recited, her voice sounding like a proud grandmother. My eyes ran down the line of elders, easily marking how each subsequent elder looked slightly older than the last. I considered if, as the years progressed, the elders slowly shifted from the early seasons of life, until finally reaching the end of the winter season. An interesting though, but a consideration for another day. ¡°Next, from the season of love, joy, and growth, I am happy to introduce Summer Elders Sanev, Falael, and Keya. With their guidance and passion, we find abundance and prosperity in all we do.¡± These next three elders appeared as old as my parents. With a small wrinkle or two beginning to show on their kind face and the shadow of graying hair showing above their ears, each beamed a delightful smile upon us. Their robes were the colors of sunflowers, crashing blue sprays of ocean waves, and rolling grasslands. Corona gestured to her fellow head elders. ¡°Within my season of transition, gratitude, and balance, I introduce some of my dearest friends, Fall Elders Travarin and Roshia.¡± As she spoke each of their names, the head elders bowed their heads respectfully towards us. I returned the respectful gesture in kind. ¡°Finally, the eldest among us, from the season of embracing the quiet stillness of a long winter night to cherishing the memories of the lost, and the inevitable preparation of new begins hinting upon the horizon, I introduce Winter Elders Maxim, Eidan, and Gormar.¡± All three elves held the wizened look of grandmothers and grandfathers with long strands of silvery locks of hair running down the sides of their cherishing faces. Their robes were differing shades of snow, from muted whites to raging chaotic blizzards. Their eyes, above all else, grabbed my attention. Each pair held such a breathtaking depth to them, as vast as an ocean and harboring the full weight of untold centuries. ¡°Together, we are the Elder Council. Welcome, friends and guardians of the forest,¡± our elven host said with a beaming smile. She turned her head to the side, exchanging a nod with Commander Wallace. ¡°We are aware you wish to make a request of this council, but before we delve into the important matter you wish to discuss, the entire city of Quarris wishes to grant you a gift.¡± The chief elder motioned to the side of the room, where a young elf stepped forward and approached us in a regal dress fit for royalty. Hanging from a silver chain around her neck, a beautiful sapphire gem twinkled with a soft light. Taking my eyes away from the elegant gemstone, I noticed she carried an ornate wooden box in the palms of her hands. ¡°We hope this token will aid you in your journey and support you through the many challenges yet to come in our ever-changing and wonderful world,¡± Elder Corona chimed in as the elven princess reached us and offered the elegantly decorated chest. Chapter 102 - Quintessence Empowerment Taking hold of the ornate chest from someone who could have been an elven princess, I immediately noticed its weight. It was like holding a ten-pound dumbbell, though I couldn¡¯t tell if it was the box itself or whatever was inside, causing it to be so heavy. The chest was made of beautifully stained redwood and was about the size of a jewelry box with a single golden latch holding it close and two matching butterfly hinges at the back. Combined with the fascinating wood grain pattern, the chest alone must have been worth at least a gold coin or two. After handing me the decorative box, the young elf gracefully returned to the side of the chamber, where she placed her hands behind her back as if waiting to be called upon again should the need arise. Glancing up at the chief elder, I shot Corona a questioning look about whether I should open the gift now or hold it for later. Tilting her head in confirmation, I snapped the gold latch open and looked inside with slight trepidation. I didn¡¯t immediately know why the emotion surged in my stomach, but I was able to reflect later on. It was due to standing in front of so many important and influential people. The inside of the chest was no less impressive than the outside. Lined top to bottom was velvet cushioning a deep shade of purple with golden accents sprinkled here and there. Sitting on the exquisite pillow was an egg-shaped jewel. The oval gemstone veritably radiated with power, with nearly imperceptible waves of energy wafting off the stone. Completely opaque, the gemstone''s surface looked almost porous, though it was completely smooth to the touch. An off-white color, I picked up the egg which could have easily been mistaken for an extra-large goose egg. With it now in hand, the slow pulse of energy seemed to crash into my chest gently and my core like an ocean wave. Handing the small chest to Tallos, it was definitely the item in my hands that carried all the weight noticed earlier. The resonance forming between the gemstone and the seat of power deep within my chest hummed and began vibrating in tune as if the egg was specially made for me. Though I could not see inside the gemstone, it felt as if the force within was constantly unfolding from one obscure shape to another endlessly. My mind was being drawn within, inviting me to unfurl the knowledge like it was some long-lost secret or deep understanding of the universe. It was an exhilarating sensation like tapping into the insatiable desire to uncover the unknowable, to delve into the darkest places in the world to discover an untold mystery buried for a millennium. Elder Corona¡¯s next words brought my attention away from the ovoid stone and back to the sitting elders. ¡°What you hold in your hands is a precious gift few have ever seen, with even fewer blessed to receive one of their own. Similarly to the elven Ameliorating Spherules you purchased the day prior, your Quintessence Ovum holds a spark of potency that can only be created by an elven elder of great age. I see in your eyes you feel the pull from the seemingly boundless energy contained within, promising to unleash ancient knowledge into you. Where an amelioration sphere enhances one of your spells, the quintessence stone similarly enhances abilities and traits you possess. Unlike an amelioration token however, the quintessence ovum allows its designated user a choice. Tune your awareness into the gemstone¡¯s depth and you will discover what I mean.¡± The connection the gemstone was emitting was undeniable as if an invisible tether was forming between it and my core. Like two magnets clicking together, the invisible cord seemed to desire to lock in place. Turning my awareness within, the egg grew warm in my hands as if I were holding a heated liver pack. Probing the connection coming from the stone, a System message exploded in my view. Congratulations! You have received a hidden reward from the ¡®The High Thicket Burns...¡¯ quest. You have received Quintessence Ovum. {Quintessence Ovum}. Created through a secret method known only to elven elders, this uncommonly rare item possesses a mysterious form of energy which, when used, upgrades one of the user¡¯s racial abilities or traits. Created to be used by a single individual, this ovum can only be used by Xazorus the Hunter Killer. Quality: Exceptional. Rarity: Epic. Type: Upgrade Item. Slot: N/A. Durability: N/A. Effect(s): Please select one of the following options. Option 1 - Upgrade one racial ability or trait by one tier. Option 2 ¨C Upgrades one random racial ability or trait by two tiers. Option 3 ¨C Unknown. ¡°Like the fall harvest, reap the rewards of your altruism,¡± Elder Corona said before taking a seat behind her desk. None of the other elders spoke as they watched on, regarding me unobtrusively as they patiently waited for me to decide what to do with this incredible gift. Tallos, too, observed with admiration evident in his expression. Perhaps he knew about this type of item already, though his expression hinted he had never had the chance of seeing one in person. Turning to Stella, I was about to ask for her advice between the three options when she gently shook her head. ¡°The choice is yours, and yours alone. There is no wrong decision here.¡± Taking a deep breath, I returned my awareness to the radiating stone which seemed to grow lighter as time passed. It brings with it a choice, you¡¯ve got that right, I internalized before contemplating the three options. Either I could designate a trait or ability to upgrade, or it could allow the System to choose randomly. The item description indicated it would upgrade whatever was picked by one ¡®tier,¡¯ which was something I hadn¡¯t contemplated before. I would want to ask Stella later if she knew which tier had, but I put the thought to the back of my mind. If I allowed the System to select one at random, it would grant an improvement of twice as much power compared to choosing one myself. The final option truly grabbed my imagination. In a way I could not articulate, the unknown beckoned to me as if promising I would learn a secret lost to time. Reading the third option one more time, the tether connecting my core to the egg seemed to flex. I didn¡¯t know how to describe it. It appeared to constrict ever so slightly before relaxing an instant later as if it never happened. Concentrating on the egg, though it could not be seen by the eyes, I once more sensed something moving inside the opaque gemstone, twisting and unfolding over and over. The impression was like an animated origami sculpture folding into new shapes from one moment to the next. It was moldable, promising something not often seen in this world. It¡¯s the best way I could describe it. Stella made it clear the choice was mine, though a part of me still wanted me to ask her before I decided which tier each of my abilities and traits already had. Was it like a rarity tier or something else? Then again, perhaps it didn¡¯t matter. If it was a rarity tier, then I suspected my empowered aegis was pretty high up there, at least epic, if not higher. Pulling up my character screen, I decided to look at my choices.
Traits: Abilities:
Mind & Matter Darkvision
Exalted Acceleration Clear Headed II
Adaptability Spell Strike
Keen Senses Empowered Aegis (Upgraded)
Wraith Form
Somehow, looking over the list, I instinctively knew picking a few was not an option. Exalted acceleration was first among those. This particular trait had been formed with the unique bond I shared with Stella. I got the impression such an intimate bond could not be transformed by such a simple item, no matter how powerful it was. While the quintessence gem held no power to enhance this particular trait, a flutter in my chest hinted that one day it would upgrade on its own. It was an encouraging thought as our bond allowed me to grow stronger with each new level I attained. Similarly, my empowered aegis could not be upgraded. Heck, it already carried the ¡®upgraded¡¯ tag, so it made sense. Thus, the quintessence stone held no power to enhance it further. Thinking back to when the ability upgraded, it had been from a System reward when I hit the reputation threshold of five million viewers, a feat that still boggled my mind. With empowered aegis being my most powerful defensive and lifesaving ability, I may have chosen to upgrade it one more tier had it been an option. Surprisingly, my clearheaded ability felt dim in my mind when I considered it and the quintessence upgrade. It was already listed as being at a second level, having been bumped in power from a different reputation achievement, so perhaps the stone simply couldn¡¯t bump things up one more level. Clearheaded was an important defensive trait, allowing me to ignore most mind-altering effects and wholly ignore stuns. Once more, I moved on. With the awareness of what could not be chosen, I was left with the following options: Mind & Matter, Adaptability, Keen Senses, Wraith Form, Darkvision, and Spell Strike. I paused as I considered the last option, Spell Strike. The last time I could upgrade an ability it had been listed as an ¡®ineligible¡¯ option. I had ultimately had my clearheaded trait enhanced, but I was curious why Spell Strike could be upgraded here. Doubting I would ever figure out all the unique intricacies of the System, I put the thought out of my mind. Focusing on what I could do, I prompted my character screen for further information about each of the available abilities and traits. Perhaps there would be a clear winner if I went down the route of manually choosing to upgrade one. Darkvision (Ability) ¨C Grants the ability to change vision to allow sight in near-total darkness. Maximum vision in low light is 300 feet. Maximum vision in near-darkness is 100 feet. Keen Senses (Trait) ¨C Grants enhanced visual and auditory acuity. Adaptability (Trait) ¨C Grants a 10% bonus to all attribute scores to represent your varied and adaptable nature. Mind & Matter (Trait) ¨C Through the combination of your elvish and human heritage, you are equally suited to both the mental and the physical. You are versatile. You are capable of advancing far in either of these pursuits. Grants a 10% bonus to experience earned towards the advancement of all skills, abilities, and spells. Spell Strike (Ability) - your damage over time effects can now critically hit. Wraith Form (Trait) ¨C At the moment of death, when the Hunter¡¯s health points reach zero, this form will automatically be triggered. While in wraith form, the Hunter will take on the characteristics of an undead version of himself, meaning, but not limited to, increased resistance to most forms of attacks and an increase in base attributes. At the moment of transformation, health, mana, and stamina will be replenished by 50% of normal maximums. Additionally, any ongoing determinantal effect will be removed. Immediately, Darkvision and Keen Senses went out the window. Neither was a good choice and while I appreciated the advantages each brought, the upgrade was better spent elsewhere. Adaptability could be nice as I assumed it would simply increase the percentile bonus offered to all my attributes. Yet, it still wouldn¡¯t be my first pick. The same went for Mind & Matter. Mind & Matter essentially increased my leveling speed, which certainly made a difference in allowing me to bridge the gap from when I started to the inevitable showdown with Duke, which was quickly approaching. As a long-term trait, it was fantastic, even more so when I eventually ascended to a higher world, but neither was the right choice today. So, I was left with my tier three Hunter trait, Wraith Form, and Spell Strike. Between the ability to be able to fight on and potentially survive after receiving a killing blow or increasing my damage potential, the choice between the two was obvious. Yet even though the wraith form trait was the apparent choice, I hesitated. Once more, as I trained my awareness on the gem¡¯s item description, the third ¡®unknown¡¯ option seemed to call out. My core resonated with the invisible tether, so it was not something I wanted to ignore. Two options: either manually upgrade my wraith form, hoping it would be more useful than at the moment of my death, or the nameless path afforded by the third option. In the end, I went with my gut. Or, more specifically, I went with the sensation felt within the core of my power. I choose the unknown. You have selected Option 3 ¨C Unknown. Please confirm this selection. Do you wish to continue? Y/N. For several long seconds, I simply studied the prompt as it hovered in my vision, awaiting my confirmation. Closing my eyes, the world around me became blanketed in darkness, and I blocked out all external stimuli. Bringing my awareness to my core, I saw my spherical core as it slowly rotated with bursts of electric frost swirling around what appeared to be a black hole. It harbored all the magical might contained within me. Though it gave no additional outward sign, a subtle feeling settled there. My core felt¡­ content. That black hole welcomed the unknown, the promise of adventure, friendship, and connection. My decision solidified, and I opened my eyes, selecting ¡®yes.¡¯The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. The moment I selected the prompt, the intangible cord connecting my core with the egg instantly grew taut, transforming from a thin ribbon into an unbreakable cable. A transfer between the two started slowly but quickly ramped up in power. Pulses of energy, much like from a three-thousand-volt electrified fence, crashed in waves from the gemstone to slam through my hand and into my chest. With each second, the pulses grew more rapid until, before long, it felt like I was being hit by a mini-gun. Against the onslaught of energy pouring into me, I was forced to close my eyes. Though the egg felt like I was holding onto an electric fence, powerful enough to keep even a massive twenty-two hundred Shire horses at bay, my body didn¡¯t so much as twitch at the influx of energy. Perhaps only Stella truly knew what was happening inside me as the quintessence stone transferred all of its power into me. As the oval gem threw everything it had into our connection, my mind¡¯s eye once more peered at my core to see what was happening. The moment my awareness returned to the dark sphere, I witnessed thousands of lightning bolts crashing into the black hole¡¯s surface. My core looked like a Tesla coil on steroids with how rapidly the bolts of energy struck repeatedly in an ever-increasing wave. With each pulse, something began taking shape underneath the event horizon of my core. I had no clear picture of what it was, but as the gemstone released all its inordinate might, it rapidly filled as if my core was a barren lake before a flash flood. While this happened, I got the sense neither the egg itself nor my core knew what was being created as quintessence energy was transferred. As the item description stated, the gift I would receive was entirely unknown and was being determined in real-time in front of me. With each passing second, the shape, or whatever it was, integrated within my very being. I knew once it was completed, I would be forever changed, unable to remove the new power no more than I could cause an arm or leg to sever from my body. A deeply ingrained feeling flowed through me as the last remnant of indescribable power from the quintessence stone struck like herculean thunderclaps. As if a tipping point was reached, with one final bolt of lightning, the newly incorporated power exploded outward in one massive tidal wave of energy. It reached the limits of my body in a millisecond, burning every cell white hot with its influence. I would learn from Stella later on that those around me saw none of this, other than the arching of my back when my core released transformational energy into every fiber of my being. At that precise moment, the quintessence gemstone shattered into a million harmless motes of energy. Had I been able to see, I would have been surprised to see the motes floating near me, as it felt like every ounce of power from the gemstone had been transferred to me. I, of course, could not as my body reacted to the released wave of quintessence might where it grew dormant and ready to be beckoned with a thought. As I finally opened my eyes, the world around me seemed to freeze. Time grounded to a halt though my mind continued to perceive my surroundings. The translucent motes of energy from the shattered egg, which had been slowly dissipating, stilled and hovered motionless in the air. Though I could not move, I felt no sense of danger as the last moment of transference was completed. The newly budding power within my core sat waiting, ready to come whenever I called. To do so, I simply needed to release the restraint holding the power within my core. Once unleashed, the energy would flood out much like I had already experienced, and I knew it would heighten my magical might to unprecedented levels. Time resumed as if it had never been interrupted. Everyone around me began breathing normally. Elven eyes gazed upon me without urgency or concern as the departing motes of light faded into nothingness. As the seconds ticked past, nothing else happening, no one spoke. The elders continued to wait patiently. Before my eyes, a notification exploded in my vision, informing me of my newest ability. Congratulations! You have received a new ability, Quintessence Empowerment. Quintessence Empowerment (Ability) ¨C During times of desperation and when all hope seems lost, the need to push oneself beyond what mortals only dream to achieve becomes a necessity. As a necromancer specialized in assaulting foes with virulent forms of arcane energy that ravage an enemy¡¯s vitality over time, you can now call upon a quintessence power that will push you and your spells beyond what can normally be accomplished. When triggered all damage over time spells have their spell durations reset to maximum. Currently applied spells and any new spells cast within the next 120 seconds will also receive the following benefits: 100% additional spell penetration, 75% increased damage, 40% increased spell duration, and 15% increased spell critical strike chance. Any enemy inflicted by any enhanced damage over time spells will be afflicted by the ¡°Quintessence Drain¡± debuff, which siphons lost life to restore the caster¡¯s health, mana, and stamina. This amount restored is divided equally between these three resource pools and cannot exceed current maximums. Finally, while under the effects of Quintessence Empowerment, your body is flooded with arcane might, increasing all attribute scores by 10%. Note ¨C Each spell may only receive the Quintessence Empowerment a single time per activation. Refreshing an already enhanced spell effect will receive no additional benefits. Movement from above caught my attention as Elder Corona stood up, beaming a bright smile across her face. ¡°I was curious which path you would take,¡± she said gently. ¡°Most avoid the unknown, relegating themselves down the pass of least resistance, unwilling to boldly tread forward and create their path. As you may now understand after experiencing this wondrous transformation, your choice determines how much power within the gemstone is released. Had you selected the first option, only a third of the energy would have been freed. Had you chosen the second option, two-thirds of the stored might have been released to double the increase in whatever ability or trait was randomly selected. Usually, only individuals confident with the power they already possess walk down this unpredictable path.¡± Corona smiled again before opening her hand towards me, ¡°Very few outsiders, let alone an elf, choose the most potent potential stored within a quintessence gemstone as you have done here. Those courageous souls always strive for more. They trudge over mountain peaks and cross the mightiest of rivers. These rare individuals embrace the future and its infinite potential. I see within you a future potential that burns as bright as the sun. We hope the quintessence gift you received serves you well as you create a path unlike any who come before you.¡± The elder paused and appraised me like a kindly grandmother before glancing at her fellow elders, ¡°Your next endeavor is known to us. You seek Hunter Duke. I invite you now to make your requests with this council. Know that while we, too, wish to seek justice against this man and the crimes he has committed, the council¡¯s purpose is committed to the greater good of the High Thicket and every life form within. With that understanding, what is it you seek?¡± ¡°Thank you for this incredible gift and the friendship so generously offered by the people of the High Thicket. My party and I are happy we could make a difference and would have done so without the promise of rewards,¡± I replied after a moment¡¯s hesitation after trying to order my thoughts. ¡°First, I wish to inquire about any knowledge you and the council may have of Duke¡¯s settlement and capabilities. As we understand it, his home is at least several days away, possibly to the east or northeast of this marvelous forest. Still, we are unsure of the forces at his command, as we suspect he has much to call upon when he decides to return for Stella and me.¡± Elder Corona nodded along with my words. ¡°Duke rules a fortified city called Ebonstand which resides to the east, about a five-day journey by horseback. I see your desire to continue after the villain, though the forces within the settlement would certainly overwhelm you and your party should you confront him there. Not only are his castle walls broad, but he also has a standing army of monstrosities and beasts such as goblins, kobolds, orcs, and other vile creatures we do not know the names of. Our best estimates, he commands an army of at least a thousand.¡± We had some time then. While it was unfortunate to learn Duke had such a large army, let alone a defensible castle, it should be slow to move across such a vast distance between us and him. He was certainly going to return for Stella, of that I had no doubt, but with the elves of the forest aware of his threat we would a fool to return alone. The next time we saw him, he would have an army behind him. Considering the distance, we had at least five days, if not longer, unless he had some means of fast traveling such a large force. Disheartened by the news, I pressed forward. ¡°Does the council intend to go after Duke for his crimes against the city?¡± I asked. ¡°No, we do not intend to, at least, not with any significant force. Doing so would only invite future calamity because of his standing army,¡± Corona responded quickly. ¡°When Duke returns, we will, of course, bring the full might of the forest against him, but we will not send an army to siege his stronghold. It would only cost many more lives and has no guarantee of succeeding, even with careful planning.¡± The elder¡¯s response was not unexpected. Tallos had informed us as much earlier, though I had been hopeful, nonetheless. My friend had indicated elves would sometimes send out small war bands to hunt down criminals, so I leaned into that hope. ¡°I understand and would not desire to bring the desolation of war against your people. My friend Tallos shared it is not uncommon for elves to send forces to hunt down criminals fleeing outside of the forest. You offered us earlier to continue to provide sanctuary to us, and while it is appreciated, I want to share with you our intentions. We plan on returning to our home of Merton and preparing for Duke¡¯s inevitable siege against us in his relentless quest for Stella. Would the elves of Quarris be willing to send a contingent of elven fighters and rangers to return with us and help us defend the city?¡± ¡°Before we consider your request, I must ask you to illuminate your motivations behind tracking down Hunter Duke. We also seek to hold the man accountable for his crimes, but why do you hunt this dangerous individual?¡± Corona replied with a question of her own. It was a reasonable request. They needed to know why we traveled all this way to find him. It was easy to understand that he would not so readily send a force with us without knowing why we wanted to achieve his demise. ¡°You may not know, but I was not always a Hunter,¡± I began, surprising at least several elves by the simple statement. ¡°I was born as the son of a simple merchant family. My home, Winterfalls, was all I had known until the day I met Stella, and it was not a happy day.¡± I turned to look at Stella as she floated beside me. She glanced back at me and gave a heartfelt smile as a single tear rolled down her cheek. She knew what was coming next. I reoriented on the council and continued. ¡°Everything changed that day, for both of us. It also coincides with the first time I encountered Duke, the Nemesis Hunter. I was about to reach the age of adulthood when I ventured outside of my sheltered home, ignoring the advice of my parents in the process. My free-spirited nature may have saved my life, but it would soon come at a great price. A mile away from my home, I found myself near a small brook when the sounds of torture reached my ears.¡± ¡°Unknown to me, two Hunters clashed. Duke, as powerful as he is, had already overwhelmed a man named Stouter and, as I stealthily approached, beat him to within an inch of his life. Stouter was Stella¡¯s dearest friend. Duke demanded to know where he had hidden Stella, who was secreted away nearby, but Stouter refused at the cost of his life. I did not yet comprehend the seriousness of what Duke would happen next after he left empty-handed, but after the cruel man left, I discovered a slumbering Stella hidden in the hollow of a nearby tree. She awoke at my touch and transformed me into a Hunter. During the transformation, a flood of repressed memories flooded into me, altered my body, and granted me the powers of a Hunter.¡± Murmurs from the council resounded in the wide chamber at my words. All knew of Hunters, of course, but from the brief conversations I overheard, none had ever heard of someone transforming into one before. Instead, Hunters simply appeared before immediately seeking out power by any means necessary. The news I had been an ordinary person had come as quite a shock to nearly everyone present. When the murmuring died down, I continued sharing the painful memory of what was to come. ¡°During my transformation into a Hunter, which took several hours, Duke continued his quest to find what he overlooked. His quest for Stella brought him to the footsteps of my home, and devastation soon followed in his wake. After my transformation, I spotted plumes of smoke rising toward Winterfalls. Fearing the worst, with Stella now at my side, I rushed home and found devastation. The protective barrier shielding my home had been torn down, allowing goblinoid beasts to prey upon the defenseless citizens within. With my newfound powers, I eliminated the goblin infestation but not before many lives were lost. My parents were among those casualties. Either by his own hand or as a result of his actions, my life had forever been changed that day.¡± I paused to collect myself. Old emotions bloomed within my stomach and chest, threatening to bring tears of loss to my eyes. Rubbing away a single tear that had formed, I pressed forward. ¡°From that day, I have dedicated my life to bringing justice against Duke and any evil Hunter I encounter. Though I have no way of knowing if it can be accomplished, with Stella¡¯s guidance and the aid of my friends, I intend to end all Hunters who prey upon the weak and defenseless. I do not do this because of a petty desire for vengeance or revenge but in the name of justice.¡± The chief elder did not respond immediately. Instead, she turned to her fellow head elders to talk in low whispers. Even with my keen senses, I could not make out their words or get any clues as to their intentions. After several minutes passed, in which Corona spoke with other nearby elders, she returned to her desk. ¡°We are pleased to hear it is not vengeance you seek, though from what you have told us, it would perhaps have been an understandable reaction,¡± Elder Corona stated before stepping around to the front of her desk. She leaned back against it before continuing. ¡°Had your quest only been for revenge, an emotional response which only brings further harm to all those involved, as well as serving no greater purpose, we would have denied your request for aid. From what we have seen of you and your friends, we have decided to assist you. When you depart for Merton, you will be accompanied by three hundred of our skilled archers and warriors.¡± ¡°Thank you, truly. Their assistance will mean a world of difference when Duke catches up with us there,¡± I replied. I had been holding my breath and hadn¡¯t realized it. Taking several long breaths, I continued, ¡°Unfortunately, the journey to Merton is across a vast distance, and it took us weeks to travel from there. We are hoping you have a way to hasten the journey back. It is my understanding teleportation between our two cities may be a possibility, if you will allow us.¡± Elder Corona, her flowing robes swishing as she folded her hands over her chest, let out a troubling sigh. She did not look pleased, though it didn¡¯t appear to be because of my request. It was more like she remembered something distressing. ¡°Sadly, we cannot accommodate such a request for two reasons. First and foremost, our ability to teleport between settlements has been¡­ disabled. And secondly, while you have our thanks for what you did against Duke, I am afraid you do not hold a high enough standing with the city to use our teleportation circle, even if it was available. Such an honor must be earned through years of effort, or by an act of incredible benefit to the city. You do not yet possess either, I am afraid. ¡± ¡°How was your teleportation circle disabled?¡± I inquired. A thought tickled the back of my mind as if there was a solution to resolve both concerns. I needed only probe for it further. Corona looked to her companions, most nodding in response to her silent question. It looked as if she was confirming if everyone was alright with what she was about to share. None did. ¡°A necessary aspect of our city¡¯s teleportation circle was¡­ stolen many months ago. Without it, transportation to other settlements is impossible until it is replaced or returned.¡± ¡°What was stolen?¡± I asked. ¡°Perhaps we could look into it for you.¡± ¡°A heart of the forest,¡± the chief elder said with some reluctance. From the bowing of heads and sighs, it appeared most of the council felt shame over this admission. ¡°While your offer is appreciated, not even the greatest among us have been able to receive what was lost, and it will take many more months before we can cultivate another.¡± Corona paused a moment, clearly seeing something in my eyes before continuing once more. ¡°I see in you a desire to help nonetheless, and considering your strength, perhaps you can do what we could not. The heart was stolen by a deceitful individual named Cicero the Blaspheme. He was not known to us by his epithet those months back but showed his true colors after slaying a dozen of our guardians and stealing the heart, a truly priceless object.¡± The perpetrator''s name came as quite a shock. Unless I missed my guess, Cicero¡­ was a Hunter. As welcoming as the elves of the High Thicket were, he no doubt took advantage of their hospitality and, after murdering many elves, left with something of extreme importance to the city. Hopefully, we would be able to find him and kill three birds with one stone, defeating an evil Hunter, returning a clearly valuable keystone to the city, and, hopefully, allowing us enough reputation to use the city¡¯s teleportation circle. We needed to know more, but I already felt in my gut a quest was about to appear. Sure enough, as if on cue and right as Elder Corona continued speaking, a System message appeared in my vision. It was time to take down another Hunter. Chapter 103 - Heart of the Forest You have been offered a quest ¨C ¡°Heart of the Forest.¡± An object of extreme importance to the Quarris Elder Council, along with any elf who calls the High Thicket home, has been stolen by a charlatan who was offered sanctuary and respite during a time of need. Cicero the Blaspheme, under the guise of a gifted arcane scholar, was granted access to study the power source to the city¡¯s teleportation circle as a show of thanks. Appearing as an unfaceted polished gem a foot in diameter, the Heart of the Forest is a power source unlike others. While the elves utilized the jewel to empower its teleportation circle, the Heart has a myriad of other uses which are no doubt being studied by the thief, Cicero. After slaughtering the heart¡¯s guardians, Cicero the Blaspheme escaped the city with the Heart and, unbeknownst to the elves, fled to a newly constructed fortified emerald spire to begin his experimentations. Since his day of betrayal, the elves of the High Thicket have seen a surge of encounters with grotesque monstrosities and amalgamations roaming the surrounding lands. Many suspect these horrific creatures were created through some profane ritual or archaic form of magic, with the Heart of the Forest at the center of these creations. You are being dispatched by the Elder Council to retrieve the Heart of the Forest and slay the one who stole it. If you succeed in your mission, you will be granted access to the city¡¯s teleportation circle. Will you agree to right this wrong, or allow these abominations to run rampant? Objective One: Locate Cicero the Blaspheme¡¯s Emerald Spire. Objective Two: Slay as many monstrosities created through the Heart of the Forest as possible. (Optional Objective). Objective Three: Slay Cicero the Blaspheme. Objective Four: Retrieve the Heart of the Forest. Objective Five: Return to the Quarris Elder Council. Rewards: Experience, a level-appropriate spell, skill, or item (depending on a number of enemies slain), significant reputation with the elves of the High Thicket, and permanent usage of the Quarris teleportation circle. Accept: Yes/No. While the quest notification appeared in my vision, Elder Corona explained essentially the same thing, laying out the details of our objective. ¡°Cicero the Blaspheme resides in a spire of emerald a day¡¯s journey south of the High Thicket¡¯s border,¡± the chief elder continued, sharing additional details of what we were up against. ¡°Whatever material the spire is composed of is of the utmost durability as it has seamlessly repealed all attempts to knock it down. Our strongest trebuchets and spells had little effect against the tower¡¯s hardened fortification, shrugging off each as if we were throwing pebbles against a mountainside.¡± Corona bowed her head before returning to her chair and taking a seat, her shoulders dropping as if carrying an intensely heavy burden. ¡°After many failed attempts, we no longer send our warriors and competent wizards in an attempt to retrieve the Heart. Those few who return from these failed assaults soon shared tales of how many of their comrades were captured and returned as grotesque versions of themselves. Each rabid with hate for the living, and far stronger than they were in life. Seeing the heart¡¯s return as an impossibility, the council has gone a new direction and are working at growing a replacement. Yet, even with our vast resources, we are still many years away from creating a substitute. Perhaps you can do what we could not.¡± The chief elder let out a deep sigh and shook her head from side to side as if dislodging a painful memory. ¡°When we first found him, we offered Cicero shelter after finding his body broken at the foot of the forest. He was an inch away of losing his life. For our compassion, he betrayed us, pretending to aid the city and this council with any and all undertakings so he could get close to his true objective. We know now, it was all a ruse. Perhaps too even his near-death experience! All to earn enough trust to ¡®study¡¯ the Heart, as he put it. Once he discovered its location, he turned on his former friends, slaying more than I wish to recount with you today. The Heart in his possession, he departed the city as quickly as his feet could carry him. His destination? A tower of unbreakable emerald which seemed to suddenly sprung into existence the same day of his betrayal. Our elven scouts roam far and wide, yet never once spotted the several hundred feet tall spire. Seemingly free to do as he pleased, with an unimaginable power source at his fingertips, Cicero immediately began twisted experiments bringing further harm to us and any living creature residing within the High Thicket.¡± Corona looked to her sides, eyeing her fellow elders. Each bowed their heads in response, shame practically radiating from each Elder¡¯s skin. ¡°This council failed in its duty and has been unable to rectify the injustice experienced at the Blaspheme¡¯s hands. Some among this council feel we should cease placing any trust in the hands of an outsider, but more still see the true benefits we realize by allowing everyone within our city with welcoming arms. Be true to yourself and your purpose as this council requests you to hunt down the betrayer and return our precious Heart of the Forest. If you do this, you will be justly rewarded and allowed to use the teleportation circle to further your quest against your nemesis. What say you?¡± As soon as I spoke my next words, the System automatically accepted the quest hovering before my eyes. I hadn¡¯t needed to manually select it. ¡°We accept this imperative quest. We will leave immediately to find Cicero and return what was stolen from this great city.¡± What followed next over the course of a half hour was a rundown of all the information the council had gather about Cicero, including what they knew of his tower, as well as his distinctive form of magic. Cicero, as it turned out, was an orc shaman specialized in totem magic. His race came as surprised as I believed orcs were no better than the monsters. We soon came to learn, orcs were one of the least seen of all surface races, perhaps similarly so to the elusiveness of the Silvern Dwarves. The elves, not caring for the color of one¡¯s skin, allowed Cicero sanctuary after he was found as little better than a bloody mess near the forest¡¯s edge about six months earlier. After being fully healed, Cicero quickly dedicated himself to helping the city and its residents however possible. Cicero, front the start, was playing a long con. Confirming my suspicion with Stella, the devious orc shaman had done everything in his power to gain the reputation necessary to not only be granted access to the teleportation circle but also its secured power source. Never once in his six-month tenure in the city had the orc displayed the slightest bit of hostility to anyone. He was gracious, kind, and willing to help anyone who sought his assistance or council. Cicero had done so much for the city, he had been granted a title. He was known as Cicero the Altruist, though the title had long since been revoked. No one had a clue of his true intentions until the fateful day when Cicero¡¯s true nature was revealed. As the chief elder explained it, Cicero¡¯s power was akin to a shaman. The orc utilized many various types of spells, making him something of a jack-of-all-trades, but his primary focus was on summoning mystical totems into existence. Each totem he created, and he could have several running concurrently, would provide a wide array of different functions like restoring lost health, mana, or stamina. Others could temporarily summoned preternatural beings which would flit about their totem, fighting back against anything hostile to Cicero. Apparently, the shaman had become quite the celebrity before he showed his true self. He was always willing to step in and finding solutions for any issue brought to him, no matter how small or insignificant. Worse still, it wasn¡¯t until after the elves attempted to retrieve the Heart when they discovered Cicero was using forbidden forms of magic. He was somehow merging two wholly unlike beings into towering monstrosities. ¡°Cicero the Blaspheme appeared to take pride in these ghastly creations,¡± Corona explained with a grimace. ¡°Those unlucky enough to be captured, such as during one of our several assaults against his tower, would later show up as devilish versions of their former selves. We, as a city, have been forced to put down too many friends, too many loved ones, to continue any assault against the vile shaman.¡±Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. ¡°Have you discovered any weaknesses Cicero possesses, or have realized the tactics which proved useful when confronting him?¡± I asked, hoping to determine the best approach when we eventually faced the orc. I wasn¡¯t sure how we could breach his seemingly impenetrable spire, especially if an army of elves could not, but if there was a way, we would find it. No one was invincible. You simply needed to find the one way to make it happen. ¡°The Blaspheme appears to gain strength, both physical and magical in nature, from the many monstrosities he creates,¡± Corona replied after considering. ¡°In the few instances, we were able to bring him forth to defend his tower as a result of our concentrated efforts in defeating his creations. Whenever we can safely do so, we do everything we can to eliminate those beasts, though we no longer approach the tower for fear of being captured and experimented on. From what we have gathered, nothing short of focusing on his creations seems to infuriate the orc more than killing his monsters.¡± I paused, connecting with both Stella and Tallos to see if they had any other questions we should bring up with the council. No one did. Conversing with my friends, we hoped our small strike force would have better luck than a whole contingents of elves. A part of me suspected one of Cicero¡¯s many strengths was in handling many foes, but less effective against singular powerful opponents. It was only a gut feeling, though. Time would tell if my suspicion was accurate, and hopefully not at the cost of our demise. ¡°Archer Tallos,¡± the chief elder stated after seeing our internal deliberation was coming to an end. ¡°The council also wishes to express our thanks to you for your actions beside Xaz. As such, we would like to formally invite you to become a citizen of Quarris and to permanently make your home within the High Thicket.¡± Everyone¡¯s attention turned to a now beaming, prideful Tallos. My friend stood tall at the pronouncement from the leader of the elder council. In a way, it already seemed to me that Tallos had choice Quarris as his home, especially with Leandra. Making the change official, with the blessing of the city¡¯s elders, likely brought with it many expectations and responsibilities. Responsibilities that could mean his inability to continue on the hunt with us against Duke. It could mean he would need to leave our party permanently. It was a saddening thought but, whatever he decided, I would be happy for him. ¡°Thank you, Chief Elder, I am grateful for this opportunity,¡± Tallos replied with a hint of pride ringing his normally stoic voice. ¡°I accept. I would be honored to become a citizen of Quarris.¡± ¡°We are happy to hear it. Henceforth, you will be known as Warden Tallos of Quarris. Welcome, friend, to your new home.¡± Placing my hand on my friend¡¯s shoulder, I smiled brightly at him. Stella mirrored my move with wistful smile. A round of claps reverberated the wide chamber as everyone in attendance cheered at the news. Tallos was clearly elated in the offer being officially made. His closeness and relationship with Leandra certainly precipitated his desire for it. I could hardly blame him. I would miss him, dearly. Or¡­ so I thought before Elder Corona spoke up when the clapping began to wane. ¡°The council recognizes the bond of friendship you have formed with your companions,¡± she stated with a gesture towards the rest of us. She bore a genuine smile of one who knew the blessing true friendship brings with it. ¡°As a citizen of Quarris, your primary responsibility is to the safety and well-being of the city, along with all life within the forest. To that end, we ask you, do you intend to assist Xaz in this quest?¡± Perhaps Tallos wouldn¡¯t need to leave our party after all, at least for this particular mission to take down Cicero and return the Heart of the Forest. My curiosity grew to new bounds as I turned to look at my friend. Tallos was about to respond to the elder¡¯s question when I interrupted. ¡°Tallos,¡± I whispered. ¡°You do not need to follow us further. You are free to make whatever decision will make you the happiest. Any debt you feel you owe has been paid back ten-fold, I assure you. We will support you, no matter what you decide. I know how much Leandra means to you. You need not follow this dangerous path any longer.¡± ¡°Thank you, Xaz,¡± Tallos replied, the corner of his lips tugging upwards as if he had expected my words. ¡°Leandra and I intend to make a life together, it is true. Our destiny is forever more intertwined. Yet, no less than I, she understands that our bond is not only to each other. I will see this quest through to the end and will fight beside you until you ascend beyond this world. Helping you, is helping the forest, of this I am certain how the council sees it. Once that hopeful day arrives, I suspect our journey will come to an end as I cannot ascend with you. You will continue on, doing everything in your power to end the tyranny of evil Hunters. On that day, I will return to Leandra. Yet, if the worst should happen, we know we will find each other again, in this life or the next. She will understand this. I am with you until that fateful day.¡± Tallos gripped my shoulders, genuine happiness bright in his eyes. He turned back to Elder Corona and said, ¡°If given the opportunity, I desire to remain with Xazorus and Stella until the day he leaves this world with Cicero and Duke no longer a threat to the forest.¡± Corona nodded her head at my friend¡¯s words. ¡°Then the council will seek nothing else of you until your quest is completed. Returning the Heart of the Forest, bring both Cicero the Blaspheme and Duke the Nemesis Hunter to justice. This aligns with our tenets, beliefs, and duty to the forest. Go with our blessing, Warden Tallos.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Tallos responded confidently. He had been right, predicting the council would allow him to continue beside us all along. ¡°For the good of the forest, I accept the quest laid before me.¡± ¡°We know time is of the essence, with Duke an ever-present threat of returning to cause further waylay and destruction,¡± Corona added hastily, her tone of voice indicating our meeting soon coming to an end. ¡°You have at least a half-tenday before such a possibility could be realized. We will assist you in accomplishing your task against Cicero.¡± Corona turned and silently called over the elf maiden who handed me the ornate chest from earlier. The two spoke in whispered tones before the young maiden bowed her head and left the council chambers through a side door. The chief elder reoriented on us, ¡°You will be escorted to the southern border of the forest and then given directions to locate Cicero¡¯s Emerald Tower. Natalia, my lady-in-waiting, has been sent to have swift travel enchantments placed upon your horses. By the time you find them in the south stables, you will find their ability to traverse through the forest and surrounding plains will be greatly enhanced. Additionally, with time being of essence, we will give you a rare scroll of recall. It will allow everyone in your party to quickly return to the city once your quest has been completed. Good luck, friends, and may the resilience of the forest guide and protect you until we next meet.¡± The sound of a drawer opening reached our ears as Corona reached inside her desk and removed what appeared to be a tan scroll case. Everyone¡¯s attention was upon her as she removed a piece of parchment from the tube, placed it atop her desk, and began chanting soft words under her breath. In a few moments, her spell completed and a dim violet glow began emanated from the thick parchment. ¡°This scroll of recall has been bound to you alone, Xaz,¡± Corona said as she rounded her desk and descended the stairs separating us. When she was within arm¡¯s reach, she handed me the scroll case. It was rather simple looking, nothing outwardly indicating the powerful spell scroll contained within. ¡°No one else will be able to utilize the magic contained within, and it can only be triggered once you possess the Heart of the Forest. It will return you to the city, along with your adventuring party as long as they are nearby. Please know I have manifested these requirements due to the risk posed to the city should you be defeated or captured. We cannot allow an enemy an easy means of transporting instantly to Quarris, nor have you coerced into triggering the effect as a prisoner. I do not believe either will be your fate, but we must be careful with these types of spell scrolls.¡± The restrictions made sense. If we were captured or killed, or if the scroll was stolen from us, no one else could use it. It also protected the city if we ended up being turned into monstrosities and sent back to cause serious harm. There was no ill will felt by anyone as a result of the restrictions placed upon the scroll. It really could only be used if we were successful in our mission, otherwise it was no better than a slightly glowing piece of paper. Signaling my understanding of the understandable precaution, Elder Corona return to her chair before her and the rest of the council of elders bid us farewell and for a speedy return. The pair of guards from the hallway returned to our sides and escorted us outside. From the cathedrals front portal, another two elves in plate armor stood waiting to escort us to the stables where Dutch and Jax waited. Taking one look back upon the magnificent building, we readily followed our guides, more than ready for the next challenge laid out before us. It was getting dark, but we each decided, with time being of the essence, that we would depart the city as soon as possible. Our guides assured that a small force of wardens would be waiting us once we retrieve our horses and used the lift to lower to the forest floor. Seeing the stable in front of us, I pulled out the scroll we had been given and inspected it. I hadn¡¯t wished to do so in front of the council, and now seemed as good a time as any. As I suspected, the restrictions placed upon it were clear as day when the System menu appeared before me. Hopefully, the protective measures would prove unnecessary because, if they did, it would mean we were either dead or turned into grotesque versions of ourselves. {Scroll of Return (Quarris)}. Quality: Superb. Rarity: Rare. Type: Scroll. Durability: 100/100. Cast Time: 10.0 second(s). Effect(s): When used, this scroll will instantly teleport the caster and nearby party members to the city of Quarris. Up to a maximum of ten individuals, companions, pets, minions, and mounts will be transported upon use. Note ¨C This scroll is keyed to only function for Xazorus the Hunter Killer when the Heart of the Forest is within his possession. Tucking the scroll case away, I turned to Stella, ready to take down one more Hunter. "Let¡¯s get it done," I stated, matter-of-factly. Chapter 104 - Reunion & the Wardens of Quarris Waiting for us just inside the stable''s front gate, Dutch and Jax both snorted a whiny as soon as they saw our approach. We hadn¡¯t seen our equine friends in two days, and by the look of it, both had been well cared for. I hadn¡¯t expected any less from the elves but was pleased to see it nonetheless. Dutch¡¯s raven coat and glittery mane looked to have been brushed extensively, with no dirt marring anything on his huge frame. Likewise, Jax¡¯s alabaster hair was similarly shining and beautifully reflected the glow emanating from the nearby city lamps. Standing next to our pair of horses was a tall elf in casual cotton clothing and a younger elf who I assumed was his son. The two guides who led us here from the council¡¯s cathedral spoke up and wished us good luck in our hunt for Cicero before returning to their normal duties. We quickly crossed the short distance to excited horses where I warmly greeted Dutch with several pats on his muscled neck. In the corner of my eye, Tallos similarly greeted a happy Jax before offering him a tasty apple. As I moved my hand to my waist, intended to follow suit, Stella spoke up from my shoulder. ¡°Xaz,¡± Stella commented, her voice uncharacteristically monotone, causing me to instantly turn a confused look her way. Meeting her eyes, she stared back at me unblinkingly as if I was forgetting something important. As I was clearly not catching on to whatever she was trying to communicate, she tilted her head before continuing. ¡°Remember, you don¡¯t pat them. They respond better to affectionate caresses.¡± Mentally slapping myself, I nodded back at her in slight embarrassment before returning my attention to Dutch. He tossed his head up and down, happy to see each of us. Upon seeing an apple held loosely in my hand, his giant head zoomed down at it greedily, instantly bringing a smile back to my face. In seconds and many loud crunches later, the tasty orb was thoroughly devoured. ¡°Good boy, Dutch. Good boy,¡± I cooed before turning my attention to the two stable elves. ¡°Dutch and Jax look to be in great spirits. Both look to have been well cared for. You have our thanks.¡± The taller of the two elves was garbed in tan pants and a long-sleeve cotton shirt. He introduced himself as Gabriel, the stable¡¯s owner. He gestured to the younger elf at his side and introduced him as his son, Samwell. Like his father, Samwell wore a similar outfit, but he was noticeably dirtier with bits of straw stuck randomly across his clothing. If I were to guess, the son did most of the hard labor while the father supervised. Teaching the younger generation and all, for sure. Samwell seemed confident around our horses, so I imagined his father¡¯s mentorship would soon be no longer needed. Both radiated pride in their work and their care for the horses. ¡°You are most welcome,¡± Gabriel stated, his voice rich like smooth maple syrup. ¡°Your boys certainly enjoyed their stay, but we could see the restlessness in their eyes to continue their journey with you. Both are eager for a good gallop to release some pent-up energy.¡± Samwell moved closer to Tallos, holding out Jax¡¯s reins. ¡°You have a fine horse, Warden¡­¡± he began saying but was interrupted as Jax gave him a friendly, albeit forceful, nudge with his long neck. With the boy perhaps a tenth of the lean horse¡¯s one-thousand-pound weight, he stumbled forward and nearly knocked head-first into Tallos. There was no anger or malice in the push. That much was obvious from the devious gleam in Jax¡¯s eyes. The lean horse seemed to genuinely care for the boy and was simply showing it with some gusto. Sadly for Samwell, who looked to weigh no more than a hundred pounds soaking wet, the sudden push sent him shooting forward. Samwell gave a surprised yelp before catching himself and turning around to cheerily scratch his exuberant friend¡¯s neck. ¡°He seems to like you,¡± Tallos teased the younger elf. When Samwell got close, Jax attempted to ¡®gently¡¯ nudge him once more, but this time, the boy was ready. He gracefully dodged to the side, all while scratching the soft hair on Jax¡¯s neck. Jax soon settled down and began behaving with far more gentle signs of affection. Gabriel spoke up, pointing to our horse¡¯s feet and sharing how a sorceress cast an enchantment on their shoes a few minutes before we arrived. ¡°Dutch and Jax will be able to move far more swiftly for the next two days. Better still, neither will need to spend additional stamina beyond what they normally do. Once the spell''s power wanes, it will dissipate harmlessly from their horseshoes as if it had never been. I¡¯ve been told time is of the essence for you all, but before you go, do you need to resupply any necessities for your fine animals?¡± I appreciated the stable master¡¯s foresight as we had been running low on our stored-away bales of hay and had completely forgotten about it. We handed over a few silver coins, fully resupplying my bag of holding with enough hay and treats to get us through the next week. While neither Gabriel nor his son knew how far away the emerald tower was, we learned it normally took two days to reach the southern border of the forest. With the enchanted shoes though, our ride time would be cut in half. Biding the pair farewell, I slipped both a silver coin as a time before thanking them for their wonderful care of Dutch and Jax the past two days. Our horses seemed eager to get moving as well, so we carefully corralled them to the nearest lift and waited for our turn. In only a short minute, our lift began lowering us the hundred or so feet to reach the bottom. ¡°Once we find out how long it will take to reach Cicero¡¯s tower, we¡¯ll have a good estimate on how much time we have before Duke could show up,¡± Stella said as the stocky elevator descended at a leisurely pace. ¡°We should have at least four days, if not more before his army potentially reaches the forest¡¯s eastern border. Since he can sense your general position, courtesy of his damnable tracking spell, he¡¯ll know we will have left the forest. My guess is he will skirt around the High Thicket, as opposed to going straight through. With his prey no longer in the forest, it wouldn¡¯t make sense for him to risk his army in an elven ambush among the mighty redwoods. Hopefully, it buys us, and the people of the forest, enough time to take down Cicero without ever needing to engage him.¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s what I¡¯m hoping for, too,¡± I replied before stepping close to the edge of the descending platform and peering over. We were still a mountainous height up yet. While I was not normally afraid of heights, I had to admit to myself a bit of trepidation as the lift had no side rails to keep someone from falling. I moved back to stand next to Dutch. ¡°I¡¯m stoked the council gave us the scroll of recall. I was worried Duke could have found us while we were on our way back from Cicero¡¯s tower. Now, as long as he doesn¡¯t arrive there while we¡¯re still inside, we should have enough time to get the Heart and teleport back to the city. I can only imagine his frustration when he suddenly senses us many weeks away when we use the city¡¯s teleportation circle to warp back to Merton. I wouldn¡¯t envy anyone close to him when he realizes how much further he must travel to reach us.¡± I knew Duke would not give up his hunt for Stella. So, as long as we were successful with Cicero in a reasonable amount of time, we should have time to prepare the city for his eventual arrival at the walls of Merton. Even better, he might leave his army behind leaving him to fight against a well-fortified city when he finally shows up. Still, he was a powerhouse on his own and I could only hope, with the elves'' set to return with us, we would be able to withstand his determined siege. How were we going to accomplish such a feat? Well, I was still working on that part. Such concerns were hopefully weeks away yet, so I refocused on our current task. A short time later, our lift touched down on earth as smoothly as ever. Standing a short distance away were six heavily armed elves, each holding the reins to horses far leaner than Jax¡¯s nimble frame. With only a glance at the group, I was certain their horses were well-trained to handle anything the forest could throw at them. Where Jax and Dutch occasionally glanced around the darkening forest in nervousness, these elven horses stood perfectly calm next to their companions. It made sense, considering this was their home turf. Each pair of elf and steed undoubtedly had years of experience roaming the hundreds of square miles within the High Thicket¡¯s forest. Studying our guide¡¯s outfit, each warden wore roughly the same outfit comprised of leather armor dyed a vibrant red to match the color of the mighty redwood trees. Additionally, hanging comfortably across their broad shoulders, each elf sported painted hooded cloaks that resembled the varying jumble of plant life dotting all around the forest floor. The purpose of their unique appearance was easy to comprehend. With their red armor, the elves would seem to disappear from the eyes if they stood up against one of the many towering redwood trees. With their cloaks wrapped around their bodies, the elves only needed to crouch low within the underbrush to blend in with the green foliage and red twigs littered across the forest floor. Each of the six wardens carried a brimming quiver on their hip, a sheathed longsword on the other, several secured knives bound with leather straps across their torso, and an unstrung bow lashed diagonally across the back. They all exuded a serious, no-nonsense vibe. They were the guardians of the forest. Each unquestionably knew every subtle intricacy of the forest, knew how to handle every animal we could come across, and were undoubtedly masters at their profession. Their collective presence of sheer confidence wafted around their group like an impenetrable dome. None struck me as upset or bored at the prospect of leading us through the forest. No. These were people absolutely committed to their craft. No matter the assignment, each seemed to radiate pure dedication and would do anything necessary to protect their forest. Their seemingly unapproachable demeanor evaporated as a striking fellow handed his reins to a fellow warden and stepped forward with an outstretched hand. His warm smile was more pleasant than I had expected, given the group¡¯s previous serious demeanor. I shook with hand with fervor. This elven warden wore nearly the same outfit as his brethren, yet he held small differences, marking him as their leader. Standing closer to the elf, we could spot a key difference in his armor. His chest armor held varying thicknesses of intricate black stitching randomly across the entirety of the red leather. It magnificently broke up the pattern of his torso and likely allowed him to better blend in against a redwood tree.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. The elf had other interesting alterations to his attire compared to his comrades. His exquisite red leather belt seemed to disappear around his waist courtesy of even more fine black stitching. His belted scabbard held intricate runic lines running down its length and he had an exquisitely engraved longbow secured tightly to his back. Every piece of his gear, from his boots, all the way up to leather pauldrons, was exceptionally well-maintained and in pristine condition. ¡°Greetings, Hunter Xazorus, Accelerator Stella, fellow warden Tallos, and friends,¡± the wiry elf said in a commanding tone. My immediate impression of the elf was of an individual who demanded excellence from everyone around him. He had a healthy amount of pride but with little arrogance as far as I could tell. He could back up his outward appearance. There was a natural-born leader if I had ever seen one. The respect given by his fellows was clear as day. ¡°My name is Stedious. I am the lead warden for Quarris. By command of the council, my squad will escort you to the southern edge of the High Thicket as swiftly as we can. I know of your quest and hope you finally deliver justice against the Blaspheme for what he has done to this city. I¡¯ve lost too many friends to that damnable orc.¡± Stedious signaled to one of his wardens, speaking to him in elvish which I could not understand. I reminded myself once more to ask Stella about trying to learn the language considering I was a half-elf after all. The lead warden reoriented on me, switching back to the common tongue. The elf he had spoken with moved to Dutch and began whispering arcane phrases. ¡°Pharaum here is placing a long-lasting enchantment on your horses so they will be able to see their surroundings in the dead of night. To my knowledge, everyone else in your party has this ability, correct?¡± ¡°We do,¡± Tallos replied while enthusiastically eyeing up the casting elf as he completed the first of his two incantations. As if daylight suddenly descended around Dutch, his demeanor shifted from a jittery nervousness to his usual confidence. Jax was soon to follow. ¡°I would love to learn this spell,¡± Tallos said unabashedly. ¡°It is an incredibly useful dweomer as the forest continues to live in the darkness of night. If you would like, I can send word to have its spell book waiting for you when you return since you are a fellow warden now,¡± Stedious offered. Tallos, of course, instantly agreed. ¡°I would be most agreeable if you could,¡± the newly minted warden responded delightedly. I laughed inwardly as I could only imagine how thick this particular spell tome would be after learning the darkvision enchantment could last a full twelve hours. Stedious continued explaining his team¡¯s role as we started walking to the south. His wardens would be dispersed around us, with two elves moving well ahead of us and being on the lookout for any potential danger. Another two wardens, one to each side, would cover our flanks. We were told we wouldn¡¯t see any of them as they scouted unless something unavoidable or particularly dangerous appeared¡ªsomething which we were told was a distinct possibility. Stedious would stay with us, while the final warden would drop back to cover the rear ensuring nothing snuck up on us. ¡°With the swift enchantment all of our horses have, we¡¯ll reach the border of the High Thicket in a day. During this time, we will stop occasionally to rest and allow our steeds to recover their stamina,¡± Stedious advised, nearing the end of our safety brief. ¡°From there, you¡¯ll have another day of travel to the Emerald Tower, though we will not accompany you beyond the forest per our directives. It will be hard to miss the mighty tower considering the wide open plains to the south. Its imposing structure dominates the skyline once you¡¯re close enough. Any questions before we mount up?¡± Unable to think of anything, I looked to Stella and Tallos before ultimately indicating we were ready to move in earnest. Everyone jumped into their saddles and, with one last look back towards the amazing city of Quarris, we followed Stedious¡¯ lead deeper into the forest. In only a few moments, four of the wardens fanned out and were quickly lost to sight. I swiftly lost my sense of direction as the city lights were lost behind the dense canopy over our heads. As far as I could tell, there wasn¡¯t so much a landmark as all the trees looked the same to my eyes. To the elves, it seemed as if a golden path was laid out which only they could see with how gracefully we traveled. Thankfully, my mini-map allowed me to track our progress somewhat, though most of the map remained an impenetrable murky gray, at least until I laid eyes on whatever was in front and around us. Mentally zooming out of the map, our destination was a considerable distance off. I could only tell because we had seen part of the southern border when the High Thicket first came into view days earlier. Our guide would occasionally glance back at us, ensuring we were keeping up, and I must admit being amazed at the simplicity of how he navigated the forest. I could best describe it as taking a perfect racing line between one tree and the next. For the most part, Stedious kept us moving in a perfectly straight line and only seemed to veer the slightest bit after passing close to one of the enormous trees. It seemed as if the wardens knew exactly where to expect every tree along our lengthy journey, and it was simplicity incarnate for them to steer us along the quickest path. If we had been alone and even with the enchanted horseshoes, we would have been lost many times over by now. We traveled at a light trot, and although we were moving at an unhurried pace, trees seemed to speed past us one after another. With the enchanted shoes, neither Dutch nor Jax seemed to be expending any additional energy as the miles clipped past at a steady rate. An occasion bird whistle rang out, and, at first, I thought nothing of it. Yet, after the fourth time in as many minutes, each coming from ahead, I recognized it was the leading elves signaling nothing was amiss. At least, I assumed as much, seeing as Stedious didn¡¯t react much, other than swiftly affixing his attention ahead as the whistles rebounded throughout the forest. Our elven guide didn¡¯t utter a single word since we left the city far behind. It was clear the wardens desired to minimize as much sound of our passing as possible. Following his lead, I was left to my own thoughts. Not long after, I decided to take another look at my newest acquired ability, Quintessence Empowerment, to decipher how it truly worked. It seemed like everything had been rushing by since the power of the quintessence gemstone awoke the ability within me. Since then, I had not been able to put much thought into what was likely an incredibly powerful tool, especially considering the upcoming challenge we had with Cicero. Stella noticed as I opened the window. She tilted her head up when the System message appeared before flying over to land on the horn of my saddle. She had been previously riding atop Ripley¡¯s shoulder, who was even then tirelessly matching our pace at a fast sprint with barely a whisper of sound. Quintessence Empowerment (Ability) ¨C During times of desperation and when all hope seems lost, pushing oneself beyond what mortals only dream to achieve becomes a necessity. As a necromancer specialized in assaulting foes with virulent forms of arcane energy that ravage an enemy¡¯s vitality over time, you can now call upon a quintessence power that will push you and your spells beyond what can normally be accomplished. When triggered all damage over time spells have their spell durations reset to maximum. Currently applied spells and any new spells cast within the next 120 seconds will also receive the following benefits: 100% additional spell penetration, 75% increased damage, 40% increased spell duration, and 15% increased spell critical strike chance. Any enemy inflicted by any enhanced damage over time spells will be afflicted by the ¡°Quintessence Drain¡± debuff, which siphons lost life to restore the caster¡¯s health, mana, and stamina. This amount restored is divided equally between these three resource pools and cannot exceed current maximums. Finally, while under the effects of Quintessence Empowerment, your body is flooded with arcane might, increasing all attribute scores by 10%. Note ¨C Each spell may only receive the Quintessence Empowerment a single time per activation. Refreshing an already enhanced spell effect will receive no additional benefits. Stella, similarly following the lead of our friendly mute warden, opened a chat message with me as soon as I was done reading the description. Stella: I was curious when you wanted to take a deeper look into this. The empowerment ability is exceptionally powerful, that much is obvious. Xaz: You¡¯re right about that. Stella: It seems best used against bosses or even against a swarm of enemies, as long as you¡¯ve got a full array of DoTs going. Boom! You use it and every spell resets to its maximum duration. Along with it comes a whopping seventy-five percent damage increase. That¡¯s also not mentioning everything else the ability does. Impressive. Most impressive. Xaz: Uh huh, and as long as the two-minute countdown is going any new spell is far more likely to bypass an enemy¡¯s protective¡­ Before I could finish the thought, a new message from Stella crashed into my view, forcibly terminating mine mid-sentence and catching me by surprise. Stella: Right! Any spell, even those already on an enemy, gains the extra penetrative effect. It also means if one of your earlier spells was partially resisted, it will most likely refresh to its max damage potential. How did she do it? I pondered. She must be able to see what I¡¯m typing out before I actually send it. It was the only way I could figure out how she knew what my message was about to say. Xaz: Thanks, Stell but , lol, you really don¡¯t need to interrupt me. Stella: Oh, yeah, sorry about that. I was just excited. I chuckled inwardly, fully expecting Stella¡¯s exuberance to jump out again with a similar outburst sometime in the future. As I was about to begin mentally typing a new message, Stella¡¯s excitement came screaming through her next message. Perhaps it was the speed at which she sent it, as it was impossible to read the emotions of a text message without also sending emojis and all that. Stella: Even better, not only will each spell last longer with the duration buff, but even after quintessence drops, each spell will keep the added effects until its duration runs its course. Plus, you¡¯ll get even more critical strikes, as I confirmed it stacks with your Spell Strike ability. I hadn¡¯t considered either possibility quite yet, so the information Stella shared was handy. I could see a strong tactic would be to recast as many of my DoTs shortly before Quintessence expired. In a way, it extended the numerous benefits beyond the two-minute maximum duration of the truly unique ability. The enhancement potential from this single ability was through the roof. I was thoroughly impressed and couldn¡¯t contain myself in my next message. Xaz: Stella, this is fucking amazing! Alright, perhaps I was a bit overzealous, but I really didn¡¯t care at this moment. This powerful ability could very well tip the balance in our favor against two extremely dangerous foes. Xaz: And to top it all off, not only are my personal stats bumped by an extra ten percent, but every instance of damage from a DoT will restore all of my resources at the same time! Stella: You¡¯re absolutely right. For two minutes, if not more if we time things right, it will be impossible, or at least extremely difficult, to put you down. With the sheer amount of DoT damage you can dole out, I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if your health and mana stay topped off the entire time. I couldn¡¯t wait to use it. Cicero would be first. Then, we would finish with Duke with a fortified city at my back. It was only a matter of time. I was feeling more certain of our victory than ever before. My mind was circling with thoughts of true justice, with neither foe any the wiser of what was to come when a shrill whistle unlike anything before cut through the night air. Chapter 105 - Miscreant Arachne Marauder This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it Chapter 106 - Empowerment in Action Burning hot energy blasted away from my core as Quintessence Empowerment triggered, sending a searing sensation to the tips of my fingers, the bottom of my feet, and the top of my skull. Every muscle in my body constricted as a byproduct, simulating what I imagined it felt like being struck by a bolt of lightning. Thankfully, there was no hint of pain. It was quite the opposite actually. Unending power, the strength to topple mountains, such was the feeling as every fiber of my being was tempered. The least of the many benefits Quintessence Empowerment brought, a seemingly simple ten-percent surge in all of my characteristics, dialed my senses to a whole new level. My thoughts quickened, my awareness of everything nearby solidified, and my vision grew keener than I ever thought possible. Every cell in my body responded as if this latent energy had always been waiting for the triggered wave to call forth a veiled power. Along with the many physical sensations the ability brought, I was suddenly acutely aware that each of my cast damage over time spells had been likewise strengthened. Two Arachne cried out simultaneously as an invisible wave exploded away from me, quickly finding a resonance with the many detrimental spells coursing through their spindly legs and bulbous abdomens. However, unlike the delightful sensation flowing in my veins, the spider spasmed in pain as every muscle in the long bodies locked ridged for a moment. With only two of the three spiders suffering from my most potent spells, two staggered as if struck by a one hundred and fifty-thousand-volt stun gun. For the next two minutes, while under the effects of my Quintessence Empowerment, every DoT would not only have their harmful effects and duration increased significantly, but each would also have a far higher chance of inflicting a critical hit. Wasting no time to contemplate the painful predicaments my ability wrought against two-thirds of our enemy forces, both spiders no doubt regretting the decision to ambush such powerful foes, I set my sights on the last of the marauding spiders. Up until this point, Ripley¡¯s skeletal form darted around her opponent, weathering multiple bladed leg strikes at her with untamed ferocity. Peering at her body intently, Ripley showed signs not every attack against her had been successfully evaded or defended. This was not unexpected as her opponent had upwards of six-bladed legs capable of striking at her nearly simultaneously. Long rents and tears were visible across her magically infused muscle tendons, at least those not robustly protected by dwarven silvern steel. Even with all her incredible strength and dexterous agility, she was showing how difficult it was to defend against so many attacks, all aimed at skewering the life out of her magically reinforced body. Nonetheless, Ripley continued to move gracefully as if none of the many accumulating wounds bothered her as she continued sending devastating counterattacks at the giant arachnid without pause. Unlike a living being, Ripley would never flinch from the agonizing sensation of a sharpened edge slicing through magically reinforced tendons. Even when nearly entirely severed, her void-black muscles would continue functioning with only slightly decreased efficiency. Only the complete loss of limb had any hope of holding back her twisting sword arm. With each jab of a sword leg, Ripley did her best to trade blow for blow on the massive spider, even though it seemed like such an uneven trade would become a losing proposition. Ripley, only able to swing her enchanted blade once for every two or three sent by her much larger opponent, was overall dealing more damage than her lone opponent. Ripley¡¯s armored frame nullified most attacks, whereas her sword often cracked the armored chitin wherever it struck. The humanoid-spider abominations were not stupid creatures, however, and the high arachnid realized it was losing the battle of attrition. It decided a change of tactics was in order. Up to this point, the lone warden attempting to assist Ripley had made little headway in slaying the monstrous fiend. He was so ineffective that the spider outright ignored him in favor of defending against the far more powerful skeletal minion. Retreating slightly up a nearby set of redwood trees, the Arachne slammed half of its bladed legs into the thick bark, securely anchoring itself six feet off the ground while the rest of its legs prodded Ripley¡¯s impressive defenses. The display was a ruse, however, hiding the true threat not yet seen in the battle. While four legs battered at my towering minion, the marauder curled the lower half of its body underneath itself to bring the tip of its gargantuan abdomen forward. It took aim at the tireless skeleton before sticky strands of webbing, invisible in the dark of night, shot away from the spider and crashed against Ripley¡¯s upper body. The spider timed the attack perfectly, simultaneously sending bladed attacks to either side of her body, causing Ripley to send her great sword back and forth. The motion left her torso mostly unguarded, exactly as the spider had hoped. At first, Ripley¡¯s strength was more than sufficient to ignore the tacky spider silk outright as it piled up on her chest, but the stream was relentless. With each passing moment, more of the silken strands layered atop itself and soon threatened to slow her coordinated movements as it entangled her. Though the spider continued its edging attacks, the skeletal minion adjusted her strategy to counter this new development. No longer sending forth unending swings against the long legs of the spider, Ripley switched to carefully measured strikes while doing her best to avoid the unyielding stream of webbing. Ripley, also no mindless beast, quickly concluded that while she was evading a goodly portion of the sticky webs, her side-to-side dashes would not bring her victory in her confrontation. Modifying her tactics once more, Ripley stepped back suddenly to give herself some space against the relentless barrage raining down on her. One moment, she was holding a magnificent greatsword, and the next, she was bearing her enchanted curved blade and dwarven-made shield. Out of reach from the spider¡¯s bladed legs, the monster didn¡¯t cease sending a stream of sticky webbing at the tall minion. The moment Ripley¡¯s shield appeared, upon which was a visage of a gleefully drinking dwarf, the silvern barrier began taking the brunt of the spider¡¯s special attack. In seconds, the silken threads layer on the impressive shield, growing out like some unnatural, translucent cocoon. Not wavering in the slightest, Ripley planted her bony feet and held her ground. Though it would cause other warriors to become off balance with so much additional weight carried in the hands, the skeletal minion had more than enough strength to keep her gleaming shield between her and the massive spider. Finally realizing his shots were doing nothing against the spider''s bladed legs nor the hardened carapace of its abdomen, Ripley¡¯s warden ally adjusted his sights and attempted to strike at the humanoid portion of the spider¡¯s body. It was quite a bit more effective, but with the positioning, not many of his arrows found their mark. During this entire exchange, I was not standing idly by. No, from the first moment I oriented on the last of the formidable spiders, my fingers moved in non-stop patterns as a sonnet of arcane syllables and phrases blended with the sound of combat all around us. By the time Ripley¡¯s shield appeared, now looking like a piece of metal with a massive cocoon affixed to its face, six of my empowered DoT spells started ravaging the spider¡¯s insides. So intent was the spider on its attempt to break through Ripley¡¯s impressive defenses, it ignored me entirely as spell after spell of devastating magic lanced into its body. Though its hardened carapace was an excellent deterrent against physical attacks, my spells found no such impediment. Desiring to dispatch all three spiders near the same moment, I put extra oomph into my latest spells by twisting in dual casting, causing the already soaring additional damage to skyrocket. Blood boil, ignite bones, synaptic toxin, gnawing blizzard, pyroclastic funeral pyre, and stinging swarm combined to create a torrent of destructive energy within the Arachne¡¯s body. Unmatched to nearly anything I had been able to do before, the devastation to the spider¡¯s health pool was enormous. By the time the spider realized its folly in ignoring my spell-casting, it was too late. The suddenly terrified creature attempted to retreat up one of the trees it had been using, but then, as if every muscle liquefied at the same moment, it lost control and toppled to the forest floor. The inescapable darkness of death stole the final vestiges of life remaining in its body and it lay still a crumpled mess.Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. Wanting to punctuate my discontent with our attacker¡¯s ambush, I ended the creature¡¯s life with a quickly cast chained lightning. The blazing bolt of electricity slew the fiend instantly, sending it rocketing backward into one of the thick trees previously being used as an anchor. The spell''s power caused another bolt to leap away, this one heading towards the spider, facing off with Stedious before slicing through the air once more to the last remaining spider on the other edge of the clearing. Like that, the battle was brought to an abrupt halt with only the sound of heavy breathing spanning the short distance between the redwood trees. Not so much as a single bug or insect chirped or uttered the slightest peep. The battle was over, and the forest held its breath as if expecting another predator to descend. None did. With a savage swing of his longsword, Stedious decapitated his unmoving foe¡¯s head ensuring the beast was truly dead. ¡°Wardens, remove their heads. These creatures are unknown to us, so we need to ensure none are able to return to the land of the living,¡± the powerful elf ordered his fellow wardens, who swiftly moved to comply with his order. Perhaps Stedious had experience with such frightening events happening after destroying other similar abominations; at least, I believed these elf spiders to have been created through Cicero¡¯s sorcery. I also wasn¡¯t about to countermand his order, even though I had several minimized System messages hovering in my view attempting to grab my attention with how much experience we received from the kills. Beyond even that, I would have thought their reanimation impossible considering the incredible amount of damage each spider received through the combination of my most powerful DoTs and my Quintessence Empowerment. Ignoring the grisly sounds of blades slashing through unprotected necks, I rushed over to Kali¡¯s side as Stedious knelt beside her. He worked a short dagger along the sides of her body and cut at the binding webs encasing her. Kali¡¯s body was entirely motionless and made no reaction as her cocoon was destroyed. Unsure if we were already too late and she was lost to the world, I touched her shoulder before intoning the arcane words to my recently upgraded lesser regeneration spell. As my spell attempted to send revitalizing energy through her limp form, the power radiating through my body from Quintessence Empowerment stilled as the two-minute duration ended. Stedious spoke from the side of his mouth as he removed the last silken strands still clinging to his friend¡¯s lithe body. ¡°She lives,¡± he said, the words striking my chest like a cooling balm. Seeing subtle signs of breathing, the prone elf remained still, and her eyes remained closed. Stedious placed a hand on the side of her face before closing his eyes in concentration. ¡°Kali remains unconscious solely due to the spider¡¯s venom. She will survive but I suspect she will not wake for many hours. Apparently, these horrors are akin to their smaller brethren and enjoy draining the blood from their victims. I cannot remove the toxin from her, so we¡¯ll need to secure her atop her horse if we intend to continue.¡± Stedious looked at me expectantly. At first, I believed he was inquiring me if we should continue heading south, but something in his eyes hinted at another question. Was there more I could do other than my apparent ineffectual regeneration spell? I was a specialist, after all, when it came to determinantal effects, so was there more I could do? My thoughts whirled through my spell repertoire, yet nothing came to mind at first. Then my eyes widened in realization as I did know a spell that might do the trick. Whirling to Stella, I shot her a questioning look to see if the spell in mind would work. ¡°Yeah, I think it could work,¡± Stella replied positively with a nod of her small forehead. ¡°Though the toxin appears to be primarily a sedative and paralytic without a hint of damaging any of her internal organs, I believe the spell would decrease how long she¡¯ll be out. I¡¯d say to give it a whirl.¡± Stedious looked at the two of us questioningly, but I ignored him for now. ¡°Thanks, Stell. That¡¯s what I was hoping for.¡± Placing a hand on both of Kali¡¯s shoulders, I closed my eyes and brought the necessary incantations to cast the spell to mind. Taking a deep breath, I straightened my back and began speaking the mystical words to my Lesser Cure Poison, Corruption, and Disease. God, could the spell have a longer or more arduous name? Considering the spell would only remove around forty-eight seconds of duration, I opted to channel the spell since Stedious indicated the elf would be out for several hours while under the toxin¡¯s effects. With the necessary gestures completed, I placed both hands once more on the slumbering warden¡¯s shoulders. A cool energy swept away from my core, sending a tingling sensation down my arms before reaching into Kali¡¯s body. Closing my eyes against the flow of mana rushing out of me, I focused on the simple task of holding the channel open. With how long the venom was expected to last, counted in hours instead of minutes like every other determinantal effect, I knew this was going to take a while. I may not even have enough mana to remove the spider venom in one go, but I was willing to try. Under normal situations, the cure poison spell cost a minuscule thirty-five mana per cast, a tiny drop in the bucket compared to my entire mana pool of over twenty-one thousand. Yet, when stretched continuously via channeling, the spell¡¯s cost rocketed to almost double that per second. Cure poison greedily drank sixty-two mana each passing second and, considering my mana regenerated was slightly higher than one thousand mana per minute, it was only a matter of time before I ran out. By the four-minute mark, I was nearly tapped out with my mana reaching a low level not seen in a long time. Yet, it was enough. Kali¡¯s eyes opened slowly, awareness returning to her blue irises as the final remnants of the toxin were magically eradicated from her body. Doing some quick mental math, with four minutes of channeling, a whopping fifteen thousand mana points required, the spider venom would have taken over three hours to dissolve on its own. Though I was nearly completely drained, it was worth it. While Stedious checked in with his warden, I flopped down on my butt as an intense headache flared to life. The liberal use of mana had apparently drained me mentally, leaving an aching void in its place. The pain was receding, albeit slowly, as my natural regeneration slowly refilled my pool of mana. Stella floated near my face with something held firmly in her small hands. ¡°Drink these,¡± she offered, first handing me a blue potion bottle swiftly followed by a steaming coffee cup. Not questioning her aid, I downed the small bottle before bringing the cup close to my lips. It smelled of cinnamon and caramel. Though I could not recall where we purchased the heavenly drink, I was immensely grateful we did as the warm liquid ran down my throat. Combined with the immediate effects of the large mana potion and the doubling of my mana¡¯s natural regeneration afforded by the blissful coffee, my piercing headache soon soothed to a slightly uncomfortable simmer. Taking a peek at my character screen, my mana regeneration jumped to over three thousand points per minute. I would be fully restored in a matter of minutes. ¡°You¡¯ll fully regenerate your mana pool in about seven minutes,¡± Stella offered helpfully after noticing my glance at the metric. Stedious, who had been helping Kali remove the last of the webbing, stubbornly clinging to her armor, turned his head towards Stella at her words. Already knowing his forthcoming question, I spoke up first. ¡°Can we rest that long, or do we need to head out right away to avoid more of these spiders showing up?¡± I inquired of the lead warden. Stedious contemplated my question a moment before answering, his gaze turning up toward the canopy overhead. ¡°The risk of additional arachnids will be a constant threat as long as we are near their nest,¡± he stated before helping Kali reach her feet. Assisting her towards her horse, the female warden soon nodded her head at the elf having recovered fully from the debilitating effects. While we had been tending to her earlier, two other wardens had long since retrieved her frightened animal, calming the distressed horse with gentle words before cutting it free. ¡°I recommend we move out immediately,¡± Stedious commented as we all began returning to our saddles. ¡°We¡¯ll send word to the city to send a large enough force to rout these vile beasts before they can do more damage to the forest.¡± Looking at the warden previously watching our rear flank, Stedious barked an order towards his companion. ¡°Uulee, you are tasked to return to the city with all haste and report this discovery. When the council musters a response, return with them and ensure the eradication of this nest.¡± Without another word, Uulee clipped the side of his horse with his heels before tearing off back the way we had come. The lead warden reoriented on me, ¡°Ready to go?¡± Affirming we were and knowing my regeneration would continue even while riding, there was no reason to delay and risk more giant spiders showing up. Still, I pondered what other dangers may lay ahead of us as we pressed on in darkness. As if reading my thoughts, Stedious barked out several additional orders, adjusting how our group would proceed¡ªthis time with far more vigilance. ¡°We won¡¯t continue at our breakneck pace while in twilight. The risk of the ambush is greater than we suspected. Mulviel, please move to our rear flank to cover there in Uulee¡¯s absence. We¡¯ll also tighten our formation to respond better should anything else happen. Any questions?¡± None did, and we soon departed the small clearing, leaving behind several broken bodies of a category of spider I hoped I would never encounter again. Chapter 107 - Through the High Thicket The adrenaline rush of battle dissipated over the next several minutes as our small force continued traveling south through the seemingly endless forest. With everyone¡¯s ability to easily see in the dark, the space between the giant redwood trees was lit up in our vision as if we were treading under a cloudy sky. With the dense canopy overhead, everything above our heads was entirely blocked from view. My imagination played tricks on me for the first few minutes as the thought of gargantuan spiders jumping down on us seemed a real possibility. With the sheer number of building-sized trees blocking all sightlines, anxiety prickled the back of my neck as if some other horrifyingly disconcerting threat was just out of view. Though we barely knew our lead guide, his unconcerned demeanor as he rode beside me helped squash my imaginative thoughts from expanding further. There was something below the surface, though, with our guide, and it didn¡¯t take a genius to understand what that was. We had been outside Quarris only two hours before stumbling into a damnable nest of gigantic spiders, after all. Man, was everything in this forest oversized? I¡¯d hate to run into a bear, considering it could literally be the size of a bus if the same tendency held true. The other issue that could be bothering our newest friend was, if I suspected correctly, that the spiders we defeated were likely atrocious versions of High Thicket elves. I contemplated asking Stedious if this was true or not but initially hesitated, fearing tearing a wound open further. Instead, I focused on the less driven pace at which we were pushing our mounts than before the fateful ambush. Our horses'' enchanted shoes still worked wonders even though we were moving perhaps half to three-quarters as fast compared to before. Our observant guide had also called for the other wardens to keep closer positions so I could occasion see one here and there. Before I only knew of their existence with the occasion whistle marking their position, whereas now their billowing cloaks and well-disciplined steeds appeared semi-regularly. Our inner formation also changed slightly with Stedious riding beside us instead of a lead position. Mustering up the nerve to ask a question, I unintentionally cleared my throat, which promptly grabbed our warden¡¯s attention. His green eyes held a previously unseen intensity to them I was not expecting. It gave me further pause as if I should hold my tongue. Yet, I quickly realized, Stedious¡¯s face did not hold a look of rebuke. Instead, it was a determination to do better after so nearly losing a dear friend to enemies of the forest. Stedious spoke up before I could, dispelling the notion we would be traveling in silence. ¡°I can see you have something in mind, Xaz. Please feel free to speak. We¡¯ve certainly already roused every possible creature¡¯s attention with the ruckus we created back there. I doubt we¡¯ll need to reconsider moving with more care until we¡¯re a great deal farther away from that nest. I did want to mention we will stop in a few hours to rest. Normally, even with enchanted horseshoes, we stop every four hours to give our kindly steeds time to replenish their stamina. While we¡¯re not moving as fast as before, they still need time to recover. After we stop for a short half hour, we¡¯ll take another look at the benefits of moving quietly.¡± ¡°Sounds good,¡± I replied before swallowing a nagging feeling, tugging at my emotions. I was referring, of course, to a rising guilt and sense of responsibility I held for what almost happened to Kali. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for what happened back there. Kali¡¯s life wouldn¡¯t have been put at risk if I hadn¡¯t desired to head out immediately after meeting with the Quarris elders. It¡¯s our fault she almost perished to those dreadful beasts. It¡¯s tearing me up that if we had arrived a few seconds later than we did, those spiders could have easily taken her strung-up body up into the forest above. We may never have seen her again, let alone consider trying to rescue her if we had.¡± Stella was striding atop Dutch¡¯s saddle horn, an odd thing considering it was nowhere near wide enough to allow her to rest comfortably. She made it work though, likely from her ability to hover in the air with incredible ease. Stella wore an equally apologetic look on her face as she, too, turned to face the tall warden riding stoically beside us. ¡°We¡¯re grateful we were able to help rescue her, of course, but this would never have happened if not for us¡­¡± She didn¡¯t finish the thought, instead shaking her head from side to side in shame. Before responding, Stedious tilted his head upwards as if looking towards the hidden stars far about the forest¡¯s crown. The expression on his face was one I could not immediately place. ¡°You have nothing to apologize for. As wardens, we know the risk taken anytime we leave the safety of the city. Tallos understands this, but I can appreciate why the two of you feel you bear responsibility for what happened. Trust me when I say you do not.¡± The elf let his words hang in the air before continuing. ¡°While I am glad the attack did not claim our friend¡¯s life, we know every day could reveal itself as our last. It¡¯s a risk we assume simply because we are guardians of the forest. Put your fears to rest. For all we know, we could have easily been ambushed during the day had we decided to wait. Considering the creations we¡¯ve seen from Cicero before, it would be a safe bet we would have found them regardless of the time of day.¡± ¡°So, you believe the Hunter is responsible for creating those hybrid monstrosities?¡± I questioned, already suspecting the answer. ¡°I believe so, yes. As you heard me mention before, those specific spiders we have never seen before,¡± Stedious replied confidently. A soft whistle sounded ahead, a note I was becoming familiar with as an all-clear of sorts. Matching whistles soon followed from the sides and our rear, though the imitation bird calls were slightly different. ¡°Did you know them? I mean, before they were¡­ elves and not those vile things?¡± ¡°No, we did not recognize their faces, but it¡¯s no less a tragic loss for the forest. Hybrid creatures, as you called them, have been appearing at a frightening regularity, though I am quite worried this latest incursion was so close to the borders outside Quarris. Up to this point, we have never seen Cicero¡¯s mad creations so far into the forest before, which is why I risked us moving with as much haste as we did before.¡± Stedious paused before looking me straight in the eyes. ¡°We have been entirely unable to untrench Cicero from his wicked tower. All we can do is slay the poor souls who have become twisted into gross caricatures of themselves. Every day, the abhorrent orc is free to do as he pleases, and more lives are lost as a result. Again, I urge you not to bear a weight that is not yours to carry. We understand the importance of your quest, so we will gladly risk ourselves as you work to end the threat he poses.¡± Stedious glanced my way to see if his words had the desired effect. I let out a deep breath while ordering my thoughts. He was right, of course. Our guides understood the inherent risk of traveling through a forest teeming each day with more unholy amalgamations of beast and man. Nothing would change until Cicero was removed from the board. Closing my eyes, I ran through several mental exercises to regulate my emotions. As if dispelling unhelpful thoughts, I shook my upper torso and arms. My fears and pent-up guilt all gradually resided as I became grounded in reality. Opening my eyes, I locked gazes with the admirable elf, nodding my understanding of the truth of his words. ¡°Thank you,¡± I added simply, receiving a respectful nod in response. Reorienting on our path ahead, the blinking notification from after the battle caught my attention. Mentally selecting the prompt, several materialized in front of me. Stella glanced up from her spot and straightened her back. We both knew what came next. Experience Awarded: Miscreant Arachne Marauder x 3 (level 40) Notice! Experience has been split among party and non-party members. Level Up! You have earned enough experience to advance to level 26. Tier 3 class characteristic attributes have been applied. You have 7 attribute points to distribute. Unlike every other time, after reading the notification of a level advancement, only a soft glow emanated around my body. This caught me as odd since it was wholly unlike the radiant beam of energy falling down upon me from above. Looking around in apparent confusion, Stella¡¯s cheeky half-smile smile caught my attention. ¡°I proactively tuned down the normal level up,¡± my poodle friend promptly said when I glanced her way. ¡°You¡¯ve been fully restored like normal, but I figured we didn¡¯t want to give away our position any more than we already did. A blazing spotlight in the middle of the night would certainly be a dead giveaway, after all.¡± ¡°Good thinking. Thanks, Stell.¡± While I didn¡¯t feel the usual rush of euphoria as heavenly light bathed upon me, I still suddenly felt in peak condition as all my resource pools were refilled. Returning to my notifications, I eagerly rubbed my mental hands together. As soon as the next message appeared, our gazes locked on the floating wall of text. We had new spells to consider!This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. Congratulations on reaching level 26. As a Wraith, you are able to choose one of the following class-appropriate skills or spells. Please know that it is possible any skill or spell not selected may be found elsewhere in the World. Additionally, another set of skills or spells will be selectable at level 28. When level 30 is reached, a tier 4 class will be available. Choose wisely. Option 1: Spell [Corpse Rend] ¨C Summon a chaotic mix of destructive arcane energy to infect a nearby deceased enemy. Upon use, the corpse will detonate causing considerable damage to any nearby hostile target. Additionally, impacted targets will be afflicted with the debuff, ¡°Rending Flesh,¡± which causes moderate damage over time as the ruptured body parts attempt to writhe into their body. Further, any other nearby corpse within the area of effect has a significantly high chance of detonating. Note ¨C Hostile targets impacted by multiple corpse explosions will have the debuff, ¡°Rending Flesh,¡± proportionally strengthened with each new instance of the effect. Upon seeing the first option, my mind whirled back to a spell I wanted to ensure I used more often. I was, of course, thinking of Undeath. It was the spell I specialized in when I upgraded to my current tier three Hunter class. Brushing the thought away, at least for now, I returned my attention to the next two options. Dwelling on regretful thoughts of forgetting to reanimate elf-spider hybrids was a bad idea considering the company we currently had. Nope, there was no way I was using Undeath until we were well clear of the forest. Option 2: Spell [Vivisection] ¨C Upon casting, an ethereal wall of twisting blades surrounds a hostile target within range, causing extremely high damage over time. The target is afflicted with the debuff, ¡°Cantankerous Cacophony,¡± which has a moderate chance of causing the target to uncontrollably flee to a nearby friendly companion at random. Further, any additional hostile targets coming into contact with the swirling blades will cause an additional copy of the spell to manifest upon them. Note ¨C The number of additional ethereal blades created per instance is dependent on spell level. Additionally, hostile targets may only be affected by one spell effect at a time, but the duration is reset if contact is made with another afflicted entity. Option 3: Skill [Summon Skeletal Wraith] ¨C Summon a short-lived wraith minion capable of casting every damage over time spell in its master¡¯s spell repertoire. This minion is fully autonomous, though it will follow any verbal commands to the best of its ability. Utilizing the caster¡¯s proficiency with the dual cast skill, this highly intelligent undead creature will continuously cast lesser versions of spells against any hostile target within range. Note ¨C The skeletal wraith taps into the caster¡¯s mana pool to cast spells but at a significantly reduced percentage. This rate can be manually adjusted via your Accelerator up to a set maximum. Note ¨C The caster¡¯s dual casting skill will level an additional 50% faster through the use of Summon Skeletal Wraith. ¡°So, we¡¯ve got a corpse explosion, interesting, a contagious blade barrier which sounds interesting as hell, and a lesser version of me, I guess?¡± I commented after reading through the descriptions an additional time. ¡°Any immediate standouts to you, Stell?¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± she replied noncommittally as a toe tapped against her lower lip. Several seconds later, she tilted her head and added, ¡°I know what I¡¯m less thrilled with, the corpse rend. It''s only useful once something has died meaning. If we look at this spell through the lens of our latest fight against the three ginormous spiders which were nowhere near one another, it would have been pretty much useless. Still, I don¡¯t want to eliminate it entirely as I¡¯m sure we could find some creative ways to use the spell unconventionally. Like, say, setting an ambush of our own, perhaps?¡± ¡°Yeah, I was thinking along the same lines,¡± I added after biting my lower lip. ¡°Remember back in the Silvern tunnels when we knew a patrol of dwarves was coming to investigate the explosions in the giant mushroom cavern? We could have piled all the slain warriors in a pile and, when they went to investigate, boom!¡± ¡°True, but I doubt you¡¯ll be motivated enough to go around man-handling dead bodies, right? Or, more likely, you¡¯d have poor Ripley do it for you,¡± she joked. ¡°I am disappointed the spell could essentially be useless against a single boss mob.¡± ¡°Like our impending confrontation against Duke,¡± I commented before scratching the back of my neck. ¡°Wait, maybe not. He is coordinating an approaching army, is he not? This could jump the spell¡¯s usefulness up a few levels. Think of it. Imagine him standing tall against our best spells, shrugging off the worst we can do, but his friends around him are far less fortunate or fortified. One use of this spell, and like that he¡¯s feeling a whole lot worse.¡± ¡°Ah, I like the imagery,¡± Stella said appreciatively. ¡°Not only would something like ten bodies detonating do quite a bit of damage, but also one wickedly powerful DoT to boot!¡± ¡°While I¡¯m not too fond of the first option, let¡¯s not dismiss it out of hand since we¡¯re going to be waging a war soon. Alright, how about option number two, Vivisection?¡± ¡°You mentioned something about a blade barrier before. What¡¯s that?¡± Stella asked with a side glance up at me. ¡°Oh, never mind. It¡¯s a type of wizard spell from a role-playing game I used to play with friends. It created a static wall of whirling blades which would punish anyone foolish enough to try to run through it,¡± I replied. ¡°Seems odd,¡± Stella commented. ¡°What kind of idiot would willingly run through something like that?¡± ¡°No kidding. This version, though, is not static at all, as it surrounds one enemy and looks to cause some pretty significant damage. Better yet, there¡¯s a substantial chance the spell causes the enemy to run screaming to nearby allies, creating even more vortexes on those new fools. I wonder how many new sets of blades can be created with just one cast.¡± Stella didn¡¯t respond to my question, instead seeming to swipe a paw through the empty air. She was using an invisible Accelerator screen which I wished far too often I could see. I was hopeful Stella could see the spell''s ¡®r-naught¡¯ value. Or, in simpler terms, how contagious the spell effect was. If the spell caused, at most, a single additional effect to propagate, its r-naught value was one. Only one person, on average, would be ¡®infected,¡¯ so to speak, and would be only slightly worse than a common cold and not too impressive. However, it had an r-naught value similar to the measles, somewhere between twelve and eighteen, the spell would be incredibly powerful. I would likely want to pick it up for the sheer dominance it could have on any battlefield, ranging from a few to a few hundred. Anything that contagious was quite a few levels above epidemic proportions. ¡°While the System doesn¡¯t allow me to see precise figures¡­¡± Stella stated as she narrowed her eyes in concentration. ¡°I can confidently say the spell can spread to four or five new targets while at first level. From what I see, that number increases pretty regularly after that with perhaps one additional target for every two or three spell levels.¡± ¡°Not bad, worse than the mean transition rate of covid,¡± I commented under my breath. ¡°Of what?¡± Stella asked, clearly not understanding my reference. Well, of course, she wouldn¡¯t considering this was the only planet she had ever been on. ¡°Never mind, it was simply something of interest to me once upon a time. Suffice it to say, this Vivisection spell is great. Not only does it have some serious damage against both single targets and small groups, but it only grows even better in large-scale engagements. Just like the one we¡¯re approaching. Not only Duke¡¯s army but potentially Cicero¡¯s too, if we can call them that.¡± ¡°Very likely with Cicero¡¯s, yeah. Sounds like he will have quite a few of those abominations running around.¡± Stella was clearly not happy with how much of a surprise the last ones we came across were. ¡°Indeed. Alright, on to the last choice. Mini-wraith,¡± I said uncertainly as I once more reviewed the spell¡¯s description. ¡°My first question, well, questions. Can I have more than one? And, how long it will last?¡± ¡°Checking¡­ So, that¡¯ll be a no on the first. You can¡¯t have more than one of the little buggers standing around,¡± Stella responded after reviewing her hidden interface screens. ¡°As far as the duration of mini-Xaz, it is long enough for most battles. Plus, you can recast it mid-fight if you need to reset its duration to whatever the maximum will be. As long as you don¡¯t forget to recast the spell, you should be able to keep it up in perpetuity for the most part. Though, from the look of it, it will have quite the mana consumption.¡± ¡°Care to elaborate?¡± I questioned, hoping she could find more information to help us narrow down the best of our three options. ¡°The part in the description, there,¡± she replied with a point of a paw. ¡°Where it talks about working with me to set the ratio? From what I see here, you¡¯ll be able to designate the ¡®clone¡¯ of you to something around a tenth to a third efficiency.¡± Stella noticed me squinting in confusion, so she immediately expounded on the explanation. ¡°Each spell the wraith casts can be set to between ten percent and thirty-three percent of the spell¡¯s normal mana cost. More mana allocated means more damage it can dish out.¡± ¡°Got it, but it seems rather weak,¡± I said with a slight grimace. ¡°Ten to thirty percent? It has to be better than that, right? Seems pitiful and hardly worth considering.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right. It would be quite pitiful as long as you ignored the part of the description talking about how your little friend always casts your spells with dual cast,¡± Stella stated leadingly. With a devilish grin, she pressed forward. ¡°Let¡¯s take a look at good ol¡¯ Blood Boil, will we? When you cast it normally, at its current level and with your total intelligence stat, the spell¡¯s doling out a little over nineteen hundred damage per tick. The same spell, even when only at a third of the power, combined with dual cast, the damage blooms to seventeen hundred! Pretty damn close to the original¡± ¡°Oh, wow,¡± I uttered in amazement. ¡°Even if it was one hell of a mana sink, nearly matching the raw damage I would normally do is not something to ignore. Hot damn, that¡¯s similar to doubling my damage output!¡± ¡°I know, right?¡± Stella responded cheerily, quite proud of herself. Feeling good about our ecstatic choices, I quickly dumped all seven attribute points gained from the level up into intelligence. The separate notification icon blinked away in the corner of my vision, and I opened it on instinct. Nothing was about to quell my excitement. Notice! Spell: [Stinging Swarm] has increased to level 2. Notice! Spell: [Lightning Bolt] has increased to level 2. Boy, was I wrong. ¡°Now that is simply impressive,¡± I commented with as much sarcasm as possible. Stella only giggled. Chapter 108 - Insightful Considerations Brushing aside the wave of embarrassment drifting through my chest at the sight of the amusing, yet simultaneously pitiful, level upgrade to my newest two spells, I returned to the task at hand. So, which option was the best pick for us right now? As Stella had said earlier, while I was disappointed in the glaring weakness of Corpse Rend, it could be quite valuable when we faced a legion of enemies. Wanting to make the choice more straightforward, I turned to Stella with a proposition. ¡°Hmm, how about we do a pros and cons, yeah?¡± I invited my petite friend. She shrugged noncommittally as if saying she was fine either way. ¡°Alright, first up, we have Corpse Rend. A notable pro would be the huge benefit it will bring against large, bunched-up enemies. This is what we¡¯re precisely going to find when we tackle Cicero and his mad legion, as well as the approaching war with Duke¡¯s forces. I want to add that the additional damage over time effect applied after the explosion is a nice bonus.¡± Stella nodded along, then chimed in, ¡°It pairs well with blood boil and its specialized effect. Imagine it: a dying monster keeling over before triggering a shower of scalding blood to pepper anything unfortunate enough to be nearby. Then, we immediately follow it up with this new spell, and¡­ BOOM, the body detonates, causing even more damage while also sending a new DoT rampaging anything still living. Even better, that one explosion could create a chain of other corpses equally exploding for catastrophic damage. If used after the initial stages of a large-scale battle, Corpse Rend could really shine.¡± ¡°Pretty awesome, but let¡¯s move to the cons,¡± I stated, steering the conversation to what we didn¡¯t like about the spell. ¡°As you mentioned, this one is utterly useless against single targets. We¡¯ve fought several powerful bosses and will continue to do so as we progress further into this world. The thought of having a potent spell wasting away on the sidelines because it simply can¡¯t be used is definitely a significant demerit in my mind. I also don¡¯t enjoy the thought of having to remember to use it in the heat of battle. Unlike Blood Boil, which automatically procs whenever a mob dies, I could see myself forgetting to cast this while actively engaging a dozen enemies.¡± Stella nodded along with my words. A brief silence settled in the air between us, with neither of us appearing to have anything else to offer regarding the spell. Well, at least until Stella commented on how disgusting it was to imagine wriggling pieces of torn flesh burrowing under someone¡¯s skin. It ¡®wigged her out,¡¯ as she put it. With nothing else for it, we moved on to the second option: Vivisection. ¡°Pros for your blade barrier spell,¡± Stella said, starting us off. ¡°Based on the wording, this one will have the highest DoT damage, meaning it pairs well with your class selections. Plus, with the ability to have additional effects leap to other opponents means the spell is great in both small and large crowds of mobs. Perfect for any occasion.¡± ¡°Yeah. The ¡®extremely high damage¡¯ makes it fantastic against boss monsters, unlike corpse explosion,¡± I added. ¡°The fact the effect will spread to a decent number of other mobs for free is an excellent added benefit. It makes this a fire-and-forget spell. Again, unlike our other option.¡± ¡°Alright, cons,¡± Stella said, tapping her lips. ¡°So, unlike Corpse Rend, this one doesn¡¯t stack. When an afflicted mob runs into something already under its own spell, since the fear effect targets another random hostile, all that happens is the spell¡¯s duration gets refreshed. On top of that, I highly doubt it refreshes the number of times the contagion can spread meaning the spell could fizzle out rather quickly with only a single cast. My last thought: I¡¯m also hesitant about the wording of the ¡®cantankerous cacophony¡¯ debuff. It makes it sound like it¡¯s going to create a whirlwind of deafening noise, which, in the middle of combat, could certainly be a terrible thing, not to mention letting everything around for miles know you¡¯re there.¡± Stella brought up some good points, so I took a minute to work through my thoughts before adding, ¡°The only other thing I can think of as a negative is the spell¡¯s fear effect. It doesn¡¯t include a snare. Snaring an enemy before you make it flee is usually pretty important when it comes to these types of spells. Otherwise, the damn thing could hightail it directly away from you, meaning you lose track of it in short order if you¡¯re not paying close enough attention. Thankfully, Vivisection doesn¡¯t appear to do this, but what¡¯s to say the nearest enemy isn¡¯t a hundred yards away, for example, which is essentially the same thing.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Stella acknowledged before letting out a deep sigh. ¡°Okay, last up is Summon Skeletal Wraith. An easy pro would be the significant boost in your overall damage from having a lesser version of you throwing out every DoT you know. Oh, and before you ask, the wraith¡¯s spells will stack with yours.¡± ¡°Nice,¡± I replied appreciatively. The question had been on the tip of my tongue, but Stella¡¯s foresight quickly dispelled the concern. ¡°Also, anything the wraith casts, along with your dual cast skill, will level from each engagement,¡± Stella continued as we rounded an abnormally large redwood tree. It must have taken several thousand years to reach such a remarkable width. ¡°Though, your spells won¡¯t level any faster than normal and only come into play if you don¡¯t also cast it during the same battle.¡± As we were running through our options, I noticed Stedious glancing in our direction here and there as if interested in our conversation. Though, as of yet, he hadn¡¯t added any opinion of his own. I suspected he found the conversation stimulating but would leave Hunter''s business to the Hunter and his Accelerator. Still, if he wanted to, I would welcome any thoughts he might have. A part of me wanted to let him know he could, but I couldn¡¯t bring myself to say anything. After scratching the side of my jaw, with neither of us having anything else positive to bring up, we agreed to move to the spell¡¯s drawbacks. ¡°With it being a summoned minion, it means it can die. Sure, an enemy could have a way to dispel DoT¡¯s, but it is far easier to slay a minion than wipe out one of my spells. We have no way of knowing how much health or defensible the skeleton will be,¡± I lamented. There was no way the small wraith could approach Ripley¡¯s durability, for sure. ¡°I doubt it gets any bonus from my Warlock class. Right?¡± I asked, with Stella quickly shaking her head and confirming my suspicion. ¡°It¡¯s too bad, but I can understand why the System wouldn¡¯t allow this minion to last forever.¡± A key aspect of my tier two Hunter class was it made Ripley a permanent minion. Even if she died, which was known to happen from time to time, she would automatically be resummoned after a short cool down period. Sadly, this particular minion wouldn¡¯t be able to benefit from this fantastic benefit. ¡°I also worry about how much of a mana drain this could have,¡± I continued as movement in the corner of my eye caught my attention. Thinking it was likely just a bird, I carried on. ¡°While we typically have more than enough mana and could afford to use more of it, mana is the prime resource when it comes to keeping my Empowered Aegis up. Suddenly finding myself bottoming out my mana pool could be disastrous when my best line of defense crumbles around me simply because I lost track of how much mana this little beast was siphoning. In any substantially long enough fight, this could become a very real concern.¡± ¡°It is a possibility. I¡¯ll give you that, but the amount of mana we allocate to the minion can be adjusted on the fly. It can be done beforehand if we know a big battle is coming our way,¡± Stella offered to allay my fear. I pressed onwards as another thought occurred to me. ¡°Not sure if this counts, but the spell¨Cwell, skill actually¨Cdoesn¡¯t add anything to my damage over time repertoire,¡± I stated hesitantly. Though thinking about it, I felt more confident it was indeed a shortcoming. ¡°This skill is basic. If we look at it strictly as a way to cast more spells, we would effectively be trading a higher amount of mana to get more DoTs on the board more quickly. While not exactly doubling my damage output, the mini-wraith would cause me to burn through more of my mana pool much more quickly. As a damage over time specialist, I excel over longer, drawn-out fights. Spending most of my mana pool during the initial stages of a battle isn¡¯t how I usually operate.¡±Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. Stella seemed to understand my words but didn¡¯t look to having anything additional to add just yet, so I pressed on and laid out the rest of my thoughts. ¡°Think of it this way,¡± I reasoned, putting extra emphasis in my words. ¡°If I had to choose between picking up a good amount of spell haste, which I believe this minion represents, or choosing a powerful new DoT, I¡¯d pick the DoT every day. Being a necromancer is about balancing between doling out damage and having enough mobility or defensive means to survive while your DoTs tick away. Blasting through your entire mana pool could become a death sentence in some cases. For a necro, it¡¯s better to survive while your enemy slowly withers to death. Otherwise, why not just be a mage slinging a dozen fireballs and showing your enemies with lightning blasts?¡± ¡°Correct me if I¡¯m wrong, but it sounds like you¡¯ve eliminated the skeletal wraith from contention,¡± Stella reckoned. ¡°Yeah, I believe I am,¡± I chuckled lightheartedly. ¡°At its base level, I¡¯d rather pick another DoT than risk burning through my mana too fast. So, we¡¯re left with a chaining corpse explosion or a contagious blade barrier.¡± Before either of us could add anything else, Tallos shocked both of us into a sort of stunned silence as he jumped in. ¡°Don¡¯t forget to consider how either of the spells may play a role in your next class evolution,¡± Tallos stated casually as if he had been a part of the discussion this entire time. Riding atop the cantering Jax beside us, his comment was so unexpected we could only stare dumbstruck back at him. ¡°What?¡± he asked in a surprised tone of voice. His expression was a mix of pride and hesitancy at his honestly commendable point for us to consider. ¡°I listen, you know. I¡¯ve been around you both long enough to pick up a thing or two about Hunters. Until now I had nothing to add, but then this thought popped into my head.¡± He laughed, ¡°Stop staring at me like that. It¡¯s unnerving.¡± With a chuckle of amusement, I shifted to a bright smile at our insightful friend as I patted the elf across his back. ¡°It¡¯s an excellent point for us to consider,¡± I praised. I wasn¡¯t sure we had ever considered how spells we picked when it came to my next Hunter class. With only four more levels to go, it was an astute observation. Seeing the validity of his comment dawn on both of his friend¡¯s faces, Tallos smiled back at me before turning back to the open spell book resting on his lap. Noticing the tome, I realized I had been so absorbed in my discussion with Stella I hadn¡¯t noticed when Tallos retrieved one to study. It was dark out, but his Darkvision would allow him to read it easily enough. Which spell was he working on? I questioned myself internally. Oh, Stalker¡¯s Mark, that¡¯s right. By the look of it, he was between a quarter and halfway through the ample-sized tome. With one last amused chuckle, I looked back to Stella riding in front of me. ¡°Alright, so between corpse and blades, which do you think might have the greatest gain when it comes to upgrading to my tier four class?¡± I asked, but then quickly added, ¡°Even in light of Tallos¡¯ comment, I¡¯m still passing on the summon wraith spell.¡± While I was confident I could make some adequate guesses on what the System might offer during my next Hunter class selection process, Stella¡¯s intuition would probably be far closer to what we would actually see. Stella didn¡¯t respond right away, looking deep in thought. She wasn¡¯t using her Accelerator interface, so I guessed it couldn''t help with this question. This didn¡¯t surprise me, but I was hopeful nonetheless that Stella¡¯s perception of how the System operated could prove beneficial. As she continued pondering, I realized my decision between the two spells wouldn¡¯t be overly influenced by Stella¡¯s forthcoming prediction. Several moments later, Stella finally spoke up, no doubt running through many possibilities. ¡°For Corpse Rend, my best guess, and I do mean guess mind you, would be the spell may add an automatic blast whenever an enemy afflicted by one of your DoTs dies. Similar to Blood Boil¡¯s specialized effect, I believe the System would add a small to moderate chance the victim¡¯s body explodes at the moment of death. However, what I can¡¯t venture a guess would be if the explosion will be direct damage or perhaps adding a damage over time effect on anything nearby. Heck, it could be a combination of the two for all I know, though I doubt the bonus effect would be as strong as the spell itself.¡± Stella made eye contact as she spoke her next words, a coy smile tugging the corner of her lips. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯d love having a nice ¡®fire and forget¡¯ additional to your spells. As for Vivisection, I¡¯m thinking along the lines of the System adding a fear effect to every tick of DoT damage, though it would likely be a minimal chance, something like less than one percent. I could be wrong, but I doubt we¡¯d see this happen more than once or twice in our normal engagements.¡± ¡°Otherwise, the System could add the spell¡¯s contagious effect, meaning getting too close could cause the spell to jump to another hostile mob,¡± Stella continued without interruption. ¡°Hmm, last, we might be offered a class where our foes shed a weak version of the spell affecting them in a small area of effect. It could be similar to Ripley¡¯s AoE DoT, but considerably weaker. Still, if every spell gets this added effect, having ten spells going could stack the damage to noticeable levels.¡± Stella looked pointedly at me before adding, ¡°Mind you, none of my predictions may come true. So, with that said, I strictly forbid you from holding me to these¡­ sophisticated suppositions.¡± ¡°Sophisticated suppositions?¡± I queried with a raised eyebrow. ¡°You mean an educated guess. Oh, and no, I wouldn¡¯t dream of it.¡± I said this last part with the barest hint of sarcasm. I could tell Stella simply didn¡¯t want me to tease her down the road if none of these played out when we reached level thirty. ¡°Oh, that reminds me,¡± I added before she could question the authenticity of my words. ¡°I want to acknowledge how helpful you are, Stell. I doubt many other Accelerators could pull up even half of the behind-the-scenes information as you. You really are quite impressive, my friend.¡± Stella¡¯s eyes narrowed questioningly but softened in acceptance of the compliment as I intentionally held a bright smile across my lips. ¡°You are absolutely correct,¡± Stella replied, accepting my compliment as a clearly established fact. ¡°I am awesome. However, I would be lying if I said other A.I. cannot uncover at least a small portion of what I can. I am unique, after all, and my investigative talents provide you with many benefits simply because of my greatness.¡± Both of my eyebrows reaching upwards, I nearly laughed aloud at her boastfulness. There was no way I was about to argue with her. It was best to let the self-praise stand for now. ¡°Alright then,¡± I stated in all seriousness. ¡°Let¡¯s make a decision. Between the two, which are you leaning towards?¡± Before Stella could reply another whistle followed by several more caught our attention. All were of the ¡®all clear¡¯ variety, reminding me of a morning dove¡¯s call, the first coming from in front of us before transitioning to our sides and rear. The whistles from the other Wardens didn¡¯t come one after the other; it seemed like several doves were calling to one another. Nothing dangerous was nearby which helped relieve a small amount of tension growing in my stomach I hadn¡¯t been aware of. ¡°Vivisection would be my pick,¡± Stella responded after all the elves checked in, and Stedious acknowledged the message with a soft warble of his own. ¡°Yeah, me too. It¡¯s the best against bosses we generally need the most help with, as well as small to big groups of mobs. I¡¯m really hoping it doesn¡¯t create a tornado of noise when cast, but the worry itself isn¡¯t holding me back from picking it.¡± Stella and I shared a look before she tilted her head towards Tallos¡¯ direction. We smiled deviously and allowed silence to reign momentarily as we both turned our heads his way. Tallos didn¡¯t notice at first, so focused was he on his spell tome, but the sudden silence even caught his skewered attention. His eyebrows narrowed in confusion as he didn¡¯t immediately comprehend our twin stares. Raising my eyebrows to cue him to offer his opinion between the two spells, I was met with a soft grunt from the powerful ranger. ¡°Sure,¡± was the half-hearted and noncommittal response Tallos muttered before returning fully to his book. Stella and I shared a smile when he finally gave an amused shake of his head. ¡°Well, that settles it,¡± I barked before pulling up the System window and confirming my selection. Congratulations! New Spell Unlocked: [Vivisection]! [Vivisection] ¨C An ethereal wall of twisting blades surrounds a hostile target within 100 feet, causing 1,200 (up from 600) plus 4n damage immediately and then every 6 seconds until the spell expires, where ¡®n¡¯ equals Intelligence. The target is afflicted with the debuff, ¡°Cantankerous Cacophony,¡± which has a moderate chance of causing the target to uncontrollably flee randomly to a nearby hostile target. While this debuff is in effect, if a new target comes into contact with the swirling blades, a new copy of the spell will manifest upon them. Note that this effect will trigger at most five times at first level. Cost: 600 mana. Cast Time: 1 second. Cool down: 5 seconds. Duration: 168 seconds (base 120). Plus 10 feet maximum range, plus 120 (up from 60) base damage per spell level. Plus one additional triggered effect per three spell levels. Note ¨C Hostile targets may only be affected by one spell effect at a time. However, the maximum duration will be reset if contact is made with another afflicted entity. ¡°Not bad, not too bad at all,¡± I said with a low whistle of appreciation. Chapter 109 - Around the Mighty Redwoods ¡°Sweet!¡± Stella blurted out excitedly, interrupting my inner musings about our latest spell. ¡°Since we have the full description of Vivisection now, I have access to a bit more information. I was worried, but it says the loud cacophony debuff will only be heard by those directly under the spell''s effects. To us and anyone else, we¡¯ll hear nothing more than a muted roar. I¡¯m thrilled this won¡¯t need to be something we¡¯ll have to worry about.¡± ¡°Good catch! Thanks for double-checking that, Stell,¡± I replied enthusiastically before taking another moment to reread the spell¡¯s details. ¡°The System¡¯s previous message certainly wasn¡¯t wrong. The damage this spell doles out is incredible, though I am a little disappointed there¡¯s a five-second cooldown. Still, as long as I remember to weave the spell every five seconds when we¡¯re fighting longer groups, it¡¯s not too much of a downside. Oh, while I think of it, can you see if the actual odds the spell has making a monster flee?¡± While the System didn¡¯t usually give the actual percentage of these secondary effects with spells, like with my Fireball spell and the ¡®moderate¡¯ chance of it setting things on fire, I was hopeful this time. Vivisection had the same ¡®moderate¡¯ adjective in the description, after all. We had grown greatly, as did Stella¡¯s access within her Accelerator interface. If we could see the actual percentage, we would have a better understanding of the spell and I¡¯d feel more confident when using it in battle. After a moment, Stella answered grimly. Perhaps she had been hoping the same as I. ¡°Sadly, no. The exact percentage is tucked away, too deep within the Metadata, for me to locate, at least for now.¡± She let out a frustrated sigh before continuing, ¡°I am hopeful that will change when you hit your next Hunter, but, for now, the best I can manage is a tidbit suggesting it''s somewhere between twenty and, at most, thirty percent with each tick of damage.¡± Stella leaned forward, determined to glean more information for her Accelerator screen. A moment later, she gasped abruptly, catching me off guard. ¡°What is it?¡± I probed optimistically. ¡°Persistence conquers all things,¡± Stella replied cryptically. ¡°I thought there might be more than I initially suspected.¡± Turning to face me, Stella¡¯s eye had a bright twinkle as she smiled devilishly. ¡°There was no indication anywhere in the description, but the spell is a little better than we initially thought. This fear effect, which caused them to run to a friend, has a much more significant change immediately after the spell hits them.¡± Stella returned to her invisible screen and looked like a hunter eyeing unwary prey. ¡°As soon as Vivisection lands, there is around a seventy-five percent chance the mob will sprint towards another enemy.¡± ¡°Nice!¡± I exclaimed with a fierce fist-pump. My abrupt motion nearly unseated Stella, and soon, both she and Dutch looked back at me with exasperated expressions. ¡°Sorry,¡± I chuckled in slight embarrassment. ¡°I¡¯m just excited to see what this spell can do.¡± Stella snickered, ¡°I can tell.¡± Returning to her unseen screens, she looked to be puzzling something out or was perhaps doing some mental math. After a few moments, she continued, ¡°Alright, after the initial spike of damage, and over the course of the roughly two-and-a-half minute duration¡­ we¡¯ll see a mob flee towards, on average, five to eight times. Right now, at level one, the spell can trigger a maximum of five more copies of the spell onto hostile enemies. I¡¯m a little disappointed myself, because by the time this thing is max level, the number of extra triggers skyrockets up to sixteen foes. The System isn¡¯t saying if the odds of fear effect increasing as the spell levels, but I really hope it does.¡± I contemplated her words before asking, ¡°So, you¡¯re saying we will get to a point where the spell could transfer to many more enemies, but with the relatively low chance of the first mob actually fleeing, it won¡¯t matter?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Stella exhaled, her small face discouraged, given what we learned. ¡°Only time will tell, I suppose, but hopefully, the System modifies this percentage as well. If I notice any difference as the spell grows in power, I¡¯ll be sure to let you know. Still, I am pleased with how this spell turned out.¡± ¡°Me too,¡± I replied in a far more dejected tone than when I first read the spell¡¯s description. While the spell''s damage would certainly increase with each level, we would apparently reach a point where the spell would only leap to a new monster around eight times. The fear effect simply wouldn¡¯t trigger enough for the contagious effect to reach its full potential. With my seat in my saddle far more subdued, Dutch returned his attention to following Stedious and his mount. My jet-black horse shook his head back and forth as if clearing away any lingering displeasure from my earlier outburst. With nothing else to look over from our gains in battle with the marauding spiders, I sat back in my saddle. A silence settled over our small entourage as we pressed on into the night. An hour later, around midnight, we discovered a small glade bereft of the gigantic redwood trees, though some standing only ten feet away were beginning to call the clearing home. The space was perhaps a quarter the size of a football field and ringed tightly essentially blocking ways in beside where we had come from and another in line with our southern path. The area had a look to it, suggesting this was a common place the wardens used as a safe harbor of sorts. Stedious called for a halt near the midway point, confirming with my suspicion we would be taking our first breather to let our horses recover some stamina. Our guides appeared well-versed in securing the campsite, each moving about in a well-choreographed dance of untacking our horses and setting up a small campfire. Mulviel and Shawin handed their horses off to Stedious and Kalie before darting off together in the night toward the southern exit formed naturally in the five-foot-wide pass between two massive redwood specimens. They were no doubt scouting all around to ensure we were alone. Meanwhile, Kali, Chanee, and Stedious, along with Tallos and my help, corralled the horses together. Bridles were removed and replaced with rope halters so the horses could eat without bits in their mouths. Not long after all the saddles were removed and stacked a little ways away, our two scouts returned, reporting nothing of note was nearby. The pair separated, each covering one of the two entrances into the glade. Everyone else brushed our seven horses, ensuring any dirt, dust, or debris they picked up during the ride was dislodged. With that taken care of, each pony was let loose to roam around where they happily munched on the wide-bladed grass covering the forest floor around the glade. I pulled a hay bale from storage, holding the heavy block of dried grass by the twine and wrapping the flakes together. Setting down the bale and pulling a dagger to cut the twine, Stedious noticed what I was doing and called out with an upraised hand, bidding me hold. ¡°That¡¯s not needed, Xaz. Keep your personal stock of hay until we¡¯ve seen you clear of the High Thicket¡¯s borders,¡± Stedious interjected with an appreciative smile on his clean-shaven face. He shook his head before elaborating that the horses, to my knowledge, needed hay whenever we rested. Sure, there was enough grass to go around, so I didn¡¯t understand the tall elf at first. ¡°While we guide your party, we¡¯ll use our own stores. That way, you have as much hay as possible when you¡¯re on your own.¡± Stedious motioned to a small pouch affixed to his waist while he spoke. It looked much like an everyday coin purse, and I was confused about why he would point it out. ¡°Every dispatched warden receives one of these. It may look inconsequential, but I assure you it does not contain a single piece of silver. These pouches have instead been enchanted to store several hay bales. Between the wardens, we have more than enough to see us to the forest¡¯s edge.¡± The lead warden moved his hands close to his waist pouch, and, as if it had always been there, a tight bale of hay materialized out of thin air. Holding the colored twine, Stedious placed the bale on the ground before using a sheathed knife to cut at the bindings. Kali came over and the two passed out the smaller flake sections where our equine friends were merrily munching away. The added hay was immediately set upon by most of them, with a pair of the warden¡¯s horses disregarding the snack in favor of the bladed grass. ¡°Here,¡± Stedious grinned at Tallos standing beside me. Reaching for the opposite side of his belt, the warden untied a similar-looking sack before tossing it through the air at the ranger. ¡°I did say every warden receives one when dispatched. So, it means you, too, brother. Stedious motioned to the nondescript pouch. ¡°You can store up to four bales in it. I believe you understand how these unusual bags work. You need only simply will a bale to appear in your hands, and it will appear in hand. That one is already bursting, so it should complement your horse¡¯s needs on the rest of your journey outside the forest.¡± Tallos thanked the elf profusely, quite appreciate of the token. The small bags were undoubtedly valuable, yet like any Warden from Quarris, they were ensured to be well-equipped for their duties. Since both Tallos and I were strengthening our bond with Dutch and Jax, this addition ensured both were well cared for. For all we knew, when we got to Cicero¡¯s tower, we might find the bastard and his minions have destroyed any nearby grass. Unless our quest took significantly longer than a week, we were well supplied.Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. Finally settled down on a log surrounding the unlit fire pit, the sound of the forest truly dawned on me. The chittering of an untold number of small animals and the chirping song of thousands of crickets blended together into a disarming chorus, swiftly washing a renewed sense of safety and relaxation. Taking a deep breath, I allowed any lingering tension to wash away from my body. Opening my eyes, Tallos had a knowing smile upon his chiseled features. ¡°I think you now truly appreciate my desire to make this,¡± my friend commented as he sat beside me, motioning to everything around us. ¡°¡­my home. There¡¯s nothing quite like it. Being a part of the living-forest, so teeming with life and potential, it¡¯s a grandeur I have not felt since my childhood. At such a young age, I couldn¡¯t fully appreciate what it is to be blessed with such a life in this noble place.¡± ¡°You will certainly have a wonderful life when you settle down,¡± I said before shooting my friend a cheeky wink. ¡°Especially so blessed with your lovely lady friend beside you, no doubt.¡± Tallos¡¯ only reply was a bright smile and a knowing tilt of his head, fully confirming the truth of my statement. He indeed looked forward to the day, but it was not this day. He said he would follow us until we completed our work, even though I would never hold a grudge if he decided to stay in the forest. Clapping a hand across his shoulder, a soft murmur followed by the glimpse of a soft green light in the corner of my eye caught my attention. Turning to the source of the glow, Chanee was kneeling next to one of the grazing horses. It was clear Chanee had cast a spell and, by the look of it, was casting another. The same jade glimmer darted away from her fingertips before spreading across Dutch¡¯s black coat. In less than a second, the glow receded, replaced by the darkness of night. Moving onto the next horse, Jax soon glowed green as well, and the young elf moved from one to another, appearing to cast the same spell multiple times in rapid succession. I was about to pose a question when Stedious noticed my questioning gaze. ¡°It¡¯s a helpful spell that revitalizes an animal¡¯s stamina,¡± he explained with a flick of the hand toward the female warden. ¡°I see in your eyes you understand the benefit such a spell can bring during lengthy expeditions. Sadly, it doesn¡¯t work on elves or men, only our animal friends. With that spell of hers, our equine brethren need only a short hour''s rest before able to continue.¡± It was a potent spell, as I could see the need to rest for hours when moving cross country. I nodded appreciatively back at Stedious, acknowledging the helpful information. The next hour passed quickly and uneventfully, to no one¡¯s surprise. The tightly packed trees shielded us from prying eyes, with only two avenues of approach. I pondered how many of these waypoints were marked by our guides and hoped we would find more as we prepared to move on. With a soft whistle, Stedious grabbed our attention. Looking his way, the elf pointed towards our horses and the saddles stacked nearby. The message was clear. We were saddling up and would move to silence from here on out. At least until daylight dawned upon the forest, I suspected. Still able to see perfectly in the dead of night, we swiftly saddled our team of horses and quietly continued our lengthy trek through the High Thicket. I estimated we were roughly a quarter of the way there. The next several hours passed without incident, with our party stopping an hour before sunrise. After caring for our horses, Stedious approached me and Tallos, bearing several hockey puck-sized biscuits in his hand. Tallos rubbed his hands together eagerly, but not knowing what they were, I graciously took one for myself. Before biting into the unusually dense piece of bread, the first thought that popped into my mind was that it could perhaps be something akin to Lembas bread. Of course, I had never tasted elven Lembas bread, considering its origin hailed from a popular book of fiction from Earth. Still, I was eagerly looking forward to tasting it nonetheless. I was not disappointed. While the biscuit''s outer shell was tough and threatened to crumble, the inside was quite the opposite and a wonderfully sweet taste filled my mouth. Mixed in with the breading were small morsels of a trail mix of different nuts, and dried fruit. It was utterly satisfying, with a single biscuit filling me up as if I had just polished off a complete breakfast. Ensuring I devoured every bit of the delicious biscuit, I was determined to ask Stedious if we could walk away with more of the wonder bread before we parted ways with our elven guides. For now, I held my tongue due to the present need for silence. Under the dense canopy over our heads and the soft rustle of leaves gently swaying from a breeze blowing between the magnificent redwood trees, I felt utterly satisfied. Less than an hour after mounting up, the early morning light began prodding the forest awake. The sound of dozens, if not hundreds, of forest-dwelling animals rising with the new day caused the forest to feel more alive than ever. Seeing my grin, Stedious clapped me on the back as I rode beside him. ¡°It is magnificent to see a new dawn,¡± he commented with an admiring glance at the forest around us. ¡°With the daylight, we no longer need to pass quietly, so feel free to chat once more. We will be picking up the pace and I expect to reach the edge of the High Thicket around nightfall. I will be moving to a lead position, so you and Tallos should follow behind in a single file. Any questions before we spur our friends to hasten their pace?¡± Shaking my head, Stedious nodded in acknowledgment before kicking his horse forward. Tallos motioned me to follow next before falling in line behind me. We kicked our rhythm into a light gallop, our horse''s enhanced shoes causing every step to travel farther and causing the closest trees to blur as we passed by. Dutch and Jax were delighted to open up, both eager for a spirited ride. The enchantment wouldn¡¯t fade for another day and a half, and I suspected we would need every minute of it. As before, nothing remarkable stood in our path before the party paused to rest four hours later. Though we only saw hints of it, the Sun was likely near its zenith. Everyone dismounted before going through the motions of unsaddling and caring for our horses. Unlike previous stops however, Stedious and Kali appeared to be more carefully scrutinizing our friends as if warry for signs of injury. Walking closer, Kali shared how they made far more thorough inspections periodically during strenuous rides ensuring none of the horses had any signs of discomfort. Unfortunately, the experienced pair swiftly discovered Mulviel¡¯s horse, Rhett, had the initial signs of lameness. The proud animal appeared stiff even to my untrained eyes, showing a reluctance to raise one of his back hoofs for inspection. ¡°He¡¯s shifting his body to avoid putting extra weight on the leg. Sadly, we¡¯ll need to rest longer than I had hoped to allow Rhett more time to recover,¡± Stedious divulged when he noticed me watching them work. ¡°Even after pausing, we¡¯ll also need to slow our pace to a walk at most, at least until we stop for rest once more. Depending on how Rhett¡¯s doing, we might be able to increase our pace to a trot after that, but I wouldn¡¯t plan on it.¡± I could see the disappointment hinting in Stedious¡¯s eyes, but it vanished quickly and was replaced with a calm acceptance. We all knew the importance of reaching the border of the High Thicket, yet none of us wanted to risk the health of our friends to do it. The thought of continuing without Mulviel and his horse didn¡¯t cross our minds. Traversing over long distances had its risks and setbacks. This was one of them. We would need to revise our rushed approach. Yet, did we have no other option? I asked myself. Bird calls and the sound of small animals foraging through the underbrush continued, unmoved at the disheartening news. Still, I couldn¡¯t believe there was nothing more I could offer in this situation. Running through my spells, I spoke up and provided an alternative, ¡°Would my lesser regeneration spell help Rhett? I would be happy to cast it on him and, for good measure, all of our horses if it will help ease the burden from such a prolonged ride.¡± Stedious looked to Kali, who nodded silently back at him. It could work. It was magic, after all. ¡°We have no healing magic among us, as it is a rare gift. You are welcome to attempt it, though. It could very well help relieve the pain he feels,¡± Stedious affirmed with a gesture toward the noble horse. It was clear Rhett wanted to be able to give more in this endeavor yet was unable to hide his growing weariness any longer. Padding over to the unhappy horse, I placed a comforting hand on his neck. Remembering Stella¡¯s constant reminder not to pat, I stroked his fine coat of hair while speaking calm and reassuring words to him. While Rhett couldn¡¯t understand the words, he could hear the meaning in my voice. Moving to his hind end, I purposefully kept contact with my hand. This allowed Rhett to know my position at all times as I moved around him. This was a habit instilled into me from my former life as it helped you avoid accidentally spoking the horse, which, if it happened, could him kicking out defensively. No one wanted that. Kneeling, I focused on Rhett¡¯s injured leg and whispered the words to my lesser regen. With its recent upgrade via one of the upgrade orbs we obtained in Quarris, I was hopeful it would repair whatever micro-tears or concern had formed within his powerful back leg. A vivid glow transferred from my hands into the muscular limb. Instantly, the change in Rhett¡¯s stance became apparent as the restorative spell went to work, repairing any unseen damage to his muscles, tendons, or ligaments. Swiftly, the glow spread outward to encompass the horse''s entire body before fading from sight. Restorative magic still coursed through his veins, but any outward sign of the spell disappeared. Stedious and Kali moved back to inspect Rhett¡¯s legs, pleased smiles quickly appearing on both faces. ¡°It worked,¡± Kali beamed gratefully. ¡°To be safe, would you be willing to also cast the spell and everyone else? Though none other are showing signs of being lame, the spell could prevent it ever getting to that stage.¡± Even before she started speaking, I was already moving to the next nearest horse, intent on doing the same to all the others the moment it was clear the spell made a difference. ¡°I¡¯d be happy to,¡± I replied optimistically before making a complete circuit around our small camp. My mana dropped slightly but would replenish itself in no time. It was the least I could do. Not only would it safeguard our horse''s wellbeing, but it would also allow us to continue towards our destination at a rapid pace. Confirming a question from Stedious, we planned on me casting my spell every time we paused to rest and recover our stamina. An hour later, we were soon back on the trail heading south. We ate lunch on the ride, more of the delicious elven biscuit. I wasn¡¯t about to complain. I was looking forward to more of the delectably nutty bread. At Stella¡¯s insistence though, we pulled out several strips of barbequed jerky to add a small variety to the meal. Besides Tallos, our elven friends passed on the offer to the delicious jerky, preferring the not-Lembas bread over everything else. Stella¡¯s grin widened at the news. It meant there was even more of the delectably flavored jerky for herself. Chapter 110 - The Endless Savannah The rest of the afternoon was thankfully as monotonous as the morning. With our increased pace, courtesy of the morning and early evening light, we made incredible progress. Glancing at my mini-map, we were closing in on the southern perimeter of the High Thicket when nightfall was on the horizon. The shadows of the trees stretch with each passing moment to cover the forest in darkness. Before the last of the fading light was lost, Stedious slowed his gallop to a trot before dropping to a walk. Without looking back, he held a hand and sent a sharp whistle. After the remaining wardens cantered into the small clearing, Stedious called out saying we would be taking a break. The numerous redwood trees surrounding us in this part of the forest had steadily grown further apart than the dense population we had seen in the middle of the forest. Each was far smaller in size as well, most only towering a paltry hundred feet high over our heads. Even had I not checked out my map, the sparseness of the trees around us clearly indicated we were soon approaching where the forest gave way to vast rolling hills and grasslands. Stedious turned his horse around and then approached where my small group patiently waited. I had caught something in his tone when he spoke to his wardens as if this would be the last stop for us all. ¡°We¡¯re less than an hour from our destination,¡± Stedious reported, confirming my suspicion. The long shadows well hide his chiseled features, signaling we would need to switch to our Darkvision within minutes. ¡°Though this small clearing may not seem like much, there is no better spot between here and the outer forest to recover from the day¡¯s ride.¡± With Stedious comment, I scrutinized the small glade. We were situated in a hardly defensible campsite, unlike every other we had used to this point. These far narrower trees were spread too far apart, allowing far more sight lines to our camp than I was growing familiar with. Based on what Stedious had said, it would only worsen as we approached the forest¡¯s edge. However, the openness of the spotty tract of land allowed us a better vantage of anything attempting to approach undetected. As I was thinking we would need to have more people scouting the forest around us, Stedious ordered an additional two elven wardens to be on roving patrols while the rest of us settled in for the next hour. It left Stedious, myself, and Tallos to care for the horses. By this point, the process of untacking the horses, brushing each free of any road debris was a well-acquainted and familiar process. Within twenty minutes, our horses were free of any burden and munching on tall grass. Stedious sent out a whistle when we were done, sounding like any other I had heard thus far, and tasked Kali to cast her spells of stamina as the horses grazed happily. With how ample the flowing grass was, Stedious only needed to toss a half hay bale to keep our equine companions happy as their energy was renewed. After helping Dutch enjoy a sweet gala apple treat, I noticed from the corner of my eye Stedious walking my way. Caressing Dutch¡¯s soft obsidian coat, I let him finish the rest of the apple before acknowledging the lead warden. ¡°Stedious,¡± I said in greeting. It was obvious the elf wanted to share something with me. ¡°Xaz,¡± the athletic elf hailed with a small measure of sadness in his smile. ¡°We¡¯ll soon reach the outer boundary of the High Thicket, where our two teams will part ways. Your quest will see you across the broad open plains and finally to Cicero¡¯s emerald tower while the rest of us return to Quarris to see to the destruction of those grotesque spiders situated far too close to the city for my liking.¡± Stedious looked to have more to say, but something in my face gave him pause. The reminder of the spider¡¯s nest being so close to the city nudged an errant thought I had earlier in the day while riding. At the time, I hadn¡¯t thought to voice the seeming inconsequential rumination. Now seemed an appropriate time. Stedious tilted his head in curiosity and allowed me to order my inner musings. Besides the three monstrous spider-elf hybrids, nothing remotely dangerous had appeared in our path. With how many miles we crossed over the last day, it seemed an incongruity. We found hostiles on the city''s doorsteps, but then nothing else? I was certain we should have seen many more threats. So, we either had incredible luck on our side, or something else was afoot. I didn¡¯t know how to phrase the question tickling at the corner of my mind. Stedious saw something was bothering me, so I continued to wait patiently. Finally, I just blurted it out. ¡°After the spider¡¯s attack that nearly cost Kali her life, I¡¯m surprised we found nothing else as we trekked through the rest of the High Thicket. It was all so¡­ uneventful? I had expected so many more enemies to block our path, especially with how soon outside the city the spiders ambushed us. It doesn¡¯t make sense. I¡¯m sorry, but I have to ask, how was the rest of the journey devoid of any other peril?¡± Tallos chuckled at my side before patting my shoulder. He smiled knowingly and then inclined his chin toward the dependable Stedious. ¡°An interesting question, Xaz. You need only look to our escorts for your answer as to why the day was so uneventful, as you put it,¡± Tallos replied wryly. Still not catching on, Stedious relieved me of my ignorance in the next moment. ¡°Oh, the day could have been far different. There were more than a few beasts and dangerous monsters my team spotted as we ventured beyond the spider lair. I can certainly assure you of that. After the near-disastrous events with Cicero¡¯s spider hybrids, we redoubled our efforts to bring you to this point as swiftly as possible. Trust me, we easily could have seen combat no less than five or six times since our last encounter. Your pursuit is more important than dealing with foes other squads can handle.¡± Flummoxed, I stood dumbfounded as I gazed at the two elves standing confidently before me. Tallos retained his amused expression, while Stedious had an air of pride about him. ¡°But¡­ those whistles,¡± I stammered out, trying to rationalize my gross misunderstanding. ¡°Each time a call was made, it sounded like any other. I thought it simply meant nothing was nearby.¡± I was sure I had heard the same whistle dozens of times in the last several hours alone. At least, I thought they sounded similar. I was no expert birdwatcher, someone able to differentiate one bird call from another easily. Was my understanding really so far off point? ¡°Ah, I see your misunderstanding,¡± Stedious continued, grinning at my perplexed expression. ¡°While you may have thought you heard the same call, I assure you each carried with it subtle undercurrents of magic. A magical signature, if you will.¡± Seeing my brows furrow in consternation, Stedious smirked before holding up the back of his hand. Not understanding his meaning, I peered closer. Adorning his index finger was a tightly woven jade band. The dark metal wrapped around itself as if imitating a twisting vine. I had seen the nondescript piece of jewelry upon meeting with Stedious for the first time but hadn¡¯t given it much thought at the time. ¡°This is a Warden¡¯s Syrinx,¡± Stedious explained, pointing to the jade ring. ¡°When a squad of wardens is sent on a mission, each receives one of these linked rings. Six are crafted simultaneously and bound together with an eloquent enchantment of conveyance. Their purpose, simply put, is to allow communication between wardens to go unnoticed by either man or beast. While you heard a simple whistle, I assure you, each trill contained far more information than it could have otherwise. As long as we are close enough to hear one another, we can pass essential information with relative ease.¡± The unremarkable item Stedious displayed was astounding. Those simple bands meant our guides had been able to pass important tidbits of information to each other without anyone being the wiser. I was curious if messages could be relayed through something other than a whistle, but I held my question in check. I could only imagine how useful such rings would have been such as when we were miles beneath the surface in the lightless caves held by the Silvern Dwarves. Looking at Tallos, I asked pointedly, ¡°You knew?¡± with perhaps a bit more irritation leaking into my voice than he deserved. Some small sense of embarrassment at my naivety was tugging inside my chest. I had believed myself insightful, proud I had unveiled the elves¡¯ all-clear whistle for myself. ¡°Of course I did,¡± he answered unbothered, gripping his hand tighter on my shoulder. ¡°Though I do admit, I could no more tell the difference between their whistles than you. Such items, while uncommon, are often granted to those few elves who volunteer to keep the forest safe. The rings from my homeland appear differently than Quarris. Ours appeared as layered leaves, but achieved the same purpose.¡±Stolen novel; please report. Tallos spotted a change in my visage. Perhaps it was a sudden gleam of avarice in my eyes or body language shifting to desire for a few such rings. They could work wonders. He chortled a light laugh before continuing, gripping my shoulder all the tighter as he did, ¡°It¡¯s doubtful any but a squad of elven guardians receive a set of these enchanted rings. Yet, perhaps you could ask the council for such a gift after we accomplish our task with Cicero. I wouldn¡¯t hold out much hope, though. They are devilishly tricky little things to create from what I have been told.¡± The next hour passed quickly enough. We talked little, owing to the increasing darkness and the necessity of stealth. Every horse was fully revitalized thanks to Kali¡¯s spell of stamina and my own lesser regen. Darkness was firmly entrenched now, though the party¡¯s Darkvision, whether innate or via magic from one of the wardens, allowed easy sight of the surrounding forest. Nothing was amiss as we resolutely traversed the remaining leg to the southern border of the High Thicket. With each passing minute, the once-mighty redwoods grew further apart and were far younger than their colossal cousins. Before we knew it, sprawling moonlit grasslands stretched out far and wide before us. A gentle whistle came from Stedious, still sounding so much like those before, but this time, I detected a subtle difference from the others. However, it was more likely my imagination was playing tricks on me after learning what our guides could do with seemingly simple bird calls. As the four scouts closed ranks around us, Stedious shifted in his saddle before riding to my side. Kali approached as well, holding out a small bag. When she was a foot away, she tossed the sack through the air, which I easily caught. Judging by its size and the soft thuds from within, I recognized immediately dozens of the delightful elvish biscuits were stored within. Beaming a warm smile to the lithe elf, I softly whispered my thanks for the generous gift. Kali acknowledged my gratitude with a smile and a polite nod. In a hushed tone, Stedious bid us farewell, ¡°Best of luck to you all. I hope to see you soon with favorable news of Cicero¡¯s downfall.¡± He shifted in his saddle and pointed south. The unbroken land stretched out farther than the eye could see. ¡°After a quarter¡¯s day ride, you¡¯ll see a mountain range appear on the horizon. Aim between the leftmost snow-capped peaks, and after another half day¡¯s travel, you will spy the tip of Cicero¡¯s spire stretching toward the stars.¡± Motioning the hefty bag in my hands, he grinned ear to ear. ¡°We saw how much you enjoyed our elvish biscuits. You will have enough to carry you to the mad orc¡¯s tower and beyond.¡± The high elf''s cheer voice turned more serious as he continued, ¡°We take our leave. I look forward to tales of victory against the damnable Hunter and his scourge of demented friends. Goodbye, friends, until we next meet.¡± Grasping wrists with Stedious, I thanked him for the escort and bid him well. Tallos did the same, and within a minute, the elvish wardens receded into the immense forest at our backs, the sound of their hooves swiftly vanishing into the night. Though alone, we were undaunted by what lay before us. Sharing a glance with Stella and Tallos, we strode boldly forward, leaving the exalted High Thicket behind. Under a cloudy moonlit sky, the endless prairie rolled out before us. Not so much as a landmark or odd peculiarity caught our attention as we trotted up and down small hillocks no more than a dozen feet tall. While we passed a few patches of stick-thin saplings, not one was of the redwood variety. The air was crisp and the night was calm. No sounds other than the flowing wind passing our ears broke the serene stillness. Around the midnight hour, we decided to stop for the evening. A significant part of me wanted to push on, but Stella reminded me we would be no good in the morning if we didn¡¯t get some restful sleep. We had been riding hard with little sleep for the past twenty-four hours. Even with the short rest periods while being escorted by Stedious¡¯s watchful group, I had only managed to eke out a few minutes of sleep at a time, if any. All of us would do well to settle in for the night. We would pick up again at first light. It wasn¡¯t until my tent was pitched that the actual toll and weariness from the long day truly hit me. I was exhausted. Tallos, while setting up his own leather and canvas tent, appeared to be in slightly better condition. While I was only a half-elf, his full elven heritage allowed him a stronger fortitude, as well as being less reliant on sleep. He could certainly stay awake for far longer than I was able to. Still, he was more than eager to bed down under the twinkling stars. It didn¡¯t take much convincing from Stella for me to agree Ripley could alone stand watch over us as we slept. Lowki, of course, would assist our vigilant friend while needing only an hour or two¡¯s rest to recuperate. Stella, stating she would assist Ripley, empathized she could stay up for days before displaying anything remotely like fatigue. Sleep took me within minutes of resting my head against my pillow as I snuggled up within my thick bedroll. Combined with our tent, the wind would hold little sway over me as I rested comfortably enough. I awoke the next morning to a delightfully aromatic scent on the wind. Sitting upright, my one-person tent blocked most of my view, but beyond the canvas flap, Tallos and Stella were fussing with one another over a cast iron stew pot hanging above a small open flame. The scene caught me off guard as we usually pulled our meals directly from my bag of holding. My gnawing stomach growled its unhappiness as the blissful aroma of spices invited me closer. Crawling towards the pair, Stella greeted me as I unceremoniously exited my tent, ¡°Good morning, Xaz,¡± she trilled excitedly. ¡°After the long ride yesterday, Tallos and I agreed we would benefit from going a little overboard with our breakfast this fine day.¡± She caught my peering up at the morning sky. Not a single cloud dotted overhead. ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± she continued as my eyes came down to meet hers once more. ¡°We¡¯ll pack up right after we¡¯re done eating. So, plop down right there and enjoy my special¡­¡± Stella was interrupted by an exaggerated cough from Tallos sitting beside her. ¡°Our specially spiced stew,¡± she corrected herself to Tallos¡¯ approving nod. The elf wanted to take credit for whatever the pair had done to enhance the simmering stew, which was not unexpected as it bubbled before us. ¡°It¡¯s delicious!¡± True to Stella¡¯s words, not only was the meal delectable, but the spiced flavor complimented the elven biscuits as I greedily dipped a pair into my bowl. Soon after, we packed everything with impressive swiftness. From the cast iron pot to our bedrolls and our leather tents, everything disappeared within the extra-dimensional space of my bag of holding. Tacking up Dutch and Jax, our eager pair of steeds stood ready and eager to get back on the road. Our bewitched horseshoes, which provided an ample boost to our horse¡¯s strides, were fated to dissipate at nightfall. Unfortunately, they would not get us to Cicero¡¯s tower. Still, I intended to use as much of the enchantment as possible. As we road, another consideration entered my refreshed mind. Without Kali¡¯s spells to revitalize Dutch and Jax¡¯s stamina, we would need to rest significantly longer whenever we paused to rest. There was nothing to do about it. I looked forward to finally spotting our objective, the spire of towering emerald reaching high into the blue. Stedious¡¯s earlier prediction proved accurate. In slightly less than two hours, a solitary mountain peak pierced the horizon, growing higher with each thundering step. Several miles later, three more peaks joined the first. Angling our approach to take us between the left-most snow-capped peaks, I felt invigorated. Confident as ever, we were ready for just about any challengers. A sense of rightness bled from my pours. What we were doing was at the heart of who I was. Or better yet, had always been. Fighting for more than myself, for the good of those I loved, empowered me onward. My new friends, elven brothers, and sisters of Quarris, were threatened by a notorious Hunter, and it was up to us to end his threat. Approaching high noon, I preemptively cast lesser regen on our horses. Neither had been showing any hint of unease as their long legs galloped beneath us, but considering the signs of going lame from Mulviel¡¯s horse the day prior, I didn¡¯t want anything to slow us down. A sense of an impending conflict was growing in the pit of my stomach as we began searching for a place to set up lunch. With how many elves were lost to Cicero¡¯s minion, it was only a matter of time before we, too, faced his gangrenous abominations. We needed to be in our best shape when that eventuality materialized. We encountered a small brook with a small congregation of fledgling birch and oak trees. The sound of trickling water helped soothe any lingering tension. Lunch consisted of appetizing barbequed chicken tenderloins and fried pickles. Stella flatly refused to share where she acquired the breaded pickles, only smiling back in response as she greedily munched on her portion of the enjoyable spread. Our two-hour intermission passed surprisingly fast. We mounted up and kicked back into high gear. As many miles flew by as we made our way cross country, the vibrancy of the rolling grasslands was slowly waning. At first, I thought it was my imagination but by the time we stopped for dinner, it was undeniable. The flatland, the very earth beneath our feet, was dying. The closer we got to Cicero¡¯s tower, the less¡­ alive everything appeared. Tall flowing stalks of grass, gently swaying under the unending breeze, morphed into drooping patches of struggling fields barely able to rise past our ankles. Four hours later, as we were scouring for somewhere to set up our evening camp, our luck finally faltered. The only warning we had was a howl from Lowki a moment before twin eruptions of soil blasted high into the air on either side of us. ¡°Damn it all to hell," I cursed, completely flatfooted as Dutch bucked beneath my seat. The enemy had found us first. Chapter 111 - Invidious Naga Burrower Dutch reared beneath me as rocks, soil, and tufts of grass blasted upwards. Jax similarly launched his front hooves skyward as empathetically as his brother. Tallos and I held on for dear life as our horses struck out into the air in distress. The twin eruptions happened nearly simultaneously, the first detonating off to my right and the other a foot from Tallos¡¯ left. Situated in the middle of the explosions, our sight of the previously empty savannah was stolen from the sheer amount of destroyed earth churning around us. As a result, it was impossible to identify what caused the explosion. Dutch¡¯s front legs slammed down, allowing me an opportunity to calm the alarmed animal down. Neither Ripley nor Lowki were anywhere to be seen, though I doubted either could be until the dome of debris rained back to the ground. Worse, Ripley seemed to have been standing right over the blast sight. With so much sensory stimulation, I was too overwhelmed to determine if she had been injured or, at worst, killed. My only concern in those first few moments was pacifying Dutch not to bolt off. Only after doing so could I hope to determine what attacked us. Unfortunately, our aggressors would not grant us any such concessions. Faster than I could react, a long cylindrical body thicker than my waist snapped around Dutch¡¯s neck. As if the largest boa constrictor imaginable had latched onto my friend, my eyes widened in disbelief. In a blink of an eye, the scaled form coiled further down Dutch¡¯s neck before coiling under his heaving chest before coming within inches of the front of my saddle. Unable to do anything for my friend, for now, the realization dawned I would soon share the same fate. Thinking quickly, desperately wanting to avoid becoming snared, I launched back in my seat while simultaneously kicking my heels forcibly into my stirrups. Flinging myself clear, I crashed heavily on my back several feet away from where Dutch continued to struggle to break free. Fortunately, given how hard I landed, my breath had not been blasted from my lungs from the impact. I had only time to lean forward as Dutch was forcefully thrown to the ground. Dutch grunted in pain and immediately set his legs kicking to escape as the snake continued to slither around his body. To my left, Tallos and Jax did not fare any better. Unlike me, Tallos had not been able to extricate himself before he, too, was wrapped in an unforgiving, scaly body. With only faint particles of dust still hanging in the air, I took in the scene and easily marked our attackers. Two massive snakes with emerald scales and white chevron patterns reminiscent of a python or cobra worked methodically to immobilize their victims. Each had to be well over thirty feet long, with bodies wider than my chest. As my friends continued to struggle against the mounting pressure as more coils looped around them, a uniformly off-white underbelly was visible. Considering the hardened scale plates covering most of the snake¡¯s body looked more than capable of turning aside the fiercest of blows, perhaps the underside was a weakness I could exploit. Following the snake¡¯s body leading away from where Dutch and Jax writhed, my eyes widened in surprise as the true horror of what we were up against became apparent. Rising upward to loom over its victim, the snake¡¯s body transformed from jaded scales to a man¡¯s lower torso. My eyes roved higher, taking in pale flesh, washboard abs, chiseled pecks, and arms generous enough to put Arnold¡¯s Terminator body to shame. The pasty white body looked incongruous as if the body hadn¡¯t seen a wink of daylight. If I didn¡¯t know any better, I would have sworn I was staring at a dead body. Obviously, this appalling foe was far from it. Taking in more of the creature, my eyes scanned higher, taking in the inhumanly long neck, which sprouted twin cobra-like shields flaring outwards to either side. What sat fat atop the pallid neck was far from a human head. Instead, an abnormally wide snake head with the same green and white striped pattern as the snake body stared furiously at me. The serpent''s face glared at me with such intensity it was as if my very existence was an affront it could not, would not tolerate under any circumstances. It was a mask of utter hatred for the living, more akin to the malevolent gaze of an undead, promised an excoriating death. This was foe that couldn¡¯t be bargained with. It couldn¡¯t be reasoned with and would absolutely not stop until we were dead. Glaring daggers in my direction, perhaps the most appalling aspect of the monsters arrayed against us were their eyes. Instead of piercing vertical slitted pupils, round human eyes, a light shade of blue looked¡­ forlornly at me. While the rest of the head was a mask of fury, its eyes bore straight through, carrying a look of abject suffering. So disjointed were those terror-filled orbs compared to the rest of the creature¡¯s demeanor that I nearly fell back in shock. This was a beast unlike any I had ever encountered and, with how easily it manhandled Dutch, contained such raw physical strength I had no hope of overcoming through strength of arms. It may come to that, unfortunately, and the point was driven home when a squeal of pain wrenched from Dutch. Regaining my feet, Frostrend felt light in my hand, the weapon having been summoned without conscious thought. Closing its human eyes, a black forked tongue flicked from the snake¡¯s broad face as it tasted the air. Grinning wickedly as if enjoying the fear permeating the air, my eyes narrowed in anger. The damnable thing was enjoying the panic it was causing to radiate away from my terrified companion. Firming my will, my friends needed me, now more than ever. I would make this pitiful excuse of a grass snake come to learn genuine fear as its body was obliterated from within and without. The snake¡¯s creature¡¯s whip-like tongue flickered back behind its scaled lips, cocking its head to the side as if pleased. Eyelids opened, and pleading human eyes locked onto me, the only challenger standing up to its cruelty. An old memory flashed through my mind as I considered my plan of action. From my past life, I recalled once reading cobras had better eyesight than other types of snakes. My enemy appeared to use both sight and smell to track prey, so I doubted this obscure knowledge could be taken advantage of. Shaking the distracting thought from my mind, a flash of gray from off to the snake''s side caught my attention. The darting form going unnoticed by my opponent, the tall snake slithered forward confidently as it stalked closer to my position. I thought I was the only challenger present. It uses its superior sense of smell to hone in on a target before relying on eyesight to engage in close quarters, I mused to myself. My snake hadn¡¯t burst from the ground earlier in an attempt to destroy or disable Ripley. It was sheer happenstance she was above the buried snake before it rocketed upwards, springing its trap! Had the brute bothered to use its eyes as it lay in wait, perhaps it would have spotted the armored skeletal figure riding alongside me. Like a living tornado, the completely odorless Ripley slammed her great sword horizontally with considerable strength against the oblivious creature¡¯s armored scales. Sadly, the first of our foes was not so easily bested. Despite Ripley¡¯s prodigious strength, she only managed to break a few scales, her sword penetrating scant inches into the monster¡¯s ironclad scaled body. With how tall the erect snake stood in the grass, Ripley¡¯s perpendicular strike hit only hardened scales a foot below where the human torso was. ¡°Aim for its human body!¡± I scream, hoping my hunch would prove helpful as Ripley threw more tremendous strikes against her towering foe. A blaring hiss of pain emanated from the snake¡¯s lips as its serpent body undulated, retreating from Ripley and bringing it closer to the struggling Dutch. The snake, more than aware of the threat Ripley¡¯s hacking attacks could be, was determined never to allow her free liberty to deliver unfettered assaults ever again. Its forked tongue darted out agitatedly as if attempting to pick up the skeleton¡¯s nonexistent scene. It shook its rotund head in confusion, but, as I suspected, its human eyesight would make up for where its superior sense of smell failed it. Throwing back its torso to avoid another blow, the monster¡¯s human hands reached unexpectedly to seize something from behind its muscular back. A moment later, its hands rushed downwards in an overly truculent motion. The brute was pissed. With a start, I realized the purpose of the aggressive maneuver. The creature had somehow armed itself! White-knuckled fists now gripped twin scimitars. With a skillful flourish of its wrists, the snake demonstrated superb control of its weapons as the pair swished through the evening air. Having gone unnoticed before now, the snake wore two bleached white baldrics crisscrossed across its bare human chest. Against the deathly pale skin, the leather blended in perfectly and was nearly impossible to detect. Hidden from view, two downward-swept sheathed sabers gave the monster the necessary arms to defend itself against any steel an opponent could muster against it. Cursing inwardly, I had allowed the fight to go on too long without my input. I moved. With Ripley¡¯s skill with her blade, she would have to be enough to handle her frightening opponent and distract it from crushing Dutch¡¯s life to a pulp. Tallos and Jax needed me. Focusing on the leftmost snake, I analyzed my foe even as the first words to a powerful spell formed behind my lips. Not affording to be distracted, I allowed the information to flow into my subconscious. Invidious Naga Burrower (Level 38) Created through a laborious profane ritual, an Invidious Naga Burrower is an unholy fusion between a moribund human held in the final throes of death and an enraged Naga Delver. Never seen before, this creature abhors all living beings with the contempt of the living undead and is incredibly territorial. Lying in wait feet beneath the earth, this predator bursts like an exploding geyser, ambushing its unsuspecting victims with diabolical efficiency. Only the strongest opponents stand any hope of surviving the savagery of a Naga Burrower''s attacks. The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. Preferring to strangle its prey to death, wary Hunters should also take great care to avoid its virulent venom. Unlike a classic Naga, the Invidious Naga Burrower¡¯s venom grows far more potent the more massive the creature is. If even a droplet of the malevolent venom enters a victim¡¯s bloodstream, potent neurotoxins immediately begin debilitating its victim with initial symptoms swiftly transforming from seemingly harmless paresthesia to gut-wrenching emesis, hemiplegic migraines, plegia paralysis, and eventually complete circulatory failure. Hopefully, the stars will align in your favor this day, Hunter. Good luck! Gods, what a fiend! My new mark continued to writhe its serpentine form around Tallos and Jax yet wasn¡¯t focused on constricting the pair overly much. It was paying its trapped victims little heed, instead focusing on where I stood. It was as if the snake, nay, the Naga was attempting to puzzle out an unseen foe hidden in the ankle-tall grass. Not hesitating a moment longer, and with an infuriated flick of my wrist, Frostrend was sent spinning end over end at its muscular back, where another set of sheathed sabers sat angled toward the ground. All the while, the words to my strongest single target spell grated through strained lips as potent mana gathered in my chest before lancing to my awaiting hands. Hoping to relieve some of the tension coiled around Tallos, effectively pinning him against his saddle, I purposely upcast Vivisection now that my hands were free. Against such dangerous adversaries, we would need every ounce of damage we could call upon. Better still, in light of my conversation with Stella, the forthcoming whirling blades had the best chance of triggering the secondary flee effect the moment the razors touched and tore deep lacerations across the snake¡¯s body. If it did, I hoped the Naga would release my friends before rushing off to its companion in abject terror. As the final arcane words were uttered, I held out hope my friends would live to see another day. My incantation completed. In a blur of motion, a specter of dust teeming with incorporeal blades shot away like a Tasmanian devil. Crashing into the distracted serpent¡¯s form, a muffled echo of ricocheting steel reached my ears as deep gouges appeared all over the monster¡¯s body. Red blood from mauled flesh dripped, soon mixing with a ghastly inky fluid escaping between emerald scales. The beast howled in anguish, arching its back in pain as it flung its serpent head upwards into the indifferent sky. The cry was deeper than expected as if it came from a man instead of a slithering animal. Unfortunately, even as the spectral blades continued to tear rents in flesh and scale alike, the Naga didn¡¯t so much as budge towards its companion. ¡°The fear effect didn¡¯t trigger,¡± Stella shouted beside me, though I had already ascertained as much myself. Damn it, I cursed inwardly. Desperately craving to cast the same spell immediately, hoping to materialize the fear effect, I dismissed the notion. The spell couldn¡¯t be cast again for another five seconds due to the cool down. Moreover, even if recast upon the same target, I doubted it would do more than reset its duration to the maximum. It was highly doubtful that the initially high chance of the special effect triggering would occur. Until the spell completed, I could now only rely on the standard twenty to thirty percent chance Stella shared earlier. Lost behind the cloudy apparition of blades created by Vivisection, I could not determine if my thrown axe had done any appreciable damage. If any, I thought grimly. Recalling Frostrend to my grasp via my enchanted ring of recall, I noted with some satisfaction a glint of red running down its blade. Smiling wickedly, I began reciting another of my most potent damage over time spells. A thunderous crash to my right threatened to pull my attention aside at quite possibly at the worst possible moment. If I diverted my gaze, my spell would be lost. Undeterred, I locked eyes on my target, willing the twisting magic to complete as mystical syllables flowed hurriedly from my mouth. My hands twisted before me, weaving necessary gestures. Pyroclastic Funeral Pyre completed in less than two seconds, thanks to my addition of Quick Cast and burning embers encircled the already suffering Naga. Burning cinder and ash crashed against its form, stealing even more sight of the dangerous foe. Choosing this particular area of effect spell was not done by accident. Not only would it damage my opponent, but with the proximity to my struggling friends, its secondary effect would provide both with a significant dose of healing magic, the same as if my regeneration spell was each. Glancing over at Dutch, hoping he was close enough to benefit from the same beneficial healing, I was perplexed to discover him resting on the opposite side of his body from before. It was the crash from moments earlier, I realized. The only way he could find himself this was if the Naga had violently flipped him over. Outside the range of my healing, I whispered the words of my lesser regen, hoping it would help him outlast while Ripley dealt with his aggressor. As my spell completed, I eyed Ripley. She had retreated under the incessant attacks of her Naga, the snake¡¯s crescent blades coming in one unending flurry by the look of it. In a fit of anger, the Naga must have unceremoniously thrown the restrained horse to his other side to be able to continue advancing on the lone skeletal figure. Trusting in Ripley¡¯s abilities to keep her foe occupied, I internally berated myself. I could ill afford inattention against Tallos and Jax¡¯s fearsome foe as it could lash out at its hapless victims at any moment. While it was preoccupied with the suffering it was enduring at the hands of my two DoTs, based on the creature¡¯s description, if given a chance to inject its venom into either pinned friend, the Naga could seal their fate without direct intervention from my cure poison spell. With how potent the venom was, it would undoubtedly take a dedicated back-to-back casting to cleanse the toxin. At the moment, I could hardly attempt such a feat, not with an enraged snake barreling down on me. Hearing the sound of my voice as I chanted a new spell, the Naga vehemently ignored the wracking pain savaging its body and fixated on my position with vengeance brimming across its serpent face. Unfortunately for me, the enraged beast was blistering fast and acted before my spell completed. With how distracted the Naga was, I opted not to cast my latest spell with Quick Cast triggered. It proved a poor decision as it hurled one of its swords toward my chest. Instinctively diving to the side to avoid the spinning projectile, the saber passed within inches of me before sending a shower of grass several feet behind me. The move cost me. Slamming hard against the hard-packed earth, I desperately attempted to hold onto the final words of my incantation. Sideways on wilting grass, my eyes opened wide in shock as another object was sent racing, this time directly at my face! A gobbet of sizzling amber liquid was suddenly scant inches away from me. I had no chance of dodging. I had only time enough to close my eyes in abject horror. At the same moment, Stella screamed something, but I didn¡¯t hear it. The crackling of the venom hissed like a vengeful demon, promising pain unlike I had ever felt before. Horrifying mental images of my eyes dissolving under the roiling venom sparked wildly through my panicked mind. The fear was terrifyingly primal. It was the instinctual freeze response, like suddenly finding a predator hurtling toward your unprotected body or stepping into a crosswalk only to glimpse an eighteen-wheeler barreling towards you about to smear you into an unrecognizable paste. Every muscle in my body locked tight at the anticipated torture about to be visited upon me. My imagination worked lightning fast and promised me the same fate as a doomed Marine sprayed with caustic Xenomorph blood. Stella shouted something anew, but it didn¡¯t register as my entire being was focused on the forthcoming agony. Yet, nothing happened. No pain greeted me as I opened my frightened eyes. Only then did Stella¡¯s words finally penetrate my addled mind. ¡°You¡¯re protected!¡± Stella bellowed. She was utterly right, I instantly realized. My Empowered Aegis prevented anything hostile from touching my body! Feeling a fool, the still bubbling liquid slowly slid towards the ground as I regained my feet. My shimmering protection kept the acidic sludge incapable of coming into direct contact with my body. The magical shield, ordinarily invisible and undetectable, only made its presence known when struck with either a physical or magical attack. With how high my mana pool was, only the minuscule fraction of the globule''s impact had been felt and had been no more potent than the slightest gust of wind. Having lost my previous incantation, I swiftly determined my next spell, forcibly ignoring the humiliation attempting to wage war in my chest. Synaptic Toxin. Yes, it would do nicely. Recalling the spell¡¯s description, its debuff would work nicely and markedly impair the Naga¡¯s mental faculties. Perhaps it would cause the raging beast to forget the two entities wrapped in its clutches. [Synaptic Toxin]. A wave of contamination engulfs a target within 100 feet, imparting a deadly toxin which invades the target¡¯s central nervous system causing 200 plus 3n damage immediately and then every 6 seconds until the spell expires, where ¡®n¡¯ equals Intelligence. The target is also afflicted with the debuff, ¡°Neurotoxin,¡± which interferes with all cognitive abilities, such as spell casting, concentration, and focus by 25%. Cost 200 mana. Cast Time: 1 seconds. Cool down: 1 second. Duration: 168 seconds (base 120). Plus 10 feet maximum range, plus 25 base damage, and plus 0.3% additional cognitive impairment per spell level. Note ¨C Once this spell expires, the debuff will remain until the target is restored to full health. As the arcane words left my mouth, the Naga hissed before leaning towards me in a head-long rush to come within melee range of me. Yet, the snake¡¯s frenzied pace was bogged down because of simple physics. No matter how powerful the creature was, the thousand-pound weight of an adult horse dragged across the dirt was nothing to be snubbed at. As long as I backpedaled away from my foe, I should have enough time to finish my spell. What I had not been expecting was for the Naga to angrily release its two hapless victims when it was yards from my retreating form. Confident I had ample time to complete my invocation, I was unprepared for the suddenness of the monstrosity¡¯s blitzkrieg. My eyes widened in shock for what felt like the hundredth time as the ferocious Naga loomed over me. Forgoing its sole remaining blade, the Naga instead opted for its natural weapons. Twin fangs, each over a foot in length, glinted in the fading sunlight as the snake¡¯s head hurtled downward. There was no hope of dodging aside. It was too close and far too fast. While my Aegis would prevent its fangs from penetrating my flesh to deliver a lethal dose of venom, my defensive barrier would be ill-suited to protect me when its wide-open maw swallowed me whole. Coming in sideways, this appeared to be exactly what the snake aimed to accomplish. Fear gripped my heart as the final words of my spell escaped my quivering lips. Little good it would do me now, however. Chapter 112 - Umbral Guardian Several things happened simultaneously as the gigantic head bore down on me. First, though my fate was about to take a drastic and likely deadly turn, my incantation completed. Synaptic Toxin lanced the paltry distance between us, diving deeply into the Naga¡¯s human torso as a palpable wave of energy. The poison penetrated deeply into my target¡¯s central nervous system and began tearing at its delicate brain tissue. While I had my damage notification minimized owing to my reluctance to be distracted at an inopportune time by a System, I was nonetheless aware my spell easily bypassed whatever magical protections the Naga had in place. Though, by the feel of it, I doubted it had any. In an instant, seventeen hundred health points were ripped away as the initial spike of spell damage burrowed hungrily at the Naga¡¯s health pool. Over the better part of three minutes, the Naga would feel the same level of agony every six seconds. By the time the formidable invocation ended its lengthy duration, more than forty-eight thousand points of damage would have been inflicted. Doubting it would last that long, nor that it mattered given my present situation, the hope the Naga would eventually fall to my spell seemed a paltry consolation. My surface-level thoughts regarding my opponent''s magical defensives, clearly nowhere near as powerful as its physical defenses, slipped from my mind as inconsequential. It seemed as if my foe¡¯s enormous head was moving in slow motion. Or, perhaps panic grappled at the corner of my mind. No matter; I doubted I would be alive long before my spell completed its grisly work in defeating the troublesome fiend. Ignoring the agony starting to rip at its mind, the snake didn¡¯t waiver in its deadly lunge. When I was crushed to death under its snapping maw, nothing I had done so far in the battle would protect me from my fate. Yet, this fate was not realized. A moment before the Naga jaws crashed around my body, a familiar black shape flew in from the side. Lowki materialized! Claws and barbed quills slammed into the snake¡¯s tilted head with the force of a wrecking ball. Sadly, while Lowki weighed an impressive quarter ton, the Naga was no pushover and likely outweighed the panther at least four times over. Still, Lowki¡¯s last-ditch effort was enough to save me from the fate I had assumed was avoidable. Instead of the jaws clamping around my midsection, Lowki¡¯s arrival pushed the enormous head slightly off course. The Naga¡¯s bottom jaw slammed forcefully into my midsection. Courtesy of my upgraded Empowered Aegis, most of the force from the blow dissipated and was not transferred into my body. Even so, I was rocked backward and nearly lost my balance. Unable to clamp around my body as it had intended, the Naga adjusted the angle of attack, pushing the top of its head further forward in an attempt to plunge its fangs into my back. Overwhelming gratitude for my Aegis flooded through me as its piercing fangs failed to bypass its shielding and were ultimately rebuffed. While the bite failed to clamp around me entirely, the snake did have an awkward hold on me. Still, the off-kilter viper strike eviscerated a significant portion of the mana binding my protective shield together. In an instant, a whopping thousand mana points disappeared! Without Lowki¡¯s intervention or my Aegis holding the Naga¡¯s fangs at bay, the damage could have been much, much higher. I doubted I would survive for any appreciable amount of time if it had been able to pump its potent venom into my seemingly fragile body. The Naga made a pair of vain attempts to clamp its jaws around me in the next few moments, but the combination of Lowki¡¯s weight pulling its head down and my own struggles to break free meant its hold was precarious at best. Grasped gingerly between its jaws, I nearly gagged as its feted breath washed over me. Unfortunately, my skin-tight protective barrier was ill-equipped to protect me from the foul and putrid breath. Damn, that¡¯s awful! It was as if the Naga regularly gargled stagnant sewer water. Though I couldn¡¯t see my feline companion, my mind pictured his claws racking mercilessly as Lowki attempted to force the snake to let go of its intended victim. Feeling like a ragdoll clutched helplessly, my vision tilted sideways as the snake reoriented its head with me still inside. The Naga shook its head side to side to dislodge the stubborn Lowki, but the panther was more than capable of holding fast courtesy of his razor-sharp claws. Thankful, the distraction my friend afforded meant the snake was no longer intent on securing its hold. This allowed me time to plant both feet against the crook of its mouth. With all my strength, I violently kicked out as if I intended to leap over a mighty chasm! Combined with the back-and-forth motion of the snake¡¯s broad head, my lateral lunge kicked me free of its distracted grasp. The Naga attempted to catch me as I crashed to the ground but thankfully missed the bottom of my boots by mere inches. Hitting hard, I immediately sent myself into roll to gain some distance from my colossal foe. Hoping to avoid further attempts to recapture me, I used my legs and arms to propel me across the ground as fast as I could manage. Several protruding rocks smacked into my back and torso as I rolled, though, with the force reduction from my Aegis, it felt more like I was rolling across pillowed boulders while swaddled in a thick blanket. It didn¡¯t hurt in the slightest, but it did contribute to my mana dropping a few points. In all, I was down about ten percent of my mana meaning the same proportion of force would bypass my Empowered Aegis. Finally coming to a rest, I discovered my fear had not been warranted as the Naga was too focused on dislodging the tenacious Lowki to pay me any heed. The giant panther clung stubbornly to the bottom of the snake¡¯s head and repeatedly bit down while simultaneously slamming two barbed tentacles into the reptile¡¯s scaled hide. Regaining my feet, I prepared a new casting. Wanting to deal some direct damage against my eyesore of a foe, the words to Lightning Bolt sped from my mouth, sounding as if I was calling down a thunderstorm. Hoping to impart some much-needed lethal damage, I dual cast the spell, both hands a mirror image of the other. As arcane syllables drifted across the countryside, the Naga pumped furiously to dislodge his attacker, though with little success initially. Then, like a hammer repeatedly crashing into the hard-packed earth, the snake slammed its head down. Lowki¡¯s body was caught between a rock and a hard place. At the same time, the Naga skillfully struck out with its sole remaining blade. The curved instrument was repeatedly sent plummeting into the stubborn panther¡¯s flanks, tearing long furrows into his ebony body. Moments before my spell completed, Lowki was finally forced to let go or risk either losing a leg or having his back snapped in two. Ever the steadfast combatant, the midnight panther timed his gambit perfectly in an attempt to inflict the most damage possible as he retreated. Right as the Naga¡¯s head reached the height of its upward trajectory, Lowki launched himself free. Using the snake¡¯s momentum against him and with all the strength he could bring to bear with two pairs of hind legs, Lowki blasted skywards. He had not, however, released his vice grip with his front two paws nor his barbed tentacles buried deeply into snakeskin. To devastating effect, scales and oozing green flesh were torn away as Lowki leaped. Blood immediately gushed from the gaping wounds and soon dribbled down the creature¡¯s wide neck. Oh, how the Naga howled! Sounding like the most pleasing long note, I wouldn¡¯t have been surprised if the howl signified a mortal wound. Perhaps the Naga had been mortally wounded, yet I wasn¡¯t about to risk leaving it to bleed to death slowly. My Lightning Bolt completed and a dazzling energy beam sliced through the air straight for the fraught Naga. Howling high into the night sky, the bolt hit the underside of its broad head and carried a hundred feet up into the air. Scales blackened, charred, and cracked under the ferocity of the magical assault. Its gangly head snapped even higher, nearly causing the Naga to topple over backward. With the weight, its long body afforded the mighty beast, the Naga easily held its human torso upright. Lowki¡¯s jump did come at a significant risk of injury, however. At my angle, I easily tracked the cat as he cartwheeled through the air. The panther attempted to use its prodigious agility to right itself before he reached the rapidly approaching ground. He would not be successful as disoriented his leap had been. Even with the tremendous damage my spell inflicted, the Naga ignored me entirely in favor of locating the slippery panther. It was as if the humanoid snake took it as a personal affront for the panther to bite it. Snapping its head to the side, the Naga spied Lowki¡¯s tumbling body before the cat crashed heavily into a burgeoning protrusion of hard-packed earth the size of a minivan. The impact stunned the umbral displacer beast and he slumped to the ground. Dazed as he was, Lowki was utterly defenseless. Panic swelled in my breast as the Naga skittered rapidly across the ground towards the knocked senseless cat.If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Furious from the agony it had suffered from the hands, the giant snake was determined to finish the meddlesome pest. Moaning in pain, Lowki shook his head from side to side, attempting to clear the cobwebs from his head. He was oblivious to the danger fast approaching his position. ¡°Lowki!¡± I yelled to my friend in an attempt to catch his attention. My words had little effect and could not reach Lowki¡¯s addled mind. Fear gripped my chest as, unlike me, Lowki had no magical defense to stop the snake¡¯s piercing fangs. Unless I interceded quickly, a deadly dose of abhorrent venom would soon be coursing through the great panther¡¯s veins, spelling a swift and painful demise. While Lowki would revive, given enough time, I wasn¡¯t about to allow it to happen. I needed to grab the snake¡¯s attention! But what could I do? Any spell I tried casting hardly seemed strong enough to divert the determined Naga as it slithered closer to my downed friend. It basically ignored what could be my most potent direct damage spell, so I had little hope another lightning blast would do anything more a second time around. Still, I had to do something, now! A glimmer of hope sparked in my mind as the thoughts of our recent battle against the spiders flashed through my mind. It could work, I said to myself. It was the only idea I had come up with. The Naga would be in Lowki¡¯s daze form in less than a few seconds. With little time to spare, I acted, hoping to beat the next round of DoT damage soon coming. I was about to heighten the damage inflicted to a whole new level. With a mental flex of will, Quintessence Empowerment flooded out of my core and into every corner of my body. Knowing what to expect this time, I tensed as the wave of power rushed through me. Unlike back with the spiders, I could fight through as every muscle in my body attempted to fire simultaneously. Along with the boost to my damage over time effect, every one of my attributes jumped an extra ten percent. I was invigorated both physically and mentally. My spell¡¯s critical strike chance had also received a considerable boost. For the next minute, every DoT, in effect, would see their damage potential swell by seventy-five percent. Along the same lines, every tick now had a greater than fifty percent chance to crit. I could only hope the sudden increase would be enough to stupefy my opponent. It all depended on when the next round of DoT damage ticked over. Please be in time, I pleaded to myself. With the Naga mere feet away from his position, Lowki realized almost too late that he was about to be made into a five-hundred-pound chew toy. As the cobra coiled to strike, two identical black shapes emerged from Lowki¡¯s body and dove in opposite directions away from the agitated Naga. To my eyes, the masses seemed mirror images of my panther friend. I knew a split second later exactly where they were. Lowki triggered his illusionary doubles! Dazed as he was, Lowki still had the sense to try something to avoid the imminent attack. By the look of it, though, Lowki was having a hard time coordinating not only his movements but his illusionary copies as well. The pair seemed to spring away in an almost drunken manner. Both were immediately ignored by the focused Naga. It cared little for distractions with how vulnerable Lowki appeared to be. The giant snake was not about to take its sights off its prey. His eyes never left the vulnerable panther as Lowki continued to sway unevenly. Like a viper, the Naga struck out with all the fury its enormous body could bring to bear. Unfortunately, I was too late. Or, more precisely, my empowerment hadn¡¯t done anything to deter the giant reptile because the next round of DoT damage was at least another second or more away. In horror, I grimaced as the Naga¡¯s bared fangs crashed into my defenseless friend. My eyes grew large as the massive head passed through Lowki¡¯s body as if it were nothing more than an apparition. One second, it appeared as if Lowki was done for; the next, the Naga¡¯s fangs smashed harmlessly into the same mound of earth responsible for dazing the struggling panther. Spitting out dirt, the Naga looked panic-stricken as its head wiped side to side, then underneath it as it desperately sought its victim. It withdrew slightly and, upon seeing Lowki¡¯s double once more, struck out with a vengeance to similar results. Its target was nothing more than an illusion. Fuming in outrage, the Naga¡¯s forked tongue lashed out in an attempt to locate its elusive foe when its visual organs had failed so miserably. I was more thankful than ever that we were fortunate enough to find Lowki¡¯s bracelet before leaving Quarris. Using the enchanted bangle, Lowki could teleport to one of his clones, effectively swapping places with an illusionary double. Pleased by the turn of events, my mischievous grin widened further as my next round of DoT damage, at long last, came. Keenly aware at least two of my DoTs had just been critically struck, the Naga floundered under the assault as its body quivered in agony. The massive creature toppled to its side as it hissed out bloody murder. Like a pain-riddled animal, the huge snake started coiling around itself, but the defensive measure halted abruptly as a new System message entered my mind. Note! The secondary effect of ¡®Cantankerous Cacophony¡¯ has been triggered. The Invidious Naga Burrower is terrified! As if possessed, the Naga uncoiled before rushing off toward its lone compatriot as fast as its slithering body could carry it. The rotund snake moved unerringly towards where Ripley and the other Naga still savagely battled with single-minded intent. ¡°Stell, how much health does my Naga have left?¡± I hollered while sprinting after the snake¡¯s retreating form. Looking past the Naga, I spied Ripley¡¯s and her foe farther away than I had thought. Apparently, Ripley¡¯s valiant attempts to weather her enemy¡¯s dual blades continuously crashing upon her resulted in her gaining a fair bit of distance from where we had initially been ambushed. Backpedaling, she had more than a fair share of scraps and cuts by the look of it. ¡°It¡¯s in the red. Two or three ticks should finish it,¡± she responded promptly from my shoulder. It was exactly what I was hoping for. It meant my attention could be focused on the mostly uninjured Naga. His buddy, under the terrifying effects of my spell, should die shortly after reaching his comrade and transfer the affliction once contact was made. Then, with only a single foe standing against all of us, we should be able to make quick work of the last remaining combatant. Well, I hoped for as much, anyway. Tallos must have come to the same conclusion he opted to focus his ire on Ripley¡¯s snake. Magically infused arrows of differing colors began slicing through the evening air. Going mostly unseen in the battle thus far because of the earlier entanglement with constricting snake scales, the warden was determined to leave a lasting mark on the remainder of the fight. As fast as his bowstring could be drawn, arrow after arrow peppered his target. As I ran, I assumed Jax was all right, otherwise the ranger would have called out for some healing. Judging myself nearly close enough I slowed my pace. I desperately wanted to give Ripley some reprieve against the battering assault she had thus far been successful in resisting. Glancing at my party menu, I saw that her health was below the fifty percent mark. She needed our aid. Close enough to dash into melee combat if needed, I came to an abrupt halt to not disrupt my upcoming casting. I could, of course, cast on the move, but I was determined not to risk my spell fizzling. In moments, the two snakes would collide with one another. Narrowing my eyes, the words to Lightning Bolt formed in my mind. My fingers moved in precise movements, forming the somatic portion of the growing spell weave as mystical phrases tumbled from my lips. With mana ready to burst forth, I thrust my hands toward the poised Naga and willed the spell to manifest in the real world. I had opted for a regular bolt of electricity instead of Chained Lightning as I didn¡¯t want to finish off the fear-induced Naga when it was close to reaching its compatriot. That one would die soon enough on its own. The darkening grassland lit up with a brilliant flash of white light as a thick column of energy rocketed toward our foe. Unfortunately, my plan would not go off without a hitch. Whether sensing its approaching friend or hearing my voice in the throes of spell casting, Ripley¡¯s Naga was not taken unawares. A fraction of a second after my spell lanced through the air, the massive creature flung sideways in a desperate attempt to avoid what was about to happen. While I doubted it knew its fellow Naga was under a fear effect, I couldn¡¯t put it past the monster as it was part human and probably had a modicum of intelligence. The pair of dangerous Nagas had, after all, successfully planned the ambush, nearly costing some of us our lives. Unfortunately, my eagerness to distract Ripley¡¯s opponent meant I had not considered the full implications of one of my newest spells. Even had the Naga not jumped to the side, my earlier Lightning Bolt should have reminded me the spell effect wouldn¡¯t end there. Not unless I desired it to. My eyes widened in horror as Ripley¡¯s bony form came fully into view. She was in the direct path of the crackling thunderbolt! While the spell would normally allow me to terminate the effect at any point up to the maximum hundred feet distance, I had not thought to do so until it was too late. My mad rush to help Ripley may have cost us more than we could afford. With no time to will the bolt to dissipate before striking a friend, Lightning Bolt blasted into Ripley¡¯s chest and sent her tumbling backward into the tall grass, where her smoking form was lost from sight. ¡°Ripley¡¯s stunned for four seconds!¡± Stella shrieked from my side, clearly despondent from the sudden turn of events. ¡°No!¡± I screamed in horror. My lack of foresight and carelessness may have just doomed us all. Chapter 113 - Siphon Panic-stricken, my eyes flew to the corner of my vision where my party menu hovered to see Ripley¡¯s health. Before my inopportune lightning bolt blasted her backward, she had been at less than half health. With the bolt¡­ Fear lanced through my heart. Did I kill her? No, she was still alive! Even better, it would seem, Ripley¡¯s health bar was higher than expected, considering my average-tier direct damage spell could steal away upwards of thirty-five hundred health in a single attack. Thankful I hadn¡¯t killed my friend, she should have been at below twenty percent health remaining, perhaps even closer to ten percent. Instead, her health hovered just over the thirty percent mark, but how could that be? It¡¯s because of her innate magical resistance, I realized with a start. As an undead and skeletal lifeform, Ripley naturally had fifty percent spell resistance. So, instead of suffering the full damage of Lightning Bolt, she was left with a decent chunk of health points. I couldn¡¯t imagine she was too happy about her luck considering the spell had shot her smoking body tumbling in the long grass, but she was alive and still in fighting shape. Unfortunately, the shock of accidentally knocking my friend senseless with a devastating bolt of lightning stole precious seconds of inaction as my mind attempted to process what happened. Even though I could ill afford to lose any more time, my addled brain struggled to keep up. We had two very angry Nagas running around, after all. Thankfully, even with my blunder, the fuming warden behind me, irate after being tied up for the majority of the battle, never paused in his relentless barrage. Arrow after arrow peppered into the Naga¡¯s pallid human torso. Sadly, the Naga, after expertly dodging my blistering attack, refused to be distracted as it sprung back to its feet, so to speak. Using its massive body as a fulcrum, the giant snake righted itself with blazing alacrity, turning to face Tallos and his unending stream of piercing arrows. Its enormous head released an outraged hiss, the previously terrified eyes narrowing in hatred. The look foretold an excruciating death if the snake was allowed to get anywhere near the now-backpedaling ranger. There was another individual who did not hesitate when my untimely bolt streaked brilliantly through the darkening sky: the terror-filled Naga. Under the fearing effect of Vivisection, the gargantuan snake body never paused as it slithered onward toward its companion. In fact, it only increased its forward momentum as the last few feet were crushed under its massive frame. More potent than a barreling freight train, the Naga slammed into its friend with enough force to bulldoze a mountain. Just before impact, as the other Naga caught sight of its bum-rushing friend, it let out a startled, high-pitched shriek. At the exact moment of impact, the ghostly wisps of blades covering my feared Naga multiplied and engulfed the new target. Vivisection had been successfully transferred, and oh, did the thing howl. Whether in pain, frustration, or anger, I couldn¡¯t know, yet I hardly cared. It was free damage and my mana hadn¡¯t dropped in the slightest as the spell latched to an additional target. The pair of coiling Naga¡¯s crashed heavily to the earth. It was like a two-thousand-pound linebacker had gone full tilt moments before tackling a previously jeering foe. Dirt, dust, and debris were thrown into the air as the two bodies writhed. Ghostly blades never slowed as scaled hide and pale flesh were ripped apart. Delighted satisfaction rushed through me seeing the pair somersault over one another. My spell was undoubtedly powerful. I was even more pleased when the fear debuff didn¡¯t immediately disappear upon contact. In fact, it lasted a pair of seconds longer than I had initially expected. The Naga previously entangled with Ripley hissed out a curse and, with a grunt of disdain for his muddled companion, pushed off hard against the other snake¡¯s reptilian body. It timed the move perfectly, using its gargantuan body and powerful muscles to snap forward with frightening speed. The force was enough to throw the other Naga a clear ten feet away, an impressive feat considering how heavy I knew the damnable beasts were. With the fear effect terminating while the thrown Naga tumbled through the overgrown, it took an extra second for it to reorient itself as its momentum was spent. It looked around wildly for something it could vent its considerable anger upon. Its entire demeanor promised a crushing death for one of us. ¡°Xaz!¡± Stella shouted at my side, despondent at my inaction. ¡°Get back into the fight!¡± She was right! Mentally thanking Stella for the sound advice, I used my party interface to target Ripley. Even though I could not see her behind the wavy grass billowing against another gust of wind, I was nonetheless able to quick cast and dual cast my upgraded lesser regen upon her. A green-tinted shade of mana shot away from my hands, hurtling toward her unseen body as unerringly as a diving hawk crashing toward a field mouse. As I pondered my next course of action, Stella spoke again as she hovered near my face. ¡°Your Naga is redlining,¡± she called out helpfully, the sweet tone of relief in her voice reaching my eardrums. With one of the two furious beasts soon down, we could focus all of our remaining ire upon the sole surviving Naga. Unfortunately, fate had other plans. Disappointment and surprise washed through me as something new, something magical, triggered the moment my Naga should have dropped dead as the behemoth snake swayed to its side as if on the precipice of falling into eternal sleep, its enormous human eyes going vacant, a cord of blazing emerald power shot in from the side. The Naga immediately stood at attention like a soldier suddenly spooked when a commanding officer burst in unexpectedly. In an instant, it straightened to its full height, several feet taller than I was, before going completely motionless as if it had been turned into a statue. Words to my latest spell faulted as my widened eyes followed the corded thread of shimmering energy to its origin. The beam of luminous energy originated from the other Naga! It, too, was erect as a board in a mirror image of the other. The brilliant ribbon pulsed as if alive, and something, vitality I soon realized in horror, was transferring from the healthy Naga to the other. As I watched, the health bar of the healthier Naga slowly drained away. Wiping my head back to the other, I stared in bewilderment as the near-death Naga¡¯s health rocketed upward! In a pair of seconds, the bar passed well beyond the fifty percent mark, each pulse along the energy cord transferring more vitality from one to the other. Throughout the entire ordeal, neither Naga so much as twitched a muscle even as the process began fading. Double checking where the pair stood, shock sliced through me as I realized the abominable creatures both had their health bars close to seventy percent capacity. ¡°What¡­ the hell?!¡± I stuttered out the words as my mind furiously attempted to understand what just happened. Damn it all, I cursed inwardly. I was letting myself get distracted again, and my friends needed me! Tallos, on the other hand, never relented his unending assault. Magically infused arrows sliced through the night air like shots from a sniper rifle. One after another, all varying colors of red, blue, white, and green crashed onward and seemed to go completely unnoticed as they bit deeply into the Naga¡¯s unprotected flesh. As the flaming arrows struck, tiny conflagrations instantly sprouted, running up and down the beast¡¯s serpentine body. The ranger¡¯s water arrows created light bands of constricting energy, locking up elbows and joints and forming between the fist-sized snake scales. Arrows pulsing a dark olive caused black lines to appear beneath the creature''s pale skin. And, while potentially the least exciting of the bunch of imbued projectiles, Tallos¡¯ brilliant bleached arrows struck with deadly precision, striking exactly where a man¡¯s heart would be. Unfortunately, it was impossible to tell if the creature¡¯s vital organ was positioned there, and, by the look of it, it wasn¡¯t as if the monstrosity still lived. At the same time, Ripley¡¯s gray skeletal form blasted away from the long grass across from her target and was now wielding her sword and shield combo. Or had she been using the pair this entire time? I couldn¡¯t be sure, but it really didn¡¯t matter. Dislodging the consideration from my mind, there were far more important concerns to be contemplating at this moment, I came to a conclusion as to what the entanglement between the two snakes represented. ¡°The healthy one is transferring health to the other,¡± Stella stated, having come to the same conclusion I had. Unfortunately, it was far worse than a simple transfer of health points. Upon gaging where the two health bars above our foes now stood, it was not a one-to-one ratio. In other words, one health point from the healthier of the two Nagas didn¡¯t restore a single point for its fellow. Instead, seeing as both creatures had roughly seventy percent health, it was closer to a three-to-one transference. As a result, instead of having a single opponent to deal with, even if it had been close to full health, we instead faced two very hale Nagas regaining their mobility. And they looked pissed.Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. ¡°Shit,¡± I cursed under my breath. My mind jumped back to an earlier thought when I considered the Naga''s apparently weak magical resistances. It would seem the giant snakes forgo this type of protection in favor of being able to siphon health from one to the other. It was a potent ability, especially given the significantly stout vitality they appeared to have. Combined with their prodigious strength and potent venom promising a painful death, their ability to heal one another was making an already difficult situation far worse. As the last vestiges of energy dissipated, turning from a vibrant emerald to a bright lime shade, my mind flashed through the implications their healing bond meant for the rest of the battle. In computer games, I played back on Earth if you ever came upon a boss duo with this particular type of ability, the general consensus was to wear both opponents down simultaneously. In doing so, you could take such an overpowered ability completely off the board. Otherwise you risked extending the fray unnecessarily long and, in some extreme cases, caused an all-out wipe with your side dying one by one. As we knew all too well, there was no reset button here. Dead was dead, permanently. There was a strategy in simply brute forcing it, though. While less optimal and potentially problematic in its own right, you could focus all of your DPS on a single boss. That could work, but only if you had a compelling fighting force. Still, between the two options, it was less fraught with risk to kill both bosses at the same time. If we could, that would be the path we would try to take. Since the Naga I had been fighting had a trio of my strongest DoTs currently wrecking its innards, I needed to help Ripley with hers as it only had the recently transferred Vivisection slashing at its health pool. Looking at my buffs, Quintessence Empowerment had just shy of thirty-five seconds before disappearing, so it was important for me to chase as much benefit from the ability as possible. Ripley reengaged with her Naga as the words of a spell breached the relative calm over the battle field. Her sword and shield worked brilliantly as she expertly parried and blocked a particularly skillful combination from her opponent¡¯s twin blades. Soon, Lowki would make his presence known and, hopefully, in a profound way. Opting to send out some potentially lifesaving magic to my teammates, I neared the end of my casting of another Pyroclastic Funeral Pyre. The spell had a great one-two combo of high damage to my target while simultaneously sending regenerative heal upon any nearby friendlies. My eyes didn¡¯t leave the back of Ripley¡¯s aggressor as another burning ash cloud appeared between my hands before crackling away. When it impacted the Naga¡¯s back, it expanded in a semi-transparent whirlwind encompassing Ripley as well. Now, combined with the lesser regeneration I cast on her earlier, the AoE healing should replenish most of the damage my inopportune lightning bolt had caused. Sure enough, Ripley¡¯s health bar began refilling at an appreciable rate. Before I could complete the casting of my next spell, Gnawing Blizzard, my former opponent, the now revitalized Naga, rushed in my direction with angry determination to spoil my next incantation. Apparently, it understood how bad it would be for the pair if I were allowed free rein to cast my devastating magic. The bum-rushing Naga slithered off to my side, meaning I would quickly lose sight of it from the periphery of my vision. If I didn¡¯t adjust my aim, it would blindside me. I couldn¡¯t allow it to do so, so I was forced to turn and change the focus of my upcoming spell. Thankfully, I could modify the target of my building spell on the fly as long as I didn¡¯t lose sight of my foe. I did just that. The air around my hands chilled as tiny snowflakes formed around my fingers as I deftly wove the spell¡¯s magic. My opponent seemed not to care, content with barreling through me as it had previously done to its friend. Gnawing blizzard completed, sending a ball of freezing ice shards away from me as the miniature hurricane streaked toward the onrushing Naga. Targeting halfway between us, since the spell was completely static once cast, a billowing cloud of razor-sharp ice bloomed into existence ten paces before my opponent. As the beast entered the area of effect, crystalline ice formed all along the snake¡¯s slithering body. The pale humanoid torso of the Naga grew even more colorless as flesh desiccated under the spell¡¯s frigid assault. The Naga continued its advance and would reach me in a second. My earlier decision to evenly split our damage between the two Nagas was stolen as I was forced to meet its indomitable charge. If I needed to kill this dastardly foe three more times, then so be it. At least, that thought burned through me as my feet carried me closer. It was important to keep the Naga within the blizzard¡¯s area of effect. If I opted to retreat instead, I would only pull the mighty creature away from the gnawing winds. With the decision made, I shouted out to my friends in hopes we would do as much damage as possible to one of the snakes, ¡°Help me with this one!¡± As I hoped Tallos and Lowki would be able to hear my cry over the increasing din of battle, I withdrew Frostrend from my inventory and prepared to defend myself. My foe still only had its single curved blade; its twin was lost somewhere on the battlefield. When my damage caused the healing link to trigger once more, it would at least cause the pair of Naga¡¯s to lock up momentarily as health was shifted from one to the other. Perhaps we could use those few seconds to our advantage. At the same time, I hope there wasn¡¯t more to the Naga¡¯s powerful ability. I had plenty of mana available still meaning I could rely on my Aegis to help keep me alive against such a frightening opponent. As the gigantic snake approached, I shifted my normal fighting style when my enemy got this close. Instead of relying solely on my physical prowess, it would do me little good against such a monstrous foe, and I would continue leveraging my magical talents. As we began exchanging devastating blows with one another, the bit of my axe crashing into the hardened steel of my foe¡¯s sword, I split my focus to simultaneously cast my spells. It was a difficult proposition, to say the least. With how relentless my Naga¡¯s strikes were, I was entirely unable to focus enough to quick cast or dual cast any of my spells. I learned this the hard way with one nasty sword strike crashing heavily into my side. I couldn''t spare the extra mental faculties needed to use either skill. It was only thanks to my long practice and perfected knowledge long-ago imbedded into my brain which allowed me to weave magic as I brought Frostrend to see me through the Naga¡¯s punishing assaults. My defensive prowess with a weapon was certainly not up to the task of fending off all the Naga¡¯s attacks on its own, unfortunately. While my fingers danced through the intricate and necessary gestures to form my spell, my Aegis took multiple brutal blows, stealing large chunks of mana from my rapidly dwindling mana pool. For every spell I managed to complete, two others either fizzled out or were wholly interrupted as I danced around my opponent. Without the slowing effect of Gnawing Blizzard, I doubted I would be half as effective in landing spells. Not long after we began our dance of death, so too did arrows arrive to sink deeply into my frightening foe. Tallos, at least, had heard my plea. Unfortunately, Lowki was nowhere to be seen, so they must have gone to aid Ripley with her Naga. Even without the panther¡¯s help, my Empowerment trickled down to its last few remaining seconds as Ignite Bones, Wyvern Sting, Lesser Soul Leech, and Lesser Arrested Affliction bloomed inside my Naga¡¯s body. My adversary had long gone blood frenzied with the pain of so many powerful spells ravaging its inside. Its ungodly fat snakehead was screwed up in a mask of utter hatred. It was close to death once more and we would soon find out if there were anything new to the healing bond as it was moments away from triggering. My magical defenses had taken quite the battering, meaning a significant amount of the force of the Naga¡¯s sword was now bypassing my Aegis and crashing into my body. I was well below twenty-five percent mana, yet I believed it to have been worth it as my opponent¡¯s health dropped precipitously before bottoming out. Counting on the approaching stun effect, I relaxed as the Naga¡¯s health reached zero. It was a mistake. From the corner of my eye, the Naga facing Ripley went erect as a board when vivid green magic streaked away from its body. I errantly eased my defensive stance, expecting my two-thousand-pound opponent to similarly freeze up. Unfortunately for me, the magical bound took a second to connect due to the distance separating the two Nagas. My blunder afforded the Naga a clean strike upon my shoulder. Instead of partially deflecting or evading its sword strikes up to this point, my opponent was given free liberty to levy every ounce of its mountainous strength in a single, powerful, downward slash. The sword crashed into my shoulder with crushing force. While my Aegis stopped the blow from cutting through my armor and shredding me like a cheese grater, I felt nearly the entire force behind the attack. I was lucky it didn¡¯t break my clavicle. In an instant, I was thrown to my knees. The inordinately powerful attack, thankfully, hadn¡¯t laid me out entirely. It had been dangerously close though, and I was grateful it hadn¡¯t. I needed to respond while the Naga was momentarily dazed while healing magic coursed through its body. Thankfully, my fate had not yet been sealed by my overconfidence as brilliant emerald energy crashed into the Naga, causing it to instantly go as rigid as a plank as waves of healing magic pumped furiously into its reptile body. I had only a pair of seconds before the ability¡¯s work was completed. I was not about to let it go to waste. Even as one of my hands twisted through the necessary motions of my Stinging Swarm spell, my other hand released the grip of Frostrend as it was recalled into my inventory. In the next instant, it was replaced by my ornate crescent-moon dueling pistol. It swung upwards as I touched the barrel to the underside of the massive snake head. ¡°Dodge this,¡± I said through gritted teeth before pulling the trigger. Chapter 114 - Hard Fought Victory With the barrel of my dueling pistol pressed against the underside of the Naga¡¯s mouth, the explosion of the weapon discharging was somewhat muted. Frozen as the creature was under the effects of the health siphon, the Naga¡¯s head didn¡¯t so much as budge as the enchanted bulleted tore upward through snake scales and soft tissue before piercing into the mob¡¯s skull. The awareness I had struck a critical blow flooded my consciousness via my interface, though I hardly suspected otherwise. Any gun fired at point-blank range was undoubtedly going to do a tremendous amount of damage. I could imagine the bullet ricocheting through the vile thing¡¯s gray matter. A part of me was surprised the piercing effect hadn¡¯t caused the bullet to breach the top of its broad head. The Naga¡¯s health bar, which had been slowing its upward assent as the siphoning effect neared its completion, dropped considerably when my gun fired. Its health reached zero once more, yet the green glow of the ribbon feeding it more health remained connected. I was unsure if the Naga was aware of its surroundings while the healing bond was happening. If it was, it must be in excruciating agony, considering the several thousand health points destroyed with a single shot. The once shrinking ribbon of curative energy was fully re-engaged, once more as thick as my forearm, as it struggled to undo the destruction my Matrix-inspired attack caused. Before my shot, the Naga¡¯s health had been closing in on being half-full. Now, courtesy of my critical strike, it slowed as it approached twenty-five percent. This was good news for our side, I knew. The first time the healing bond formed, the ratio of transferred health was close to three to one. Before firing my shot, the siphon¡¯s effectiveness dropped nearer to a two-to-one ratio. Now, with my latest devastating critical, we were approaching a straight one-to-one transfer of health. Smiling to myself, it appeared being forced to levy all of our damage against a single opponent was not as weak of a position as I had initially feared. Wishing my pistol stored two shots, the gun vanished from my hand as I recalled it to my inventory. With its automatic thirty-second reload property, the powerful weapon would likely provide no more benefit with this battle with how things were going. I intended this fight to be ended long before it would become available once more. Not pausing while these thoughts played out in my head, I completed my latest spell, Stinging Swarm. Appearing out of nowhere, a mass of roiling tiny winged insects manifested across the entire length of the Naga¡¯s extensive body. As thousands of stingers began piercing the weak joints between snake scales and into pale human flesh, I twisted my fingers into the formation of yet another one of my spells. My Quintessence Empowerment had long since run its course and my combined spells were inflicting an ungodly amount of damage every six seconds. Yet, while the ability was on its long cool down, it was essential for me to to hold recasting any of the DoTs I previously cast to this point. Doing otherwise would effectively reset the spell to its lower damage potential and wipe out the additional critical strike chance. Even after ending, the quintessence ability allowed any spell cast while it was in effect to retain those bonuses until the spell¡¯s duration ran its course. I needed to focus on direct damage spells or any DoT not yet used. Realizing I had forgotten one of my favorites while in the throng of battle, I combined dual cast and quick cast to throw Blood Boil upon my foe. The Naga needed to die as soon as possible. While I could recall Frostrend back into my hand, my previous tango with the giant snake showed me how far less effective my weapon was in dealing damage compared to my many spells. Intentionally keeping my masterwork weapon stowed away, I backed toward the edge of my blizzard¡¯s freezing winds while uttering the final syllables of my specialized spell. I was only a paltry fifteen feet away from the giant Naga but it should buy me the time to end the fight without having to weather another blow. Considering the weakening effect of their health siphon, if the pair of Naga¡¯s wanted to continue to share their dwindling health pool, then it was fine by me. A sizzling wave of heat flew from my hands as the Naga regained complete control of its body. Even though it must have certainly felt its blood instantly boil, it ignored the pain and charged toward me with the fury of an avalanche. Its curved sword was held high over its head as the snake''s body rapidly undulated beneath it, drawing it ever closer. I wasn¡¯t about to let it get near me, however. It was already dead. It just didn¡¯t realize it. Though, perhaps it did and this was one last hopeful gambit to take me along with it into the depths of death. Switching from my DoT repertoire to a direct damage spell, I strafed to the side in an attempt to keep the enraged Naga well within a slowing blizzard. It was only because of the twenty-three percent movement penalty the spell afforded which me enough separation for my spell casting to go unhindered. Another bolt of energy flared to life, lighting the countryside for one brilliant moment. This time around, I ensured the Lightning Bolt terminated immediately after reaching my intended target. I wasn¡¯t about to risk hitting another of my friends with a carelessly thrown spell. The dazzling bolt of electricity crashed into the Naga¡¯s chest as it slithered a half dozen feet away from me. It staggered momentarily from the brutal discharge of energy but was not as stunned as I had hoped. ¡°Damn it,¡± I said under my breath in frustration. Instead of having ample time to cast another spell from the expected stun, the Naga covered enough ground to reach me even as I continued backpedaling. Frostrend materialized in my hands a moment before I brought it to bear to parry a vicious crosscut. With how low my mana pool was, and therefore my Aegis, I was forced to dedicate far more effort than our earlier engagement to protect myself while weathering a barrage of cuts and thrusts. The Naga never relented, its height giving it a distinct advantage. ¡°Lowk...!¡± I began to shout, hoping to draw the panther to my aid, but was forced to retreat a step instead as a downward cut nearly cleaved me in half. A roar from across the field signaled my panther friend was too far away, undoubtedly helping Ripley with the other Naga on the field. I was on my own. Either my DoTs took the monster down, or it would be my blood soaking the hungry, tilled earth beneath my retreating feet. Another cut came in this time from the side. Unfortunately, my skill was not up to the task, and I mistimed the parry. The Naga¡¯s heavy sword slashed into my forearm, flinging it forcefully back into my chest. My mana was incredibly low, but so too was the Naga¡¯s health. I needed to repeal its attacks for only a few seconds, then another health siphon would triggered. I needed to be ready¡­ Now! The last of the Naga¡¯s health ticked away, causing it to waver in its assault. A knowing green light rushed towards my opponent from behind, lancing directly into its back. Not bothering to take the split second to recall Frostrend into my inventory, I simply let go of the valuable mana-steel axe, and it slammed into the flattened dirt with an audible thud. With its soul bound property, I had no fear of losing the magnificent weapon. Not hesitating in the slightest, both of my hands reached upwards towards the Naga¡¯s chest even as I took several steps back. What came next would hurt, both the Naga and me. I was out of options. If I had time to consider my actions, I perhaps would have chosen a different spell but it was the first one that came to mind. This latest siphon would only last a second, possibly two at the very most. Mystical words from a long-dead language surged from my lips as my fingers danced in unison. What little amount of paralyzation this round inflicted on the Naga, which would likely be the last transfer seen in this fight, would buy me enough time. Pushing outwards with my palms, an incendiary orb of seething flame streaked away. With how close I still was to my target, the sheer force that blasted me away from the giant snake when the fireball detonated seemed as if I had been standing right on top of it. Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. I was thrown violently, small rocks digging into my body as I cartwheeled across the ruined plains. Unlike earlier, where it felt like I had been wrapped in a plush blanket, this time around, every jutting rock shot pain through my body as my health dropped a hundred points. My Aegis was down! My exploding fireball defeated what remained of my meager mana pool. I was defenseless and splayed ungainly across the ground. If my opponent wasn¡¯t dead, I was about to be in serious trouble. My only hope would be the nearly four thousand health points remaining to keep me alive. Twisting my body, I strained to see my opponent. My spell had done enough damage! As I had hoped, a new healing beam affixed the Naga in place. This time around, the serpent was nearly entirely prone with only his cobra head held off the ground. Briefly inspecting its health, it had no more than a few hundred health points, which also meant the other Naga had to be in a similar state. In one fluid motion, I reached my knees and threw my right hand over my back shoulder as I recalled Frostrend to my grasp. Nothing happened for a long moment. I was about to open my inventory window to figure out what the hell was happening when I realized the issue. I dropped the weapon seconds earlier and it lay several feet away! Ignoring the desire to curse at my ineptitude, I triggered my ring of recall. The moment Frostrend¡¯s comforting weight appeared in my grasp, I let loose with as much force as I could put into the throw. As stationary as the Naga was, I couldn¡¯t have asked for an easier target. At the exact moment, the health transfer was completed, the green glow surrounding the Naga¡¯s body fading, my axe slammed into the middle of the monstrous face. Flesh and bone parted, wiping away what little health had been restored. With a sickening crunch, the Naga¡¯s head lilted to the side and remained motionless. A final exhale of breath escaped its slitted mouth and reached across the distance to register against my keen half-elven hearing. It was over. We had won. Stella and a System notification confirmed my thought a second later. ¡°They¡¯re¡­ both dead,¡± her sweet voice called out beside me in between heavy gulps of breath. I landed heavily on the cindered grass at my side. ¡°Is there any other threat nearby?¡± I asked, worried once more about my perilously low mana reserves. ¡°Nothing that I can see,¡± Stella instantly responded before turning her gaze away from me to where the other battle had been raging. ¡°Ripley, Lowki, can you please cover for us? Xaz needs to rest.¡± My mana slowly trickled upwards as my regeneration restored a little more than a thousand points per minute. It would take over twenty minutes for it to restore itself to full, so I pulled a glass beverage from my inventory and downed it in one go. A water skin would double my mana regeneration for a short time, and what I had just drunk would increase it even further. My blue bar trickled upward at an increased rate. As long as we didn¡¯t fight anything for at least a few minutes, we¡¯d be alright. Armored footfalls signaled Ripley¡¯s approach from the north, soon followed by the soft pads of Lowki¡¯s trot. Both were thankfully still alive, though my skeletal companion was in a far worse condition than the mighty displacer beast. A pair of experienced notifications attempted to pull my attention away, but I oriented on my minion and cast another lesser regen. I¡¯d need to cast it again once the spell ran its course by the look of it. Tallos arrived next, and after I waved away his offered hand to help me stand up, he sat down heavily beside me. Ripley was missing her sword arm entirely. By the look of it, it had been violently torn off and hinted at the intense struggle between her and her frighteningly strong Naga. Lowki trotted up and spat out something at Ripley¡¯s feet. It was her arm. If the fight hadn¡¯t been so perilous, I might have found it comical. Unbothered by the pain any living being would be experiencing in her predicament, Ripley reached down before placing the two broken stumps together. Dark bands of energy coalesced and reattached the limb in a matter of a few seconds. ¡°Are you alright, Xaz?¡± Tallos asked as he looked me up and down. A quick glance at my party interface showed no one had any significant debuffs next to their names, a fact I was entirely grateful for. ¡°Other than being out of mana, I¡¯ll be fine,¡± I replied before an urgent thought sliced through my mind. ¡°Shit! Where are Dutch and Jax?¡± ¡°They ran off as soon as the snakes let go of them,¡± Stella replied for the elf, her tone mellow against my exasperated question. ¡°We¡¯ll need to find them, but I doubt they are that far off.¡± ¡°Yup,¡± she continued. ¡°They¡¯re just over there¡­ and¡­ there. Tallos, do you need a moment or can you get our friends?¡± ¡°Just a few scrapes and bruises from when the thing first had me coiled up. Nothing worth worrying about thanks to everyone¡¯s quick actions,¡± the lean elf indicated as he regained his feet. At his words, a wash of regenerative mana lanced into him as I cast another regen, eliciting an appreciative nod in my direction as he glanced across the chaotic battlefield. As he moved to the east, I asked Ripley to join him just in case something was lurking unseen nearby. Lowki moved to my side where Tallos had previously been resting. His soft, ebony fur felt comforting against my skin. ¡°We got lucky,¡± I finally said, my words forming small clouds in the crisp night air. My heavy breathing at long last slowed as first Jax and then Dutch were led back over to where we relaxed. ¡°I¡¯m surprised we didn¡¯t lose anyone. Those things were damn strong. If any of us were bitten, I¡¯m not sure I would have been able to focus any amount of time on casting a cure poison spell.¡± ¡°Ripley¡¯s Naga got her once but is thankfully immune to poison,¡± Stella said as she floated over to Jax to help ease the lingering tension he showed in his stiff posture. He was trembling slightly, but her soothing words helped him relax. Before long he leaned down to chomp on what little grass remained around us. Tallos did the same with Dutch before offering him an apple to crunch into. ¡°It was a good thing the healing effect froze them both up,¡± I said as I worked a knot from my neck. ¡°Shit, I¡¯d love to have something like that for me and Ripley, but going completely defenseless while the magic did its work likely tipped the scales enough in our favor to win that fight.¡± Standing up, I pointed a dozen yards away from the battle. ¡°Let¡¯s set up camp over there. It¡¯s far enough away so if anything shows up for their stinking bodies, we should get plenty of warning.¡± Before leaving, I scooped up the nearest Naga¡¯s dropped sword before walking over to obtain the two from the other slain mob. A brief inspection showed all three held minor enchantments and would hopefully net us a few gold coins when we could next find a merchant. None were better than what we had. Unfortunately, the swords appeared to be the only loot to be had. Their bodies were too big to do much of anything with and I had little desire of cooking up some Naga steaks. ¡°Do you think we can harvest some of their venom?¡± I pondered Tallos as he moved next to me. Dutch followed tiredly behind. His head bent low to nibble on the broken grass as he walked. Grabbing hold of my horse¡¯s halter, I waited as my friend contemplated my words. ¡°Maybe?¡± he replied unconvincingly. ¡°I don¡¯t have much skill in that, unfortunately, and may end up spending an hour or more with nothing to show for it.¡± He turned to Stella who floated over to perch on Dutch¡¯s saddle. ¡°Do you think it¡¯s worth it, Stella? You¡¯re much for of an expert than I am with something like this.¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± she said as she considered his question before pulling up one of her invisible Accelerator windows. ¡°Their poison glands won¡¯t begin losing their potency for at least half a day, so unless you accidentally pierce the glands while trying to retrieve them, we should be able to. I¡¯d vote for us to camp for the rest of the evening and worry about gathering what venom remains sometime tomorrow morning.¡± Nodding my head in agreement, our party trudged away. We agreed not to light a fire as we pulled our tents and bedrolls from inventory. With the flatland around us, we didn¡¯t want to risk giving our position away any more than our tumultuous battle already had. Lowki and Ripley agreed to watch over us as I closed my eyes. Hopefully, tomorrow will be a less eventful day. Sleep fell upon me in seconds. Chapter 115 - Keeper of the Cabochon Spire Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. Chapter 116 - Celeritous Behemoth Ogre Quest received: Keeper of the Cabochon Spire! Gilgamesh the Turbulent, a type of giant known as a behemoth Ogre usually only seen in Ascended worlds, has been summoned by the Hunter, Cicero the Blaspheme, to defend the entrance of his Emerald Cabochon Spire. While intensive summons such as this dictate the subject remain within the relatively small confines of its summoning circle, Cicero has somehow enhanced the effect to allow his guardian free range throughout the area surrounding the spire known as the Emaciated Desert. So, what does this all mean? It means you¡¯re about to be in a world of pain and if Gilgamesh is able to see you, you have a nil chance of escaping this terrible fate. This monster has been bound to defend his master¡¯s spire and does so with a brutal intensity that could rival that of some demigods. Only the strongest contender from a Prime World has any hope of standing against such a barbarous creature. With the strength of a Titan and the nimbleness of a Cerberus, this is a foe without many peers. Good luck, Hunter! This may become the last foe you ever see. Objective: Slay Gilgamesh the Turbulent. Rewards: Experience, a random spell or skill upgrade, and access to the Cabochon¡¯s foundation obelisk. Notice! This quest has been automatically accepted and cannot be refused. The billowing debris kicked up in the wake of whatever raced toward us, which grew more prominent as the seconds passed. The source of the turbulence was moving at astonishing speed and had to be massive if the size of the dust plum was any indicator. It did not seem fair any monster, let alone this Gilgamesh the Turbulent, was approaching a sprinting cheetah¡¯s speed. Something so vast should not be able to move that fast. Additionally, the fact we were about to face a monster usually only seen in an Ascended world threatened to chill the blood in my veins. Another System notification blinked into my awareness and was automatically minimized, considering combat was so close at hand. Instead of allowing the message to momentarily distract me, considering we had a titanic boss hurtling toward us, I allowed the information to flow into my subconscious, where it could be instantly absorbed. Quest Update ¨C Heart of the Forest. Objective One: Location Cicero the Blaspheme¡¯s Emerald Spire, COMPLETED. Objective Two: Slay as many monstrosities created through the Heart of the Forest as possible, 18 of ???. (3x Miscreant Arachne Marauder, 2x Invidious Naga Burrower, 3x Deranged Glissade Centaur, and 10x Putrid Nightmares.) (Optional Objective). It was curious the Heart of the Forest quest only updated now considering we defeated over a dozen of Cicero¡¯s twisted creations to this point. However, the change was likely owed to the fact our party had only just spotted the emerald tower, and it was the first chain in the quest¡¯s objectives. Still, I had more pressing matters to consider, so I pushed my curious musings to the background of my mind. Peering closely at the center of the surging dust cloud, I focused my gaze and mentally probed the System to identify the half-concealed creature blazing a trail of rolling dust. Gilgamesh the Turbulent, Celeritous Behemoth Ogre (Level 35 - Ascended Boss) Usually only considered a monster with an above-average difficulty rating when encountered on an Ascended world, a Celeritous Behemoth Ogre¡¯s rating on a Prime World skyrockets even if it is a summoned creature. Worse for any intrepid Hunter facing down such a foe, the Ogre you now face has been deemed to possess boss-level power, meaning any standard threat assessment is partially worthless. Celeritous Behemoth Ogres are known for their surprising alacrity, as well as exhibiting levels of intelligence far beyond what giant-kin usually possess. As a result, it is not too uncommon to find these creatures frequently donning impressive suits of armor, magnifying their already impressive defensive capabilities, as well as wielding enchanted weapons capable of felling smaller races in a single blow. Unlike a typical determent of being bound within the confines of a summoning circle to remain on this plane of existence, this boss has been empowered to roam far beyond those restrictions. Perhaps if you could disrupt the circle of power, you may be able to send it screaming back to the world he was forcibly plucked from. Though, you may never get such an opportunity with such a meteoric creature on your heels. My mind screamed, ¡®Oh, shit!¡¯ as the boss¡¯s description flowed into me. All the while my eyes tried to make sense of what was devouring more than a dozen yards with each passing second. The boss was built like an everyday, well-muscled man with a few stark differences. First and foremost was his oversized head. It looked far too large atop his sinewy body, though it didn¡¯t approach the atrocity of a Naga. The burly goliath¡¯s hair was a Bjorn-style French braid, reminding me of ancient Vikings and giving him a distinctive warrior aesthetic. The brute¡¯s beefy neck was so massive it would put fighting bulls to shame. Gilgamesh¡¯s legs were a blur of motion and nearly lost from sight behind the massive swirl of dust and sand kicked up in his frantic sprint. Those legs were moving so fast it reminded me of a cartoon roadrunner. It shouldn¡¯t be possible, and it was disturbing to witness just how swiftly those legs pumped. Even at this distance, the Ogre would certainly tower above Ripley¡¯s uncommonly lofty height. He would probably be two and a half times taller! She was going to be dwarfed when she stood before this colossus. Close enough to make finer details of the boss, we found he wore a matching gray leather tunic and pants. Both were adorned with palm-sized hunks of metal stitched expertly into the fabric. His splint mail armor contrasted against his forest green, wart-covered skin, which, on its own, appeared solid enough to deflect most sword strikes. A gleaming broadsword was held tightly in his clenched fist and it would probably dwarf Ripley¡¯s greatsword had she opted to brandish it for this boss battle. Complimenting his choice of weaponry, Gilgamesh had what was probably defined by the System as a round buckler strapped over his other hand, which, again, would look more like a kite shield if held beside my heroic minion. Perhaps most staggering of all, as the boss bore down on us, were his eyes. Cold, calculating eyes spoke of hidden reservoirs of intelligence. Though bloodshot, those orbs belied he was nothing more than a berserking giant. As the System indicated in his description, I was inclined to believe Gilgamesh the Turbulent was superbly intelligent. Perhaps his inflamed eyes were a result of him being continuously on guard by the will of his disagreeable summoner, but it was impossible for me to know. His scheming gaze was not something to take lightly. Those eyes held a quality as if he was working through multiple scenarios in a matter of seconds, all to ascertain the best approach to turn every one of our team into mashed pulp. Even without the System¡¯s description, this formidable adversary and it was apparent we needed to weaken this behemoth as quickly as possible, lest we be slain in the first few seconds once engaged. We had no hope of outrunning him. We would have to make our stand exactly where we stood. I would need to swiftly begin the battle with my Lesser Scent of Decay, a paramount spell that should always be cast against boss-level mobs. We would also need to slow it down, I mused to myself. Ripley stepped forward clutching her sword and dwarven shield held tightly in her bony grasp. She intended to meet his charge head-on. With combat inevitable at this point, Ripley¡¯s permanent auras flared to life around her. As I watched, a palpable wave of force emanated out from her chest like a miniature shock wave. As it passed over us, a buff icon appeared beside each of our names in the party interface. Once again, the System uploaded the beneficial effects directly into my consciousness. If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. It was Ripley¡¯s Stalwart Aura. The buff, called Invigorated Firmament, provided a beneficial fifteen percent physical damage mitigation, ten percent increased physical attributes, a similar increase to our resource pools, and a small melee haste. Against the might of the Ogre closing in on us, we would definitely need every extra percentage point to see us through the next several minutes. Beyond her Stalwart Aura, tiny motes of energy like minuscule drops of some alien pitch-black goo phased into existence around her only to disappear and then reappear at random. Any hostile within the broad area of effect around her would find themselves infected with those inky splotches as they spread across their abruptly desiccating flesh. Tallos and I dismounted only seconds after first spotting the charging creature. Tallos heeded a wordless command from me, slapping our two horse''s rumps to get them away from the battle as fast as possible. While the rest of the party might be able to survive a blow or two from this monster, neither of our horses could hope to survive, even a glancing one. Dutch and Jax galloped away, snorting in displeasure. Neither looked back until far afield. We¡¯d need to collect the pair after the fight was won. ¡°If the fight is won,¡± I amended myself. With only moments to spare, I began issuing battle commands to my friends as we spread out in a loose semi-circle. Lowki was hunched low to the ground, a few feet from Ripley¡¯s side, and sprouted a pair of displacer images that sprung away in opposite directions. My mind recalled one of his abilities that could make a world of difference in this boss battle, ¡°Lowki, we¡¯re going to need you to get your Solidifying Strike on him as quickly as possible. Please keep it on him. We must slow him down, or we don¡¯t stand a chance.¡± Solidifying Strike ¨C After making physical contact with a target, a surge of magical energy spreads out for the impact site causing all the victim¡¯s nearby muscles to partially petrify, taking on the aspects of rock and stone. This effectively slows the target¡¯s movements, attacks, and spell-casting ability by 30%. Note ¨C The duration of the slowed state varies on the strength of the impact (minimum of 30 seconds duration). Solidifying Strike was an ability the panther had thanks to his previous incarnation as a Rockhopper Leopard. After evolving into his current form, a Displacer Beast, he was able to retain the powerful ability. As long as Lowki could make physical contact with his target, the ability to cause a swell of petrifying magic to ripple outward from the impact site to slow both movement and attack speed by thirty percent. It would also decrease casting time on any spells, but I seriously hoped the boss was incapable of such a feat. We were in enough trouble already to have more piled on. His ability lasted at least thirty seconds, depending on how hard of a hit she made, so as long as she was careful we should be able to rely on it staying up for the entire fight. Changing the spell I was initially going to cast with another that would stack with Lowki¡¯s slow, I turned my attention to my steadfast minion, ¡°Ripley, go entirely defensive and keep yourself alive. If that thing gets past you, none of us will survive for long,¡± I called out, a bit of worry leaking into my voice. Ripley was strong, there was no doubt about it, but it hardly seemed fair to expect her to be able to manage the goliath closing in on us. To give her the best odds, I swiftly dual cast a Lesser Regen on her even though she hadn¡¯t taken a lick of damage yet. It lasted thirty seconds and would stack with another spell I planned to throw out early in the fight. Seeing Gilgamesh thundering far too close for my liking, I decided a different spell was in order. My first thought was to toss a Gnawing Blizzard in front of him, thereby slowing the Ogre, but it would do little to halt the veritable avalanche of momentum his blitzing body carried. With a calm that belittled what fluttered in my chest, I quickly intoned the words to Lightning Bolt. To put as much power behind the already potent spell, I dumped more mana into the spell weave by dual casting it. Even as the cracking words escaped my lips, I recalled one of my least used magical items: my Magian Tiara of Twin Cast. If the first bolt of dazzling electricity failed to stun this monstrosity, the second surely would. Or, at least, I hoped as much. My spell completed moments after it crossed into range. A gigantic bolt sizzled into existence, cutting over Ripley¡¯s resolute shoulders and instantly traversing the paltry distance to the Ogre. Not bothering to confirm if the stun was successfully imparted or not, I mentally triggered my tiara¡¯s effect with a brief exercise of will. My hands never left their splayed position, and in an instant, another bolt cleaved through the air with another bout of burnt ozone. Either spell would inflict several thousand health points worth of damage, but it was the high probability of stunning the enemy needed at this precise moment. If it didn¡¯t trigger, Ripley would be bowled over like wheat standing before a volcanic eruption. ¡°Stunned for five seconds!¡± Stella bellowed the good news, though she was barely audible over the jackhammer the boss¡¯s legs had been thundering across the open desert. I had been hoping for longer, but it was enough to get us past the first few seconds of what was likely to become one of the most perilous fights we had yet to encounter in this world. ¡°Lowki, now!¡± I screamed. Tallos backpedaled out of my field of view even as I similarly retreated away from the stunned opponent. I intended to keep the boss Ogre at the maximum range most of my DoTs were capable of overcoming. However, slightly more than a hundred feet of separation seemed far too short a distance, considering how quickly the boss was moving. As the pair of us drew back, our entire party watched in amazement as the behemoth¡¯s body, and previously furiously pumping legs, froze mid-stride as every muscle in Gilgamesh¡¯s body locked rigid at the exact same moment. With the momentum he had built, not even the hard-packed dirt and sand seemed to slow his forward motion much as he toppled face-first into the ground. Ripley, previously in the direct path of the boss¡¯s objective, dove into a roll to the side to avoid being crushed. Even as the massive Ogre slid across the dirt, Lowki used the opportunity to leap squarely on the boss¡¯s back. All six legs slammed hard onto his back, generating waves of overlapping petrifying magic that rippled outwards like multiple pebbles thrown into a pond. Anywhere the energy of the special attack touched, semi-petrified tendons solidified as entire muscle strands turned to stone. Lowki¡¯s barbed tentacles likewise capitalized on the force generated from his high-dive plunge, slamming both poisoned quills side by side next to the monster¡¯s spinal column. The words to my Lesser Scent of Decay were fast uttered the moment the Ogre began his nose-dive. To put extra oomph behind the resistance corrupting spell, my hands twinned in mirror images of the other as I dual cast the incantation. As the last of the guttural words resounded across the field, suddenly bereft of the calamitous rancor of earlier, Tallos similarly spewed Arcanum-infused syllables to one of his spells. My spell completed a blink of an eye before he did. A smile widened across my face as the anticipated notification appeared in my mind. Notice! Gilgamesh the Turbulent has been affected by Lesser Scent of Decay! All resistances to fire, poison, acid, and disease have been reduced by 40% (MAX). With Tallos¡¯ conjuration finished, vines as thick as my forearm burst from the barren dirt and twisted like sentient beings over and around the felled boss. It was only a minor-tiered spell, I knew, but every bit helped even if the binding roots only bought us a few seconds before the giant regained its feet. The damn thing couldn¡¯t hurt us prone as he was. Not taking a moment longer to contemplate the efficacy of Tallos¡¯ spell against the fearsome foe, I immediately transitioned into the cryptic phrases necessary to cast my Gnawing Blizzard. I centered the spell directly over the prostrate boss. Gilgamesh stirred as Ripley bound forward, her sword slicing shallow furrows against the Ogre¡¯s thick skull. Still holding his sword and shield tightly, he planted his fists beneath him and shoved off the ground with tremendous force. Vines audibly snapped with the move, seeming not to trouble the boss in the slightest as he popped a few feet off the ground like he was doing a plyometric push-up. My latest dual and quick cast spell completed, summoning a specter of semi-transparent swirling icicles in the air over the Ogre¡¯s back. It slowly spun like a hurricane seen from orbit. Biting shards crashed into his armored body, inflicting both damage and slowing his movement further as the cruel area-of-effect spell tore furrows across the boss¡¯s warty hide. Awareness of a majority of the spell¡¯s debilitating effect successfully bypassing a healthy portion of the boss¡¯s magical defenses flooded into me, largely thanks to my Scent of Darkness spell. We had stolen the advantage away from Gilgamesh the Turbulent within the opening seconds of the battle. Hopefully, it would be enough to keep the raging tide on our side. As the boss twisted in the air to land gracefully on one knee, the thought it wouldn¡¯t be enough crashed through my consciousness like the foretelling of doom. With deliberate care from his half-kneeling position, Gilgamesh lifted his head before grinning wickedly. This was not over yet, not by a long shot. Chapter 117 - *Interlude - Cicero, the Blaspheme* Sweat beaded liberally down Cicero¡¯s slanted forehead as he toiled over his latest creation. No, he corrected himself, his latest masterpiece! Using his long dexterous fingers with the skill of a practiced surgeon, he expertly pulled several threads of magic interlaced between elven gray matter and a wondrous metalloid organic material he had affectionately dubbed ¡®bio-quicksilver.¡¯ The System, of course, had an incredibly protracted name for what essentially amounted to mechanical flesh, which could be molded to fit any shape. The marvelous substance had intrinsic properties more akin to very strongest metals known on any Prime World. It did come from an Ascended world, after all. ¡°That¡¯s not quite right,¡± Cicero commented under his breath as he untangled a particularly annoying cord of arcane energy determined to bond to the imprecise location. The cord would bend to his will, exactly as he wanted it to. Everything needed to be perfect. Cicero planned out each step with absolute precision. To do otherwise would be an insult to his profession, and his fledgling war golem would never be able to live up to its full potential. The shaman¡¯s unrelenting nature would not allow such fragility in his creations. He was the master. And this was his masterwork. Shortly, his machinations would soon create his strongest creation, and, oh, it would serve him unflinchingly. ¡°There we go,¡± he congratulated himself as the connection he had been manipulating the past several minutes finally relented and affixed to the proper location. The lanky orc¡¯s words echoed against the cold, barren walls of his workshop. Situated at the top of his beautiful emerald spire, his workspace not only afforded him complete privacy but also a wondrous view of his budding lands. Nothing else stirred in his workroom, not unless he desired it. It was Cicero alone who had the talent, skill, and ingenuity to manifest wonders never before seen anywhere in the Universal Games. Feeling the irritation once more, he moved an arm to remove the offending liquid. The olive of his tacky skin passed before his eyes and elicited a grunt of displeasure. Wiping away the sweat accumulating across his broad forehead he attempted to brush aside the hate he felt every time he was reminded of his chosen race. Damnable orcs and their ungainly, twisted caricature of a body, Cicero swore internally as a grimace stretched across his features. Sneering at himself, there was no denying what he was and he loathed being reminded of it. He only chose the blasted race because of the benefits the System granted to orc Hunters in the form of powerful abilities. From a young age, Cicero set himself on a path to become a summoner, the greatest ever known. Through and through, balls to bones, it was his forte. But, gods, did he hate his body! As if the ungainly tusks jutting past his bottom lip weren¡¯t enough to constantly remind Cicero of his despicable race, the annoying protrusions of bone causing him to sound like a rutting swine whenever he exerted himself, even a single glimpse of his green skin caused a surge of irritation to swell in his belly. His displeasure with his appearance was the sole reason not a single mirror could be found anywhere in his beloved home. His choice to become this foul race had been worth it, of course. As suspected, the System granted Cicero his desire. He knew that from the moment he first opened his heavy eyelids after the transformation to gaze upon his awakening message. The System was fair, if anything. There had been a chance Cicero may not have received an ability geared towards the noble art of summoning, but it had that day. Sort of. Those many years ago, with a slight caveat, he earned a powerful racial trait. Thankfully, mercifully, the wrinkle in his plans was not insurmountable. His trait, Totemic Summoning, simply required him to channel his craft through a not-unheard-of medium: totems. With them, Cicero could then create with a flex of his will. Totemic Summoning (Trait) ¨C Your Orcish heritage provides you with the innate ability to strengthen and empower any summoned totem you create. Grants a 10% bonus to all resource pools and attributes of summon creatures when using the skill Summon Totem. After attaining the much-desired trait, it was simplicity itself for Cicero to ensure he received the corresponding Summon Totem skill instead of one of his Hunter starting spells. The only downside to his trait was the necessity to guard his totems lest his efforts be spoiled and his summoned creatures be zapped back into oblivion from whence they were pulled. So, Cicero¡¯s vault, the most heavily defended chamber within the Cabochon spire, was tucked safely in the spire¡¯s peak. While his creations could protect themselves, superbly so with the enhancement his trait and later discovered abilities afforded, it didn¡¯t hurt to keep the relatively fragile totems locked away from the world. Refocusing on his task, Cicero worked through the finishing touches of his magnum opus. Delineating the last few steps required to be skillfully completed, but, at long last, his greatest creation would be realized. It was only somewhat recently Cicero fully understood the complexities, intricacies, and subtle nuances required to properly mold the metallic flesh as he desired. At level thirty, Cicero gained a truly remarkable spell: Conjure Ascended Biological Integrant. He recalled looking upon its description of that fateful day in shocked awe and amazement. It was perfect for him. [Conjure Ascended Biological Integrant] Call upon the phantasmal energy bridging the caster¡¯s current world to that of one tier higher and conjure an amount of biological material primed for the use in monster summoning, as well as other uses to be discovered. The specific material pulled across the void between worlds will be randomized and have a higher chance of being low rarity. However, at higher spell levels, the caster can attempt to manipulate the spell to draw previously conjured material at an increased mana cost (dependent on rarity). The amount pulled across the void is 10 plus 0.05n kilograms, where ¡®n¡¯ equals intelligence. Base Cost: 5,000 mana. Cast Time: 300 seconds. Cool Down: 24 hours. Plus 3% likelihood a previously conjured material will be drawn across the bridge per spell level. Once per day, Cicero can cast a spell requesting the System transport a mass of organic material only to find a higher-tiered Ascended world! For his profession, it was a boon of unprecedented proportions and was the sole reason his latest creation could see the light of day. Upon casting, and at his current intelligence, over a hundred pounds of material would appear contained within a short-lived extradimensional space. While it was at a relatively low level, the spell created biological matter of little use, but as the months progressed, he finally stumbled upon something truly remarkable. As a result, Cicero had, with enough time, conjured enough of the metalloid substance to see him through today and would continue to do so far into the future. He recalled the Nagas he created and was assured their next iteration, with skin as hard as enchanted steel, would be nigh invincible to most denizens of this world. It was going to be glorious! Cicero''s eyes reverently roved over his aspiring golem; its slick obsidian lines reminded him of the machine of war his father¡¯s solar system spanning conglomerate manufactured back when he was an impressionable child. The subconscious desire to create one of his own had been firmly rooted in him those decades ago. Through the copious use of System-granted magic, Cicero¡¯s creations would perform at levels not usually realized without spending billions of outside credits. Instead of using manifold-quantum processors like his father¡¯s machines did, Cicero¡¯s would utilize the most potent minds this world had to offer giving his creation sapience. Such machines of war couldn¡¯t normally be brought into the Universal Game or not found until at least several higher tiers of ascension. Still, Cicero¡¯s brilliant mind would allow for their creation. With enough talent, something the shaman had in spades, anything seen from the civilizations across the galaxy-spanning Universal Games could be replicated, at least in a manner of speaking. His newly minted ¡®War-Mech¡¯ would have powers and abilities his late father could have only dreamed of employing. After his father passed, Cicero acquired his family¡¯s vast fortune after ¡®disposing¡¯ of his illegitimate siblings and immediately put plans into motion to become a Hunter. He researched everything he could get his greedy hands on like he was some drug-addled manic. Cicero was absolutely determined to create a meticulously planned race and class combo, which would allow him to do exactly what he was doing today. He simply had the misfortune of most other races lacking the same probabilities of granting him the necessary abilities, skills, and spells to see his dream realized. In the end, the decision was made. It was final and there was no sense looking back. Cicero pushed the annoyance his blasted body forced upon him in the quest for true power to the background of his mind. Then, unbidden, his attention was momentarily pulled as a notification flashed across his vision. If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. Notice! The Keeper of the Cabochon Spire, Gilgamesh the Turbulent, has engaged a hostile entity. ¡°Imprudent elves,¡± Cicero scoffed as he mentally brushed the nuisance aside. ¡°When will those fools ever learn? More meat for the grinder, I suppose.¡± Under typical circumstances, such a notification regarding one of his creations wouldn¡¯t appear, but this particular summons had a powerful connection to his spire and the Heart of the Forest being used as his personal power plant. As a result of Cicero¡¯s tireless work, Gilgamesh was bound to his spire through an extravagant summoning circle and linked epic-tier totem. Both had come at unimaginable costs to the shaman in both time and resources but they were worth it in the end. At times, he still couldn¡¯t believe his luck when one of his most powerful summoning spells plucked a boss-tiered Ogre from this planet''s Ascended world. Now, any intrepid adventurer careless enough to come within eyeshot of his home base would be swiftly slain by his fervent guardian. Cicero was well aware he had lost a handful of his other summoned creations, the worst being his spider creations only beginning to nest near an elven city, but it was nothing worth placing much worry in. Whenever he lost a creation, he would be made aware via his Accelerator when its corresponding totem shattered. All could be replaced, though. All it took was time and energy. He was flush with both, after all. Unlike his weaker creations, when it came to his Ascended Ogre, nothing short of a top-tiered Hunter or epic-leveled monster had any hope of applying significant pressure against the robust champion. Soon he would have another set of slain bodies to use in his experiments. There was always enough organic material to be found if he simply waited for them to come to him. Perhaps this was another group of elves ever attempting to retrieve his Heart. It had been a while since they made their last futile attempt, after all. Thinking of the fanatical elves brought a sensation of glee rushing through Cicero¡¯s chest when his thoughts invariably returned to his most prized procession: the legendary Heart of the Forest. The witless elves had used the truly remarkable jewel merely as a power source for their teleportation ring. It was such a waste, and it infuriated the mad scientist. Still, Cicero was thankful the fools granted him knowledge of its previous location, their city. It had taken months of groveling, deception, and false bravado to earn enough trust to be allowed to study the high-powered device. His struggles had been worth it in the end. With the Heart empowering his spire and his creations, Cicero¡¯s long-term goals shifted significantly. Before becoming aware of the existence of the legendary gem, Cicero originally planned to ascend without delay, the same as most Hunters. Yet, once he uncovered the full range the jewel afforded to his profession, his goals swiftly changed into one of domination. Cicero would, of course, ascend one day but that had been pressed many years into the future. For the time being, he would splice together an army of fabulous creatures capable of felling every elf in the vast forest to the north. Then, once that was accomplished, Cicero would translocate his tower to the exact center of the forest, further expanding the Heart¡¯s powers. With the number of arcane leylines converging under the High Thicket¡¯s focal point, Cicero¡¯s aspiring vision for the future would become a reality. In his new seat of power, he could rule this world with an iron fist. Once the world was under his command, Cicero would, mercifully, elope to a higher-tiered world. At that point, his skills, abilities, and talents will have expanded to unheard-of degrees by lesser Initiate Hunters. He was going to be magnificent. It was a shame the Heart could not go with him, bound to the forest as it was, and was one of the reasons he chose to delay his ascension. Until that glorious day, Cicero would milk the resplendent jewel for every drop of magical essence he could. Cicero laughed every time a new band of noble elves showed up to recover his precious Heart. He would be dead before he allowed it to fall back into their feeble hands. He appreciated their tenacity, though. Each time they surfaced near his doorstep, they replenished his stores of fodder material. Cicero laughed at their incompetence. A smile broached his cruel lips when he mentally pulled up his Reputation interface. The Heart had turned Cicero into something of a galaxy-wide celebrity. With each new creation, manifestations often seen for the first time in the Game, he earned new followers, achievements, and awards to continue his mastery of his profession. Yes, he would continue to grow blissfully in the years to come. Approaching the completion of his grand work, Cicero¡¯s newest creation would surely rival even the Ascended Ogre. Lovingly eyeing the metallic framework with jet-black quicksilver skin potent enough to turn aside most attacks, his mind flitted back to his first summoned creature. Sindair, a Bombardment Hawk created via the skillful melding of a Blitz Hawk and a Barrage Imp, was still with him. The hawk sat atop Cicero¡¯s shoulder and was peering down as the final touches were put into place on the hulking golem. While incalculably weaker compared to the war machine, the hawk familiar enabled Cicero to gain a foothold those many years ago as an inspiring Hunter. The tiny fire orbs Sindair could send streaking from his beak like a living machine gun had been some of the aspirations for the war golem¡¯s weaponry. Compared to War-Mech, Sindair was akin to a salamander fluttering next to an ancient dragon. Another boisterous laugh echoed across his workshop at the thought. Cicero couldn¡¯t wait to see his masterpiece in action. It was going to be delectable. The never-before-seen creature was equal parts brawn, battle tank, and brains. All seamlessly integrated into the perfect killing machine. Even should the worst happen, and Cicero was somehow slain, any aspirant challenger would share the exact same fate. While in his spire, if Cicero ever perished, the shining spire would pull every drop of mana held in the reserves of the emerald structure to disastrous effect. At the moment of detonation, everything within a ten-mile radius would instantly be turned to ash. It was such a potent punitive measure that Cicero might as well be considered immortal. No one was foolish enough to slay him at the seat of his power. Calling upon his talent once more, Cicero began the painstaking process of sealing his golem¡¯s skull. With the mind firmly entrenched and awakening, he was less than an hour away before the creature stirred. Its outer flesh, if you could even call it that, was more akin to enchanted plate mail than skin. While Cicero experienced setbacks and failures with some of his summons, this creature was destined to live up to its full potential. It would be leaps and bounds over anything he previously created and would likely remain the best until far into the next world Cicero would conquer. Another notification blinked away at the corner of his vision, and after glancing at it, Cicero discovered it wasn¡¯t one he expected. Usually, his Accelerator would have voiced the potential concern, but he had long muted the small device. Cicero preferred not to have his hand held by some piddling artificial intelligence. If he could, he would have thrown the little creature to the wayside, but it was needed to complete his grand work. Mentally opening the message, his head rocked back in surprise. His spire guardian had sustained damage. That was a first and shouldn¡¯t be achievable without a true powerhouse like a city elder on the battlefield. Gilgamesh was instructed to focus his aggression on backline casters, where the most powerful usually stood, so for it to have been injured was a striking anomaly. Sighing in frustration, Cicero paused his work and walked over to his workshop''s overhanding dormer. It contained a single pane of enchanted glass that could be turned and magnified at will to peer across his domain. Adjusting the image, Cicero brought into view the nuisance which had drawn the ire of his guardian. From the look of it, Gilgamesh was engaged by less than a half dozen combatants. That couldn¡¯t be right, Cicero thought. The elves would need to present a small army to stand any chance against the creature. Sure, they likely had some skilled individuals among their ranks to be able to damage the boss, but thankfully, killing an Ascended boss-tiered Ogre was something altogether different. Cicero doubted even Duke would fare well against such overwhelming force. Not that the Nemesis Hunter would bother with such an endeavor, of course. Duke had learned long ago that any attempt to usurp Cicero would only end in his own destruction. Not only that, but Cicero wasn¡¯t a threat to Duke. They both knew that. So, Cicero was left to his own devices and he did the same with the Nemesis Hunter. The group dancing around like fairies around the Behemoth Ogre might contain a different Hunter among their ranks, but the thought was quickly dismissed as improbable. Cicero was well aware of the handful of Hunters based within a hundred miles of his spire, and the arrival of a new Hunter would have created enough of a disturbance to be noticed in time. Then, Cicero would have plenty of time to discover their strengths and, more importantly, their weaknesses. In his time as a Hunter, Cicero had skillfully defeated several of his kind. Well, not directly, but through the power of his many summons. As long as he had those, Cicero was untouchable. Cicero shook his head before returning to his work, dispelling the notification with a lazy swat of his hand. He had better things to contemplate, and even if the spire were penetrated, he would have ample time to dispel anyone foolish enough to attempt it. Cicero smiled to himself and once again admired his panicle creation. Oh, how this day was about to become glorious! Chapter 118 - Looming Shadow As if the snaking vines were only a slight nuisance in impeding his movement, Gilgamesh extended to his full height like a bodybuilder power-lifting an empty barbell for all the grasping roots accomplished. He towered over everyone and any vine above his massive calves frayed and snapped like they were nothing more than party streamers. Ripley, standing to his side, was attempting to take full advantage of his earlier stumble by continuously sending slicing, crisscrossing cuts with her edged weapon. Sadly, even with her tremendous strength and skill with the blade, she was doing no better than giving him paper cuts, albeit giant-sized ones at that. Bright red blood oozed down Gilgamesh¡¯s leather pant leg as he boldly stepped forward, snapping even more of Tallos¡¯ seething vines continually shot up from the ground in a feeble attempt to restrain him. Using what little time we had left before the boss re-engaged, the last phrase of Pyroclastic Funeral Pyre was forcefully pushed as quickly as possible from my lips. My fingers twisted in a perfectly harmonized dance as a broiling gout of incendiary ash soared from my open palms to crash against the boss¡¯s splint mail armor. Risking a glance at my damage window, I desperately needed to know how much of the spell damage got through his magical resistances. I cheered inwardly as the spell appeared to have been eighty percent effective. With how much my Scent of Decay lowered the Ogre¡¯s arcane resistances, I could only imagine how much weaker the damage would have been without first having the weakening effect swirling through his behemoth body. Immediately after the burning cloud stuck, tiny motes of burning embers expanded outward and swirled around the boss. The spell¡¯s secondary effect would provide a regenerative effect to everyone in my party, shoring up some of the damage they would no doubt sustain as the fight progressed. Unfortunately, if Gilgamesh was capable of swinging his weapon as quickly as he had been pumping his legs movement earlier, we would all be turned into mincemeat in short order. ¡°He¡¯s slowed by Lowki¡¯s petrifying strike and your gnawing blizzard, but Tallos¡¯ water arrows are not getting through,¡± Stella shouted beside me, catching everyone¡¯s attention. ¡°Shit! They keep shattering on impact. They can¡¯t seem to penetrate his armor or hide,¡± Tallos confirmed a hot second later. His words were riddled with frustration. The ranger had been firing those types of arrows nonstop the second the monstrous beast first came within range. ¡°My scent spell lowered his magical resistance, but only to fire, poison, acid, and disease,¡± I called over to my friend. ¡°Switch to your flame and poison arrows! They might just get through!¡± I had been hoping Tallos¡¯ water arrows, which added an additional attack and movement speed debuff, would have helped Lowki and my efforts to bring the boss¡¯s speed to a manageable level. Whether it was the Ogre¡¯s innate resistances or Tallos¡¯ arrows simply not getting past the boss¡¯s fortified body, I didn¡¯t know and probably never would. It was more likely Gilgamesh had boss-level magical resistances, but any wasted seconds of the warden doing essentially nothing in the fight was only decreasing everyone''s chances of survival. My eyes widened at the notion of how to bypass Gilgamesh¡¯s potent resistances. Perhaps some Quintessence-empowered spells would help every one of my spells to breach his magical protections fully! Unfortunately, a moment later, when an unexpected error message popped into my mind, I chided myself for not remembering. The Quintessence ability was on cool down, having last been used not that long ago against the Nagas. It wasn¡¯t going to be ready again until long after this fight was decided. ¡°Perhaps that¡¯s a good thing,¡± I chuckled wryly, prompting Stella to give me a puzzled look. I shook my head to signal her to ignore my comment. As long as we got past Cicero¡¯s guardian, the overpowered ability was almost guaranteed to be a necessity when we inevitably faced off with the orc shaman. Sadly, when the boss backhanded Ripley and sent her skidding back nearly ten feet, I questioned the wisdom of my previous notion. It would be irrelevant if we didn¡¯t get through this brawl. ¡°Damn it,¡± I swore to myself as Ripley charged back in. From the corner of my vision, I saw and heard several severely cracked and sprinter bones pop back into place as my pyre¡¯s regenerative effect worked to speed along her recovery. Nothing else for it, I forcibly shut down the unhelpful thoughts of unusable ability and refocused on the moment. Once more, I started another casting under the combined effects of my dual and quick skills with the intent of sending out every single DoT in my spell repertoire. Layer after layer of arcane energy, everything from acid to blazing heat, bit deeply into the boss¡¯s leathery hide. Gilgamesh looked to be trying to build some forward momentum, his eyes laser focused onto me the entire time, and it was only the combined efforts of Ripley¡¯s aggravating assaults, Lowki¡¯s slapping quills, and the two debilitating snare effects to keep him relatively at bay. In only a few more feet though, the boss was going to leave the area of effect radius of my blizzard and gain a significant portion of his mobility back. This realization prompted me to cast a new one, this time targeting the space directly between me and the unyielding giant. With the majority of my DoTs flowing through the boss, I paused my spell-casting to try a more mundane attack. Withdrawing my crescent-moon pistol, I took aim. My sights lined up directly with one of Gilgamesh¡¯s hate-filled eyes as I pulled back on the trigger. The weapon kicked in my hands as the enchanted bullet sped unerringly toward the boss¡¯s smirking face. The moment the gun fired, the boss¡¯s buckler flashed a crimson color before shooting upward to protect his face. A shrill ¡®TING!¡¯ echoed as the typical hyper-penetrative bullet was deflected. To my seasoned eyes, it looked like a purely defensive talent and perhaps embedded into the magical properties of his shield to protect against critical hits. Hopefully, the blasted buckler had a cool down and a long one at that. Sadly, if I had to guess, I was willing to bet it was shorter than my pistol¡¯s thirty-second reload time. Stowing the enchanted weapon back into my inventory, I grimaced as Gilgamesh suddenly turned to Ripley as she was about to deliver another sword strike, this time against his armored pants. Blazing fast, even with the two attack speed debuffs surging through his bulging muscles, the massive Ogre backhanded Ripley. Thankfully, her warrior nature allowed her to anticipate the blow. As if about to stand against a hurricane, Ripley confidently planted her bony feet and interposed her shield in line with the boss¡¯s meaty fist. Flesh met metal with a loud BANG! In an entirely impressive display of fortitude, more so considering massive strength disparity, Ripley remained upright only sliding back a handful of feet. At first, I couldn¡¯t comprehend how she had been able to withstand the rock-shattering blow. Then it struck me. It was her dwarven shield¡¯s remarkable defensive enchantments. With it held out before her, it allowing her to stand firm against the mighty back fist. Several fire arrows slammed into Gilgamesh¡¯s neck as a puzzled expression rocked his face. He, too, couldn¡¯t comprehend how his opponent was still standing. Lowki, ever the rogue, capitalized on the monster¡¯s momentary astonishment, taking this opportunity to spring on his back. Pumping his sextuple legs furiously, the panther dug deep furrows into flesh and leather armor alike. Lowki climbed the boss¡¯s back to bite savagely onto the back of his neck a moment before slamming both barbed tentacles into Gilgamesh¡¯s cheeks. The panther must have put her Solidifying Strike into the attack as visible ripples of stiffening magic expanded outward from the impact site. Lowki was unfortunately tardy in detaching from his precarious perch. The great cat never intended to stay there having no hope of crushing the Ogre¡¯s spine. With frightening brutality, Gilgamesh¡¯s grubby hand suddenly materialized beside the panther as he attempted to spring away. Catching Lowki by his leading front legs, the boss roared like an unstoppable landslide before throwing the displacer beast far into the distance. I watched in horror and realization that Lowki¡¯s ability to teleport between his duplicates was summarily neutralized if he was in direct contact with a hostile presence. Another roar tore across the field as Lowki was sent flying. If he survived his landing, the impact would either take him out of the fight entirely or would be a long while until he returned. Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. Wincing at the horrifying display of raw strength, I, nonetheless, maintained enough focus on my casting to complete Synaptic Toxin. A shimmer in the air briefly appeared in the air before lancing towards the triumphant boss. Starting up another spell, my words nearly faltered as what I assumed was one of Lowki¡¯s clones slammed another set of poisonous quills into Gilgamesh¡¯s ankle. The boss roared in pain as even more poison was pumped into his body as he turned to smash the panther into a pulp. The cat was ready and had already shifted a half dozen feet back to avoid any potential retaliatory strike. Only barely maintaining enough concentration to hold the spell weave developing between my hands, my mind worked out what I just witnessed. How in the hells was Lowki able to strike out against the boss after so clearly being thrown hundreds of feet away? I understood after only a moment and focused my will to maintain my budding spell. Lowki had not been able to teleport between his mirror images, not at least until after the behemoth released him with a vicious overhead toss. I smirked at the boss¡¯s missed opportunity to take the troublesome feline out of the fight. His hit-and-run tactics were working well for the five-hundred-pound murder machine. Gilgamesh would have been better served to slam the pesky cat into the ground instead like he was a whip-corded sledgehammer the moment he got a grip on the usually untouchable feline. While this played out, a half dozen scarlet-tinged arrows, swiftly followed by others shining with viridescent energy, repeatedly slammed into the mountainous Ogre. A good number shattered on impact, either against the boss¡¯s unarmored head or against the strips of metal sown into his leather garments. Still, Tallos found some success, puncturing arrowheads between the glint of metal and into the unprotected flesh of his bulging biceps. Sadly, those muscular appendages were speeding through the air too quickly to hit with any repetition, even with Tallos¡¯ self-only Eagle Eye buff going. A grumble of frustration from the usually stoic elf reached my ears before Tallos switched most of his shots against the boss¡¯s broad neck muscles while taking pot shots between the reinforced metal on Gilgamesh¡¯s torso and thighs when the opportunity presented itself. My latest DoT landed and bypassed a strong portion of Gilgamesh¡¯s magical resistances. Ripley did her best to draw the Ogre¡¯s attention towards her since she was best suited among our party to withstand his punishing assaults. Yet, the boss was not dissuaded from his primary objective: me. The giant¡¯s penetrating gaze bore holes into my backpedaling form. It was clear I was the biggest threat on the battlefield, and the pulverizing Ogre understood that. With his reinforced armor and blade-turning skin, Tallos and Ripley¡¯s efforts were mostly for naught. Gilgamesh and I both understood it was my crippling damage over time spells that stood the best chance at felling the behemoth. Lowki¡¯s virulent poison, further enhanced by his Bangle of Poison Potency, surely made an impact on Gilgamesh¡¯s steadily declining health bar. Still, the venom itself wasn¡¯t capable of taking him down on its own, regardless of the number of envenomed spines currently piercing his gigantic body. With my focus split between the advancing monstrosity and complex spell casting, I almost missed a dull yellow glow flash outward from the Ogre¡¯s boots a fraction of a second before Gilgamesh moved. Instantly kicking up a dust cloud, the massive creature¡¯s legs sped him across the intervening field toward me with nearly the breakneck speed we first witnessed as he sprinted away from the obelisk structure under Cicero¡¯s emerald spire. Not sure if the glimmer of light emanating from his obviously enchanted footwear could be used against him somehow, I had to move or be pulverized. It would only be after the battle I would learn Lowki and Ripley had, at the same moment the boss charged, been sent rocketing away. Whether by some combination of skills or from the boots themselves, a shockwave of force expanded like a nova away from the Ogre, sending my two friends tumbling away. Gilgamesh roared anew as he tore across the intervening distance, his legs an indecipherable blur of motion. His guttural scream reminded me of a Tyrannosaurus Rex from one of the Jurassic movies and was absolutely blood curdling to experience. It was thoroughly terrifying and instantly gave me flashbacks of when I was a kid and scared to death that a T-Rex was about to pop out from a nearby copse of trees. The childhood fear had been borne of pure fantasy, of course, but it still touched an instinctual part of my mind. It threatened to immobilize me. ¡°Shit!¡± was the only response my mind could produce as the ground beneath me bucked like a series of micro-quakes was reverberating out for miles. I was only barely able to maintain my balance. Even with the collaboration of petrification from Lowki¡¯s strike with the biting ice shards of my blizzard, the boss¡¯s speed was still staggering to witness. My only saving grace, if one could call it that, was it took Gilgamesh a moment or two to reach his top speed. The bull racing towards me was like someone¡¯s demented melding of the Flash and the Hulk while not-to-subtly sprinkling in more than a hearty dash of intelligence. It coalesced to form a planetary threat-level supervillain of unprecedented danger. I had time only for a single, quick cast spell before contact and did not spare a moment to contemplate if I was making the right decision or not. Even if my reflexive spell cast worked, given the total oblivion scrambling toward me, I was going to be in a world of hurt no matter the outcome. Quick cast, at its current level, increased my incantations mana cost by nearly one hundred and sixty percent. My Dual Cast skill expanded upon that further by an additional hundred eighty-five percent, meaning every spell was exorbitantly expensive to cast with both. Combining the skills was absolutely essential if my hasty gambit had any chance of dispelling the painful tempest barreling toward me. A scintillating bolt of pure electricity split the morning sky, tearing across the dirt field at the behemoth Ogre only a few feet away. In the split moment before the broad sword impacted, my mind registered Gilgamesh hadn¡¯t altered his trajectory as I lunged to the side in sheer desperation to avoid what was coming. Either he couldn¡¯t deviate from his blitzkrieg, or there wasn¡¯t enough time for him to do so. It didn¡¯t really matter, though, as all I knew a moment later was the blinding flash of color exploding in my vision as his weapon cracked into my outstretched legs. It was only my frantic dive which saved me from a lethal strike to my chest. As it was, even though it was more of a glancing blow, the ferocity behind the attack sent me spinning through the air like a pinwheel. My vision spun bewilderingly and I lost track of what was up and what was down. My mana reserves had been below the forty percent mark, not including the likely massive chunk just stolen by the boss¡¯s attack, so more than half of the force from Gilgamesh¡¯s strike bypassed my Empowered Aegis completely. Without my reliable defensive ability, I would have certainly lost both of my legs right below the knees. As I was sent careening through the air, I somehow kept my wits enough about me to panic trigger one of my enchanted rings, immediately eliciting a series of System messages to hurtle into my subconscious. Warning! You have been affected by an all-consuming ¡°Blind Rage,¡± all voluntary control of your actions is removed while under these effects. Notice! Your Strength has doubled. Notice! Your Constitution has doubled. Notice! You are IMMUNE to the mind-altering effects of ¡°Blind Rage¡±. If it wasn¡¯t for my Clear Headed II ability, such a panicked move would have certainly doomed me to a painful death regardless of how much my health had just spiked. Without it, I would have become a mindless brute standing against a titan. I could only hope the extra Constitution would allow me to survive the next few seconds and what was surely another impending attack from the marauding boss. Slamming into a dune, a whirlpool of vision-obscuring dust blasted all around my impact crater. Even after my impromptu crash landing, the jackhammer of bucking earth seemed to go on forever, never faltering under the boss¡¯s enormous weight. Even though I had some mana points remaining in my depleted resource pool, a single blow from Gilgamesh would likely be enough to zero it out completely. After that, I had only my increased health points to keep me alive. I was out of options. ¡°Move!¡± Stella screamed from somewhere beyond the billowing dust cloud that was only beginning to dissipate. Not sure if she was speaking to me, I sent my prone body into a roll and it was all I could do to heed what sounded like a dire warning. The hammering footfalls seemed to grow in strength, bringing the boss near enough it felt like I could taste the sweat profusely steaming off the Ogre¡¯s body as he closed upon my downed form. Like a specter, a blot of shadow materialized in the swirling dust, heralding what could be my final moments in this life. Chapter 119 - Demise A moment before the shadowy figure emerged from the whirlwind kicked up from the impact into the ground, panic sliced through my chest as keenly as if a dagger was plunging toward my heart. When it was a hand that materialized from the cloud and not a plunging sword shock must have surely been plastered all over my face. And it was a bony hand! This wasn¡¯t Gilgamesh coming to coup de grace me. Accepting the proffered aid, I locked wrists with Ripley with eager intensity. With her high strength attribute, she easily pulled me to my feet. The haze of dust and sand obscuring my surroundings lilted to the ground as I sought to locate our dangerous opponent. Turning my head back and forth to locate the boss, I found him standing about thirty feet away. His bulk of a body was in the process of reorienting where we stood as if he only decided to pause his mad rush so far away from we stood. Why would he run all the way over there after realizing he missed me with his second charge? From what I could gather in the next few seconds as I contemplated what our best course of action was, it appeared Gilgamesh made two rapid lunges back-to-back, if the falling sand from his passing had anything to say about it. Seeing the ruts in the dirt, I gathered both of his charges were in perfectly straight lines without any deviation. Surprisingly, when Gilgamesh first struck me with his sword, his headlong dash carried him over two dozen yards away for some odd reason. Then, after finally stopping, the towering Ogre repeated the move, this time aiming where I landed painfully in a sand dune. It was as if Gilgamesh couldn¡¯t veer once his imitation of the Flash was triggered. It was only thanks to Stella¡¯s warning I hadn¡¯t ended up as a pink streak across the barren ground. Thankfully, the boss could only estimate where I landed thanks to the dust cloud I kicked up. Gilgamesh nearly got it right. He missed me by less than a foot. Had we been fighting anywhere other than the desert Cicero¡¯s magic created, I wouldn¡¯t be left standing trying to figure out best how to fell a leviathan. Those pounding impact tremors from before had been Gilgamesh careening past me. When I rolled at Stella¡¯s warning, I must have moved closer to Ripley who then rushed forward to help me to my feet. We stood shoulder to shoulder, facing off an as-of-yet pissed-off Ogre. With nearly all of my DoTs already applied and ravaging the freak of nature¡¯s health pool, I settled on what would give us the best chance of surviving the rest of this encounter. Every six seconds, my spells took large chunks away from the blood-red bar hovering under Gilgamesh¡¯s nameplate. It was time enough to transfer as much direct damage as possible and wipe out what health he had remaining. It was time to overwhelm him with elemental power. There was the briefest moment of stillness as we faced each other down. I was surprised Gilgamesh hadn¡¯t immediately followed up with another blistering charge, but perhaps we were fortunate enough that his ability had some inner cool down. That or something else prevented him from leaping forward with the speed of a nimble gazelle. Narrowing my eyes with renewed determination, arcane phrases filled the air around me as the words to Lightning Bolt drew upon my core. My fingers twisted in zig-zagging lines, the spell weave nearly complete when Ripley stepped forward. Without the need to communicate the obvious, we both came to the realization Ripley would need to be the shield if there was any hope of us slaying this brutal monster. She would defend me until her last breath, if it came to that, while I toppled what health still flowed in Gilgamesh¡¯s veins. Ripley side-stepped, imposing herself for whatever the boss did next, though she allowed me a clear line of sight to complete my casting. If it wasn¡¯t for the skeleton¡¯s astounding Silvern Dwarven shield, the thick slab of metal embossed with the likeness of a cheering Dwarf greedily gulping down a mug of ale, and combined with a matched-set of Battlelord armor, my friend would have little hope of following through with her stance¡¯s implied threat. Each piece of her Dreadnought armor contained a battalion¡¯s worth of defensive value. It is evident to everyone across our impromptu sand and dirt-covered battlefield I stood no chance against the robust Ogre, should he come calling. Until one of us fell, Ripley was steadfast as she became my shield against this agent of darkness. With my friend¡¯s support, we had a chance. The incalculable split moment in time stretched on for what seemed like hours. There was no way Gilgamesh was about to try to parlay with us, so why not use the brief intermission to get the party started? Opting to only dual cast my spell, Lightning Bolt¡¯s final trigger phrase split the still air the precise moment Gilgamesh beamed a gleaming smile our way. Before the twisting line of light could touch his body, a heat bloom rushed away from Gilgamesh¡¯s thick frame as another of his hidden abilities was triggered. Sadly, unlike when battling other Hunters, there was no way for me to tell what tricks this monster had up his sleeves. Nothing for it, my ravaging bolt of electricity blasted past Ripley, missing her by scant inches, before slamming into the boss¡¯s chest. The burning smell of ozone pervaded the air in the spell¡¯s wake before drifting away with a heavy gust of wind. Seeming to shrug off my Lightning Bolt without much ill effect, Gilgamesh ran towards our position. Remarkably, though, the Ogre was moving at only a fraction of his top speed. His legs pumped no faster than a light jog. It was as if he was in no real hurry to pulverize us. The effects of Gilgamesh¡¯s ability struck my awareness as the destructive magic ravaging the Ogre¡¯s inside came into focus. It gave me pause. Widening my eyes, it was as if every drop of mana from my spells became far less effective in that instant. Whatever the visible distortion had been, every one of my DoT spells now only delivered half their full damage potential. It was a staggering defensive ability. Hopefully, the effect wouldn¡¯t last long as that single ability pushed a difficult battle far harder. The longer he lived, the less likely we would. Gilgamesh¡¯s ability doubled his weakening lifespan. There was nothing we could do about it. It didn¡¯t change what we had to do. It only made our jobs harder and, hopefully, not fatally so. Waiting for the one-second cool down to elapse, my fingers twisted in the same pattern as another Lightning Bolt was summoned. I debated waving a Lesser Fire Ball between lightning blasts but swiftly decided against it. As a lesser-tiered spell, it dealt a significantly lower amount of direct damage. Additionally, coupled with the fact Fire Ball had a two-second cast time and my depleting mana reserves, I didn¡¯t want to waste the extra mana to speed it up via a Quick Cast. Not unless it became absolutely necessary for our survival. Instead, I was better served tossing out as many stunning bolts of electricity until the battle morphed into something new. ¡°Stella!¡± I called out between evocations. She hurried to my side and waited patiently for my next words as I tossed out yet another Lightning Bolt. Taking an extra moment to ask my question before winding through another bolt, I hoped Stella could shed some light on Gilgamesh¡¯s impressive ability. ¡°Any idea what that defensive haze was or how long it will last?¡± I hoped to get a better understanding of what we were up against even as Gilgamesh neared Ripley¡¯s defensive position. The whole time the Ogre began his run, Ripley and I backpedaled to draw out as much time before he got into range with his hefty sword. All the while, I kept glancing at Gilgamesh¡¯s feet for the telltale sign of his speed boost triggering. If we didn¡¯t see his blitzkrieg coming, we wouldn¡¯t have enough time to react and dive out of the way. Stella responded swiftly and succinctly: ¡°It cuts all magical damage by fifty percent!¡± As she answered, Ripley had to duck beneath and turn aside several savage sword cuts from the boss. So close, it was astonishing the size difference between the hulky Gilgamesh and my skeletal friend. Ripley planted her feet and stubbornly kept her armored body between me and the boss. Her entirely defensive maneuvers, perfectly executed parries, and evasive dodges seemed to frustrate the powerful giant to no end. He seemed to want nothing more than to mow past here and scythe me wheat in a field. ¡°It has a long cool down, but I¡¯m unable to see how long it lasts¡ªmaybe an extra thirty seconds, but I can¡¯t promise that.¡± If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. I nearly made a fatal mistake when I stepped further to the side to open a lane for a constant barrage from my Lesser Flamethrower. My error in judgment was dashed purely on the sudden gleeful look that overcame the perturbed look across Gilgamesh¡¯s face. He seemed giddy at the prospect my new position afforded him. Halting my spell mid-cast, I stepped back behind my skeletal champion. There was potentially room for my flamethrower to hit the boss¡¯s face at an upward angle, but it would also cause Ripley to take fire damage from the spell as well. Reverting to my Lightning Bolts once more, I asked another question to the hovering Stella at my side, ¡°What can you tell me about his charge?¡± I was required to shout the question for any hope of clearing the constant clash of metal on metal as Gilgamesh doggedly attempted to overcome Ripley¡¯s defensive posturing. ¡°He needs a clear line of sight and at least five feet to trigger it,¡± Stella answered as swiftly as she could as she waved a paw through one of her interfaces. Her voice carried a bit more cheer a moment later as she gleaned a little more information from the System about the boss¡¯s lightning-fast charge. ¡°Also, he has to travel at least fifty feet when it¡¯s used. If used back-to-back like earlier, the cool down is increased significantly. I bet he hoped to end you as quickly as possible back there and is now waiting for the right moment to use it. I can¡¯t find anything else about it.¡± It was helpful information, so I thanked Stella for the insight soon after. From the continuous blasts of electrified energy, Gilgamesh was clearly frustrated at his inability to reach me with his broad sword with Ripley holding firm against his onslaught. It was as if the boss¡¯s only goal was to kill me as quickly as possible, and everything else was only a hindrance to accomplishing that end. Ripley was taking damage, of course. Even her potent dwarven armor was no match for the sheer strength disparity between her and the behemoth waylaying her. Weaving in another refreshing Lesser Regen upon her between lightning blasts was simplicity itself. Healing magic coursed through her body and the dark tendons holding her together. With the ongoing healing from my earlier cast of funeral pyre, I was able to keep Ripley slightly above fifty percent health. Ripley¡¯s ability to hold her own against the raging giant was compromised when Gilgamesh enacted another ability. In an instant, he sent a blisteringly fast series of sword strikes, each aimed at different parts of his foe¡¯s body. The move was so fast it reminded me of his blurred legs during his charge. Ripley''s health plummeted into the red! Yet, an instant later, her health soared back over the halfway mark. I knew what Ripley had done the instant it happened. She had been sitting on a life-saving item for days since we first purchased it back in the High Thicket. It was her marvelous Vial of Replenishment. {Vial of Replenishment (Health & Stamina)}. This sealed glass capsule was carefully constructed to contain a self-replicating concoction capable of restoring both health and stamina. With a thought, the contents are magically injected into the user¡¯s bloodstream. Over time, the potion will fill automatically, growing denser in potency as more time passes. Quality: Superb. Rarity: Rare. Type: Potion. Durability 500/500. Effect(s): Restores 100 plus 50n Health and Stamina, where ¡®n¡¯ equals the total hours since the item was previously used. Current restored quantity: 6,250 health and stamina. Relief flooded into me as her health stabilized. While it dropped dangerously low, Ripley proved she could withstand what was likely the boss¡¯s most potent attack. Sadly for us, my hopes of the stalemate continued as my spells wore down Gilgamesh¡¯s own health pool vanished immediately after. Another wave of force rippled away from the giant, quite unlike the one which increased the boss¡¯s magical resistances. This time, all of the energy released honed in on the only target in range; Ripley. Thankfully, I was outside of whatever the boss just used. For Ripley, it caused her to falter for a second as the energy hammered into her skeletal body. A debuff icon appeared next to Ripley¡¯s name in my party menu, and I allowed the System to pass the information directly to me. Oh, no, I lamented. The effect might as well be a death sentence. Notice! Debuff Added: [Punishment of Weakness]. [Punishment of Weakness]. Weakness destabilizes your body and spirit. All healing effects, along with your maximum Strength and Constitution, are reduced by 30%. This status ailment will persist until you have been fully healed. ¡°Shit, shit, shit!¡± I screeched in exasperation. Unfortunately for our entire party, this single ability from Gilgamesh effectively put a timer on Ripley¡¯s inevitably collapsed under his withering assault. Even with the combined regeneration from my Funeral Pyre and Lesser Regen, with this debuff, it was only a matter of time before her health dropped to zero. My spells simply couldn¡¯t keep her standing any longer. Once she fell, there would be no one standing in the boss¡¯s way to take me down in the next instant. It was a startling realization. If we didn¡¯t finish the fight before Ripley was slain, it would be all over. Our only saving grace was when Gilgamesh¡¯s health tipped below the one-third mark. Small chunks were torn from his health pool with each major tick of my DoTs, not to mention the concussive blasts from my generous use of Lightning Bolt. My mana ticked below twenty percent. Unfortunately, if I ran out of mana, we would certainly lose the battle of attrition now turned in Gilgamesh¡¯s favor. Regardless of the ceaseless barrage of cantankerous arrows from Tallos or the repeated slaps of barbed tentacles from Lowki, it seemed we were running out of time. The contest was fast coming to a close, and we were the ones standing on the precipice of oblivion. Then, at long last, we got lucky. ¡°Stunned for five seconds!¡± Stella¡¯s words were a balm we all desperately needed. Absolute glee was so deeply entrenched in her voice it was as if she had only now seen her first sunrise. She, exactly as I had, made the same awful conclusion of our contest with Cicero¡¯s guardian. Without this perfectly timed stun, we would have been dead. ¡°Kill him!¡± ¡°Go for the killing blow!¡± We bellowed at the same time. Springing forward and past Ripley¡¯s side, my mind rapidly cemented my next course of action. We wouldn¡¯t be given a better opportunity in this fight. This small window in time would be the deciding factor of who lived and who died. We would not become the former! My mana reserves were dangerously low, and, given the boss¡¯s now face-planted position, I opted to end the fight with some good ol¡¯ muscle power. Frostrend materialized in my hand and was swiftly heaved end over end at the bald crown of Gilgamesh¡¯s head as I chewed up the last remaining feet between us. Ripley likewise swapped out for more firepower, urgently pulling her greatsword into her bony grasp as her sword and shield hit the ground. Without hesitation, Ripley wreaked devastation across the side of Gilgamesh¡¯s massive neck. Every hack brought gouts of bubbling blood spewing to the surface and, with each backswing, sent the blistering liquid flinging across the sand around our feet. Too focused on my own task, I failed to notice as feather after feathered arrow slammed home into Gilgamesh¡¯s corded neck. Lowki, for his part, leaped atop the Ogre¡¯s back without hesitation before sending repeatedly his hammering poison-filled quills into the stunned boss. Forgoing recalling Frostrend to one final swing, I instead called my dueling pistol to hand and touched the tip of the barrel to the back of Gilgamesh¡¯s skull. He still wasn¡¯t dead and was beginning to stir as the stunning effect wavered. Without compunction, I pulled the trigger. A concussive BOOM blast roared across the countryside, but I was not finished. Stowing my gun, I triggered a ring on my finger, recalling my magnificent weapon to hand. Then, while Gilgamesh planted his fists on the ground, I activated one of my least-used skills: Execute. Faster than even my heightened senses could follow, the bladed head of my axe blurred into motion like a diving Peregrine Falcon. My target? The bleeding hole just created by my enchanted bullet. Pieces of skull, a shower of blood, and what could only be gray matter exploded outward as my weapon tore so deep inside the boss¡¯s head that I lost sight of its leading edge. Afraid the boss still wasn¡¯t dead, I let go of Frostrend¡¯s handle and instinctively channeled Lightning Bolt with both of my hands. The words speed from my lips too fast to be recognizable as I pumped as much speed into the spell cast. Stepping a foot closer, I moved my palms an inch over the gory mess that had become the back of Gilgamesh¡¯s head. A series of earsplitting cracks reverberated from the blast point, sending sonic booms out in all directions. Dust, sand, and caked blood were sent hurtling into the air as my cracking lightning continued to hammer into the boss¡¯s skull as one endless jolting stream. With every ounce of my will, I held the channeled spell for as long as possible. I could not risk Gilgamesh, the fearsome Celeritous Behemoth Ogre, ever rising again. All I could see in front of me was blinding streaks of brilliant light as I pulled upon my core to deliver what remained in my dwindling mana pool. It was several seconds before I realized I was kneeling in the dirt no longer blinded by my spell. My breaths came out in ragged gasps. The ringing in my ears was so loud that I feared I had ruptured my ear drums. With every drop of strength sapped from my body, I collapsed onto my rump and felt the comforting embrace of warm sand underneath me. It¡¯s over, was one of my last conscious thoughts before exhaustion overcame my senses completely and darkness stole my vision. A System chime assured me of that. As I drifted into a dreamless slumber, I was not afraid. We¡¯d won. Chapter 120 - Of The Despoiler This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. Chapter 121 - Covert Stealth Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. Chapter 122 - Lich Form Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.